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Anyone have an Alaskan Leather buttpad and wants to share their experience? :)

T

taliesin1077

Bicycle
I am looking into making a ride up to Seattle, WA this summer, and am looking into something to toss on my Spencer seat to make the ride a little more comfortable.  A buddy of mine liked his Long Hair Alaskan Leather buttpad, and I'm definitely willing to give it a shot.

My questions are: How is the fit?  Does it move around a lot?  Does it make the seat harder to lock down?

Do you have the long hair or just the deluxe?

In your opinion, how much more comfortable does it make your ride?  (I'm pretty sure I'm just asking this for the heck of it, because the buttpads tend to get great reviews.)

Thanks!
 
I have the deluxe pad with the single strap. The long hair looks like some kind of animal on the seat!  :D
I never had a problem with it moving around or with the seat latching on. I highly recommend the Alaskan sheep skin. I used mine on more than one seat. The sheep skin keeps you warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer. It makes the seat just a little softer without compromising the support of a good seat. My Corbin's all were a little on the hard side. But I don't mind a firm seat. The sheep skin made a good seat, excellent. The fit is excellent (for me).
I didn't see a need for the double strap. But it would hold it a little better if you ever stand up under motion. I can say without a doubt that the sheep skin makes riding more comfortable. Although it will raise you up just slightly.
Like I said, it works great with the Corbin's.
I've tried just using different seats, wood beads, an airhawk, and the Alaskan sheep skin. The best combination of roominess and comfort for me was a Corbin seat with an Alaskan sheep skin on both the C10 and C14.
 
I dont have the stock seat. I have a Rick Mayer Saddle. the Alaskan Leather pad I have for it fits nice and stays in place. Does not make the seat harder to lock down or anything like that. Nothing to write home about IMO.  The wife liked it on the back ( Saddle is a dual saddle so its customized for her too ) she would give it a bigger thumbs up than I would. To me the improvement was small. I hardly ever use my rider one. It sits in the garage. Not even sure I know where it is.

the wife now has a little Ninja 250 and I took the Connie Pillon one and put in on the 250 seat. I just leave it there all the time. Stays in place, seat works, bla bla bla. She likes it. I still think the improvement is small gain.

But then with these things it always seems like there are people on all ends of the spectrum. Some will say the improvement is small and others are going to tell you that they went from horrible butt pain to ride all day, dont even have to stop for fuel, they can just go and go and go with no issues.
 
I have a couple of them and do think they are worth the money.  As stated before, they are warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, and also provide a little extra padding.  As for riding with it in the rain, not a problem, it does not hold the water around you, seems to just roll off.

tcars
John
 
I put one on my stock KLR seat for a trip from Tom ah to Prudhoe Bay last summer.  It made the trip more enjoyable!  Besides being cooler it lifts your butt slightly and allows airflow to keep it drier, therefore less chaffing.  It does not move around and the single strap keeps it secure.  The only problem I had was when I stood up to stretch the rear would flip forward and had to be flipped back before reseating.  But that is an airflow problem caused by the Givi windscreen I'm using.

Well worth the small investment!
 
Thank you all for the comments.  I've seen this one commonly, "It lifts you up a little."  Now, At 5'8", I'm not terribly short, but I do have shorter legs.  I cannot flat foot both feet at a stop sign.  What are we talking, when mentioning lift?  An inch? I'm sure it can't be too much more than that, but wanted to make sure I knew what we were talking about.  :)

I'm probably going to end up getting one.  I'm not thrilled about the look of the long hair, but my buddy swears by it.  Have to figure out which way I'll end up going, but I'm leaning toward the "plain ol'" deluxe.  :)

Thanks again!
 
Taliesin said:
  What are we talking, when mentioning lift?  An inch? I'm sure it can't be too much more than that, but wanted to make sure I knew what we were talking about.  :)
Click to expand...

Probably 1/4 to 1/2" I would guess
 
Taliesin said:
Cap'n Bob said:
Probably 1/4 to 1/2" I would guess
Click to expand...

Kerblam, I can deal with that with my short, stubby legs.  ;)
Click to expand...

You may wish to inquire about the wooden beads used by taxi cab drivers etc.... as well. Yes there are those that swear by them.  No affiliation etc.. but here is a link to them. I've seen more riders with these than the sheepskin, nothing to soak in the rain sweat and, well, you know......  >:D    http://www.motorcyclelighting.com/beaded-seats.html
 
doug said:
2linby said:
I had one, it is now on the wife's bike. Butt eventually went over to a Russell seat.
Click to expand...

Freudian? or full of Whit?  :p
Click to expand...

Freudian?? That is quite the Aesop-tion. Camus you guys! Kant you see I am not so sinister just full of whit that's all...................... ;)
 
I run one of the solo short haired ones on my Corbin. I think it makes a big difference for getting air in the area...which prevents monkey but in summer and allows warm undergarments to do their job in winter.
And the company cannot be beat!
 
I use a sheepskin (not an Alaskan) from Ikea - (they have crates full of 'em) $20 or $30 for one which made 2 seat pads.  Sewed on loops to run a strap through and around the seat to secure it, with the fleece over a Therm-A-Rest LiteSeat - self inflatable cushion - $25 delivered.  Total setup about $45 per seat.

I've used this setup on a stock 2000 C10 seat (which on its own was way to soft for me - good for 45 minutes tops before I was driven off of the bike), a modified pre' 1994 seat, a Voyager XII corbin seat (which was very firm on its own but still better than stock) a C10 Corbin and a GPZ1100 Corbin. 

On any of these seats, this combo made all seats feel the same, which is is good because I can and have ridden all day in comfort on each of the above mentioned seats with this setup. 

The fleece keeps you warm in the cold, from sweating and getting damp in the heat, not to mention it doesn't get hot in the sun like black vinyl and leather does when you're inside eating lunch.

The therma rest cushion can be adjusted while riding to vary any pressure points you may notice after a few hours.  Sometimes I'll even delfate it entirely for a while.

It works for me, YMMV
 
Here's pics of the setup on:

- Stock '94 and newer C10 seat on a '95 C10
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2036827440089716678obVmSy?vhost=rides
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2615937940089716678ZWysBl?vhost=rides
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2033848080089716678MmWXSy?vhost=rides


- Corbin seat on '95 GPZ1100 (ZX1100E)
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2810798380089716678LSWXgo?vhost=rides
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2606350930089716678AUgxLs?vhost=rides


- Modified pre '94 seat on 2000 C10
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2205679620089716678ifOKnR?vhost=rides


- Corbin seat on 2000 C10 - the pre '94 seat strapped to the back, now retired.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2099248420089716678GhDwmj?vhost=rides



 
Just adding my +1 on the Ikea sheep skin. I used a similar set up on a one-up ride to the Panama Canal and two different two-up rides to Mexico and my sheepskin was great. It kept us cooler in the hot weather and warmer in the cold weather and helped a LOT to avoid monkey butt on the longer days. But....... it's a PIA if it starts to rain and it gets REALLY dirty on a multi day ride if there's a lot of dust or dirt. Pretty easy to clean in a hotel shower though, as long as you're staying put for a full day to allow it to dry.
Cheers
 
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