There are many opinions and debates as to exactly what factor is the key to a comfortable motorcycle. However many sides of the story you care to discuss, there is one pivot able area of the body that does most of the comfort seeking. That part of the body is just below the waist area in the rear, you know, the part that follows you wherever you go and gives you that much needed support at the lunch counter.

This part of the body supports most of your body weight while astride a bike and no matter the shape or size of yours; it will still need some support to make any motorcycle ride enjoyable (or at least bearable). The other half of this comfort equation is the seat on your motorcycle.

Motorcycle seats are a riders, best friend or worst enemy. There is no in-between area. Some riders find as a matter of personal preference a seat with a gel insert gives more support and comfort. A gel is a substance that falls between a liquid and a solid. A good example of a gel substance is Jell-O; Jell-O is a semi-solid edible food that comes in many colors and flavors (my favorite is grape).

To explore the gel insert and how it affects the comfort of a motorcycle seat, we visited Le Pera Seats in North Hollywood CA, who are celebrating 30 years in the motorcycle seat business. Bob Le Pera, Sr. has been in the upholstery business for over 40 years starting in the family leather goods shop, then a full-time position with famed auto upholstery man, Tony Nancy. In 1972 he launched Le Pera Enterprises. Today, Bob. Sr. along with Bob Jr. and daughter Christine form the backbone of Le Pera Enterprises. The gel insert used in LePera seats is known as Biker Gel and is the direct result of extensive testing, resulting in an exclusive formula that can be ordered in any Le Pera seat offered.

Biker Gel is used in conjunction with the specially formulated and poured high-density Marathon seat foam, which is used in all Le Pera seats. There are two types of gel: a liquid gel like used in some medicines (gel-caps); and the solid gel as used in the Le Pera seats. The solid gel is not really solid, it actually moves in all directions when compressed but retains its original shape when not under compression of the rider's weight.

The main reason the gel adds to the comfort of the Le Pera seat, is its ability to conform to the shape of the posterior of the rider and since it retains its original shape, it will conform in the same manner to another rider with a completely different-shaped posterior and with the same degree of comfort.

As you will see in the accompanying photographs, Le Pera places the gel insert close to the seat covering, with just a thin layer of foam separating it from the seat cover allowing the gel to move, giving a firm, supportive ride. Under the gel insert is the same high-quality Marathon foam used in the rest of the seat, which gives the insert support, and allows the gel to displace when the rider is in the riding position. No matter what type of gel or foam used in the construction of any seat, if it doesn't look bitchin' it won't do, period.

Well, there is no worry with a Le Pera seat with 10 different families of seats and over that number of different styles in each family not to mention the seat coverings of man-made vinyl or top grain leather. Along with any type of exotic skin (as an inlay or complete top piece), and choices of stitch patterns using a double stitch process featuring the best bonded polyester thread. Exotic skins range from Ostrich, Lizard and Stingray to Alligator, and the new just out carbon fiber material. All of these seat components are mounted on a steel base plate that is designed to fit tight to the frame and rear fender perfectly. All steel base plates are stamped in-house on dies crafted by Bob, Sr. then powdercoated prior to seat construction and carpeted after construction on the area where the seat fits over the paint on the rear fender.

Two generations of Bob Le Pera's, Bob, Sr. (on the left) and Bob Jr. (on the right). Between them is just a small sampling of the custom seats available with a gel insert and exotic skins.

Bob Jr.'s demonstrates the flexibility of a Biker Gel insert by stretching its as far as his arms allow. The Biker Gel insert returned to its original size and shape within a few minutes.

We'll start off with a quick tour through the Le Pera shop, here is the in-house press used to form the steel seat pans, each seat pan is formed between a male and female die for a perfect fit.

On to Page 2........

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