Seat Covers

[Herman]

Any one use a seat cover (beaded seat cover, sheep's skin, gel, etc....)  The stock seat is not doing it for me.  I did 365 miles only stopping for gas and my butt was unbelievably sore and my left leg was starting to go numb.  I don't have the $$ for an after market seat like a mustang.  What options have you guys tried?

Next summer I might do a trip from Phoenix, AZ to Minneapolis, MN and I wouldn't make it (1,600 miles) on a stock seat.

[Curtis_Valk]

I did the bead cushion ONCE!  At 500 miles I thought I was sitting on a prickley pear!  I threw it in the trunk but the damage was done; the next 200 miles were murder!  Obviously the guys who swear by them have more natural padding than I do back there.

Curtis

[roboto65]

Had a friend that is a cheapy anyhow you know the sheep seat covers well hey just go down to your local walmart and buy a sheep wash mitt LOL and cut along the seam and see if that fits  He uses it and loves it.

[hootmon]

I have a Mustang seat on mine, but on long trips my rear still hurts.. So I made something for very long trips.. I went to Walmart and bought a Memory foam pillow for the bed.. I cut it to the shape of my seat and had my daughter make a cover for it.. Cloth on top and the rubber side down of headliner material (to make it stick good to the seat while sitting).. It is about 4-5 inches tall, but when I sit on it, it smashes down to about nothing.. But it helps quite a bit..
I found with the stock seat that it is more the shape of the seat than the material it is made out of.. no matter how I sat on the seat, it seemed like the same 2" of rear end got sore.

I don't know if my solution will assist with a stock seat or not.. but it cost me less than $35.00

[drkngas]

Had a friend that is a cheapy anyhow you know the sheep seat covers well hey just go down to your local walmart and buy a sheep wash mitt LOL and cut along the seam and see if that fits  He uses it and loves it.

Allen has called me out!!!  YES!  I am David, and I am a cheapy!  (group says:  "Hi DAVE")



That seat cover is 2 wash mits sewn together with a kitchen drawer non-slip thin padded backing.  Alot less than $35.

[drkngas]

Wanna be even cheaper?  Wear 2 pair of underwear.  For a little more comfort, cut off a pair of long-johns about 2" below the crotch and wear with underwear underneath. Anti-MonkeyButt if you're really a sweaty-butt.   The over-cushy stock seat numbed me after 75 miles almost every time.

(hehehehehe.... he said crotch)

[BudMan]

I rode with a friend in Warner-Robins GA years ago that was given to catching Monkey Butt on relatively short rides.  He told me the solution was the pre-application of Noxzema to the seat.  Not the bike's seat, the RIDERS! 
I have always had comfortable saddles and never felt the need to try Noxzema, but he swore by it.

[Magnum Magna]

Wear 2 pair of underwear.  For a little more comfort, cut off a pair of long-johns about 2" below the crotch and wear with underwear underneath.

I like that idea.

I talked to someone two weekends back that had beads on his seat.  It was on his bike but he did not give it a raving review.  The seat that Charles made is very comfortable and very pleased with it but before my next long trip I will probably buy one of Terry's seat pads that he is selling on his web-page.   

http://www.cli-maxridinggear.com/servlet/StoreFront

[TLRam1]

I like you had a major issue with the stock seat after about an hour, one trip to Austin and it never has been back on the bike, I bought the Mustang.

I hear people have luck with the beads, I can' t see how I am sure I would be like Curtis stated, also I can't see how sheepskin does much good without added padding to give the seat a wider supported footprint. Some good options to try above. I have a Airhawk I use on my vintage bikes, works great, loaned it to my Dad and now he has a Airhawk and loves it.

There was a motorcycle expo last weekend where I was able to sit on a sheepskin gel pad, very nice, sheepskin was the cover (don't know that it helped any) or you could get neoprene. I have not sat on a gel pad for any length of time, I was skeptical before but feel better about giving these a whirl now, these are the size of the seat with 3/4" gel pad and memory foam top layer, I may have to give one a shot.

[Curtis_Valk]

I've been tempted by the AirHawk, but just can't bring myself to spend $150 on a "cushion".

Curtis

[Brad Badgett]

I have a Pro-pad, dense foam-gel.  Use on trips of 200 mis or longer.  Main problem is heat-no air flow on my backside in warm or hot weather.  Sheepskin will create enough air flow space to keep the butt area somewhat less wet.  My better-half (she's an RN) uses sheepskin for bedfast patients to help keep from getting bed sores.  I don't have any problem riding in cool (under 70 deg) or cold weather riding for long distances.  BTW, I have a stock seat.

Brad Badgett
MOOT #164
OK Region
1996 VF750C

[Charles S Otwell]

Unfortunately everyone's tush is built a little different so it is next to impossible for any mfg to build a seat to fit everyone. There are shops that will custom build you a seat, but they still build it the way they think is best. People will pay $600.00 for a seat if it's a name brand seat, but few are willing to pay more than a $100.00 or so for a seat built to fit them. You can have a seat recovered here for around $120.00 and up depending on the material and how detailed (fancy) the stitching. But to make the seat comfortable it has to be cut to fit YOUR bottom, and that intails you being part of the building process. I toyed with the idea of building a few seats but most everyone wanted or needed to send the seat to me and that is a hit and miss approach. If you can find someone that will cut the seat down for you having you sit on it as the work is done so it can be adjusted and fine tuned to fit your bottom you can have the comfort you desire. Like I said most builders want to build it their way. This is a seat we done for Ron's VTX 1800. We spent about a half a day cutting and fitting the seat to fit him and then had Auto Trim reupholster it in black Ostrich, he is very pleased with the upholstery job and the seat fits him. The stock seat hurt his rear after a couple hrs, but he's had no problems since.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/oldman_05/014-1.jpg

PS I would be glad to help anyone willing to bring your seat here we have a Third gen magna and a Valk  if you just wanted to bring the seat other wise you would have to bring the bike too. I wouldn't charge just to help  cut the seat for a fellow Mootster, you only have to pay the upholstery shop, and that is between you and them on what material and kind of design you want and the price. Rons cost him about $120.00.

[Charles S Otwell]

Robert, I hate that the seat that you got from me wasn't built specifically for you, and I'm more than willing to refit it for you, no chg, Lewis will recover it (the riders seat only) for $ 80.00, sometimes you can reuse the same cover if don't have to change much, but it usually looks better if you recover it. By the way Robert's passenger seat required a lot of fabrication and fiber glassing and will always be a one of a kind .

[roboto65]

I will make it up there Charles as I think the Corbin I have has potential just needs to be narrowed down so I will be up soon and if you have time I would like to get it done!!!

[TLRam1]

I've been tempted by the AirHawk, but just can't bring myself to spend $150 on a "cushion".

Curtis

I hear ya, the plus is you can move these items from seat to seat, bike to bike. I will be trying my Airhawk on the duel sport bike, if that works it will be switched between vintage and the duel sport.