How Does Motorcycle Seat Insert Installation Work at Butt Buffer?

Butt Buffer installs dry visco-elastic polymer inserts directly into your own motorcycle seat, in P-pad, Small, Medium, and Large sizes, alone or combined, with front-and-rear options for two-up riders. A Medium & Large combination installation costs $260.00. We've built seat inserts and cushions from this hospital-grade material since 1994.

Key Takeaways

• Seat insert installation options include P-pad, Small, Medium, and Large sizes, offered alone or in combination for front and rear seating.
• The Medium & Large Inserts Installed in Your Seat service costs $260.00.
• Our full catalog price range runs from $27.75 to $280.00, covering ready-to-ride cushions and full seat insert installs.
• Air Flow Classic and Pebble Polymer cushions install with no seat modification, sliding directly onto your stock seat.
• Butt Buffer has built seat comfort products from dry visco-elastic polymer since 1994, as a family owned motorcycle business.

Insert Installation Options for Every Seat

Butt Buffer is a family owned and operated business with a passion for motorcycles and the lifestyle that comes with them.

That's why our insert work isn't limited to one size or one seat layout. We build out installs to match the way you actually ride, whether that's a solo commuter run or a two-up trip with a passenger on back. The list covers ten distinct configurations:

• Large Size Insert Installed in Your Seat
• Large Size Insert Installed in Your Seat, Front & Rear
• Medium Size Insert Installed in Your Seat
• Medium Size Insert Installed in Your Seat, Front & Rear
• Medium & Large Inserts Installed in Your Seat
• P-pad Size Insert Installed in Your Seat
• P-pad & Small Inserts Installed in Your Seat
• P-pad & Medium Inserts Installed in Your Seat
• P-pad & Large Inserts Installed in Your Seat
• Small & Large Inserts Installed in Your Seat

A P-pad install works well if you just need a thinner top layer added to an already decent seat pan. A Large insert, front and rear, is built for riders and passengers logging real miles together. You can find your exact match and order it through our shop, or move faster with our Quick Order page if you already know the configuration you want.

How much does motorcycle seat insert installation cost?

Medium & Large Inserts Installed in Your Seat costs $260.00, our only insert installation price listed on the site. Our full catalog spans $27.75 to $280.00, from a Classic Top Cushion P-PAD on sale up to our most complete seat builds. Check our shop for current installation pricing on other size combinations.

That $27.75 figure comes from the Classic Butt Buffer Top Cushion P-PAD, an 11 x 8 pad currently marked down 50% from its regular price. The $280.00 ceiling reflects our most involved builds. Between those two numbers sits a wide range of ready-made cushions and custom installs, so there's room to match your budget as well as your seat.

Cushions vs. Insert Installs: Which Fits Your Ride

Not only the most comfortable ride, with better air flow it's the coolest ride ever.

That's the line we use for our Air Flow Classic series, and it points at the real decision every rider faces: do you want a cushion that sits on top of your existing seat, or an insert built into the seat itself? Both use the same dry visco-elastic polymer. The difference is how they get onto your bike.

Riders who want to switch cushions between bikes, or who just want to test the polymer before committing further, usually start with an Air Flow Classic or Pebble Polymer top cushion. One rider who had both a 2011 Ultra Classic and a 2018 Tri Glide seat done put it this way: "This is the second seat I have had done. The first was on a 2011 Ultra Classic and was a great improvement in ride comfort. I recently had the seat on my 2018 Tri Glide done with the new and improved gel. The ride quality improvement was immediate. Relieved the pain and pressure from arthritis and extended the ride time between rest stops. Highly recommended for anyone looking for that extra comfort." (Dean McDanel, in a Google review)

Our Pebble Polymer line carries a 4.60 out of 5 rating on the Small size and a 5.00 out of 5 rating on the Medium and Large sizes as shown on our site.

What material makes Butt Buffer cushions and inserts so different?

Every Butt Buffer cushion and insert uses a dry visco-elastic polymer, the same category of material originally developed for hospital beds to prevent bed sores. It's solid, not gel or air-filled, so it holds its shape ride after ride, resists water and fire, and never freezes stiff in cold weather.

That solid construction matters most on the installs, since an insert built into your seat needs to hold its shape for years, not just for one riding season. We've worked with this polymer since founding Butt Buffer in 1994, and it's the same material across every product line: the Air Flow Classic, the Pebble Polymer series, the Classic Top Cushions, and every insert we install by hand.

Military and Luxury Styles That Pair With an Install

Show off your pride and get a comfortable ride. Styles for every military branch.

Our Military Motorcycle Seat Cushions cover all six branch designs: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and POW MIA, priced from $115.00 to $130.00. Each carries the same visco-elastic polymer underneath a branch-specific design on top.

For a more luxurious feel, embroidered & sheepskin fabrics in a variety of sizes.

The Maltese Cross Cushion and the Web Cushion both run $55.50 to $107.50 across their size range, built with embroidered and sheepskin fabric options. If you'd rather feel sheepskin against your ride than see it, our standalone Sheep Skin Seat Cushion and the Super Suede Series Butt Buffers round out the softer end of our lineup. You can browse the full range, including videos showing several of these styles in use, or read more about who builds them on our company page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install a Butt Buffer insert into any motorcycle seat?

Fits on any motorcycle.

We build inserts in P-pad, Small, Medium, and Large sizes, plus front-and-rear combinations for passenger seats, so the sizing options cover most stock seat pans. If you're unsure which size matches your seat, our shop and Quick Order pages list the dimensions for each option side by side.

Do Butt Buffer cushions work for two-up riding with a passenger?

Yes. Several of our insert installations are built specifically for two-up setups, including Large Size Insert Installed in Your Seat, Front & Rear, and Medium Size Insert Installed in Your Seat, Front & Rear. Both put the same visco-elastic polymer under the rider and the passenger, so neither one is left out of the comfort upgrade.

How do I choose between a P-pad and a full Medium or Large insert?

A P-pad works as a thinner top layer, sized 11 x 8 on our Classic Top Cushion version, and suits a seat that's already reasonably comfortable but needs a boost. A Medium or Large insert is a fuller build, better suited to riders logging long highway miles or dealing with existing seat pain.

Does Butt Buffer ship seat cushions and inserts outside the United States?

Yes. Butt Buffer currently ships to over 120 countries. It's your responsibility as the buyer to know your own country's rules on duties and customs for an incoming package, and we recommend checking with your local customs office before ordering if you're unsure.

If you've got a seat that's been wearing you down on the long rides, tell us the make, model, and how many miles you're putting on it each season using the form below this article, and we'll help you land on the right cushion or insert install for your bike.