Are Gel Pads worth the Money?

[monks]

Thinking about a quilted top gel pad for on my seat. Do they work? I get a sore butt after riding more than about a hour. I have a stock seat.

 

[Burnerboy]

I went to Walmart and purchased a car seat cushion under $10.00 at my time of purchase and now enjoy long trips, {without the "spinkster" muscle scream'n in total pain}
Try it, cause it works w/o spending your kids inheritance, on an expensive seat..

Ronnie
7/29/24[/SIZE]

 

[ISP-FL]

On a whim I purchased a Dr. Scholls Black Messaging Gel Seat Cushion (Walmart $34.88). I grabbed it prior to my last motorcycle trip. It worked great and I won't take another long trip without it.

I started each day without the pad, keeping it under my luggage bag. After about 3 or 4 hours on the road I started using it. For me it was like doing the last half of the day on a totally different seat. My rear never tired out.

 

[pwhoever]

Each "butt" is a little different. On the Goldwings, the seats leave a lot to be desired. I assume Harley factory seats are not much different. They are not designed for the individual but rather to please the majority.

I tried one of the commercially available gel pads that fit in a cover and go on top of the seat and didn't care too much for it. I think it may have helped a bit but still had same problem. I tried it because my original seat padding would cause pain within about the first hour on trips and got very uncomfortable. Also the material on my factory seat wasn't slippery enough and tended to grab onto my jeans so they didn't move naturally. I ended up switching over to seat beads. I never understood how sitting on something harder could help but they do. I can now pretty much ride tank to tank without any real discomfort in the "butt" region. I still might have sore legs from not stretching out enough but that's not related.

Now I have seen where custom seat guys can install gel pads into the factory seat and many say that is much better but I haven't tried it yet. Custom seat guys now seem to use more memory foam for padding and that also seems to work much better but this can start getting expensive.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Yes they are, even better is a seat redo by Mean City Cycles

MCC Home of the best motorcycle seat modifications.

Mean City Cycles is home of the custom seat modifications required to make your motorcycle as comfortable as possible without breaking the bank.

www.meancitycycles.com

 

[pwhoever]

Yes they are, even better is a seat redo by Mean City Cycles

Funny you mention them. I had come across them a few years back and reached out to them about mine. I don't remember the exact reason but they weren't able to work on Goldwing seats. I had also found another guy locally that does similar mods, (all kinds of custom covers along with seat foam mods) Alligator Bob and he gets lots of good reviews from all over the country but unfortunately I haven't reached out to him to see if he could do mine.

ADVANCED Custom Design ::: Motorcycle Seats and Saddlebags ::: Harley Davidson ::: Exotic Skins, Alligator, Crocodile, Calf-Skin, Leather, Ostrich, Python, Stingray, Custom Made Motorcycle Seats

Custom Made one of a kind seats and saddlebags for all motorcycles specializing in Harley-Davidson. Using only top quality leather, alligator, crocodile, calf-skin, ostrich, snake, python, stingray and many others.

www.alligatorbob.com

Make sure to look at the Pro Pad section.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Funny you mention them. I had come across them a few years back and reached out to them about mine. I don't remember the exact reason but they weren't able to work on Goldwing seats. I had also found another guy locally that does similar mods, (all kinds of custom covers along with seat foam mods) Alligator Bob and he gets lots of good reviews from all over the country but unfortunately I haven't reached out to him to see if he could do mine.

ADVANCED Custom Design ::: Motorcycle Seats and Saddlebags ::: Harley Davidson ::: Exotic Skins, Alligator, Crocodile, Calf-Skin, Leather, Ostrich, Python, Stingray, Custom Made Motorcycle Seats

Custom Made one of a kind seats and saddlebags for all motorcycles specializing in Harley-Davidson. Using only top quality leather, alligator, crocodile, calf-skin, ostrich, snake, python, stingray and many others.

www.alligatorbob.com

Make sure to look at the Pro Pad section.

Good find, Thanks

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

I purchased a stock seat with gel pads installed from a member Posse Rider, it's better than stock but I get a sore butt after about 125 miles anyway. Plus, I have a sheepskin cover.

 

[Bluelives]

I have a Mustang Summit seat on Triglide. I have always had seat issues and never seem to get more than 200 miles before I get sore. The Mustang is good but I’m always looking for better. I recently purchased an Impact Gel pad that mean city uses in their seat modifications. Big difference with the pad. I can even take it to work for when I’m at a desk for the day. I have had Harley Hammock seat, Ultimate seat and a Corbin seat. I liked the Corbin but the wife did not. They need 1500 miles to break in. I think the key is air movement under your back side. The Impact Gel pad has a mesh cover so it allows air movement. I know a few that have beads on the seat that lift you up just enough to allow the air to move. So far I’m impressed with the Impact Gel pad.

 

[Pegasus1300]

I have never known a Corbin to "break in". The only gel pad I ever used was one sold by motorcycledave.com for self installation in your seat. I installed one in my Can Am spyder seat and it turned a 2 hour seat into an all day seat. I loved it.

 

[Papa Zook]

There was a time I would have agreed with you on a Corbin seat never breaking in Paul, but several of my close friends and ridding buddies swore by their Corbin seats so I was fitted for a new Corbin seat at Mike's shop in Daytona during one of our annual excursions.

That brand new seat actually road much better than I had expected right out of the gate, which I attributed to the custom fitted "made for my butt" construction. After riding it for around 1500 miles it did "break in" and was the last seat I ever bought for my Harley Ultra Hannigan Transformer. When I sold that beautiful girl (named her Spike) eight months ago, I kept the Corbin seat despite the buyer's incessant badgering.

 

[Bluelives]

So maybe Zook has a Corbin for sale for the right price lol

 

[pwhoever]

Corbin's are definitely not for everyone. They are firm. But I would guess that since others have mentioned, they do kind of "break in" but it might also be a combination of your "butt" getting conditioned to it.

For many years at work, I rode quarter horses and thoroughbreds for several days a week and for several hours a day. We used English saddles which are also pretty firm. I would easily compare them to Corbins. None of saddles were new and were considered broken in. It still did take a while to finally get comfortable riding them and I could get several hours of saddle time in on each ride.

 

[Zammy]

I don't use anything but my wife loves her Butt Buffer on the pillion.

Motorcycle Seat Cushions and Gel Seat Padding | Butt Buffer

Enhance your motorcycle ride with Butt Buffer's gel seat pads. Experience ultimate comfort and support with our selection of motorcycle seat cushions.

buttbuffer.com

 

[Papa Zook]

So maybe Zook has a Corbin for sale for the right price lol

Nope, I gave it away..to the same guy that I had refused to sell it to...I realized I would never use it so why keep it. He needed it, I didn't. Plus his stock seat on my custom trike looked like crap. I was embarrassed for him.

 

[Old Road Dog]

Thinking about a quilted top gel pad for on my seat. Do they work? I get a sore butt after riding more than about a hour. I have a stock seat.

Yes they work. Yes you get swamp butt.

 

[Bluelives]

I’ve seen some good reviews on the seats made by Bad boyz cycles. They have one called the Python. Would look good on the Triglide. Anyone on here have a Bad boys seat?

 

[nokkon wud]

I did not have much luck with MCC a seat redo.
Don't know if they got some bad foam but it collapsed rather quickly.

My biggest problem is my tail bone.
Coccyx - Wikipedia

Had a chunk taken out of the bottom rear of my seat, sheepskin, air mat doesn't help any.

 

[Z06tacoma]

Based on the chatter here, I’m taking a chance with the Dr Scholl’s pad from local Walmart. My butt hurts whether I drive the trike or the Bronco Sport. I’ll try this for a while, switching back and forth to see if there is any difference

 

[Peter A.]

Based on the chatter here, I’m taking a chance with the Dr Scholl’s pad from local Walmart. My butt hurts whether I drive the trike or the Bronco Sport. I’ll try this for a while, switching back and forth to see if there is any difference

Realize this is an old post but maybe this input will help a rider/two……. Ive had a gel pad for a number of years and its helped somewhat for a long time but It seems to LACK its plyability (?) as time goes on…..I’ve read/seen reviews on the ButtBuffer and ordered one today. Will give it a try when it arrives and report back!
Note: That gel pad is probably 10 yrs old. LOL
Pete

 

[Notgrownup]

Purple cushion works great but only comes in square. I bought one an cut it to shape and use it under my sheepskin.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Here is a video that we just released yesterday on this subject-



And here is the video of how the above test results came to be-



More information on them, construction, materials, sizes, options, etc., at this LINK.

Kevin

 

[FRR]

They weren't for me

 

[Notgrownup]

Gel is hot, when it gets hot it stays hot, I like void or air

 

[mr.precision]

Didn't like the air hawk at all. Never could find a sweet spot for it. Returned it to amazon.

 

[Notgrownup]

Trick with the Airhawk is to put the least amount of air possible. That’s where it shines

 

[Papa Zook]

Trick with the Airhawk is to put the least amount of air possible. That’s where it shines

I agree..proper inflation is the key..there is a sweet spot.

 

[Indiandug]

I had this seat custom made for my 2019 Indian Scout Bobber about a month after I purchased the bike. I couldn’t ride 20 miles on the stock seat without extreme pain and would have to get off the bike and walk around for a minute to get it to go away.
This seat reminds me of the old steel lawn chairs my grandma had. You remember, they kind of had the shape of an ass molded into the seat. You could sit comfortably on one all day, and that was without padding!

I upgraded this seat with an optional gel pad instead of the foam. It made it a little thinner. I’ve had the seat for five years now and think it is very comfortable, and since there is not thick padding my ass can pretty much breath, and my butt arrives sweat free.
My tank limits me to around 120 to 140 miles so I’m not sitting that long. But to tell you the truth, after 120-140 miles I’m ready to get off the bike for a minute, have a smoke, take a leak, get a drink, whatever.

I rode a 78 1/2 Kawasaki KZ650 SR from Illinois to California to my first duty assignment. That bike had a king/queen seat on it that I thought was pretty comfortable. After 2350 miles in five days my 18 year old ass was sore, real sore, riding standing up sore. It was not getting any air movement and getting sweaty which in turn caused the rash. I didn’t even want to look at the bike for a week, but of course that didn’t last long, being an 18 year old, having a beautiful bike and being stationed at Fort Ord, think Camel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove, 17 Mile Drive, Monterey, good times.

So back to the seat, looks uncomfortable but is actually very comfortable.
Thanks

 

[ISP-FL]

Certainly, a good-looking seat.