Topic: Experiences with an Airhawk?

[eigenvector]

What are your experiences riding with one?

Since I have 3 6+ hour rides planned I decided to get a seat pad to make the trip a bit more comfortable.  Airhawk seems to be the most widely recommended.  But having said that - what are your experiences with them?  Worth the cost?  Change the ride - I've heard of people saying they make it difficult to maneuver in the twisties.

Personally the last time I did a 6 hour ride I didn't need anything - the seat felt just fine to me, but since I'm going to be quite a ways down the road and I have to make some of the trips on time, I decided to hedge my bets and bring something just in case.

[Ridem32]

They are very nice.  I have had mine a few years. Most everyone puts way to much air in them. Start out with very very little air. It don't take much at all


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[Bankerdanny]

I had one I used with the king/queen seat on my GL1000. I was never able to find an air level that I thought made the seat any more comfortable. I did a 1,000 mile ride over 4 days with it in 2013 and it always seems to have too much or too little air. Ultimately I sold it on eBay.

if I were to buy another supplemental seat pad I would look at one of the sheepskin style rather than another Airhawk.

[eigenvector]

I'm surprised a Goldwing would even need one - those things are like riding your couch.  Although I guess a GL1000 isn't quite the same as an Aspencade or the like.

The internet is never at a loss for debate 50% says they're good, the other 50% says they're not good.   

After I get mine in and ride on it for a bit - I'll throw my hat into the ring.

[Lostboy Steve]

I have a crap cheap sheep wool one that I use on my wr because the stock seat may as well be a 2x4. I got it on eBay and it makes all the difference in the world, sure is hot in the summer though. The nicest seat I've ever sat on to date is the stock seat on the Thunderbird LT. Made me almost buy the bike just for the seat.


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[Don R]

 X2 on the sheepskin. I rode to Sturgis two years ago on what was possibly the worst seat ever put on a gl. It had hard vinyl, peaked in the middle and sloped toward the tank.  It put pressure directly on my boy parts and as I slid forward my shorts pulled back also leaving me in a pinch so to speak. I learned to pull my pants down a little before being seated.

 At the campground I peeled the seat, got a hacksaw blade and removed the peak from the foam while also removing the slope to the front. The idea is to carry weight on your thighs as well as your bottom. I have an ugly saddle seat to put the sheepskin on this trip.

[RAFster122s]

Don, they may be ugly but they serve(d) a purpose.  I would wish to do a 100-150 miles in the seat to see how it is.  The odd thing of it is the king/queen really does not look out of place and draw your eye to it like on the CB bikes. What do you expect on a couch like the Wing?  Considering that Sargent and Corbin both made versions of those seat it is not like they were some uncomfortable option or makers like them would not stake their reputation on something like that for a few dollars.  Not if they were smart.  Bringing such a product to market could be an embarassing failure so they apparently did their research or followed  a wave.

Larry, MoMo, modified on on his 400/450 he built to be a solo seat with a few reductions and it looked very good.
So, I guess I am more Swedish in my design tastes of form following function ( function being more important as it says just in case anyone were to misunderstand.)

I doubt you will have a problem with that seat, just would want to test it before embarking on a several thousand mile trip.  Glad you are bold enough to handle any abuse the hater of them might have.  Yes, I agree with them that they look awful on a CB, but I would prefer to be more comfortable than worry with looks on a trip...besides, does it really matter what others think who have no bearing on your life?

[eigenvector]

I got the AirHawk mounted on the seat and gave it a test ride last night.

Maybe I just have a little much air in it - but I'm not digging it.  The air pockets/bubbles tend to slide me forward and honestly it's no less cushy than the stock seat.

So - deflate it a little bit, take it with me.  I might find that over the LONG haul it does help - but if it doesn't, no harm no foul

[Ridem32]

I use mine and lov it.  New owners always put in to much air.  Start with very little air. Once you get the air right it's nice and comfy


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[Don R]

 I agree, form should follow function on any seat used for long trips. I may be willing to try an airhawk if I can find one. This saddle seat will come off when I return home in favor of the original seat that was safely stored for years. The ugly part of the saddle stems from the split and spider web stitching as well as the shape. My sheepskin will camoflauge  (sp) it some.
 

[Bailgang]

My wife used an airhawk I had on my 750 that we took to Tennessee last week, maybe it had too much air in it as Ridem32 mentioned  but my wife still got uncomfortable after a bit.

[eigenvector]

For what it's worth - I just got back from my trip and I ...

completely forgot about the Airhawk and left it sitting in the garage.

Yeah, that sucked.  But, as it turned out - I didn't really need it.  So long as I took a break every hour or so the seat was tolerable.
Approximately 2000 miles in 4 days - I lost my back brakes, my front brakes started getting soft, but no real problems.

It wasn't my keister that was hurting - it was my shoulders.

[Bankerdanny]

LOL

[TwoTired]

It wasn't my keister that was hurting - it was my shoulders.

Low bars?

[eigenvector]

https://motorbikewriter.com/content/uploads/2016/01/ape1.jpg

No, not at all


edit:
They're not too low, they are a bit too far forward though - at a least for long rides.

[TwoTired]

Yes, that's what I found out, too.

I found some set backs for the bars.  They move the bar mounts back about two inches on the triple tree head.  They are cast peices and have ACK in raised letters on them.
I don't know where to find them these days.

Cheers,