seat foam alternatives

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xb33bsa

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my neighbors here at my shop were into miltary contrcat testing and always had all kinds of interesting stuff in the dumpster
a bunch of it i snagged was a few different dencities and thicknesses of this honerycomb stuff(enuff for a few seats)
i have already tested it and will be using some on my next seat
http://www.supracor.com/resources/Supracor-Medical-Brochure.pdf
 
I'm very interested in this stuff. I've been trying to figure out how to make my seat more comfortable and/or make another one.

As a nurse, I can attest to the absolute need for hospital beds, cushions etc to properly support and distribute patients weight evenly to prevent wounds (bedsores) from developing, especially over bony prominences. The materials used are always miles above what you can buy in even a high end mattress shop. I've often wondered how to get stuff like that, or what it's even called. I'd prefer to use a well supporting seat than put 50 more lbs of "padding" on my ass.

My guess is that I can find a cushion made from this stuff at a medical supply store, there's a couple by me so I will make a few calls.
 
Jeez, the smallest piece I can buy in the 1" thickness is 24" x 24" and it's $126!! Would you be willing to sell me a piece just big enough for my seat?

None of the shops around here sell any of the products.
 
runmikeyrun said:
Jeez, the smallest piece I can buy in the 1" thickness is 24" x 24" and it's $126!! Would you be willing to sell me a piece just big enough for my seat?

None of the shops around here sell any of the products.
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the one inch stuff i have is the goldish brown it is pretty dense,they make it for military aircraft seats etc some of the stuff i have is multiple density in layers up to 3" thick,i could spare a piece of the one inch but it is awfulf stiff
i would contact them at their website see if you can get some samples ? after all you are considering going into production right ? ;)
 
haha, genius idea!! I will call. Cant hurt to try. I know when I was heavy into building guitar effects pedals guys could get samples of chips from Texas Instruments for hobby purposes.
 
it really is some fantatsic stuff it is not friendly to being shaped though what you can do with it in that respect is very limited, limited to cutting the edges at an angle and it is difficult to cut takes an extremely sharp blade
needs a thin foam topper for final rounded shaping
but as a base material to do the lion's share of cushioning i think it is superior to foams
plus i garnerd enuff from the dumpster FREE for a couple of my bikes ;D
 
I can dig it. I think the cost is going to offset the hours of comfort I will gain over cheaper foams. My hips start to hurt after about 120-150 miles anymore.
 
I had heard of Supracore before; need to check out this source. I know Sargent Seats uses "Atomic Foam" (and will sell it separately).

Usually, seat comfort has little to do with type or thickness of foam padding; much more to do with general bike ergonomics, seat (pan) shape and rider anatomy (especially ischial bones and related padding). Most cafe racers and bobbers/brats I have see have way wrong seat design; way wrong rider positioning, seats too narrow, seats too flat, seats too small, seats designed for fashion, etc. Look at the most well-designed seats (large industrial machines like earth movers and tractor/combines) to see long-term comfortable seats.

Reading material:
http://www.sargentcycle.com/Custom-Seat-Services/Road-To-Comfort/
http://www.diymotorcycleseat.com/
There was a very good article in the October 2009 edition of Motorcycle Consumer News ("DIY Custom Seat Upholstery") that is an excellent primer in the design of comfortable cycle seats.
 
most of the builders lower the seat height from stock as well which is a downgrade on every aspect of a motorcyycle
 
There is an article in the October 2009 edition of the VJMC newsletter ("Alleviating my aching butt" by Dick Grover") that talks to how one Honda CB750 rider came up with his best-riding saddle: he used a section of 3/8" plywood cut out in the shape of an AirHawk inflatable seat pad to which he fastened 2 sections of 2x4 that were tapered to fit snugly against the OEM seat, creating a "floating platform" that rested on top of the OEM seat. How did it work? "I am amazed how well this simple addition works. I’ve ridden a GoldWing and that CBR with the Corbin seat tens of thousands of miles, and this setup is as comfortable as anything I’ve ridden. The AirHawk is about half the cost of an aftermarket seat (assuming you can find one), it allows you to retain the stock look of the bike and it’s easy to make." The wider seat shape carried his weight much more comfortably.

Also see the research done by Craig Vetter on the Magic Seat Board http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/Other_Designs/Magic-seatboard.html.

It's not the thickness/density of the foam, it's the shape and position of the seat.
 
i have usded an airhawk and i do like them ..as an add on i used one with great succes on my TL1000r the only thing about the airhawk is it feels squirmy when in the twisties,you do loose some connection feel with the bike
..i often thought having it hooked up to an onboard air supply so it could be aired up and down whilst out riding would be slick
 
that gel pad looks exactly what I got in my seat...4 years now. My favorite part of the bike. Its 2" thick.

http://www.amazon.com/Wondergel-SUPREME-Gel-Seat-Cushion/dp/B00A18XGQ6/ref=sr_1_4?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1433550929&sr=1-4&keywords=wondergel+seat+cushion
 
The AirHawk pads are very good (and the key to "squirmyness" is to use minimal air), but still do not make up for a poor base. If the ergos do not fit you, an AirHawk will not be the answer.
 
Just so you know I drive a Cat D-11 for a living and they are definetely not designed well and for comfort. I'd rather ride an uncomfortable motorcycle seat any day.
 
jaykim said:
Just so you know I drive a Cat D-11 for a living and they are definetely not designed well and for comfort. I'd rather ride an uncomfortable motorcycle seat any day.
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That's too bad - I guess it's another example of "cheap is good". But I do know that good design seats for large equipment exists:
http://www.oemoffhighway.com/article/10339162/and-this-seat-is-just-right

http://www.industrialseats.com/category.asp?categoryID=8.

Again, best seat design for riding is to match the operator's dimensions and the operator's movements during operation, not what "looks bad-ass when passing a display window reflection" - that would be best design for posing.
 
I apologize I have not updated with some info I got.

I emailed Supracor and told them that I am a hobbyist and I have made a couple seats for friends. I asked about samples. They wrote back and said I needed to talk to them about Mutual Non Disclosure Agreement and OEM Labeling Agreement since I would be "reselling". Gave me a number to call to discuss options. I haven't had a chance to call, but I will try this week. I'll update when I find something out.

I have also found ergonomics has more to do with thickness. My RD400 had the stock seat which was at least 4-5" thick padding. My KZ750 has a custom seat that has an inch of padding that is much harder, but way more comfortable on day trips due to the fact that it is about 50% wider than the RD seat. Don't get me started on the torture that is 12 hours on my XR250 lol.
 
runmikeyrun said:
I have also found ergonomics has more to do with thickness. My RD400 had the stock seat which was at least 4-5" thick padding. My KZ750 has a custom seat that has an inch of padding that is much harder, but way more comfortable on day trips due to the fact that it is about 50% wider than the RD seat. Don't get me started on the torture that is 12 hours on my XR250 lol.
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This is absolutely correct! I got a Sweet Cheeks "seat comfort adapter" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/DRZ400-Seat-Expander-removable-for-aggressive-trail-riding-KTM-CRF-Sweet-Cheek-/170968138889) for my Yam XT600E - similar to your XR250 - for the same reason. It's the same reason the IB riders like the Russell Day-Long saddles (http://www.day-long.com/).
 
runmikeyrun said:
I apologize I have not updated with some info I got.

I emailed Supracor and told them that I am a hobbyist and I have made a couple seats for friends. I asked about samples. They wrote back and said I needed to talk to them about Mutual Non Disclosure Agreement and OEM Labeling Agreement since I would be "reselling". Gave me a number to call to discuss options. I haven't had a chance to call, but I will try this week. I'll update when I find something out.

I have also found ergonomics has more to do with thickness. My RD400 had the stock seat which was at least 4-5" thick padding. My KZ750 has a custom seat that has an inch of padding that is much harder, but way more comfortable on day trips due to the fact that it is about 50% wider than the RD seat. Don't get me started on the torture that is 12 hours on my XR250 lol.
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good onya try to get the sky blue 2" then a layer of 1" whitish stuff will give you an amazing seat i am sure.this stuff is not like any foam it is vastly supereareier in my hoe
 
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