What seat cushion to buy: Air or Gel?

[Pier]

Hello everyone. Hope someone can help me. I start to enjoy more and more my new RT but I'm still have problem with the seat. After 30 minutes of riding my butt hurts like crazy.

I curently have a stock comfort seat but I just purchased a Rick Mayer's one ( although I don't have it yet ) but I still think I may need an extra cushion, which by the way I could use on the ohter bikes as well. I weight about 190 pounds.

 

I was thinking to buy an AirHawk cushion as someone suggested but while researching I found out that Gel cushions may be as good or even better.

 

I would appreciate any suggestion from anyone who may have use either one.

 

Thank you,

 

Pier

[Lawman]

I've used both and I like the Airhawk much better..Having said that I don't really like riding the RT using any seat cushion..It raises me off the seat and it causes me to "slosh" around in the seat..I would say don't waste your money on the gel and if you get an Airhawk don't over inflate it..

[RFW]

I had a similar problem with the so-called "comfort seat" on my old K100RT. By backside hurt! I started thinking about it, and it became clear that the problem was "point loading". That is, the seat was shaped so that the pointy end of my backside was all that was in in firm contact.

 

This was made worse by my being tall with long legs. My knees are therefore a bit higher than normal when sitting, and as a result, this causes my backside to be even more "pointy" and lifts the bottom of my thighs off the forward part of the seat.

 

After fooling around cutting pieces of different hardness foam, I came with the answer.

 

I added a bulge of relatively firm foam that was placed in front of the "butt depression". This spread the load so that the underside of my thighs just in front of my pointy backside, were also supporting the load. In other words the load was being supported on a greater area. More area results in lower pressure. Simple physics.

 

It worked great! I cut out a piece of foam and tapered it the way I wanted, then gave it to an upholsterer who cut a similar piece (but did a better job than I did), and glued it on the original foam then recovered the seat.

 

I just got back from a 5-day 1500km trip (actually, only 4 actual days of riding), and no sore backside at all.

 

So the secret is NOT to make the seat soft. The secret is to build up reasonably firm supprt that spreads the load to as much of your backside and thighs as possible.

 

Bob.

[John Ferris]

Wait until you try the new seat.

[Scarecrow]

Try the alaska leather butt pad. I got one after seeing it mentioned on the board and like it. The company is good to work with. I think if you put in 'dead sheep' in the discount code box, you get 10% off. It's been awhile, so I'm not sure if they still do that, or if that's what the key phrase really is. Search the board for Alaska Leather and see what you come up with.

[David Sharpe]

Dead sheep still works for the 10% discount. I bought a pad for both seats. I've only had 1 day of commute riding, 25 miles so I can't comment as to its effectiveness on the long haul.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

Ditto most of the responses so far.

 

I'm lucky in that I have the 'Comfort Seat', and have done 1500+ miles on it in 22hrs, and felt fine, but my wife was very sore from the standard pillion seat after 150mi. We tried sheep skin, and that helped, but only added another 50 or 60 miles for her. Then we added the Airhawk seat; this fixed the issue. The key to the Airhawk, though, is to find the right level of inflation to suit you personally; less is generally better. We went ahead and threw the sheep skin over it, and now she's fine (butt comfort wise anyway) after 450+ miles, which is her longest day so far.

 

I can't personally comment on the gel seats, but I've heard they act as a heat sink when you leave them out in the sun, say during lunch, and can be unpleasantly warm as a result.

[Trinity]

I've got the AirHawk and the dead sheepskin... IMHO, in terms of extending comfort for my relatively bony arse, the skin is a 5 out of 10 and the AirHawk is 9 out of 10.

 

YMMV

[TampaJim]

I use a sheepskin with a 1/4" gel pad under. Got the gel pad from a medical supply store and cut it to shape.

[W8NONU]

I have not tried this cushion yet, but it looks like it will give the airhawk a run for it's money. http://www.starcushion.com/consumer.php

This link should take you to it. If not do a google search for "starcushion" and you will find the link to their site. Look under "Our Products" at the top of the page and then "Consumer" on the left side of the page. I spoke with the guys at this company and it sounds like a super product.

[wolcott]

I've got the airhawk pad and am pretty happy with it. Does put you up higher (have a 30" inseam), but I can still reach ground with seat on lowest setting. How BMW could put such a stock torture seat on a high-priced bike is beyond me. My sportster has an aftermarket seat (probably cost $200) and it's great for all day.

[Albert]

For those of you with the RT which size Air Hawk did you choose to fit the stock seat?

Thanks,

[Laffo IBA#34115]

The airhawk saved my 6,600 mile trip last summer out west. After reaching SD I thought I'd have to quit and limp home because my rear end was aching so badly. I purchased an airhawk then ran two tanks of fuel without thinking about it anymore on my way to western WY. But you must not overfill it because it is then worse than the stock seat. I learned this the hard way the next day by thinking that if this was good, more is better. WRONG. The best amount of air is achieved by just opening the valve for equal atmospheric pressure then close it. You do not have to blow into it. It does raise you up significantly in the saddle and that will take time to get used to. Good luck and hope this helps.

[Trinity]

I have the "small cruiser" size...totally rocks.

[Merlinpedaler]

Pier, I am using these sheepskin covers from Sheepskin Shack in Tucson, AZ on my stock saddle. It fixed most of my sore butt problem but not all of it. I went to REI and purchased a blue foam sleeping pad and cut it to fit the seat. Because this cover wraps all the way around the seat and velcro's underneath it was no problem to fit the foam under the cover. This foam does not give much at all so my 160# boney butt is now much happier. The Mayer saddle probably won't need anything.

http://jeff.dean.home.att.net/sheep.htm

[wrestleantares]

I use a sheepskin with a 1/4" gel pad under. Got the gel pad from a medical supply store and cut it to shape.

 

Forgive me, but I'm confused.

 

Cutting a gel pad? Was it a bunch of seperate compartments or did you have to reseal the pad? What kind of pad?

[TampaJim]

I use a sheepskin with a 1/4" gel pad under. Got the gel pad from a medical supply store and cut it to shape.

 

Forgive me, but I'm confused.

 

Cutting a gel pad? Was it a bunch of seperate compartments or did you have to reseal the pad? What kind of pad?

 

It's the stuff they use for people with bedsores ,burns, etc. I got a piece about 2' x 2' x 1/4" . It's green and jelly like. You might find a better price on the internet, I paid about $40. Try Google for gel pad.