Indian Motorcycles is selling a “cooling” motorcycle seat

You can file this away under “strange, but inevitable news.” Indian Motorcycles just announced a motorcycle seat with a built-in climate control system, available as an accessory for some (not all) of its lineup.

Called the ClimaCommand Classic seat, this seat has heating and cooling functions. Heated seats are nothing new, but cooling seats? Good luck finding that from another motorcycle OEM (although there are a few aftermarket manufacturers selling them). Indian says it makes rides more comfortable during hot weather. Maybe, but how many riders do you know who stay home because their motorcycle seat is too hot?

Regardless of its real-world practicality, here’s what Indian has to say about the new seat:

“The all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat delivers both heating and cooling to riders and passengers and raises the bar for cooling thanks to three key elements:

• A proprietary thermoelectric module that pumps heat away from the rider
• A patent-pending ducting system for cooling the thermoelectric module
• Graphene, a highly conductive and flexible material that optimizes the distribution of heating or cooling while maintaining superior comfort

Hrm. Maybe this would fight monkey butt, at least, the perennial enemy of long-distance motorcyclists? Indian says the seat is actually cool to the touch, unlike other seats on the market. The press release explains the actual function of the seat this way: 

“To accomplish conduction heating and cooling, a thermoelectric module located within the seat directly regulates the temperature. Electricity is applied to a thermoelectric module, causing one side of the module to absorb heat and the opposing side to dissipate heat. By reversing electrical flow, the hot and cold temperatures alternate sides. A graphene material, which is a nanomaterial created from 100% carbon atoms, is then used to ensure the heating and cooling is dispersed throughout the entire seat.”

That’s a lot of Star Trek language; this seat definitely goes beyond the simple air-cooling methods that other manufacturers are using.

The ClimaCommand Classic seat is only available for Indian models based around the Thunderstroke engine, for now (you won’t get one for your FTR1200). Current-production models come with separate controls for the rider and passenger; future models will be integrated into Indian’s Ride Command system. 

We haven’t seen a Canadian MSRP yet, but if you want one of these seats, call up your local dealer.