Ride in the 40s

[CBoz_imp]

A road trip for our 20th anniversary.
She on her Vespa 250ie and me on the cb. (yes gentlemen, you can have your cake and eat it)
An easy 1000km over 5 days through South Australia. Match the pace of small town rural life where every 10 minutes nothing happens and it lasts for an hour.
We knew that January is the lead up to the warmest month of South Australia's summer - February, so we would miss the worst.
But the worst heat wave in years was to hit January, and on the Sunday we set off, the forecast said that mid to high 40s centigrade was ahead of us.
I will lie if I say that I did not feel more than a little trepidation. But hey, we had each other and there is safety in numbers!
.....
It was like riding in an oven and here is a counter intuitive observation: keep your visor an jacket closed up. South Australia's heat is so dry it will make biltong (jerkey) of your face in no time. Second tactic: drench your shirt and everything else in water - the slow evaporation under your closed up jacket helps a lot with cooling off. Third tactic: don't stop, or if you do find shade and keep it short. Rider jacket and pants rapidly become like industrial strength electric blankets.
Leaving early only helped for the first bit because the temperature hit high 30s by 8/9am. And with speed limits of 100/110km/hr, distance's wings are clipped.
We had to change our route when my wife hit panic station about the 47 degree forecast for the town we were heading for on the Thursday.
Both bikes showed no issue with the heat, except the Vespa at lower speeds in the towns. The auxiliary fan kicked in quickly.
Oh, and the best thing about the cb is the Airhawk seat cushion. If you have the stock seat, get it. Just get it.
Was it fun? Absolutely - there is something inexplicably enjoyable about discomfort on a motorcycle. We'll do it again without thinking.

[the Ferret]

Welcome. Nice first post CBoz. Either extreme in temperature (hot or cold) brings misery to motorcyclists, however if you persevere and push on you will be rewarded as you discovered.

PLease post up an intro in new members and add some pics to this thread if you have any.

[Aussie_imp]

Hello CBoz. Are you in Adelaide? I've only seen two other cb1100s in the wild here. One was red with a custom cb1100 plate I saw parked at Hahndorf and the other was dark blue, on Henley beach road I think? Only ever seen each bike once! And yes, it 'twas very hot in January and February.

[CBoz_imp]

Hello CBoz. Are you in Adelaide? I've only seen two other cb1100s in the wild here. One was red with a custom cb1100 plate I saw parked at Hahndorf and the other was dark blue, on Henley beach road I think? Only ever seen each bike once! And yes, it 'twas very hot in January and February.

Yes, adelaide. I have black; have seen a red one in the street and at motoadelaide. It has a non-stock seat.
It is an oddity that there aren't more cbs around. It such a good blend of all the different bike types. Admittedly, mine was marked down by $5k and it was a deciding factor. The whole power aspect is a distraction to the the fact that the cb package is a fantastic one.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Welcome CBoz. SA, particularly the Hills, is great for a ride. I get to Wallaroo occasionally and have ridden the Wilpena Pound area. True it can get very, very, hot.

This is a fantastic forum, good tech and also seat time yarns. But with no pics it never happened, or so some say .

Cheers, and hope to see your bike next time I pluck up the courage to tackle the Hay Plains.

[Aussie_imp]

cool. I will keep an eye out for black now as well

[Cormanus]

G'day and welcome CBOz. That's hot for riding. We had a couple of days in the low 40s this year and it was very uncomfortable on the bike.

SA can get very hot, can't it? I think I've had one of the hottest experiences in my life in Adelaide, and that was after the very worst of it.

Look forward to some photos!

[CBoz_imp]

Ok ok here is a photo. See the long shadows? That's early morning and the temp was already over 30 degrees.

Welcome CBoz. SA, particularly the Hills, is great for a ride. I get to Wallaroo occasionally and have ridden the Wilpena Pound area. True it can get very, very, hot.

This is a fantastic forum, good tech and also seat time yarns. But with no pics it never happened, or so some say .

Cheers, and hope to see your bike next time I pluck up the courage to tackle the Hay Plains.

I agree. We live 3 minutes from the hills and spend an hour or 4 every weekend riding around. One of the perks living in adl - you are never far from a country riding opportunity.

[Cormanus]

Pity about all the hills.

[Khig177_imp]

A road trip for our 20th anniversary.
She on her Vespa 250ie and me on the cb. (yes gentlemen, you can have your cake and eat it)
An easy 1000km over 5 days through South Australia. Match the pace of small town rural life where every 10 minutes nothing happens and it lasts for an hour.
We knew that January is the lead up to the warmest month of South Australia's summer - February, so we would miss the worst.
But the worst heat wave in years was to hit January, and on the Sunday we set off, the forecast said that mid to high 40s centigrade was ahead of us.
I will lie if I say that I did not feel more than a little trepidation. But hey, we had each other and there is safety in numbers!
.....
It was like riding in an oven and here is a counter intuitive observation: keep your visor an jacket closed up. South Australia's heat is so dry it will make biltong (jerkey) of your face in no time. Second tactic: drench your shirt and everything else in water - the slow evaporation under your closed up jacket helps a lot with cooling off. Third tactic: don't stop, or if you do find shade and keep it short. Rider jacket and pants rapidly become like industrial strength electric blankets.
Leaving early only helped for the first bit because the temperature hit high 30s by 8/9am. And with speed limits of 100/110km/hr, distance's wings are clipped.
We had to change our route when my wife hit panic station about the 47 degree forecast for the town we were heading for on the Thursday.
Both bikes showed no issue with the heat, except the Vespa at lower speeds in the towns. The auxiliary fan kicked in quickly.
Oh, and the best thing about the cb is the Airhawk seat cushion. If you have the stock seat, get it. Just get it.
Was it fun? Absolutely - there is something inexplicably enjoyable about discomfort on a motorcycle. We'll do it again without thinking.

What style & size AirHawk fits the cb1100