Custom saddle... gel or no gel?

[Mixagon_imp]

Instead of seat swapping some bikers wear the gel cycling shorts under their biker gear that way you have gel comfort on any bike you ride.
Halfords, Aldi, UK Amazon ect sell them.

[alexzanutto_imp]

@gmike and @The ferret thanks for the input. I am leaning towards no gel now. Too many contrasting opinions...

@LongRanger I am not sure, but I am under the impression that importing into the US might be less expensive than importing in the UK or EU.

@j3gq I wish... bottom line now there is not enough money (is there ever) and a Corbin seat by itself would be at least 3 times more expensive than re-do the original seat

@Mixagon I am thinking maybe you got lucky? Importing from the EU before brexit was no problem. Now there is a trade deal with Japan, but I honestly don't know how that works. All I know is that two month ago my inlaws sent us a box of our stuff from Italy that we had left there before moving to the UK. We didn't pay any vat of course but got slapped with 50-odd quid worth of import tax!

'13 CB1100 A White

[tod.branko_imp]

You can always get an AirHawk, actually I was seriously giving it a thought this morning, after 7 hours I ended up standing on the pegs for the last 10km. My seat is raised by an inch with foam, it's as firm as it ever was, I don't mind it for short runs, but after a long time in the saddle you want some pressure off.
All my wheelchair dependant patients have these air-cushions to prevent pressure-sores, and the ones that don't, I recommend them. If it's good enough for their bony behinds, it's good enough for me

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

[alexzanutto_imp]

You can always get an AirHawk, actually I was seriously giving it a thought this morning, after 7 hours I ended up standing on the pegs for the last 10km. My seat is raised by an inch with foam, it's as firm as it ever was, I don't mind it for short runs, but after a long time in the saddle you want some pressure off.
All my wheelchair dependant patients have these air-cushions to prevent pressure-sores, and the ones that don't, I recommend them. If it's good enough for their bony behinds, it's good enough for me

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

Thanks! Right now we are not getting off the island, so there is no 7 hours of saddle time in the near future... but I will definitely keep it in mind when we tour Europe... to they make then for pillion as well?

'13 CB1100 A White

[tod.branko_imp]

You can always get an AirHawk, actually I was seriously giving it a thought this morning, after 7 hours I ended up standing on the pegs for the last 10km. My seat is raised by an inch with foam, it's as firm as it ever was, I don't mind it for short runs, but after a long time in the saddle you want some pressure off.
All my wheelchair dependant patients have these air-cushions to prevent pressure-sores, and the ones that don't, I recommend them. If it's good enough for their bony behinds, it's good enough for me

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

Thanks! Right now we are not getting off the island, so there is no 7 hours of saddle time in the near future... but I will definitely keep it in mind when we tour Europe... to they make then for pillion as well?

'13 CB1100 A White

Thanks! Right now we are not getting off the island, so there is no 7 hours of saddle time in the near future... but I will definitely keep it in mind when we tour Europe... to they make then for pillion as well?

'13 CB1100 A White Actually yes, there are a few different shapes, trapezoid one is likely for the rider as the seats generally taper towards the tank, but then there are these rectangular ones which can be used for either and old-fashioned riders seats or pillion seats. A ridding buddy of mine keeps a rectangular one on his KTM 500 excf, he's tall so he doesn't mind

'

[Cormanus]

Wonderful things, Air Hawk cushions

[Lord Popgun]

What Cormanus said!

[rboe]

Air Hawks: The only ill words I've heard of them are from folks that put too much air in them. Otherwise, universely liked.

Gel: In Phoenix, if you make the mistake of letting your bike sit in the sun the gel can absorb the heat. Chestnuts roasting on an open flame comes to mind when you rejoin your bike. Heat seems to also cause the gel to break down and become like a board that then cracks.

Custom seats: I've had decent luck with local custom seat makers, but after using a Russell Day Long on my Griso I ordered one for the CB. I've been disappointed with the materials and fit on my Lamm seat so it's being sent to RDL as the core seat. I've opted for the full RDL seat but at some point I'm considering the sport version. Nothing I've tried or used comes close to a Russell Day Long - and this has also been a universal opinion. But oh man, on a lot of bikes they do not enhance the looks. But after good looking seats have abused your bum you don't care any more.

[Sodbuster_imp]

I have had similar issues with many on this forum with the seats. So...bought a Sergeant (used), great seat but not what I needed. I prefer the tall, I mean TALL. started reviewing all the uTube videos about redoing your own seat, decided to give it a try. So bought a 70's CB750 seat & pan, cut the old foam & added another pad (Wal-Mart bleacher pad) used the old cover knowing it was an experiment so it was ugly & had lots of extra vinyl folds. Was close but still not right, took the cover off & added another pad player, got a CB750 cover from ebay ($35), took it to a local car guy who does upholstery. Told him I wasn't worried about the look just wanted it to fit since I'm still experimenting. He thought it interesting and cut\fit the cover for $50. I looks good & I will probably ride it as is for another year or more.

As of now, the height is great, next will be to find bit softer pad & when finished look into a custom made cover. So I'm very happy, not paying big money, and have a design of my own making.

[Houtman_imp]

Dianna's Shop is just a mile from my house in Arden NC , she does ALL kind of motor cycle seat modifications etc.