runninn Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 Never one to park the bird in winter...my twice a week commute now involves 100 mile days in 25-35 degree weather (come November). How would you outfit your bird for a 1 - 1/2 hour ride ??? (I hate to even consider a seasonal switch to a goldwing...) Could the charging system pull a heated vest and chaps? (I run Widder gloves already). Aerostitch suit recommendations? It is now 90 degrees... but I don't plan on parking it when it's 25 degrees... your thoughts on cold weather riding...thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 Could the charging system pull a heated vest and chaps? (I run Widder gloves already). Aerostitch suit recommendations? I ran overwattage headlight bulbs and a 45w heated vest without any immediate issues, though I'm pretty sure that helped lead to my stators early demise at 41K. Just the vest and gloves shouldn't be an issue for you, add chaps and you're probably pushing it a bit. If by "Aerostich suit" you mean a Roadcrafter, they aren't particulary good in cold weather. Your money would be better spent on cold specific gear that year 'round "compromise" gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBBXX Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 First thing HID headlight. That should give you room to spare for whatever you want to plug in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryG Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 Never one to park the bird in winter...my twice a week commute now involves 100 mile days in 25-35 degree weather (come November). How would you outfit your bird for a 1 - 1/2 hour ride ??? (I hate to even consider a seasonal switch to a goldwing...) Could the charging system pull a heated vest and chaps? (I run Widder gloves already). Aerostitch suit recommendations? It is now 90 degrees... but I don't plan on parking it when it's 25 degrees... your thoughts on cold weather riding...thanks I suggest you move to CA....and deal with those COLD 50 degree rides I have to deal with in the dead of winter. But when I lived on the east coast, I rode to work in 30 degree temps with heated widder gloves....and hate to say it.....a GL1800.....only bike I could comfortably ride in the 40s w/out heated anything. If I was still back east, I wouldn't bother riding in the 20s-30s again. The 20 minute prep of putting on all the goddamn layers, plugging in my gloves.....then taking the shit off once I got to the office and doing it all again when I leave = Fuck that. Rather just hop in my car that I only drove on a regular basis in the winter anyway. I couldn't imagine wanting to ride the Bird in 30 degrees. I know heated gear would work....except on your head. But I would say fuck it royally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovelstrokeed Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 I have ridden my 'bird in some pretty cool weather, low to mid 30's for most of a day, in fact, the first day I owned it. Used a Gerbings direct wire connection to the battery and from there to my tank bag to power, V1, XM and GPS-V. Pig tail pokes out of the tank bag to feed Gerbings heat troller and then the jacket and glove liners from the same company. A pair of (forgot the brand but he is in Pueblo, CO) waterproof pants and a Belstaff Discovery jacket did the job for me. The XX puts out enough heat that my standard Oxtar Matrix boots and those pants kept my lower body warm enough. I did have a BMW windproof Balaclavea with me but the air management around the stock windscreen was adequate to keep the air off my neck. No issues whatever with the charging system. I am planning, some time this year, to go to HID for both of my headlights and for a set of auxillary lights to mount just above the mirrors or on the brake calipers, haven't decided which yet. I don't really ride all that much at night so I may just replace the headlights (both beams) and be done with it. I think the EFI models have a higher output alternator than the carbed versions and, of course, they need it with the extra load of the EFI. Overhead is probably about the same with both bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 I don't have a problem with HID, a Gerbings full jacket liner, and heated grips... If I turn on the 65W high beam with the grips on high and the jacket on full (Below 20F), I need to be on the interstate to do that for any period of time... The biggest thing is to get a Datel DVM to mount above the guages and just start turning shit off when you drop below about 12.8V... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkbrdrydr Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 Never one to park the bird in winter...my twice a week commute now involves 100 mile days in 25-35 degree weather (come November). How would you outfit your bird for a 1 - 1/2 hour ride ??? (I hate to even consider a seasonal switch to a goldwing...) Could the charging system pull a heated vest and chaps? (I run Widder gloves already). Aerostitch suit recommendations? It is now 90 degrees... but I don't plan on parking it when it's 25 degrees... your thoughts on cold weather riding...thanks Use a MRA VarioTouringScreen to deflect the air into your helmet and this screen also does a very nice job of deflecting much of the cold air away from the hands. If you need more hand protection, add a set of Hippo Hands and your hands will stay very warm. Hippo Hands If you go with the Hippo Hands, you could use heated grips which should draw less power than the Widder Gloves. I wear a Warm & Safe Heated Liner with Gerbing's gloves. Although that combination would usually draw far too much power, I also run it through a Heat-Troller so that I can keep the heat (and power consumption) to the least amount necessary in order to keep me warm. If you want to wear an Aerostich, just wear a rainsuit under it. That will take care of the cold wind, the vest will keep you plenty warm and you won't need the heated chaps. Get a Turtle Fur Neck Gaiter Turtle Fur Bottom line... you don't have to do very much to the bike to commute in cold weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toynut Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 There might be a way to install a pair of dirt bike style handguards that will still clear the windscreen at full lock yet functionally deflect the cold air from hitting your hands. The FJR community has been retrofitting VStrom handguards for this, quite successfully. Aerostich makes an excellent AirVantage Kanetsu vest with attachable sleeves that works extremely well. The inflatable air bladder tailor fits the vest close to your skin where electrics work best. Id does not currently designed to attach to glove liners or chaps, however. Hippo hands work well on snowmobiles, ATVs. However, I would be a little concerned installing them on a sport bike, while wearing gloves. This is largely due, IMHO, in the need to have absolutely no possible restriction on removing your hands off of the controls quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 There might be a way to install a pair of dirt bike style handguards that will still clear the windscreen at full lock yet functionally deflect the cold air from hitting your hands. The FJR community has been retrofitting VStrom handguards for this, quite successfully. Tried it... I even have heli-bars, and any stock ones I've found wouldn't even be close to fitting, so I made my own... With those, in order to clear the fairing at full lock, they couldn't be low enough on the bottom to stop my finger tips from freezing... I took them off and picked up some Hippo Hands. They will need some kind of something to keep them from pressing the brake though, and the brackets for the wind deflectors that I made will do just fine for that I think... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2equis Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 First thing HID headlight. That should give you room to spare for whatever you want to plug in. It will save you just about 3 amps. Not enough to offset heated clothing or grips but any little bit helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosequis driver Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I ride year-round in Atlanta, but my commute is only 12 miles each way on secondary roads. I use the Gerbings gloves and jacket liner when the temps drop into the low-40s for my pre-dawn and post-dusk commute: it's amazing how much colder 35 - 40 degrees is at 5:30am vs. 10:00am when the sun is on you. Anyway, my basic wardrobe works like this; 70's and Up: Fieldsheer Titanium Jacket & Sonic Air pants with Oxtar gortex boots and perfed leather gloves. 50's - 80s: Same as above but I throw my Hondaline rain jacket over the Titanium jacket in the AM to keep the chill and dew off. 50's - 70's: First Gear TKO Jacket (no liner) & leather overpants with Oxtar boots and Olympia gloves. Vents open on the way home. 40's - 50's: TKO jacket w/liner and leather overpants, etc... or Fieldsheet Highland Jacket / Pants & Oxtar boots... oh yeah, and a gator around my neck in the AM. 25's - 50's: Fieldsheer Highland Jacket & Pants with Gerbings jacket liner & gloves & Oxtar boots & gator. Stuff the Gerbings jacket liner in my backpack for the ride home. Staying under 30: Fieldsheet Highland Suit w/Gerbings, wood socks & Oxtar boots. During the warmer weather I keep a Hondaline rain jacket & Fieldsheet textile rain pants in my backpack that fits over my TKO & Titantium jackets as well as some summer weight rain gloves. The Oxtar boots are waterproof and just work well all year. In the colder weather the Highland Gear is water repellant "enough" to keep my dry on my 30 - 45 minute commute in all but the most nasty storms. I keep the textiles and leathers treated with water repellant stuff. However, if it really looks nasty the Hondaline jacket and rain pants will fit over the Highland gear. No problems with the Gerbings pulling too many amps; however, I put the bike on a Battery Tender every night to keep the system topped off "just in case". I went through the Regulator / Rectifier problems last winter and didn't know what was up until I realized my bike had about 22k miles.... the danger zone for the R/R on Blackbirds. No problems since the new R/R was installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonox Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 First thing HID headlight. That should give you room to spare for whatever you want to plug in. It will save you just about 3 amps. Not enough to offset heated clothing or grips but any little bit helps. 55W stock - (35W lamp + 7W ballast) = 13W At charging voltage of ~13.5V, you are looking at saving 1amp per lamp replaced - 3/10's of sod all by itself. The only reason for replacing the stock lighting is more usable lumens for same(ish) electrical input - unless you are running more than 4 lamps, it's just a waste of money. A pair would cancel a pair of heated grips running at low/medium but that's it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loingrader Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 widder gloves and first gear kilimanjaro jacket and pants with under armor shirt and tights and i'm good to 0 degrees. also have a turtle thing around my neck and into my helmet. i would be more concerned about outfitting you than your bike. check out newenough.com for good prices on gear. i ride year round up here in south dakota, and it gets a little chilly sometimes. the kili stuff is also waterproof which makes it nice during those wonderful 35 degree 4 hour thunderstorms. riding in severe temperatures on a bike is more your state of mind than anything else. imo. -b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykotek-xx Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I rode this past winter on this bike more than I have on any other bike, and I've owned a Shadow Tourer and another Shadow 1100, both with huge touring windshields and canvas lowers on the crash bars. The XX has awesome wind protection for a sport bike. That said, first thing first, get a hooded fleece and put it on under your heavy leather jacket. Put up the hood and put your helmet on over it. This makes a huge difference in keeping you warm, keeps the draft from going up your neck and the fleece will just help you keep warmer overall. For pants, all I ever needed was a pair of jeans with a heavy pair of (sorry got them for free) Harley Davidson leather full chaps. These things totally block out the wind and I had no discomfort at all riding a any temp this winter. I rode as far down as the low twenties and teens, 60-70 miles at a clip at near midnight. Last but not least you NEED a decent pair of gloves. A trick I learned (forget where) that helps enormously in the cold is to get a box of latex gloves, and wear them under your riding gloves. Keeps the wind off your skin if it makes it thru the leather, and keeps the heat inside the glove more efficiently. If you're going to go with one electircal accessory, make it heated grips. It's the one part of you that gets blasted by wind with just about no protection on the XX. The above is what works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomek Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 FI XX will pull Widder gloves,vest and chaps with no problemo.Been there done that,84 K miles with no electric problems.( knock on the wood).Just make sure your battery connectors are in top shape. As far as electric grips vs Electric gloves,first of all grips are not as efficient becouse heating element is on the inside,as oppose on the outside for the gloves.Second, you have to examine how you actually hold,well, a handlebars.Do you have a tight grip with fingers wraped around the bars? or you just gently lay your palms on , with very little of ,a grip.For me electric grips are useless since I barely touch handlebars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovelstrokeed Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 +1 on the gloves vs grips thing. Grips are nice but, I ride with a very light grip on the bars and much prefer using my Gerbings glove liners under my BMW Summer Rain gloves. The combination is not at all bulky and my hands stay toasty. I also have the early version of the Gerbings heated gloves but they are for really heinous conditions only as they are pretty bulky. They have a newer version now that is not bad at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dotetcher Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Triumph jacket with removable quilted liner, Gerbings jacketliner and gloves w/heat troller, flannel shirt and EMS thermal underwear upper and lower, jeans and Motoport AX pants, heavy wool socks and BMW Gortex boots and Turtlefur Shellaclava. Ridden high teens with this outfit. Any colder and Gerbings pants liners and socks would be needed for long trips. Also need to find a way to keep the ice from building up inside the face shield of the helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runninn Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 Triumph jacket with removable quilted liner, Gerbings jacketliner and gloves w/heat troller, flannel shirt and EMS thermal underwear upper and lower, jeans and Motoport AX pants, heavy wool socks and BMW Gortex boots and Turtlefur Shellaclava. Ridden high teens with this outfit. Any colder and Gerbings pants liners and socks would be needed for long trips. Also need to find a way to keep the ice from building up inside the face shield of the helmet. Ice build-up on the inside of the face shield is one of the biggest issues. If you open the face shield...it is COLD (sub 30 degrees)! Close it ...and your breath converts to ice in seconds... anti-fog spray/shields work somewhat... but I have yet to find the perfect solution. Other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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