Opinions wanted: seat cushions

[dipstick]

I have a Corbin seat and its way too hard for me, I dont currently have the funds for a better seat so I am trying to get some ideas for what people like for seat cushions.

Thanks

[tank_post142]

i rode a corbin on my drifter from Detroit to ft. lauderdale. (stopping every 40 miles to give my butt a break)stopped in a truck stop in ky bought a gell pad for truck drivers and made the rest of the run nonstop except for fuel.

[Smitty W.S.]

And here I was under the impression that Corbin seats were good.  I guess I'll stick with what I have then. 

[..]

A cheaper and well praised seat solution.

http://greatdaytoride.com/Home_Page.php

[Oss]

air hawk  makes a medical grade inflatable seat cushion in 3 or 4 sizes.

I have it somewhere, loaned it to a vrcc member who did return it  (Lori?) and to someone else who also said it helped.

You inflate it so your butt is just a fraction above the seat so no hot spot and no pain

My wife liked it also before we got the russell day long  If momma aint happy aint nobody gonna be happy

Also have an alaskaleather sheepskin somewhere as well that I have used on the 1150rtp

In 2005 on my way out to colorado in pre russel days I bought a lumbar pad at autozone and tied it to the seat and while it was buttugly (pardon the pun) it got the job done for the next 3000 miles or so

Spencer does not work on corbin or russell seats

[big turkey]

Also the apparel you have on makes a difference.

Levis are probably the worst thing to wear with those huge welts from the pockets.

I had a Corbin with Ostrich Texture or skin and liked it.

Sold the bike though.

Now I have a Mustang and as far as my back it's perfect but my butt takes a little while to settle

in or get numb is a better word.

The Cabbie Beads that some people use are supposed to stop the but burns.

Lucky 13 on a Stock Valkyrie seat with a Utopia Back rest and sheep skin said that worked for

him all the the way to Tucamcarri New Mexico  and back to Clinton Tennessee.

So experiment is the best way to go and enjoy the journey.

AL

[big turkey]

I hated the Gel Pads that a lot of people use.

Al

[Robert]

I had a Corbin seat and it wore out and Corbin wouldn't do anything for me so I had a seat custom made. Maybe you could find someone to take out the foam and put different foam in and slightly reshape the seat. It wouldn't be as expensive as a new seat and should look good and be a better feel for you.

[Jess from VA]

Best there is, and this site has best price.

Driver's medium.

http://www.rlmotorcycles.com/cgi-bin/eShop/index.cgi?exact_match=yes&product=AirHawk&subbcat=AirHawk_Motorcycle_Seat_Cushion&cart_id=1284770239.1341

[Super Santa]

I have found this to be a reasonable alternative.  I use a combination sheepskin over a beaded seat.

At the last Inzane in Colorado a vendor came in for one day only (from around the Denver area).  He is now making these seats.  I am very happy with it.  This year have traveled from Texas to Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan, and New Mexico on it.  All separate trips.  I am pushing 20,000 miles so far this year and I ride everywhere with it.

http://www.highwaycreations.com/

No connection, just a satisfied customer.  I use it over a stock Interstate seat.

[Chiefy]

Good thread.  My VTX stock seat was like sitting on bricks.  I happily replaced it with a Mustang.  Mustang is better, but not a whole lot.  Now the Valk came with a Corbin, and I think the Mustang, disappointing as it is, is better.  I'm going to try some pads first before I shell out a lot more money on seats.

Why is it that as we get older and develop our "natural padding" that it's so much harder to get comfortable?   

[R J]

Get a set of Cab Driver beads, go to a Medical Supply store, tell them you want a piece of sheepskin, ya have to measure your seat and add at least 8" all the way around.    Put some thread loops in the beads to make them stay in place on the sheepskin.

Fit and shape the extra to your seat and then add a draw string.   You might have to do some cutting in the corners.     Be sure and put a circle of thread around the end of any cuts.  Otherwise the material will tear.   I used a long leather shoe string.    Fold an 1" of this cover over to hold this shoe string.

It is a relief to the buns, but a Russel Day Long is the best bet in my book.    They are ugly, but who is going to see it with your butt on it?

I made 3 of the above for MGM over the years and some 200,000+ miles.  Now I'm setting on an Ultimate, but don't take too long of trips on it now either.

This is what I do now on long tips.   Cabbie beads laid on the seat, the big ole sheepskin tossed on both seats and the post of the back rest stuck through it to hold it.

[dipstick]

Thanks for the help, keep em comming.

[SlowRoad]

I bought a waffle gel pad at Walmart for $20. It's for a car seat, but just fits my Mustang seat when turned backwards. I just took an 1100 mile trip with it and it made a big difference. I hate my Mustang seat, but can't afford what I want right now so this helps for the time being.

[BF]

Alot of folks on here seem to recommend the Ultimate seats.  

I've had a Corbin stinger seat......wasn't too bad but overall I didn't like it.  Looked real cool though.  Have only sat in one of those bigger Corbins.  It was brick hard and not for me.  Currently have a Mustang and I'm reasonably happy with it although I would like to try an Ultimate one day.  

I've never tried a gel pad but it looks to me that it wouldn't breath and would only compound the monkey butt problem.  

However, alot of folks seem to like a sheep skin for any real distance riding.  I read on here not too long ago about a guy that bought one of those car wash mitts that look kinda like a sheep skin (real cheap) and he just split it in half and uses that.  It even kinda looked like a butt.  Might be worth a try and wouldn't cost too much either.  

[solo1]

A genuine lambskin or sheepskin is the way to go.  I used to buy mine at Tandy leather.  My son, Mad6Gun, uses one of my old ones to make his Ultimate seat work better for him.  It completely eliminates monkey butt. I have one for a Corbin seat but sheepskin won't completely make up for a hard brick seat like a Corbin.

[sugerbear]

and i bought the air hawk(large size to fit my...........large size ).

tried every position, air pressure, over my sheep skin, under my sheep skin.

3500 miles. returned it. 

as far as padding as we get older, i don't think it's the padding. more like muscle loss.

[Valkahuna]

I have problems with all of the various pads, since they all add thickness (height) to the seat and  thus change the position to your controls, and where you look through, or over, the windshield. They also make me feel "un-connected" from the motorcycle.

I got a terrible case of Monkey butt last week after a 400 miles trip on a warm day on my '01 IS. IMHO a sheep skin, especially a sheared one, would do the best at eliminating Monkey Butt since it will allow air to circulate between your butt and the seat material without making me feel like I am perched on a phone book.

Funny thing is that on my H-D I use a low profile (gives me a higher step for more lower back support) touring seat and I do 700+ mile days all the time. Maybe since it is a "pillow look" type seat, it allows air to circulate?  

As for an aftermarket seat, I've bought Corbins in the past for my Yamaha XS Eleven, and it was great, yet the Corbin for my Honda V65 Sabre really sucked! I'm not ready to throw down that many $$$ for a crap-shoot!  

Thanks to whoever provided the link to Spencer.

I thnk I'm going to try to get my IS seat reshaped, make the cut-out a little lower, getting either a gel pad or something else put in, and throw piece of sheep skin on it.

[Billy]

Riding around the country for the last month with close to 4000 miles traveled so far. The Ultimate King works! The bike's suspension is a different story. Even with Progressive 440's the suspension on rough roads suck.

[Garland]

I used a Corbin for eight years or so. They look great, but hurt bad after a few hours. The Airhawk cushion mentioned works very well for long trip, but is pretty pricey. I am using a vey comfortable Ultimate Big Boy now-if you watch the classifieds you can pick up used ones pretty reasonably. I like sitting a little higher also, and now have enough leg room I was able to remove my peg relocation kit and gain some cornering clearance.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

All you folks that don't like Corbin send them my way    I've got both Ultimate and Corbin and by far like the Corbin better plus it does'nt get your ass wet 3 weeks after ridin' in the rain.

Corbin ...



Ultimate...

[Dougger]

Check with Mark at diamondseats.com
I have had Diamonds on 2 different GW's and after trying a gel insert on the Valk, I have another Diamond.
Now that i have 2 Valk's, I will be ordering another Diamond.
The seat is built ti your height, weight and inseam. Works great

[fudgie]

How new is the corbin? If its faily new break it in. If not try sheepskin.

[dipstick]

How new is the corbin? If its faily new break it in. If not try sheepskin.

The Corbin has 45,000 on it ans you either have a corbin A$$ or you dont, I do NOT. The seat is as hard as a board, literally. If I thought I could get a couple hundred bucks for the whole set I'd sell it buy something worth sitting on. I guess if yer a smaller guy the Corbin aint bad but for us larger fellers it aint much. I'd trade it for an Ultimate in a second.

[Hoser]

Check with Mark at diamondseats.com
I have had Diamonds on 2 different GW's and after trying a gel insert on the Valk, I have another Diamond.
Now that i have 2 Valk's, I will be ordering another Diamond.
The seat is built ti your height, weight and inseam. Works great

+1 on the diamond, mine has gel insert and velour inset,  by by monkey butt.  You do need to cover it if in the rain, but iif it gets wet, it only takes a few hours to dry out.  Hoser