"Soft and cushy" seats sell new motorcycles, and the unsuspecting buyer rides happily off the dealer's lot. A few days and several hundred miles later - in the REAL world of the road - these inexpensive polyurethane seats covered with commodity grade vinyl reveal their true colors: they are grossly under-supported and "springy". You experience literally hundreds of uncontrolled micro bounces per mile. This undamped energy is transferred to and absorbed by your butt!

This unchecked bouncing creates "hot spots" on your dermis (skin) and ischial tuberosities (your sitting bones) which are not only painfully uncomfortable, but contribute to nerve damage and numbness, loss of blood flow, muscle fatigue and cramping. Other at-risk bony prominences are the trochanters, coccyx and sacrum. Depending on the style of motorcycle you ride, there are also indications that loss of erectile function or spinal compression can result from some of these conditions - and that's not a good thing!

You've also no doubt suffered from "monkey butt", "crotch rot" or "rhoid rage". Shear, the abrasive lateral force that occurs naturally when riding, is the culprit. Your standard slippery vinyl or leather motorcycle seat does not hold you in place. Add to this the fact that your seating surface does not allow stale air, moisture or heat to dissipate and you've got real agony. You can't wait for the first opportunity to get off your bike. (That's why Road Houses are so popular!)

Some aftermarket companies respond to these problems by changing the density, height or shape of the foam. A grained vinyl or leather may be introduced, but does nothing to make you more comfortable. At best, these efforts are only a partial solution and often aggravate the situation by INCREASING the spring rate, reducing padding in critical areas and MINIMIZING damping - a critical factor in comfort. "Dishing" a seat does create more surface area, but is a very small factor in creating a comfortable seat.