air hawk seat pad

[david46]

I am trying to pick the right seat pad for my R1200gs. As everyone knows the factory seat stinks. I would like some feed back if possible. I know of three choices the Air Hawk, the Freedom air and the Alaskaleather sheep skin. Thanks in advance for the info.

[riderR1150GSAdv]

Hi and Welcome to the forum!!:clap You can do a search and find a lot of things you are looking for.
To answer your question however, I have used a custom seat and a sheepskin and an Airhawk and for the money the Airhawk beats them all. Remember that everyone's experience will be different as all our butts are different, but IMHO the best bang for the buck is the Airhawk...YMMV

[lorenw]

I tried an airhawk, and i didnt care for it. I also tried propad, and the sheepskin things as well. There's just no substitute for a high quality aftermarket seat, thats built for your behind.

[Belquar]

I have an aftermarket saddle. I have used the Alaska Leather, and it is better than nothing, but my next seat purchases will either be gel or the airhawk.

MC show in NYC this Friday so I expect I will have something by the weekend.

[Stuff2C]

Get an Airhawk, Beadseat, Alaska leather and a custom seat. You'll use them all:D

[Jfixit]

If your join date is any indication you haven't had the bike long and you really have to do some saddle time and figure out exactly what hurts. You may find one that works but you may also use them all as suggested. I have several including the Airhawk, a gel pad, and a sheep skin, each has worked well at times and on specific bikes. Good Luck!

[JREDFORD131730]

I had an airhawk and found them to be worthless. I sold mine on EBAY for less than half of what I paid.

[Stuff2C]

I have an Air Hawk and love it. It does take a while to get it adjusted. I had a semitruck run over mine with the front and rear wheels (yes fasten it to your bike, I learned the hard way) and boy I was bummed. The fill valve was all that broke. AirHawk replaced it FREE! I do only use it for long halls. I use my Alaska leather most of the time.

[david46]

Thanks for the feed back. As for time on a BMW motorcycle, well this is my second bike. I traded in a R1150R on the G.S. I find the seats on most BMW bike to be under engineered. As a new member of the MOA I like all the information I am finding in the forums.

125 Suzuki Dirt bike (72)
175 Yamaha Dirt bike (73)
175 Can AM (75)
250 Husky (76)
Suzuki SV 650 (01)
Suzuki DRZ 400 (02)
Yamaha FZ6 (04)
R1150R (03)
R1200Gs (04)

[owrstrich]

we have a russell day long seat on our k1100rs... it has saved our arse and knees...

we had a corbin dual canyon but i got the thigh pinch then the knee pain then the butt and legg pain...

so we scored a couple airhawks... i still got the pain but it was at the end of the day instead of 2 hours into it...

since we got the russell... no pinch or knee or leg or butt pain or knumbness...

we still pull out the airhawks from time to time and use them on the russell... just to change it up a bit... we go to a lot of sprint car races... they double as the worlds best bleacher butt padds too...

we think they are a quality product... they work for us... but they are not for everyone...

+1 on the russell day long...

owrstrich

[deilenberger]

I won't wander off-topic with the aftermarket seats I've had.. and I can address the questions you asked, since I've owned sheepskin, air-hawk and FreedomAir.

Sheepskin didn't work for me. It seemed to bunch up a bit under me, and didn't really relieve the pressure points that were causing me pain (AKA "hot-spots")

AirHawk almost worked. It did distribute my weight better, and the hot-spots went away, but new pain appears.. the design of the RS seat (bucket with an upward slope to the tank) caused the front of the AirHawk to put rather painful pressure on my private parts. This pain actually became worse than the butt pain, so I used to alternate pain with the AirHawk - sometimes on, sometimes off.

FreedomAir was designed with the problem I experienced in mind. The front of the FreedomAir has a deep V shaped cutout in it - providing clearance for ones more delicate parts. It worked quite well - and relieved the hot-spots the stock RS seat gave me - with no additional pain.

My vote of the three - FreedomAir. It came with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn't work for you (you might check to see if that's still the case..)

OT: I have also tried gel-pads - felt like sitting on raw steak - didn't work at all for me, and lots of custom seats. Some of the custom seats worked well (Russell) - others less so. BMW also offers a "comfort seat" for some models which may help your problems. Luckily for me - my current R1200R seat (low seat) works quite well for me - I'm good for 3-4 hours on it, if I add the FreedomAir - 6-8 hours.

[deilenberger]

BTW David, I'm moving this to the Hexhead forum since that's what you're riding..

[Professor]

I've used gel pads, beads, and the AirHawk. For me the gel didn't help. I sent it back and got a refund. The beads help significantly - not as good as the AirHawk, but cheaper. The AirHawk works very well for me.

I could not ride for more than 40 miles on my Moto Guzzi Jackal stock seat without significant pain and numbness in places you don't want to be numb. The gel pad added about 5 miles to my range. With the AirHawk, I had no problem going between refueling stops. I then replaced the stock with a used Corbin and that works quite well too. I don't need the AirHawk on the Corbin.

I've been trying the beads on my new RT stock seat and can go 100-150 miles before starting to get pretty uncomfortable. I'm putting on my AirHawk today to see how that goes. Hopefully it will save me from the expense of a new seat.

[Andy VH]

On both my 76 and 94 BMWs I have Corbin seats, which are good for firm consistent support. But on my 94 RS I had to adjust the seat mounts and mount frame to tilt the front of the seat up to avoid humping the tank constantly.

Aside from that, sheepskins do nothing for me, it just bunches up and the claim of cooling riding is pure bunk. Felt even hotter than the bare seat. Gel pads do nothing for me, plus I don't like the squirmy feeling. Bead seat works, I have done 500 mile days on one.

For me, I HAVE to have airflow to the nether regions. No airflow, no comfort, I don't care what anyone claims otherwise. That's why a sheepskin to me is useless. Now, if someone made a bead-seat out of HIGH DENSITY gel beads I might have a winner!

I have even considered getting an old beat up stock seat, drill holes through the pan and foam, and then recover the seat with woven nylon mesh (like the reflective vest material). The holes would make the seat a bit more flexible, but they'd also allow airflow up into the seat foam. The mesh cover wouldn't be pretty to look at but it would allow airflow. I got this idea from my homebuilt recumbent bike, for which I made a sling style seat using the nylon woven mesh, great cooling airflow.

[cbmwgs]

The air cushion from JCWhitney, $49.99, It may just get you home.

[Muneio]

Airhawk, love it. Works great for me anyway!:clap :clap

[leeines]

what is a good source for these aftermarket seat devices, like airhawk?:brow

[Professor]

I ordered mine from J&P Cycles.

www.jpcycles.com/brand_airhawk

[whizzbang]

Try www.derbycycles.com Airhawks for $124.99:dance

[lionlady]

I had an airhawk and found them to be worthless. I sold mine on EBAY for less than half of what I paid.

Shucks, Airhawk would have refunded ALL your money if you decided you didn't like it within 60 days.

P

[ChiTown]

I have an AirHawk and love it. I can't imagine riding long miles with out it. I had a Sargent seat on my last bike, along with owning a sheepskin pad. Neither were nearly as comfy as the Airhawk with a OEM seat for me. :thumb

[boxerr]

Why is it that BMW can build some of the finest bikes ever built, but have no idea on seat design, and comfort.:banghead
You would think that they see what the aftermarket build, and think maybe we should look at this issue.
I am on my 5th Beemer, and could not sit on any of them for long.
I have tried Corbin, Sargent, remodelled standard, and none real good to be honest.
We dont have access to Russells, and Mayers etc, so have to make do with what ever is going.
My experience with dead sheep is it helps slightly, thats all.

[deilenberger]

Why is it that BMW can build some of the finest bikes ever built, but have no idea on seat design, and comfort.:banghead
You would think that they see what the aftermarket build, and think maybe we should look at this issue.
I am on my 5th Beemer, and could not sit on any of them for long.
I have tried Corbin, Sargent, remodelled standard, and none real good to be honest.
We dont have access to Russells, and Mayers etc, so have to make do with what ever is going.
My experience with dead sheep is it helps slightly, thats all.

Since you tried "Corbin, Sargent, remodelled standard" - what would you have BMW do? If these don't work for you - perhaps it's your physique that is the problem, not the seat.

FWIW - I find the R1200R low-seat comfortable. Done full days on it and was still able to get off and walk around like a normal human being.

Part of BMW's problem is making a seat that looks attractive enough that you'll think of buying the bike. If they built a seat using a design like Russell or Mayer - the seat would naturally end up looking like a Russell or Mayer, both of which are noted for being comfortable - but also "butt-ugly", which isn't good marketing.

As I think I noted before - butts differ. What works for one person won't necessarily work for another, so I try to make no blanket recommendations - I'm not sitting with your butt.

YMMV - and certainly will in regards to butt pain. :dance

[Bob1100RTC]

The seat on my wifes 400 suzuki scooter was good looking and very comfortable. The seat on my R11RT and R12RT both suck. I'm going with they could make a seat thats good looking and comfortable if they wanted. Otherwise awsome motorcycles.

[halshaffer2003@msn.com]

I use an Airhawk for my LT. Originally, I bought the large. Not good. About destroyed my privates. They exchanged it for a medium free and it works great. Sounds like some are using the large size based on their comments. I would think nothing larger than the medium size. Size is important for the Airhawk!
I'm planning on buying a GS and I hope the medium size I have for my LT will work on the GS. Does everyone agree the Medium is the right size for the GS?

[deilenberger]

I use an Airhawk for my LT. Originally, I bought the large. Not good. About destroyed my privates. They exchanged it for a medium free and it works great. Sounds like some are using the large size based on their comments. I would think nothing larger than the medium size. Size is important for the Airhawk!No - mine was the medium. I think it depends more on the size of your privates.. and the shape of the seat you're using it on. The RS seat was a U shape with a fairly steep slope in the front. It didn't work well with the Airhawk. It worked just fine with the FreedomAir (which has a cutout for your privates..)
I'm planning on buying a GS and I hope the medium size I have for my LT will work on the GS. Does everyone agree the Medium is the right size for the GS?If not - sell it on Ebay and get one that does work. Or get the FreedomAir. Or not.

[deilenberger]

The seat on my wifes 400 suzuki scooter was good looking and very comfortable. The seat on my R11RT and R12RT both suck. I'm going with they could make a seat thats good looking and comfortable if they wanted. Otherwise awsome motorcycles.Bob - the seats I've seen on motor scooters look good on motor scooters.. I don't think many people would accept that look on something like an R1200R, or a GS.

YMMV - and with seats - that is the ONLY certainty. :dance

[RHedman]

I have a Freedom Air and a Airhawk. I didn't like the Airhawk ( rectangular size ) so my wife uses it and likes it as a passenger pad. I like the Freedom Air, it has a notch in the front of the pad for you know what, I don't get bunched up in that area with the Freedom Air on my GSA. I only use them on longer rides to vary my seating postion from the stock seat, it helps to change things up a bit for me.