Comfortable Seat Pads

1cylinderwonder · 04-05-2018, 09:28 PM

Anybody want to respond to my question of which aftermarket seat pad would you recommend?
How about Airhawk, saddleman gel pads, Alaska Leather sheep skins, and a lot of other brands.
Feel free to post the name and comfort level of seat pads that really made long distance motorcycle rides more comfortable.

**cheesy** · 04-05-2018, 09:51 PM

I have a Maddog on my CX. Pretty comfy in the long run, as long as it's dry. Not so much on a rainy day soaks up water like a sponge and shrinkage is involved, if you get my drift.

Meloman · 04-06-2018, 01:51 AM

I’ve been using Airhawks for the past 5 years. They guarantee to double your riding time or your $ back. Just set it and forget it. Never had a better seat cushion.

Megadan · 04-06-2018, 05:44 AM

Maybe I have just lost all feeling in my butt, or it's gotten fat enough that I no longer notice. I have tried a few different seat covers, gel, air, foam, a mix of the three. They never seemed to make a difference.

OK, so they do help a little bit, but in the end my rear was still sore, so I no longer use seat pads, and I can't honestly tell the difference lol.

Admittedly, a long ride for me is several hundred miles at a go. My last long ride was from Omaha to Yellowstone, to Glacier Park, to Mt. Raineer, and back to Omaha in the span of 6 days. My rear end hurt a bit.

The best seat pad/cover material I have ever used was a thick sheepskin cover.

The downside is that they do require care/maintenance to keep nice, and they can be rather expensive compared to some other options. A full pelt with straps - trim to fit - will generally cost $120, sometimes more.

The upsides are - conforming to the rear posterior region, breathes well and actually does help keep a sweaty but cool, but also keeps your cheeks from turning into ice cubes if it gets chilly.

The only thing I have ever wanted to try that I have yet to get around to is to put a sheepskin cover over a gel pad.

Mudflap · 04-06-2018, 09:35 AM

Sheepskin works best for me. Have tried pretty much all options.

Meloman · 04-06-2018, 11:06 AM

Dan, the constantly moving air pockets in the Airhawk massage your butt and maintain good circulation, unlike all the other types of pads which are essentially just a form of a cushion. Money back guarantee so you can’t go wrong.

Mudflap · 04-06-2018, 03:20 PM

The problem with the Airhawk pad, for my butt, is that the I couldn't shift the pressure points. Because it is air filled, the pressure is pretty evenly spread across my butt. On a long ride I need to be able to shift position to shift the pressure points.

Megadan · 04-06-2018, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudflap

The problem with the Airhawk pad, for my butt, is that the I couldn't shift the pressure points. Because it is air filled, the pressure is pretty evenly spread across my butt. On a long ride I need to be able to shift position to shift the pressure points.

This x2.

Not saying the Airhawk is a bad cover/pad by any means. I actually had one on a previous bike, and it was very comfy!

A nice thick sheepskin cover also does a great job of spreading out the pressure on your tushy, but also allows you to shift around. Plus, like mentioned before, it has a nice insulating effect.

In the end it really just comes down to preference and riding style. I am constantly moving in my seat, either due to changing positions for riding needs, or to change my back alignment - I have a bad back with 1 surgery under my belt already. I found shifting around on the Airhawk to be laborious if not almost impossible. I felt locked in place, if that makes sense.

Mudflap · 04-06-2018, 04:28 PM

For me, sheepskin gets even more comfortable when left out in the weather 24/7 for a long time. It gets matted down instead of fluffy, which is good.

One thing to be careful of with a sheepskin is ground squirrels. My favorite one was rendered bald when a squirrel decided the wool made great nesting material.

04-05-2018, 09:28 PM	#1
1cylinderwonder Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Pismo Beach Posts: 387	Comfortable Seat Pads Anybody want to respond to my question of which aftermarket seat pad would you recommend? How about Airhawk, saddleman gel pads, Alaska Leather sheep skins, and a lot of other brands. Feel free to post the name and comfort level of seat pads that really made long distance motorcycle rides more comfortable.
	0

04-05-2018, 09:51 PM	#2
cheesy Moderator Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Elburn, IL Posts: 5,782	I have a Maddog on my CX. Pretty comfy in the long run, as long as it's dry. Not so much on a rainy day soaks up water like a sponge and shrinkage is involved, if you get my drift. __________________ Cheesy ______________________________________ 07 Hi Bird Enduro-Flown the Coop 07 Ural Gear Up 79 Honda CX500 77 VeloSolex 4600 V3 73 VeloSolex 3800 I'm making this up as I go.-Indiana Jones Telling me something 'is for my own good', is a fast way to a fat lip.-Me I don't even care about my own problems, why should I care about yours?-Quote on one of my favorite t-shirts
	1

04-06-2018, 05:44 AM	#4
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 7,973	Maybe I have just lost all feeling in my butt, or it's gotten fat enough that I no longer notice. I have tried a few different seat covers, gel, air, foam, a mix of the three. They never seemed to make a difference. OK, so they do help a little bit, but in the end my rear was still sore, so I no longer use seat pads, and I can't honestly tell the difference lol. Admittedly, a long ride for me is several hundred miles at a go. My last long ride was from Omaha to Yellowstone, to Glacier Park, to Mt. Raineer, and back to Omaha in the span of 6 days. My rear end hurt a bit. The best seat pad/cover material I have ever used was a thick sheepskin cover. The downside is that they do require care/maintenance to keep nice, and they can be rather expensive compared to some other options. A full pelt with straps - trim to fit - will generally cost $120, sometimes more. The upsides are - conforming to the rear posterior region, breathes well and actually does help keep a sweaty but cool, but also keeps your cheeks from turning into ice cubes if it gets chilly. The only thing I have ever wanted to try that I have yet to get around to is to put a sheepskin cover over a gel pad. __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124
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04-06-2018, 01:51 AM	#3
Meloman Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Applegate, Oregon Posts: 101	I’ve been using Airhawks for the past 5 years. They guarantee to double your riding time or your $ back. Just set it and forget it. Never had a better seat cushion.
	0

04-06-2018, 09:35 AM	#5
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,870	Sheepskin works best for me. Have tried pretty much all options.
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04-06-2018, 11:06 AM	#6
Meloman Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Applegate, Oregon Posts: 101	Dan, the constantly moving air pockets in the Airhawk massage your butt and maintain good circulation, unlike all the other types of pads which are essentially just a form of a cushion. Money back guarantee so you can’t go wrong.
	0

04-06-2018, 03:20 PM	#7
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,870	The problem with the Airhawk pad, for my butt, is that the I couldn't shift the pressure points. Because it is air filled, the pressure is pretty evenly spread across my butt. On a long ride I need to be able to shift position to shift the pressure points.
	1

04-06-2018, 04:28 PM	#9
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,870	For me, sheepskin gets even more comfortable when left out in the weather 24/7 for a long time. It gets matted down instead of fluffy, which is good. One thing to be careful of with a sheepskin is ground squirrels. My favorite one was rendered bald when a squirrel decided the wool made great nesting material.
	0