How To Make Your Motorcycle Seat More Comfortable

Even if the most hardcore, iron-butt riders won't admit it to you, riding motorcycles can be uncomfortable. Being exposed to the elements and feeling connected to the spaces around you is one of the big benefits of riding bikes, but it can also be a drawback when it's unrelentingly hot or frigidly cold outside. There's lots of tech and gear to help with those problems. Heated grips, cooled suits and vests, ventilated jackets; they're all designed to make riding more comfortable. 

What can you do, however, if the comfort level on your motorcycle has nothing to do with the elements? Some motorcycles have seats that are just downright uncomfortable. Limited padding and poorly shaped seats can make a long motorcycle ride seem even longer. With additional fatigue, you may find yourself riding shorter distances in a day. It may even have you abandoning a motorcycle you otherwise love riding.

I've been riding all sorts of different bikes for years. I've ridden some of the most comfortable bikes available today, but I've also owned some uncomfortable ones which required that I upgrade the seats or swapped them out entirely. Hopefully, some of that experience will give other riders a sense of what they can do if their bike is beating up their backside. Generally, the options that I've seen work the best include replacing the seat entirely. Smaller changes, like reshaping the seat or wearing more comfortable gear can help too, especially if you're a confident DIY-er.

Changing out the seat on your motorcycle is probably easier than you think. There are several different companies that make replacement seats for bikes with different shapes and padding materials, intending to increase comfort. 

The seats are often easily interchangeable using just the bike's key, or a few screws, to swap things out. Customizable seat fabrics like leather, alcantara, and even sheepskin can be used for the upholstery, while underlying padding materials are available; including memory foams and gel seats, and some seat manufacturers even offer heated options. 

The downside? Some aftermarket seats can be pretty expensive. Standard seat replacements for small sport bikes start at around $200 to $300, while some of the most expensive options (especially options for larger bikes like Harley-Davidsons or Gold Wings) can cost over $1,000. Depending on the cost of the motorcycle itself, that's a hard price to justify. If you don't want to swap out the entire seat, the next best option is replacing the padding or adding foam inserts for added comfort. 

Instead of buying an entirely new seat, it's also possible to customize your existing seat. Gel seat inserts are much less expensive than seat replacements, but they do require labor to install. Removing the seat's upholstery, installing the seat insert, and re-installing the upholstery is time-consuming, even if it's cheaper than replacement. On top of the comfort modifications like new seat padding or inserts, there's also the possibility of changing a seat's shape to better fit your body.

Having a motorcycle with a low seat is good for shorter riders, but seat shape is often an important factor in your ability to place both feet flat on the ground at a stop light. A narrow seat allows your legs to extend a bit further, which can certainly make riding at slow speeds feel more stable. For my thicker thighs, a thinner seat is beneficial on almost every bike I ride. 

To solve this problem, some services offer seat shaving, or like the DIY insert install, you can shape the seat yourself if you're bold enough. This is where you remove the upholstery from your motorcycle seat, and then shave or cut down the sides of a seat to better fit your body. There are lots of different options for changing the padding level and shape of your seat, so if you like a particular motorcycle, but not its seat, don't give up on it right away.