Classic Butt Buffer Top Cushion: Cushy tush

Butt Buffer

Starting at $55.50

Buttbuffer.com

The aftermarket seat on my 2000 FXD has been quite comfortable for the decade or so since I’ve been using it. But even with the memory foam and gel I had inserted inside, my butt would still get numb and my sciatica would kick in after a few hundred miles, sometimes putting a premature end to my riding day. While in attendance at Outer Banks Bike Week this past spring, I was encouraged to participate in a Butt Buffer seat cushion demo. Company owner Peter Hemmerich asked me to sit on a motorcycle seat that was topped by a Butt Buffer, and I was pleasantly surprised by how comfy the seat cushion was. When I turned to sit down, Peter placed a keyring with a half-dozen keys on a fob on top of the cushion cover, and after I dismounted, Peter showed me where he’d placed the keys. I was amazed because I never even felt them underneath me. I was even more impressed when he lifted the pad to reveal several of the metal clips that are used to attach the pad to the seat. I couldn’t feel a thing. I was hooked.

I decided on the Classic Butt Buffer Top Cushion, using the website’s online sizing chart to select size medium ($87.50) to fit my motorcycle seat. I chose the plain black quilted which complements the color of my bike as well as the seat (both are also black). Other color choices are luster crush black, red, charcoal, blue, green, purple, vinyl, and plain without quilt. The first thing I noticed is that unlike other seat cushions I’ve tried, the Butt Buffer is less than a half inch thick, meaning that it doesn’t add any height to my seat. It functions the same whether one places it on the seat with the wide end fore or aft. It’s your choice; whichever feels better to you. The cushion has a non-slip bottom that doesn’t slide around on my seat at all, but for extra security, there are adjustable, elastic Velcro straps that hook under the lower edge of most motorcycle seats. If there’s nowhere to hook the straps, the cushion also has four small loops so that you can run thin cords or even long shoelaces underneath your seat to secure the cushion.

The fabric top of the Classic cushion is made of an automotive grade, UV-resistant polyester, and the core is a dry visco-elastic polymer that never fully compresses, meaning that it eliminates pressure points that can result from sitting in the same position for too long. Initially invented to prevent patients’ bedsores in medical settings, the polymer is also designed to improve circulation. For me, both of these factors translated to the fact that, although I rode for over 400 miles the first time I used the seat cushion, my butt didn’t hurt or get numb, and my sciatica didn’t give me any grief.

Because the polymer isn’t a gel or liquid, it can’t burst or leak and won’t freeze, either. The Butt Buffer isn’t adversely affected by water, gasoline or oils commonly used in vehicles. It’s hypoallergenic and doesn’t support bacteria or fungus growth. You can apply Scotch Guard to protect the cushion cover and help repel rain, or just remove the cushion and store it until the rain stops, and when it does, you’ve got a dry seat surface. If the Butt Buffer does get wet, you can easily remove the polymer insert and let the cover air dry (I’m told that the polyester cover will dry fairly quickly), or even use a hair dryer if one’s handy. If the cushion cover needs to be cleaned, auto-upholstery cleaner is recommended. Warm water and soap is all that’s needed to clean the polymer insert if that becomes necessary.

Other cushion styles are the Classic P-Pad, Pebble Polymer, Military Style and various specialty fabrics such as sheepskin or Super Suede with or without fringe. And the company makes polymer gel inserts that can go inside your motorcycle seat, as well. The website states that if the Butt Buffer doesn’t give you the best ride you’ve ever had, they will return your money within 30 days of purchase. I like my Butt Buffer so much that requesting a refund is something I didn’t even consider. 4