View source for I want a pad for my seat

[[Category:Luggage & Touring]]
If you are looking for a little extra padding for the seat of your EX250, you have several options. [http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/accessoriesandgear/motorcycle_seat_comfort_pads/ This review] from Motorcycle Cruiser Magazine talks about some of the different kinds of pads that are available.

One popular option today is the gel pad. These can be found lots of places on the internet (Google "motorcycle gel pad"). They are oriented more toward the touring and cruiser crowd than sportier riders. For the EX250 they have two traits which may be disadvantages, depending on your riding style. First, they are kind of squishy, and your body will sometimes have a tendency to move a little more than you may like when leaning into a corner. They also are reported to heat up quite a bit if left out in the sun. On the other hand, the article mentions putting them in the refrigerator before a long ride for the cooling effect.

'''[http://www.alaskaleather.com/ Alaska Leather Sheepskin Buttpad]'''

Time and again, this is the product which comes up on the board when long-ride comfort is discussed. It's made from natural sheepskin, and comes in several colors and styles to fit many different bikes. If you go to their [http://www.alaskaleather.com/Kawasaki.html application chart] you'll find that they recommend the Pillion Type 1 for the front and the Pillion Type 3 for the rear. There is a basic Rally model and an upgraded Deluxe, which has more uniform density, better sheepskin, and no seams. 

Since comfort is pretty much a matter of opinion, we'll let some of our members give you theirs:

*I got the "Rally" model in the size they recommend. The fit is pretty secure, and the pad does not slide on the seat. I don't slip on the pad any more than I would on just a seat.
*I've got one for my Ninja that I used on my V-Strom for my Deal's Gap trip, with an 800 mile trip down, 1000 mile trip up, and about 2400 miles total. Definitely recommended.
* I have two, and we both give them two thumbs up. 
* Go, sheepskin buttpad, Go! I bought one before I did a 600+ mile ride over a weekend from Louisville, KY to Washington, D.C. Worked like a charm. Very comfortable, and a good investment.
* Enormous improvement in riding comfort. Highly recommended.

'''"Courier" Seat Mod'''

One thing you can do is to build your gel pad into your seat. Here is one member's experience with this option. This description is not overly detailed; use your imagination, and make the best design for you. You may also want to see the article on [[I want to reshape my seat|reshaping your seat]] for more ideas. 

The idea was to make the seat more comfortable for long rides and to add a locking 'MIK box' (from [http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Browse/tf-Browse/s-10101/showAll-0/showCustom-0/N-111+10211+600014603/c-10111 JC Whitney]) as part of the seat, so it could be easily moved to another bike, or replaced with a standard seat if desired. Also, due to the bike's existing rear wheel weight bias, I wanted the extra weight as far forward as possible. That is why there is a cutout at the rear of the seat. 

The seat is extremely comfortable and stable. This shot shows the foam cut out, including the 'manhood relief' option, and you can see that I added a couple of steel strips along the seat sides for stability with the box mounted.

[[Image: butt pad 1.jpg|200px]]

This shows the gel pad [http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Browse/tf-Browse/s-10101/N-111+10211+600014417/c-10111 (JC Whitney)] in place. I left the plastic on it, as the gel is kind of sticky.

[[Image: butt pad 2.jpg|150px]]

Felt carpet underlayment is used to insulate. I had heard from others that the gel retains heat, and with a record-breaking hot summer just past, that was on my mind. The felt will keep the gel from getting too hot when parked in the sun, and insulate me from whatever heat it does pick up. This also gives the seat a 'deader' quality (the gel is quite squishy, or 'live').

[[Image: butt pad 3.jpg|150px]]

Recover. Staple. Ride.