I think it is always relative to the persons backside and sometimes even the seat model it is going into. In my instances, I put it in a 2006 Softail Harley reach seat. The seat was somewhat comfortable to begin but not has comfortable as the stock Heritage Softail seat so I wanted to make it better for longer days. For me, after about 45 minutes, the seat was very hot. The gel does not breath like foam does. I did have a thin layer of foam installed over the pad but it was still hot. Also, the gel tended to move away from pressure areas, however, it did not support me so my butt hurt more after riding on it, if that makes any sense at all. My back and tail end felt much better at the end of the day after riding on a Corbin classic solo close model that gave me good support despite being firm. I could go all day on my stock Heritage seat also but it was too far from the bars from me and I needed to be lower to the ground as well.

I think there are some seat makers who have incorporated a gel pad into their own seat models that have worked well for some. Having it modified later into this seat (which I think was only 13.5" wide to begin with) just didn't work for me.

I've modified 3 seats and wish I had my money back on all of them. For me, I have had better lucks finding a seat that is comfortable from day 1 and hopefully is more comfortable after a thousand miles or so.

Mean City Cycles is the only modification I felt that they knew what they were doing and the foam quality was superb. Unfortunately, I needed the seat lower and they aren't as successful at doing that with the 2009 Street Glide seat pan. But I learned a lot about foam from them and would suggst you call them before making any decisions. Great guys to work with and their post about the memory foams is dead on accurate in my opinion.

I had my touring reach seat modified with a memory foam before I tried Mean City cycles. Feels great when you first sit on it. But it does break down and not support me after about an hour. Day gets more painful after that.

-Christi Franklin

 

My own experience/questioning, so YMMV...

Bottoming out is the worst. That's why lightweight guys love a soft or thick seat (where they won't or can't bottom out) and heavy guys like a firm or thick seat (where they can't or won't bottom out).

Lighter guys - Mustangs. Heavier guys - Corbins.

Me? I had a guy add an inch of closed-cell foam (very limited compression) to a stock SG seat ("factory soft") and IMO, the best of both worlds. You "bottom out" through the soft stuff but the firm stuff keeps you from actually hitting the pan. The initial softness, the long-term firmness. Now I don't care for Mustang *or* Corbin anymore.

Hated the memory foam - Maybe if I were 50 pounds lighter...?

 

I don't know anything about foam, but Mean City Cycles did my old FLHTP>>>YOWSA!!! Worked great!!!! Gonna do my 08 FLHR if I keep it.


08 FLHR
Blood Brothers MC

 

My ash loves the gel pad on long ride's say 6 or 7 hundred mile's a day! But I will say this there is no way I can make 200 miles in one clip! My old ash needs a break! Give me the gel pad!

 

Regardless of what is used in the seat, it will not be what you are looking for unless someone that knows how to shape the seat to fit the rider is doing the job. I had both gel and memory foam put into a seat that was ergonomically shaped for me and the improvement was amazing (but expensive).