Which do you prefer..airhawk, beads, or sheepskin

Beads

I haven't gone to any of these solutions yet, believe it or not I have done several 300 km (180 mile) days and only started to develop MB after the 2nd or 3rd day. I did use the Gold Bond powder to help prevent and I am sure it helped. If you search there are some great threads about it on other forums (can't remember which one I read last year but it was a laugh). I am thinking about trying the beads when I can find some to fit my bike.

This is where I got mine:
http://www.whitehorsepress.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_63&products_id=3128

+11ty billion....beads

Alaska Leather Co. sheepskin buttpad, no seam/no cotton underwear, and good airflow in those riding pants--now there's a combination for all day comfort on the RT....

I have an Alaskan and it works well for me(works in the rain all day too)-I see no purpose in 800k days anyway!Once I have gone 300-500k my day needs to end anyway, sore butt or not! If you wash it with Woolite it bounces back nicely.
I have a very short inseam and need to find comfort without raising my feet any further from the ground, so I am curious what works well, but in view of being vertically challenged too. BTW, the beads @ Whitehorse are on backorder until June 18th! I have a nephew that drives over the road and he says the beads don't work for him. It seems to be a matter of a bunch of factors, so an individual solution. It seems that tooling down the road on beads will be kinda "wiggly"? Respond to that thought please...
Has anyone tried the guy that you send your OEM saddle to and he repads it-apparently costs much less that the other custom choices?
I have to ask-what causes the BMW people to build a seat that is so uncomfortable to the extent that an industry grows out of their ineptitude?My German cars have very comfortable seats, both BMW and Audi, so where is the ergonomic disconnect coming from on the bikes? Having your boys jammed into the gas tank surely isn't unique to Americans?Have not some of you long time BMW types ever asked them ,JUST WHY!?!

Beads are CHEAP. Buy some. Only YOUR ass knows for sure if they'll work. If you don't like them, give them away.

Sheepskins are $50 and up. Buy one. Only YOUR ass knows for sure if it'll work. If you don't like it, sell it.

Custom seats cost >$200. Get fitted and buy one. Only YOUR ass knows for sure it it'll work. If you don't like it, sell it.

The order in which you choose to execute the above three options is a form of intelligence test.

I have had both a sheepskin from Alaska Leather and beads and all I can say is be careful with your beads in a hot climate. I commute daily and do a couple of long rides a year. I had the beads on my 1100RT stock seat for about a year. When I took them off one day, the seat material was cracked under several of them and looked terrible. Don't know what happened, but it really wasn't pretty. Picked up a Bill Mayer seat on this site from a guy about my size and now don't need anything including the sheepskin.

redrider said:

Sheepskin was great till it rained and then what? Bought a bead seat .It lets the air circulate beneath your posterior to improve evaporation and in a downpour the water drains off quickly.It also lets U slide back & forth on the beads for a Cheap bottom massage. I'd be fibbing if I told U that it cured MB , but it reduced it considerably. Also switched to wick_away underwear.

I spent $$$$ on two different custom seats which in the long run only marginally improved my comfort so in my case the Bead Seat is a fav.

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This mirrors my experience, it is excellent for long touring days. I do remove it for a day in the twisties, as I find it relatively slippery.

Used the Airhawk on all LD rides for the past 4 years on different bikes. Works great but always takes me awhile to get the inflation just right. When you get it just right you are floating on air.

Baaaaa

On my K75 stock seat; comfort seat, Corbin Gunfighter seat - all improved by sheepskin. The one I have is washable. A little time in the washer turns roadkill back into a good looking skin.

Bunz-ez pad, sometimes with a sheepskin on top of that.

Airhawk

I love my Airhawk. Very comfortable--vented (keeps you dry)-- works with the heated seat. I can use it on any of my five motorcycles by simply picking it up and putting it on which one I want to ride.

AirHawk

I bought a Air Hawk for my RT and at first it felt like I was sitting on a Marshmellow. Once I got the air pressure right it was incredibly comfortable. Of course I got it after spending a combined 3500 miles on my RT in 5 days. Haven't been on a long trip since, so I've been thinking about selling it. Come to think of it I might be riding to Colorado this Summer, might hold on to it now.

Sheep skin from Alaska Leather (Deluxe version)

I've had it for 2-years, and love it. I didn't wanted to go with custom seat as it would have raised the height a bit.

I have ridden in rain, no problem. I always have my BMW Leather pants on, so I never get wet from below, and if it gets dirty, just wash it even with water and squeeze it. It comes right-up.

So far, I've enjoyed having Alaska Leather Deluxe sheep skin. I'll keep it if I'm going for a 75+ mile ride.

Spencer's Seat Remake?

Has anyone tried Spencer's seats? The St1100 riders are gung ho about him. He opens the seat from the bottom and adds/removes foams & gel. Top cover is untouched.

http://greatdaytoride.com/Rider_Magazine_Review.html

Airhawk has been THE best for me... but, the older ones are better with the smaller cubes. Unfortunately, mine sprung a leak. Sheepskin adds another 100 miles to my ride in comfort.

Which do you prefer....airhawk, beads or sheepskin?

I have tried the Airhawk and the Alaska Leather sheepskin.

The Airhawk was most comfortable for me, but my problem is that it raises the seat height too much for me. I only have a 29 inch inseam and even with the low seat, I am on tiptoes, without anything covering the seat. I think the low seat brings the seat height down to 32 inches, but I am still 3 inches too short in the inside leg.

The Alaska Leather sheepskin works best for me, since it doesn't raise the seat height as much and it does provide some comfort on long rides.

I heard that BMW was coming out with a lowered RT, but without ESA.

My bike is a 2005 model with ESA and I don't want to part with the ESA even to obtain a lower seat height.

The low seat height is one of the things I reluctantly gave up when I traded my R1200C for the RT. The C has a 26 inch seat height.

Sheepskin with beads, Makes my R1150R seat bearable.