CMA HeartBeat July 2022 | Page 6

GEAR REVIEW

06⎪JULY 2022⎪shop . cmausa . org

LIVING

in Lower Alabama , or “ LA ,” as some people call it , we have a summertime riding experience that is sometimes a little embarrassing . I ’ m not saying this cannot occur in other areas of the country , but down south , it can be a regular topic of discussion in the summer . Now that your interest is piqued , let me explain . When the temperature is above 80 degrees , and the humidity is rapidly approaching a similar number , we find ourselves getting off our bikes with the backside of our pants feeling ( and looking ) rather wet — and it hasn ’ t been raining . For some , this can be an undesirable look . Thus , the nature of this gear review .
There are many different seat pads designed for comfort but as I polled other riders , they could not testify that any of those cushions provided effective seat cooling . Further research suggested a highpriced air-conditioned seat , beads , or sheepskin . Each of these had its drawbacks . Price is always a consideration
, so the complete heated / cooled seat is not an option . The sheepskin takes away from the look of the bike I desire , and the beads elevate my riding position too much ( I ’ m short ). After more searching on the internet , I did discover an air-circulator seat that works well .
Harley Davidson sells a Circulator seat pad that is effective . The seat comes in medium ($ 85.00 ), large ($ 100.00 ), and passenger pillion ($ 70.00 ). It has a honeycomb-like structure that allows air to flow through the seating area . It is low profile and does not raise the rider more than 1 / 8 to 1 / 4 inch . Although it ’ s not advertised for comfort , I have found that the seat compresses where pressure points exist . This , in addition to its quick-drying and sweatavoiding qualities , creates a more comfortable riding experience .
You can also purchase a less expensive version ($ 30.00 ) on Amazon sold by SKWOOSH . This seat pad has a similar design as the
Harley Davidson seat pad . I have found it to provide similar cooling qualities and comfort . Shawna and I have one of each and are happy with both . The noticeable differences are in the construction .
The Harley Davidson seat pad has good attachment straps both front and back for a secure fit without removing the seat . This seat also appears to have a heartier construction . The SKWOOSH seat pad ’ s attachment strap is less userfriendly for proper fitment and requires the removal of the seat to use . However , after I removed the original attachment strap and sewed on a new one that could slide over the front of the seat , this pad works well for the intended purpose .
Although I mentioned an appearance of a heartier construction of the Harley Davidson seat pad , after one year of using both brands on the bikes , there is no noticeable difference in wear . Of course , only time will tell if one will outlast the other . I can say that using either one of these seats avoids the rider ' s appearance of missing a bathroom stop .
CMA
Brad and Shawna oversee the Southeast Region as National
Evangelist .