I've been riding my Uptown 8 to and from work for the past 7 and a half weeks and am very happy with it. Splurging on the 8 speed was worth it. I haul a lot of stuff on it every day. The lights are great. I get the nicest complements from the local whinos who will sleep along part of my route. They thank me for having my lights on in the early morning. Apparently they see me better in their drunken haze.
As to the saddle, I can see that if I was any heavier, I might not like it as well as I do. I don't like the cushiness as much as I like how it supports my sitbones just right.
The only negative for me is that the U frame can be challenging to lock up. Still like it, though.
The only thing I would caution you about is making sure to service the rear hub every once in a while.
What's your definition of "once in a while", DizzyG3?