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Mikej
| | Posted on Friday, December 28, 2007 - 09:08 pm: | 
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Baclava, hmmm, okay, I think I typo'd that one somehow, should have been headwear. |
Johnboy777
| | Posted on Friday, December 28, 2007 - 10:36 pm: |
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Hey Jlnance,
Great shot!
Why the belt on the back - is it a spare or did you replace it along the way? Just curious.
. |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 12:35 pm: |
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Great pic Jlnance. That would be a great Uly advertisement pic
Thanks. I think I'm going to send it to Gerbing.
Why the belt on the back - is it a spare or did you replace it along the way?
It's a spare. I replaced the original belt at 22k miles (peace of mind replacement), and kept it as a spare. I brought it along on the trip to ensure that the new belt didn't break.
Since you've got me talking and it's reasonably on topic, I'll tell you about that day.
The trip was from Raleigh, NC to Seattle, WA. I only had heated gear with me as an afterthought, loaned to me by Flynuly. I was very nieve about the cold.
That morning I left Denver, CO, headed to Draper, UT via I-80 across Wyoming. Thats only 547 miles, and after coming across MO and KS the previous day, I didn't think it would be a big deal. But Wyoming isn't Kansas. I-25 from Denver up to Cheyenne was a fairly tame road, but things changed once I got on I-80. The road is mountainous but fairly straight. It has huge elevation changes but no real curves. There was very little traffic, and what there was seemed to be running about 85 mph, and I matched that speed. It was cold, near freezing, and the elevation kept going up. I had to pass through some mountains before I hitting Larimie and I think I remember signs indicating about 9500 ft above sea level.
My first surprise occurred when the fuel light came on at 120 miles. That is awful mileage for a Uly. But they don't like to be cold and they don't like altitide, so the combination clobbered the mileage. Now the exits in Wyoming can be 40 miles apart, so actually letting the bike run to the point where the light comes on is a bad idea. Also, if you have Verizon, you apparently can get cell service in some places in Wyoming. But I don't have Verizion, and I never was able to get cell service in that state. So running out of gas would have been a painful and dangerous experience.
I made it to Laramie around 11:00 and had lunch with some friends from ADVrider. He was very concerned that there had been some snow on I-80 and was calling people down the road for weather reports. At this point, I didn't see what the big deal was. I didn't figure riding in a little snow would be that big of a deal. What did worry me was that he said they closed the interstate if the snow got heavy. I wanted to make Draper that night and I didn't need any closed interstates to help me. But the reports said I-80 was in decent shape.
After lunch I continued down the interstate. The road was good, with no snow. It was cold, and a constant blast of thirty something degree air at 85 mph will suck the heat out of you. Even with heated gear it is quite cold. The difference is that it is survivable. Occasionally, if I stood on the pegs, I'd unplug my gear. It quickly gets bone chilling. The thoughts of what it would be like had I not had heated gear, out on a road where the exits are 40 miles apart, there isn't much traffic, and no cell service is sobering.
It was at my last gas stop before Utah that it began to snow. It was a light snow and had stopped before I finished my warm back up cup of coffee, but it gives you an idea of the temperature.
I left Wyoming in a good mood. Less than 100 miles left, and I had seen beautiful things, met nice people, and braved snow. I was writing the badweb post in my head to brag about it all.
But things got complex in Utah. It was desolate. I had already taken one exit in a futile search for gas, before the snow started. And it came down hard. I would wipe the visor off and it would already be covered with snow before my hand got to the other side. My visor and glasses began to fog. In a silly attempt to clear the fog, I opened the visor, and ended up with a face full of snow freezing to my glasses.
This is when the fuel light came on. I was beginning to panic at this point. I plodded along at about 30 mph looking for an exit. I found one at took it. There was absolutely nothing at the top of that exit. I think it actually went to a dirt road. But thank God I actually had cell service. I called Dbird29 in Draper, who found me on a map and found a gas station at the next exit, only 6 miles down the road. I got back on the bike and started the 6 mile treck to gas. I only had to go about two miles before the snow stopped. At the time that blew my mind, but I realize now that I was coming down from a mountain pass. I took that picture at the filling station. Thats about when I discovered I had lost my snow covered glasses.
I made it to Draper with out further incident. When arrived I discovered that Dbird29 and his wife were out in the truck looking for my dead frozen body. 
Leaving from Dbird's the next morning. Sans glasses.
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Johnboy777
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 01:17 pm: |
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More details about the trip, please!
EDIT: My bad... found the link - great, great stuff, Jim.
BTW, the only thing I can't decide on w/ regard to adding electric gear is liner or vest?
.
(Message edited by johnboy777 on December 29, 2007) |
Xbimmer
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 07:15 pm: |
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There's an organization for you Jlnance. http://www.yearroundriders.com
In your brief you've touched a couple of points relative to this thread.
Winter riding (and driving) can be disastrous if unprepared. Hypothermia can sneak up on you fast, running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere can be a real problem since you're not only not proceeding to your destination but your electric gear isn't going to help you for long with a dead engine.
Your crappy mileage at elevation on that trip is especially affected by the speed, at least my bike reacts that way. Since my Uly has shown me high-50's down to mid-20's (almost running me out of fuel in the Nevada desert...) I now do fuel stops at the 100 mile mark routinely. The 2009 Uly needs a fatter frame with another 2 gallons in there! (and attachments for lowers down there thank you.)
This has been a cool thread reading about everybody's solutions. |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 07:25 pm: |
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I was emailed a question about how I'd dress if I did that trip again.
Here is what I had:
- First gear jacket and pants
- Gerbing gloves, vest, and pants
- windbreaker
- Aerostitch 3 finger thingies
- Baklava (or however it's spelled)
I think the gear was basically fine. I would have preferred to be a little warmer, but it worked.
The things I learned on the trip were the logistics of using the gear. The first day it rained and my raingear (3 finger things) was packed down inside the bags. It was getting dark and I had less than 100 miles to go, so of course I didn't want to stop and dig it out. I got soaked. Dbird also discovered several days after that that I had the vents open on my jacket, which of course lets the water pour in. So I learned to pack the raingear in a convienent spot and to keep the vents zipped.
One of the better pieces of gear I took wasn't even motorcycle specific. It was a windbreaker I got from REI. It is warm, and folds down into a small space. I'd wear it under my gear in the morning, then pack it in the tail bag in the afternoon. When the sun went down I'd pull it back out.
I figured out that my glasses wouldn't make my ears as sore if I wore them on the outside of the Balaclava.
I figured out some stuff with the regular clothes too. I was gone for 3 weeks (1 week of work in the middle.) Space was limited, so I only took 2 pairs of jeans. Well the first time it rains and you now have the wet jeans and the dry jeans. You can't wear the dry jeans because if it rains again you will have two pairs of wet jeans, and you can't show up to work with wet clothes. Oh, you wanna know something that stinks?  Every day, dump your wet socks and shirt into a sealed Uly sidecase as your ride across the US. Being able to wash clothes in Seattle was nice.
Anyway, there are a lot of little things you learn. You mentioned a practice run. That's a great idea. Put on your gear, ride 100 miles round trip and see what hurts. Figure out how to fix it and go 300 miles. Something else will hurt. It's not a big deal to do 600 mile days if you're methodical about it.
(Message edited by jlnance on December 29, 2007) |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 07:39 pm: |
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Xbimmer - Thanks for the link. |
Xbimmer
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 07:44 pm: |
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Johnboy777, do have a brand of gear in mind?
http://www.widder.com has NICE USA-made stuff. A little pricey and the hookups are Widder-exclusive but you can separate the sleeves (Arm Chaps) if desired, they snap on with the electrical connections.
http://www.warmnsafe.com gear for motorcycling is now also being sold through various vendors in the First Gear line. If you visit Warm and Safe's site they have seconds on sale right now at substantial savings with full warranty. I instead chose a First Gear jacket liner for my wife recently since I wanted the option of return if necessary. It is excellent quality, she's happy as hell in it and the First Gear/Warm and Safe are available in women's sizes.
http://www.gerbing.com makes great stuff too although not in women's sizes, but you can order in chest/sleeve measurements. A plus is that their connectors and stuff are half the price of others and will work with the Warm and Safe and the new Tourmaster Synergy gear. Vests and liners available, and everything else too.
http://www.tourmaster.com has the new line of Synergy heated gear at great pricing, and the stuff includes the controllers and battery harness that everybody else charges you extra for. I bought the collared vest last week, I love it. Drawback is the bulkiness of the attached controller and the fact that Tourmaster came out with a great line of gear that you can't find anywhere, backorder city. Tried the gloves on at the local BMW dealer yesterday and I like them a lot.
Hope this helps, I spent a lot of time in the last few weeks shopping for new stuff, mostly for my wife who's never done COLD weather riding before. |
Johnboy777
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 08:29 pm: |
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Hey Xbimmer...thanks for the info!
I just purchased the BMW ProWinter Gloves from CalMoto:
http://www.calmoto.com/SHOP/bmwprowintergloves.htm l#
...and then visited my local Harley shop Sat. AM and ordered the heated grip kit. I thought I might get more use outta this combo.
Then I visited an Army-Navy store and bought a few balaclavas (no, not the Greek pastries) and expedition weight long johns for under my First Gear over-pants.
I still need to decide on the liner vs. vest thing and the brand, i guess.
Monday, I think I might order the tall windshield from ZG. That might be a plus as well.
@ Jim,
Thank you for the info - good stuff, the Aerostitch 3 finger over-gloves look like a must-have.
You read my mind - I have a 250 mile test #2 planned, for the next clear 32-38*F day. I'll do it with the new gloves, tall windshield and grips, but no vest or liner just to see where I am at that point. I'll just ride down to Mansfield, Ohio where I bought the bike.
EDIT: I just realized I'll need rain gear as well.
.
(Message edited by johnboy777 on December 29, 2007) |
M2nc
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 10:38 pm: |
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I rode 300 miles two weeks ago in upper thirties and rain. I do not have heated gear so I layer up. For the ride home I had five layers on and was comfy except for my feet. The Buell boots did not hold the water out so my feet were slightly wet and cold. I usually have waterproof work boots when I ride and they have been great, but my latest pair are in need of replacement.
As for gear.
Top
Layer #1 - Polyester t-shirt
Layer #2 - Long sleeve shirt
Layer #3 - Olympia AST Jacket liner
Layer #4 - Harley rain gear
Layer #5 - Olympia AST Jacket
Bottom
Layer #1 - Long Johns
Layer #2 - Blue Jeans
Layer #3 - Harley rain gear
Layer #4 & #5 - First Gear Kilimanjaro over pant with liner
Hands
Tour Master Winter Gloves with Gortex and dual liner with chemical heat pack inserted in second liner.
Head
Harley Rain gear with hood
Gortex Bandanna covering the face.
Foot
Rocky Boots Model #6113 - 10" Water proof boots with padded ankle protection.
I can ride below freezing with this gear on. I rode to Daytona trailer week with temps when we left near freezing. I do not like to ride below freezing since I tucked the front end of the Uly on frost covered sand one 28°F morning on the way to work. |
Xbimmer
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 11:06 pm: |
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Johnboy777, you're welcome.
I posted earlier in your thread about sub-10 deg riding, that trip pointed out the importance of updating my gear. I was pretty uncomfortable for a few hours, constantly flexing my unheated-gloved fingers and hiding them behind the handguards, resting my chin on the tank bag to minimize the blast. All the time thinking what fun I was having! 
My Synergy vest rocks, today on the lowest of three settings it was too warm so I'm convinced it will do what I expect when needed.
I wanted the jacket liner but they're backordered everywhere I tried.
Face it, if you're going to ride in enough cold to warrant electrics, overkill is your friend. The advantage to a liner is obvious over a vest, complete upper torso warmth that replaces or supplements your riding jacket liner. You're going to be able to precisely adjust the heat level with one of the Gerbing/Warm & Safe/Widder digital controllers so overheating isn't an issue and it's there when you need it.
That's a disadvantage with the Synergy's high/med/low controller, but the price is dirt cheap for the vests.
After this season I'll probably re-upgrade to a Gerbing or Warm & Safe jacket liner myself, keep the Synergy vest as a backup since it's self contained. |
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