Adding Seat Heat

[Hollow Road Rider]

I am rebuilding the seat from my '92 R100GS. I'd like to add a two stage heater (Hi/ Low).

 

Anybody have brand recommendations?

 

 

8/20/14 Mod Edit for OP - restated question:

 

Has anybody added heat to their seat with kits that are available? If so, what kind?

[David13]

Not as to brand, but as to heat. I would recommend, skip it.

I have seat heat. And I think it is one of the useless things I have.

That seems to be the one part of me that has never been cold.

Maybe it's because it's the part I'm sitting on. Like the bird sitting on the nest, on the egg, to 'keep it warm'.

dc

[Selden]

David, in all fairness, you live in LA. I live in Atlanta, which gets a little colder in winter, and have also never felt the need for seat heat, and if it were cold enough to need seat heat, it would have to be well below freezing which, due to concerns about ice, would keep me off the road. People living north of the Mason Dixon line may have a different perspective on warm cheeks.

[Tri750]

Wunderlich offers/offered an add on seat pad.

I sold one to a GS rider who always had a cold bum. She used the pad on top of the seat, portable style as is one of the options.

She said it got very hot. I think burying it within a seat would be the better choice and is the optional installation on this.

I'm sure someone could fit a rheostat from a Heated vest if it's standard positions were too still hot .

Edited as I found it.

http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorcycle/1250098.html

This is the rider pad. They offer a passenger pad as well.

There is also a question if the R100 charging system could keep up with the pad as well.

An alternative is the heated gear that's battery powered by Gerbing and Tourmaster I believe.

[kioolt]

I live is Maryland and ride some just about all year. A heated seat and hand grips are a must for me. I use them in the summer also when riding in the rain. If you heat your rear the rest of your body will also be warmer. The warmer blood from your rear will circulate through you making for an overall warmer feel.

 

As for brand I got heat added to my stock seat on my 04R1150RT by Cee Bailey. I don't know if they still provide this service or not. It only has one heat level. I requested that they put a switch for each section of the seat. Without asking for that I would of had only one switch for the whole seat.

[David13]

Selden.

I'm talking about riding in Colorado in the snow.

Yeah, for sure heat in Los Angeles is not needed. Not now anyway. I'm also not talking about now.

I'm also talking about the Sierras in November.

That kinda stuff.

dc

[mneblett]

I'm across the Potomac River in Virginia, also ride all year. Seat heaters have been pretty ignorable to me -- heated grips, heated gloves and heated jacket keep enough heat in my core to have enough heat to get to the extremities, including the legs (note: behind a full RT/GTL fairing). The seat doesn't add much of anything that.

[szurszewski]

My wife loves the heated seat in the pillion position, but has declined an offer to add one to the saddle on the bike she rides (commutes year round by either bicycle or moto unless it's too icy) as she says the same - her backside only gets cold when she's not "in charge".

 

That said, there have been times when I've used the heat on my saddle, and it's been nice to have it when I wanted it....though those times have been few and far between. But, if he's rebuilding the seat anyway, why not add heat? It's not that complicated or expensive.

[Kathy R]

I am rebuilding the seat from my '92 R100GS. I'd like to add a two stage heater (Hi/ Low).

 

Anybody have brand recommendations?

 

 

Wish I could help you OP. I had a factory built heated seat and don't know what they used.

 

 

 

 

OK, David13, how about we let this fellow get answers to his questions without any further hyjacks? Thanks much.

[Tri750]

Tap tap tap...

Is this thing on ?

Question answered above.

 

 

 

 

 

Edit - It's a good start

[dirtrider]

Morning Hollow Rd. Rider

 

On a made-to-fit seat heating element?-- I really don't know but I have a friend that fitted a seat heating element from a compact car (small bucket seat) in his Goldwing seat.

 

Unless you buy a kit that is specifically for your seat & your bike I will caution against a Hi/Lo switching set up in favor of a rheostat, or pulse width modulated set up.

 

With a Hi/Lo (only) on a "non specific seat heater" you have a high chance of getting too-hot on high & not hot enough on Low. You could play with resistors to get the too-high lower but a too-cold on low would be more difficult to deal with.

[Hollow Road Rider]

Thanks to all for your thoughts and opinions, but I already know that I want heat. I've got in on my Gold Wing and I use it frequently in colder weather especially when starting out.

 

So there was one reply with a source, I can start there.

 

Since I am unable to edit my OP, I'll start here:

 

Has anybody added heat to their seat with kits that are available? If so, what kind?

[kioolt]

Try looking here for several ways to add heating elements.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=heating+element+for+motorcycle+seat&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=iiH2U7KPGZehyASy24GICQ&ved=0CKoBELMY&biw=2133&bih=1061&dpr=0.9#spd=0

[RandyBailey]

Living in Arizona, seat heat is an option that I would never have selected, that is until a couple weeks ago... I bought a barely used 2013 RT in Philadelphia that I then rode back to Phoenix through five days of rain. I hit some incredibly cold rain/sleet and had the seat heat cranked up on high. It really made a difference in keeping me comfortable in the saddle.