Winter riding, better than Summer

[rboe]

Found out on the Moto Guzzi forum this morning that a rider with Gerbing has a lifetime warranty on their stuff. He had a connector fail on one of his gloves and they are replacing them. Just one data point but a whole bunch of us were impressed with his service. I'm looking for a vest/jacket liner and Gerbing just went to the top of my list.

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=65705.0

[the Ferret]

wow, that's good service. (although it's the proper thing to do from a customer relations stand point). Not a lot of companies are so service oriented.. unfortunately.

[bubblerboy64_imp]

If you can keep your hands and feet comfortable the rest is doable.

I had a BMW with heated grips and those suckers would get hot. Problem for me at least it didn't help the backs of the hands which were exposed to the air. I would think that the amps involved in those heated grips distributed to other heating applications like gloves and a jacket liner would be better use of the energy.

Don't know maybe you guys like the heated grips.

I am not sure I am going to set the CB up with a wind blocker windshield and such. I've got other bikes which might do better. Just picked up a 2001 Valkyrie and that bike might be the one to set up with a big windshield and lowers. That hunk of metal of and engine once warmed up should provide some blow back to the rider as well. Man I found a nice one 6000 original miles and it's about as new as a bike could be. I should be sellin not buyin but just had to have it.

[mininsx_imp]

A few years ago I bought a heated vest and an adapter wire so I could plug it into my Battery Tender plug-in, which is on all three bikes. That was the best money I'd ever spent on winter riding gear. I used to bundle up to ride in the winter (and still got cold), now it's just a long-sleeve T-shirt, the vest, and my jacket.

Any recommendations for that kind of setup?

Any recommendations for that kind of setup?
Yeah, this is the one I got, and most vests don't include the control for the heat, but this one does: [url=http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product.php?productid=361&cat=59]http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product....361&cat=59
I got mine about 4 years ago at my dealer for $100.00. I got the vest because I don't plan on riding cross-country in the dead of winter, I just want to get out for an hour or so, and I didn't want to tax the electrical system on the bikes, so the vest seemed to be the answer for me.

[kenfyoozed_imp]

I had just bought all the first gear heated clothing about 2 weeks ago, and it has only been cold enough to try it out on one day, but even then I really didnt need it. Temps were in the 50's. But what I am having now is finding a decent place to mount the controller on the CB. Does anyone have an idea of a place thats convenient to reach and yet is unbotrusive?

[_imp]

My thoughts about Honda cruisers and winter/summer riding.
I think Honda's run hot.it's been a complaint of mine for going on ever since
I bought a VTX1800.I ran Honda oil but changed to Amsoil because of the
summers.Same with my Valkyrie Tourer.In the winter Hondas rule.
Because they seem to enjoy colder weather.Run really fine in the winter.
But NOT the dead of summer when the temperature gets over 90 degree.
However I won't even attempt riding when the temperature is below 45 degrees.
Unless there's no wind and really sunny.
I'm still trying to figger out why Honda's run hot.You can tell when an engine
is hot.By the length of time it takes to cool down.What I do is park my
bike after a summer ride in a shady spot under a tree next to my garage.
That way the wind will cool the engine down pretty quick.Usually within
about an hour.W/o doing that it takes a good 3 hours to cool down in the
garage.

[GoldOxide_imp]

It was 34 when I took off riding Sunday morning, and I just got in from a ride and high temp today was 57. I don't own electrics but I am considering a jacket. Can't decide. Im good down to about 20 before I start thinking maybe I should take the car, but as long as there is no snow/ ice or excessive road salt on the road Im good.

Interesting post response. I agree in all respects. In regards to an electric heated jacket - just another gadget thang to fuss with. Maybe most better off with a decent quality "passive" jacket that will work long after any battery-fitted jacket passed out (and no goofy wires to USB/bike battery). I would be more interested in a more effective cooling jacket for summer riding, or some associated gadget - if I must have my gadget fix.

[the Ferret]

LOL yea well I changed my mind over the last few years, and bought a heated jacket liner a couple of years ago and handlebar muffs and heated grips. I'm good to below zero now on a full fairing bike. This morning's 56 mile ride it was 21 when I took off 24 when I got home. I was very comfortable. Last year I rode down to 2 below zero, the year before that down to 1 below zero. Heated gear makes that possible. I still prefer summer riding to winter riding however lol.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Thanks - this is good to know. My benchmark for this -6C example is about 60 minutes at 80 km/h with no electrically heated gear - but I use HotShots in each glove. If I stop for 15 minutes (e.g. for a coffee or some place warm), I can buy another 30 minutes at a time.

Question:

How good is the same gear with the battery off (never turned on)? That is, can you approximately determine how many riding minutes/hours you gain using the battery? Hmm, built-in LiOn battery or wired up to the bike?

[the Ferret]

GO..I plug my jacket liner into the controller which is plugged into the plug from my battery tender jr so mine is wired directly to the bike. Honestly you could go down to zero without the heated gear (used to do it all the time) but it's much more comfortable with the electric on lol. Today at 21 degrees I ran my heated grips on 50% (100% will burn your hands I think) and my jacket liner about the same. Keeping the wind off is as important, if not more so, than the extra heat supplied by the jacket liner and grips, so a windshield or fairing is pretty important. Keeping the fingertips warm is the toughest part without heated grips. I have used mittens and mittens with heated gloves liners too. Better than regular gloves with no air protection.