Airhawk or gel pad. Thats the question.

[Laverdaguy]

Looking for input from someone who may have tried both.

I'm not wanting a custom seat, I just want to add a pad on top of the stocker. I currently use a sheep skin pad which I like but my candy ass is wanting more. In the past I used a gel pad on one of my bikes and it was pretty nice, so I'm thinking of getting another and slipping it under the sheepskin. Before spending the money though I thought I'd ask around and see how people think gel compares with the Airhawk.

 

[erixun]

I have not run a gel seat, but I have heard that they are hot. I did however run an airhawk for the first while I owned my bike before I got a Russel. I liked it a lot, the main advantage (besides the heat issue) is that it is adjustable by inflating or deflating just a bit to suit your needs. I did my first Saddle Sore with it and was good to go. My vote would be for an airhawk for air flow and adjust-ability.

 

[Barn Boy]

Just started with an Air Hawk this riding season based on a friend's recommendation. It has made a huge difference for me in comfort and less pressure on my lower back. I even take it off the bike and put on my lawn tractor seat and it makes a very positive difference on that experience.

+1 on Air Hawk from me.

 

[Mr_Canoehead]

I have both. I hated the Gel seat after about 3 hours - it actually made the Corbin seat worse. The Airhawk is great - just don't put too much air in.

 

[Laverdaguy]

Its sounding like air is going to win (I really didn't think a Corbin could get any worse).

I remembered an old seat I have around that I had made for another bike. This seat had a gel pad in it, I've now performed surgery and removed that gel pad but the seat died on the operating table...

Oh well, I didn't like it anyhow.

I slipped the pad under the sheapskin on my FJR. I haven't ridden with it yet but I did notice that it slides around like crazy. No traction on the top of the Yamaha seat at all. I'm guessing the Airhawk is covered with something that helps it stay in place once strapped down?

And specific to the FJR, which Airhawk pad have you guys found fits the seat? This is driver only, not worried about passenger comfort.

Thanks a lot!

 

[rockmurf]

I did not like gel. my wife loves her air hawk and you can buy one and if you don't like it you can return it.

 

[BOAN]

Airhawk, made my trip to Wienna, Austria (and back to Sundsvall, Sweden) on my first bike (Yamaha BT1100 Bulldog) possible.

 

[senecahome]

PM sent

 

[SacramentoMike]

For airflow under your butt (which you don't really feel, but it actually does ventilate you and save some sweat buildup at the end of the day), I liked the Bead Rider very much. Doesn't look like it would be comfortable, but it is, and you can slide around on it, which I don't think you can do much on the two you're considering--and I do like to move on my seat on the curves. I had one of the original wooden ones for many thousands of miles and thought it was great. It finally started coming apart (like five years of riding later) and I replaced it with one of the newer ones with ceramic beads. If you leave your bike in the sun, that damn thing heats up like a hotplate and takes forever to cool down. It's in a box in my garage. If you want to consider this option--definitely go for the wooden bead model--it's cheaper, too.

I'd see if you could borrow one of any or all of what you're considering if at all possible. Just long enough to know if you like the feel of it.

 

[Mr_Canoehead]

I bought a Beadrider for my GSA. It was delivered to my office and I figured I'd try it out on my office chair. Two years later, it's still there. No more office chair monkey butt....

I may have to buy another for the bike.

 

[Teehaml]

Laverdaguy...

My AirHawk has elastic straps that go under the seat. I use it on a Corbin not a stocker and it doesn't slide around. It is the 11"x11" Cruiser-R Small with the red stripe down the center.

 

[redzgrider]

I've had both. Airhawk wins, hands down. Gel gets hot. Then it gets hotter.

 

[Cyclepath]

Alas, even up here in the Great White North, we experience enough heat on some summer rides that the gel option has just made me decide I've had enough.

Bought a well made gel seat topper a couple years ago (elastic straps wrap around under the operator's seat), and after many long distance rides, I'm now convinced that unless its an cool, early season or fall ride, I'm not even gonna bother with the gel thing anymore. The heat makes your upper thigh sweat, which then makes pants stick to you, and then the pain of separating fabric from folds of your hot moist skin becomes predictable at the end of each warm day.

Buddy here has the Airhawk, has liked it, but recently changed his seat to a specially shaped Corbin, and added a sheepskin which he now swears by.

Good luck in your quest...

 

[art miller]

AirHawk is the way to go if you are not going for a custom seat. I have used the AirHawk passenger model for many miles and loved it. If you are a small frame person that is a good fit. It conforms well to the stock seat.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Back in my Goldwing ownership days I heard really good comments about a Walmart car seat pad, made of soft rubber in a pancake pattern, that only cost $20. Very easy to cut to desired size, changing the cover to the desired size took more work. I used it for several years and then loaned to to a friend to use on a C14 that had a Corbin seat and he thought it was more comfortable than his Airhawk, enough so that he bought one and sold the Airhawk.

 

[Klubis]

I can't believe nobody has posted, "That is the questionWhether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? The idea of whether is it better to live or to die."

 

[Laverdaguy]

I can't believe nobody has posted, "That is the questionWhether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? The idea of whether is it better to live or to die."

I was beginning to wonder myself....

I did some riding on the gel pad I pulled out of an old custom Laverda seat I have. I mounted the pad under my sheepskin. It felt a lot firmer than I remembered. Seating position wasn't good either (I need to lower my seat to account for the pad thickness). Overall I wasn't really impressed but I haven't had another chance to fiddle with it. Testing will continue, but first impressions are that I may be getting an Airhawk to try.

Thanks everyone, for your input!

 

[Dirty Brown Dog]

Try Moto-Skiveez

 

[art miller]

I can't believe nobody has posted, "That is the questionWhether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? The idea of whether is it better to live or to die."

Was that Longfellow???