ST1100, recommended thickness for gel pad installation kit?

Locally no full installation kits avail, shipments costs from the US outrank the value of the goods, so I've to pick the collective swarm intelligence here... :wink:

I might considering a 3 layer setup:
- gel pad
- memory foam (so no ridges rubbing)
- smoothing foam (so no imprints poke through the OEM seat cover...)

considering a rider weight between 89~96kg/190~215lbs without gear and maintaining a bony ***, what would be the halfway ideal/recommended thickness for each layer?

I would recommend against a gel pad. I had one installed in my ST1300's stock seat as a first attempt at fixing the discomfort I felt on any ride over half an hour. IIRC the pad was 5/8" thick and oblong, maybe 10"x12". The upholsterer covered it with a couple of layers of different density foam, around 1/2" thick. I didn't find the gel pad made any difference to the comfort level of the seat and really absorbed heat when the seat was in the sun, so that the seat would remain hot for a long time after you climbed on and started riding. YMMV.

Many popular aftermarket saddles combine changing the seat materials with widening the seating surface to reduce the weight per surface area. Take a look at pictures of the Russell Day-Long, Corbin, or Laam seats. I think this makes a bigger difference than changing the seat materials. FWIW I eventually took my gel seat to Laam and had him rebuild it. It's not a Russell Day-Long, but for the price it's a fine seat for long distance touring and far more comfortable than the stock seat.

It might not be what you are looking for but I've heard good things about SaddleCraft Seating in South Shields UK. I haven't used them myself but they come highly recommended. Search on the interweb and check out there gel seats. Hope it helps.
Upt'North.

I used the gell pad and smoothing foam. I works great !! Can ride all day when before I would hurt after 1 hr. Used my original seat cover and was a fairly easy install. I dont have much of a problem with heat but all rides are different. This is the one I usedand here it a video of how easy it is https://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRAGEL-Motorcycle-Seat-Gel-Pad-Medium-RP/320735034264?hash=item4aad4c3b98:g:zysAAOSwWLBZ6j1C&vxp=mtrhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvA4Hnt9qUM

MajorTom said:

Many popular aftermarket saddles combine changing the seat materials with widening the seating surface to reduce the weight per surface area.

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Thanx, but a "seat pan" is what I'm actually trying to avoid...
Tested a Corbin, can't corner properly with that thing, I need the arch of the OEM seat enabling to "roll" the bike quick and effortless underneath my butt... :wink:
A seat pan forces your pelvis to lean with the motorcycle, fine at speed in wide turns, but an anatomical challenge in narrow cornering as the lower vertebrates slow and limit the amount of movement; started to run wide in quick 90° turns into an alley or narrow exits with the Corbin... :-?
Besides this their often lower and especially wider, so the rim cuts into my thighs while stationary, especially when backing the bike up... (where I remain seated and simply walk backwards)

Upt' North said:

It might not be what you are looking for but I've heard good things about SaddleCraft Seating in South Shields UK.

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Thanx, Bagster, Bespoke, etc... are known, but most change to a completely different seat shape so they can charge princely amounts for their unique new seat cover...
I'd prefer to keep the OEM apearance as good as possible (don't want to invite some nimrods to theft and/or vandalism...)

Al st1100 said:

I used the gell pad and smoothing foam. I works great !!

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Yep, exactly the vid I was watching a couple of hours ago :8):
Looks pretty straightforward to me, already looked up and bookmarked some suppliers, but as I wrote above will I have to get each item from a different vendor.
Over here they sell only the gel pad... no memory foam, nor smoothing foam included...
So how thick should I go with each?
I know from driving cars that too soft seats are a PITA as well, so some degree of firmness has to be kept.
And since I cannot locate an equivalent to the smoothing foam shown, could I use some 2mm, laminated neoprene instead?

ST1100Y said:

I'd prefer to keep the OEM apearance as good as possible (don't want to invite some nimrods to theft and/or vandalism...)

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This is exactly something I've been considering before upgrading my seat.

Ah, different riding style for low-speed maneuvering and I can see how a wider seat pan would interfere with quick weight transfers across the seat. Still, I didn't find any advantage in comfort adding a gel pad and would recommend trying some different density foam layers instead. I may be wrong, but I believe gel became popular for absorbing vibration in V-twins, which isn't really an issue with the Honda STs.

Instead of modifying the seat have you considered wearing padded bicycling shorts under your riding gear? Never tried them myself, so no opinion either way, but it seems like an option. I rode sportbikes for so many years that the ST seat seems like a couch to me, so I've never tried to make it more comfy.

I have re-upholstered my stock seat twice though, so I have a little advice to give there. The "U" shaped part that makes the sharp rise up against the tank is the most difficult part to lay down. It wants to make a straight line between the horizontal seat surface and the center of the "U", instead of following the curve of the seat padding, so it ends up a little tent-like at first. But after riding it a while it stretched out and I was able to get it to follow the contour of the seat with a few more pulls in the right places. Since you're adding gel/foam to the stock padding, it might be a good idea to put a little extra padding in that area as well, might make the stretching of the cover material go a little easier.

MajorTom said:

Still, I didn't find any advantage in comfort adding a gel pad and would recommend trying some different density foam layers instead.

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You might be right...
And further (one of my theories on this issue): what if the "sore but" is in fact just aching muscles due the unusual work of holding/supporting the torso upright... like the neck due the helmet weight... after all will both symptoms vanish the longer and more frequent you ride...
I for one experience slight discomfort only on straight, boring stages of a tour where I barely move; once in the twisties, or at least some curvy B and C roads I feel no ailments at all.
And who knows, the little twitch might even keep you alert and awake... :lol:

dwalby said:

Instead of modifying the seat have you considered wearing padded bicycling shorts under your riding gear?

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Been there...
Perspiration is one thing, but the seams of those pant legs end exactly where my tights contact the lateral parts of the seat, so it ended with grazed, pretty sore spots there... :?
I prefer briefs for support and long legged/sleeved breathable, function underwear; currently the Dainese D-Core Aero pants & shirts, their tight fit is supporting circulation and muscle activity, and of course prevent any wrinkles which would lead to sore spots... a really nice & comfortable second skin underneath the GoreTex 2-piece...

So this project goes to the back burner again... there other things to cope with...

I fitted a gel pad with a memory foam cover over it, a custom leather cover then and it hasn't really made any difference, might even be a little worse than stock,
I recently borrowed a corbin seat from a friend and didn't want to give it back, although the corbin is wide and hard it seems to spread the load and I like the way I felt locked into the bike on it, hoping he might sell it to me cause I think he might be selling the ST he bought, bit too heavy for him, it's an absolute minter of a machine, 01 abs only 17k miles done, hardly a mark on it, maybe I should buy the whole bike!!!