Featured Horseshoe Pass Has Ruined Me

I bought an Airhawk seat for the Z and swear by it on long runs. The standard seat is by no means uncomfortable but for really long days in the saddle I needed something extra. Longest day out so far has been 798 miles and there's no way I could have survived that without the Airhawk. Well worth the money IMO.

 

The secret with them is not to over inflate it. If you do, it makes it feel like there's a hinge in the middle of the bike!
They really do not need too much at all. Just enough to not feel the seat is enough.
But yes, they stay in place and are brilliant for long miles.
Oxford do one but i've only had the airhawk one and it's well worth it.

 

Mine's around 8 years old now but still as new. As Ducatitotriumph has said, correct inflation is critical. Initially I was using way too much air and it felt like I would fall off the bike on every corner! Yes, they're not cheap, I bought the neoprene version but they do (did) a cheaper version, PVC I think.

 

I tried some of these before getting the Airhawk and hated them but I think the mistake I made was buying cheap ones made of Lycra. Only used them once under leather riding trousers on a 600mile run to Scotland and back and the last 200m with hot sweaty nads was torture and probably didn't do much for my fertility.

 

You might be expecting too much from your riding gear and seat in terms of comfort v mileage. Like a lot of people on here I’ve had lots of different bikes over the years and ridden long distances on them all and I’ve yet to find a bike I can go all day on in complete comfort, even my latest, the supposed king of tourers the GS. I’ve bought comfort seats previously for long trips and wondered if I was any more comfortable cos I always end up having a rest after an hour or so, usually when it’s time for petrol. Actually the best way to cover long distances is to minimise your stops so combine your fuel stops with a toilet break and food.

 

AirHawk, not cheap, think mine near £100, but well worth it to me.
Ken.
PS. Make sure you get the best size for your bike style.

 

I've done the home to Stranraer run numerous times on full on sportsbikes with only fuel stops in years past for the annual (sometimes 2) pilgrimage to NI and thought nothing of it. I wouldn't like to do it no though. Compared to a GSXR/R1 (don't even mention a 1198SP!) the ZZR is an armchair and that, in it's turn feels radical compared to the Street Scrambler.