Choosing a comfortable motorcycle sear very important, especially if you ride long distances on a regular basis. The fact is, stock motorcycle seats aren’t that great to sit on—after a few hours on some stock seats, it can feel like you’re sitting on a rock.
Cross country rides can create painful pressure points and a decrease in blood flow. The last thing you need is a leg falling asleep, which is one of the reasons a great seat pad is necessary.
Contents
- 1 Best Motorcycle Seat Cushions for Long Distance
- 2 Top 5 Motorcycle Seat Pads for Long Rides
- 3 Airhawk Motorcycle Seat Pad Review
- 4 Speedmetal Motorcycle Gel Seat Pad Review
- 5 Saddlemen SaddleGel Seat Pad Review
- 6 Everlasting Comfort Orthopedic Seat Pad
- 7 VaygWay Motorcycle Cushioned Seat Pad
- 8 My Pick for the Best Motorcycle Seat Pad
Best Motorcycle Seat Cushions for Long Distance
When looking for motorcycle seat cushions to enhance your riding, there are lots of things to consider. Your own size and weight factors in as much as the bike you’re riding, so find the meeting place between those two and the pad you’re considering makes the most sense.
Of course, your budget comes into play as well, which is why we’re reviewing five different seat pads for you here.
Top 5 Motorcycle Seat Pads for Long Rides
Here is the list of the best motorcycle seat pads to keep in your gear for long riding.
- Airhawk Motorcycle Seat Pad – Best Moto Seat Pad for Long Distance
- Speedmetal Gel Seat Pad – Best Motorcycle Gel Seat Pad
- Saddlemen SaddleGel Seat Pad
- Everlasting Comfort Orthopedic Seat Pad
- VaygWay Motorcycle Cushioned Seat Pad
Airhawk Motorcycle Seat Pad Review
Since the Airhawk R Cruiser provides a great combination of comfort, focus, and performance. This means longer rides will be much safer. It installs over your stock seat for shock absorption, vibration dampening, great blood flow, and air circulation. The technology used in the Airhawk R was originally created for wheelchair users and has inner chambers where air passes freely back and forth throughout them. It’s called “dry floatation” and has been utilized by truck drivers, pilots, and others who have to sit for long periods of time. After inflating and calibrating the seat, you won’t have to change mirrors because it doesn’t boost your position.
Pros Include:
- Central cutout from front to back of seat pad
- Back cutaway for tailbone relief
- Skid-resistant base
Cons Include:
- The straps offer limited adjustment range
- Not good for riding curves
- A rain cover is necessary, as it gets wet easily in the rain
Speedmetal Motorcycle Gel Seat Pad Review
In this particular price point, budget-minded bikers will appreciate the multiple benefits available in the Speedmetal Motorcycle Gel Seat Pad. As you might expect, and be looking for, this seat pad offers excellent comfort, even with excessive levels of travel. The more miles, the more you realize just what you’ve gotten yourself into: a seriously comfortable ride. Vibration is reduced, thanks to a gel core, and the top pad, made of a medical-grade polymer, offers excellent durability. Heat is siphoned away from your rear thanks to a micro-spacer fabric that improves airflow immensely.
Pros Include:
- Great comfort for longer rides
- Fits a vast number of motorcycles
- Quick and easy install
Cons Include:
- The straps don’t reach very far
- Needs modification for true comfort
- The cushion is too narrow for some bike seats
Saddlemen SaddleGel Seat Pad Review
If you’re looking for something that’s stylish, portable, and offers excellent comfort, the Saddlemen SaddleGel motorcycle gel seat pad is a good investment. It’s an important piece of gear for those extra long rides. With a fleece pad, you get a softer ride that warm in the winter and stays cool in the summer heat. It comes with a harness but you can just as easily place it on your stock seat. The slip-resistant bottom holds it in place while you sit on it. Three sizes make it suitable for just about every available motorcycle seat.
Pros Include:
- Strap included for permanent installation
- Stays in place well even without the strap
- Makes cornering easier
Cons Include:
- The pad adds ½ to 1 ½ inches to seat height
- Firmer gel needed for really long rides
- The straps aren’t really necessary
Everlasting Comfort Orthopedic Seat Pad
The heat-responsive technology used in the Everlasting Comfort Orthopedic seat pad, it molds perfectly to the shape of your seat. You’ll get all the support you need and the pad will revert to its original shape when you’re finished with it. Made of 100% high-quality memory foam, it features a design that is recommended by orthopedic surgeons. It helps alleviate pressure points and discomfort that can come from the wrong seat pattern for long periods of time. It features a slip-resistant rubber bottom so you don’t have to worry about it sliding around. The stylish cover is removable and can be washed in any washing machine.
Pros Include:
- 100% memory foam
- Heat responsive
- Recommended by orthopedic surgeons
Cons Include:
- The cushion can sometimes become flat after long use
- The rubber bottom can stain leather seats
- Not comfortable for all body types
VaygWay Motorcycle Cushioned Seat Pad
Good for both long and short rides, the VaygWay Motorcycle seat pad offers a relaxing ride, as the beads shift your weight around while riding. It also creates a gap so sweat spots don’t develop as a result of a hot ride. In fact, it’s a cooler seat pad than many others. Installation is easy, with both front and back clips for excellent adjustment. They’re sturdy as well, features high-quality wooden beads held together with polyurethane wire. It even adds width to your bike seat, offering more hip comfort for all your rides, especially when you want or need to stay cool in the rear quarters. The bungee cords that are included could work better, but for shorter rides, they provide all the stability you need.
Pros Include:
- Great comfort, even on longer rides
- Keeps your bottom cool and sweat-free
- Easy to install
Cons Include:
- Not as durable with excessive use
- Should have Velcro instead of bungee cords
- Shifts around when not properly attached
My Pick for the Best Motorcycle Seat Pad
If you’re looking for the best motorcycle seat pad for long rides, the Airhawk R Cruiser Seat Pad takes the win. The only seat recommended by orthopedic surgeons, it really means a lot that it was originally designed for those confined to a wheelchair. Comfort is a necessary element of their life, so we know the technology isn’t frivolous. The air pockets inside transfer air back and forth as your weight is distributed, providing a kind of self-adjusting suspension that keeps you super comfortable.
The center cutout helps keep things distributed accurately while allowing good airflow where it’s needed most. In the back, there’s a cutaway for tail bone comfort that tapers in transition instead of abruptly changing from one to the other. The skid-resistant bottom means you don’t even have to install the straps for this thing to grip your bike seats. While cornering can be a bit more of a challenge, it still manages quite well.