Despite the wild name, if you’re familiar with sex toys and possibly pornography, you’ve absolutely seen these tools before. Maybe you’ve noticed the helpless protagonist riding one in your wildest porn, or maybe one caught your eye at your local sex shop, glistening in the neon lights. You might have been extremely lucky, and got to try one out at a super fun kinky party, and now you need one of your own.
It’s the saddle with a zing, a rideable motor built for your pleasure, a motorcycle that goes nowhere but your own fantasies: I am, of course, talking about Sybian and saddle vibrators. These are one of the ultimate sex toys to own with seemingly endless possible ways of using them.
So what is a Sybian Vibrator, or a saddle vibrator?
Are you driving your poor vibrators to ruin by being power-hungry? Are your poor toys drained, and exhausted, unable to keep up with your demands for stronger and more vibrations? You might be needing a saddle vibrator! These machines are a level up from your ordinary sex toys, less of a toy and more of a beast of vibration. It’s like you’re sitting on a rumbling motorcycle, a speed demon with very little between you and it.
While the Sybian is a trademark, it’s also become a bit of slang for the type of toy as well. You know how Kleenex is now the universal word for tissue? Same situation here!
The first Sybian vibrator was invented by Dave Lampert sometime in the 1970s but gained massive amounts of popularity in the late 90s and early 00s. The rumors around the Symbian are almost as legendary as the number of erotic films it’s been featured in. Lampert even won an AVN Lifetime Achievement award for the toy’s invention!
Heck, even the ever-charming and hilarious sex educator and Spectrum Sex Boutique owner, Zoë Ligon, has tested one out on camera on her YouTube show “Sex Stuff”! (Please check out that video, it’s amazing.)
Since its original inception, there’s been a veritable cornucopia of Sybian vibrator alternatives being offered! Besides the original Sybian vibrator, the three main competitors are the Tremor, the Motorbunny, and the Cowgirl. For this review, we’re looking to see which newcomer has the best variety and innovation on the darling of the 90s/00s.
Buckle up, this review will be a wild one! We’ll be discussing two different saddle vibrators (the Tremor, and the Motorbunny), as well as some honorable mentions for those uncertain about riding the power-hungry bull of a toy.
Before the Results, Let’s Talk About Bodies
My goal in reviewing toys is to be able to review them from the distinct perspective of a trans man who hasn’t had bottom surgery, and who has been on testosterone for a few years now. Toys will just feel and fit differently on my body, versus someone else with a vulva who might not have been on hormones as long as I have.
Having said that, I feel like most of the attachments for the saddle vibrators didn’t really touch my clit at all. Even though it was incredibly enjoyable, at times I had to rock around to find a way of creating a point of contact between my T-dick and the vibrations. Sometimes I found myself getting the job done myself, which reminded me of hooking up with cis men (badum tsss, I’ll be here all week!).
Motorbunny came equipped with plastic wedges to angle the attachments, and that helped a bit. The Tremor has a silicone tongue attachment available online, and that possibly looks promising. Seriously though, I’m sure there could be a fantastic attachment to fix this problem for folks with anatomies like mine!
Contents
TL;DR
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Most affordable & shareable Sybian vibrator alternative |
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Best feature-packed & app-controlled Saddle Vibrator |
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Like the MB OG, plus in-and-out fuck machine action! |
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Best budget Sybian alternative for Wand owners |
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Affordable Sybian alternatives for grinding |
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Cheap & rumbly vibrating grinders with a thrusting option |
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Luxurious Motorbunny alternative |
The Tremor
When you think about owning a saddle vibrator, are you heavily considering the possibility of sharing it with other partners, or bringing it to a sex party? If you are, the Tremor might be the toy you’re looking for. Most Sybian Vibrator alternatives have vegan leather covers, and while they look incredibly sexy they can’t be completely sterilized. This might be a big concern for you and your play partners (and your play partners’ play partners)!
Enter the Tremor and its interchangeable silicone mats.
Materials
The Tremor is made out of machine parts, ABS plastic, and silicone. Out of all the saddle vibrators on the market, the Tremor is the only one to feature entirely silicone attachments. I love this! We at Tabooless have a responsibility to our readers, not only to provide the best tools for pleasure but the safest. Silicone, friends, and fiends, is one of the most body-safe options out there.
The body of the toy is made out of hard plastic, which can feel a bit cold or clinical at first (hey, that might be your kink!). Other companies offer covers to put over the body of the toy, and I think the Tremor would benefit from one of those as well. If I could put a black, washable fabric cover over it, it would be much easier to blend into decor rather than hide away in my closet.
The kit comes complete with a silicone mat, which you put on first before putting on the rideable toy attachments. This can make the toy extremely safe and shareable, either remove and wash off the silicone pad before another rider mounts the Tremor, or buy extras on their website!
Features
The Tremor didn’t come here to fool around, it came to fuck. It has a body-safe body, exclusively silicone attachments, and a silicone mat… all for roughly a fraction of the price of any other vibrator saddle.
An important feature of the Tremor is in the shape of it! The body of the Tremor is also angled differently than other saddle vibes. It’s more of an angular shape versus the rounded body of the other toys on this list. This promises to be easier to straddle for longer periods of time and makes it easier to balance on an uneven surface.
Personally, I’m quite tall so it didn’t make much of a difference for me but I can absolutely understand how it would benefit someone with shorter thighs.
Vibration
What can I say about the vibrations? They’re awesome! It’s a saddle vibrator, you’re not going to get weak, anemic vibrations from these toys. There’s one knob for the vibration level (“Rock”), and another one for the rotation level (“Roll”). There aren’t any pre-programmed patterns for the Tremor, just two beautiful glossy dials to go from 1-10.
I will say that, compared to our other contender, the vibrations sound a bit louder. If you live in an apartment building or have roommates, this might be a major bummer! Although, a word of caution: if you are looking for a whisper-quiet saddle vibrator… you could be waiting for a long time. You can put the toy up on a bed in order to dampen the vibrations, but they’ll still be louder than any We-Vibe or Satisfyer toy ten times over.
Sensations
The Tremor has possibly my favorite attachments of the two saddle vibrators we reviewed for this article. Still, personally, for my anatomy, I found some of them just a bit physically irritating. One of the attachments called the “Whammy Bar” had a fantastic dildo but also had a rectangular patch of silicone nubs right in front of it. For some folks, that might be a total game-changer and stimulating, but for me, it was more irritating (especially to my urethra) than anything else. Those rough nubs cut my time short when I first tested it!
I also enjoyed the rotation sensations, though after a certain point I stopped feeling it (especially when combined with the vibrations). I feel like that feature of the toy is best enjoyed with a steady up and down motion from the person on it, instead of just sitting down and letting the toy do all the work.
Motorbunny Original
Do you ever get a sex toy, or a beautiful piece of lingerie, and immediately your brain is flooded with fantasies of all the ways you could use it? That’s what happened with the Motorbunny, for me.
I absolutely loved the fact that the Motorbunny has possibly one of the best online presences of any toy brand I’m aware of right now. They often feature adult film stars riding their toys while trying out a glory hole game at a sex museum, or counting down to the new year. They’re awesome!
Materials
The main body of the Motorbunny is made out of vegan leather, padding, and machine parts.
Vegan leather looks and feels great, but it won’t be shareable like the Tremor is as you can’t fully sanitize Vegan Leather. Thankfully, with a bit of elbow grease, you can actually make the Tremor’s Silicone mat fit on this device as well! It’ll take a bit of effort to apply it without leaving any bumps or folds, but once it’s nice and secured, it’s pretty hard to dislodge. This is amazing news, especially if you take into account that these mats can be bought separately.
Some attachments are made out of silicone, while the ones that come with the base model are made out of TPE. I won’t lie, for a luxury toy company like Motorbunny to still include TPE toys is a bummer. I don’t really see the appeal, either from a customer’s perspective or from the perspective of a sex writer. TPE toys cannot be entirely sterilized, they feel gooey and squishy in odd ways, and just remind me of cheap old sex toys from the 80s.
Thankfully, Motorbunny offers a wide variety of optional silicone attachments you can purchase separately, or are included with different bundles online so that’s something to consider.
Features
Motorbunny has multiple apps for both of their popular saddle vibrators.
Yes, that’s right… multiple apps. Do you remember that viral video game, Flappy Bird? Well, Motorbunny has its own version called Fappy Bunny and you can play it while having the app control the toy. (Swoon!) They have a holiday-themed game called “Snow Bunny’s Gift Grab”. The only thing missing is a summertime game, I don’t know, maybe a game where you shoot fireworks into the sky to increase your vibrations! And games aren’t the only apps you can use with the Motorbunny!
The main app is called “Motorbunny Link”, where you can control the vibrations entirely from your smartphone.
It can even create patterns for the Motorbunny to follow, which is pretty groundbreaking for a toy like this one. Are you in a long-distance relationship? You can give that special someone control over your toy through this app (where was this toy in my life at the beginning of the pandemic?).
Need more features I love about the Motorbunny?
It has four O-rings, two on the front and two on the back so you can clip harnesses or wrists or ankle cuffs right to the toy. Holy moly, is it getting hot in here?
The Motorbunny also includes little plastic wedges that you can use to angle the attachments differently when riding, so the toy can hit you just right. I really liked these, especially as someone whose anatomy is slightly more different than average.
Vibrations
The vibrations are solid! I won’t lie… I think, after a certain point, it’s hard to tell the difference between the vibrations of one saddle vibe vs the other. I mean, it purrs like a jaguar in heat (hey Google, do jaguars purr?) but after five minutes of nonstop vibrations? I can hardly tell what my own genitals feel like. It’s just that powerful!
I personally enjoy that there’s a bit of a dampening effect from the padding, at least on my thighs. As I’m getting older, I find that my knees are a bit stiff and the padded body of the Motorbunny makes it much easier to straddle the toy for longer.
Sensations
Overall, I loved the sensations on the Motorbunny! For me, it was a bit of a holistic sexy vibe that made me feel very present on what is a delightful luxury toy. The feeling of the plush vegan leather, on top of the iconic look of a saddle vibe, and the app control? It was wonderful!
The toy felt sturdier and I found myself more willing to lay more of my body weight down on the toy, which made me feel more present in my body’s sensations versus how I felt on the Tremor.
Motorbunny Buck
What if you want a fucking machine, but also need some serious vibrations to get you or your honey off? Well, you’re in for a treat because MotorBunny has a powerful version of their OG called the MotorBunny Buck.
You better hold on tight, because this bad Bronco packs a serious kick!
Materials
Just like the original, the MotorBunny Buck features some luxurious materials like vegan leather. As I’ve said before, the padded and plush body of the MotorBunny Buck might be a double-edged sword for many people; while it feels more comfortable and provides some noise canceling, it also means that the body of the toy can’t be totally disinfected. This isn’t totally a bad thing, just that this toy might be better suited for people who aren’t going to share this toy with everyone at the play party. (Or, better yet, if you are going to share it with strangers you can get a silicone pad from Tremor to put on it!)
Features
Imagine all the good things about the regular MotorBunny: the powerful motors, the plethora of possible silicone attachments, the smartphone app capabilities. The MotorBunny Buck has all these features plus it thrusts! It’s truly is the top-tier rideable sex toy, in my opinion.
Vibrations
These are by far the strongest vibrations of any toy I’ve tried on the market. It’s like strapping 20 magic wands together and riding them all at once. It’s unbelievably powerful, enough to rouse the dead and cause your brain to fall out of your ears.
Sensations
When I first tested the original MotorBunny, I wasn’t too sure about the “twirling” feature of the dildos. The vibrations were strong enough to have that be the last thing on my mind, but I chalked it up to penetration being something I can be hot/cold about.
I did not feel so ambivalent towards The Buck.
The sensations were very much like a fucking machine, except with the added bonus of being sitting on a teeth-chatteringly powerful MotorBunny.
Wand with Shibari Chair, or Liberator Wand Holder
So you’ve got to have it now now now, but you’re not sure if a saddle vibrator is exactly what you’re lusting after? Or are you looking for something similar on a budget, but don’t mind sacrificing the intense power? Not to worry, we’ve got some alternatives for you!
First off, go grab your best and trustiest wand vibrator and some shibari rope. Oh, don’t look at me like that! If you’re here reading about Sybian vibrator alternatives, there’s a high chance you have both of those things in your toy chest at this very moment.
If you don’t, I highly suggest looking at our listicle review on the best wand vibrators!
Got them? Good!
With that being said, your cheapest alternative would be AFemmeCock’s Shibari chair wand holder!
Seriously, I can barely tie my own shoes and wouldn’t trust myself to give you any advice on the amazing art and discipline that is rope tying.
So head on over to her tutorial for more information!
However, if you’re like me and not very handy with rope, you can try out a foolproof alternative!
It’s a bit more of an investment but the Liberator Axis & Wanda, which are easily washable pillows from sex furniture maker Liberator, should do the trick!
You just nestle the wand inside the pillow, zip it up, and ride till you or your wand needs a break. Wee!
WHERE TO BUY
Vibepad 1 & 2
Are you in love with the idea of a beautiful silicone vibrator that’s mostly external? Try the newest toys to appear, grinding pads.
Okay, sure the name needs a bit of work, it sounds more like a menstrual hygiene product for #bossbabes, but stick with me for a second!
These are silicone vibrators that offer multiple points of stimulation across a larger surface area. The aptly named company VibePad offers the most popular one.
They’re also entirely gender-neutral toys and could be the next best thing in your toy chest!
Materials
The toy is made out of motors, and covered in a velvety matte silicone. The VibePads feel good quality, and I have no doubts that they’re safe in the long term (unlike some toys on the market, sadly).
Features
The first iteration of the VibePad is pretty straightforward with regards to its features: it has a remote that controls the two very quiet vibrating motors, has seven vibration modes, and is waterproof.
It’s the VibePad 2 that goes totally off the rails with features, not all of which “do it” for me. While the VibePad 2 has two motors, one of them is attached to a “vibro tongue”. What’s a “vibro tongue”? Well, it’s a kind of mini-flicking pseudo-tongue that comes complete with seven “licking modes”. The motor not attached to the vibro tongue actually has a warming feature as well.
Did I mention the VibePad 2 has a remote control as well?
Vibrations
The VibePads are equipped with some powerful motors, and have very strong vibrations, especially for how quiet it is. They personally feel a bit more on the “buzzy” side, but it isn’t unpleasant. It doesn’t lead me to feel like the toy is cheap, as many buzzy vibrators might feel.
Sensations
As mentioned above, the vibrations feel a bit buzzy to me more than what I would prefer. Otherwise, both iterations of the toy are great!
I personally don’t care much about a heated toy, so your decision between the VibePad and the VibePad 2 comes down to personal preference.
CalExotics Dual Riders
The CalExotics Dual Rider line features two different styles of rideable toys:
A red one that vibrates and thrusts ( The Thrust & Grind ), and a blue one that has small nubs of texture next to a modest-sized mound to help apply pressure ( The Bump & Grind ).
While I do have a favorite Dual Rider model, these are both genuinely solid toy choices in my opinion!
Materials
Just like the Vibepads, it’s all silicone and robot parts, baby!
So you can rest assured it’s entirely made out of body-safe materials.
Features
The Dual Rider Bump and Grind has two motors: one under the raised portion, and one motor under the textured bumps. You can turn one or both on by pressing the button on the bottom of the toy, or using the included remote control!
Vibrations
Very impressive! I’m genuinely impressed with CalExotic’s Dual Rider line of toys, they’re definitely a solid choice for someone who wants the benefits of a rideable toy without a four-digit price tag or the noise that can come with them.
I would say power-wise it’s a lot like the Vibepads, but leans a touch more rumbly than buzzy, so it’s all about preferences here.
Sensations
If I had to decide on the better of the two Dual Rider toys, I think it would be the Bump & Grind.
I don’t want to sound like size is the most important thing to me, but the Thrust & Grind phallus just wasn’t working for me. It feels too small and slim for someone who wants a thrusting toy, and too unavoidable for someone who doesn’t want a fucking toy.
Having said that, if you do want the possibility of a thrusting toy and you’re not worried about the size, follow your heart! If you’re really looking for a grinding toy or a toy you can sit down on and let ‘er rip, choose the Bump & Grind!
The Cowgirl
Ah, the one that got away. We weren’t able to snag one for review ( as it’s not exactly cheap! ), but we still wanted to give this Sybian vibrator alternative a mention.
The Cowgirl has a lot of fame online, and for excellent reasons! It has a plush, luxurious outer layer of vegan leather, an incredibly strong motor (which goes without saying for these toys), as well as smartphone apps to control the toy’s power and patterns.
Ultimately, feature-wise, it’s virtually identical to the Motorbunny so it really comes down to preference here! But if you have an extra 500$ to spend and a taste for luxury & gorgeous designs, this might be your pick!
WHERE TO BUY
Straddle-Style Vibrators Compared
Let’s be real, we’re total nerds here at Tabooless. While it would be easy to just label a machine as the best, it’s really not that simple in reality. But nothing breaks down complexity like good old stats & charts!
So here’s a comparison of all the big guys in this sex toy niche to better help you make your own decision!
Just keep in mind that these are the prices at the moment of writing this article and they tend to vary depending on sales and the state of the industry,
The Tremor, Motorbunny, The Cowgirl & Sybian Vibrator Comparison
| Tremor | Motorbunny | Cowgirl | Sybian | |
| Rotation RPM Max | 160 | 160 | 150 | 150 |
| Vibration RPM Max | 7000 | 7000 | 6500 | 6000 |
| Controller | Wired | Wired/App | Wired/App | Wired |
| Extra Features | Sanitizable Silicone Mat | App Games + Restraint O-rings | Luxurious Build | Vintage Appeal |
| Price Range | 850 USD | 900-1000 USD | 1,450 USD | 1,245 USD |
We would like to thank The Tremor, Motorbunny, and Peepshow Toys for sending us some of the Sybian vibrator alternatives included in this review. This roundup wouldn’t have been possible without their help!
