Twin Cities Area Campfire BS Thread

[swann]

Was just looking through Cabela's new caralog. Gerbings and Cabelas have teamed up to offer heated gear that doesn't have to be hooked up to a power source on a motorcycle. They are battery powered. Extra rechargeable battery packs are available and it appears they can be moved around. Has anyone been in a store to check it out or have any experience with this gear? There's a Cabelas close by me in Rogers but I was curious if anyone else has investigated.

http://www.cabelas.com/browse.cmd?categoryId=153288180

Great news for me because the Rebel has very little capacity to power heated gear, plus I wouldn't be limited to just one machine - the gear could be used on the four wheelers or snowmobile! Now to convince hubby we need some....

[Metallic Waste]

I have one of their pre-production vests and I love it. I use it on bikes/scooters that don't have a hookup. The battery pack doubles as the thermostat. It's a slick piece of gear.
-K

[barnyard]

Originally Posted by Metallic Waste

I have one of their pre-production vests and I love it. I use it on bikes/scooters that don't have a hookup. The battery pack doubles as the thermostat. It's a slick piece of gear.
-K

Huh. I was thinking that the battery pack would not be enough on a motorcycle.

Back in my late fall muskie fishing days, a couple of guys I knew tried hunting electrics while boating across near frozen lakes. They said they did not work long enough.

[swann]

I think the gloves and socks would be most useful for me, though maybe the vest or liner would work under my insulated layers even in the wind. I definitely need something much warmer for my fingers - that was by far my coldest body part and they are very important for riding! The controller looks small but it appears that you have to press the power button multiple times to change the level of heat. Guess I'll have to go look at the stuff to get a better idea. Kevin, is this setup the same as what you have? Any feedback on heat output while riding or problems with the controller?

[Metallic Waste]

Originally Posted by barnyard

Huh. I was thinking that the battery pack would not be enough on a motorcycle.

Back in my late fall muskie fishing days, a couple of guys I knew tried hunting electrics while boating across near frozen lakes. They said they did not work long enough.

I used mine during this year's I-Cycle Derby. Kept me plenty warm. The difference is that keeping a motorcycle upright on frozen, icy conditions may aid in keeping the body warmer. YMMV.
-K

[barnyard]

Originally Posted by Metallic Waste

I used mine during this year's I-Cycle Derby. Kept me plenty warm. The difference is that keeping a motorcycle upright on frozen, icy conditions may aid in keeping the body warmer. YMMV.
-K

Could be that. Could also be that they did not where them close enough to their skin. I could see that being more of an issue than anything.

[Metallic Waste]

Originally Posted by barnyard

Could be that. Could also be that they did not wear them close enough to their skin. I could see that being more of an issue than anything.

Ask me about wearing heated articles against your skin. NOT recommended!!!
-K

[propforward]

Originally Posted by Metallic Waste

Ask me about

No. Shan't.

[propforward]

Originally Posted by swann

Was just looking through Cabela's new caralog. Gerbings and Cabelas have teamed up to offer heated gear that doesn't have to be hooked up to a power source on a motorcycle. They are battery powered. Extra rechargeable battery packs are available and it appears they can be moved around. Has anyone been in a store to check it out or have any experience with this gear? There's a Cabelas close by me in Rogers but I was curious if anyone else has investigated.

http://www.cabelas.com/browse.cmd?categoryId=153288180

Great news for me because the Rebel has very little capacity to power heated gear, plus I wouldn't be limited to just one machine - the gear could be used on the four wheelers or snowmobile! Now to convince hubby we need some....

It looks like a great solution. From my experience the most important heated clothing will be gloves and vest. Looking at the specs, you get roughly 2 hours of use per battery on full blast. Given that batteries fade etc and you never know just how much capacity you are going to have for sure, you'd better plan on the minimum run time being available, which means you'd better match the number of batteries you have to the rides you are going to do.

One option to consider would be to actually buy a second motorcycle battery (a nice safe gel one or something) and mount it on the bike, and drive the heated gear from that. However, the clothing is 7.4V and a bike battery is 12V of course - but I see they sell a 12V car adapter for charging the small batteries. So you could use that to either recharge batteries while on the go, or get some clever electrickery person to dismantle the car charger, and rig it up to the second bike battery to directly power the heated gear.

You'd still need to charge your second bike battery, but a bike battery of 12Ah capacity would run your gear a lot longer than the 2.2Ah battery that comes with it.

But it's more fiddle farking around. The easiest thing is to buy a bunch of the little batteries and carry them along of course.

But it is my pleasure to take a simple solution and make it as complicated as possible. I have top men working on it right now.

You could also buy a little briggs and stratton engine and mount that on the passenger seat, and use it to power the gear.

This may be going too far.

[Grainbelt]

Battery vest to warm your core and the blood that travels out to your extremities

Handguards / barkbusters to keep the wind off your hands. There are universal mount/plastic ones that attach and remove easily. Put them on in spring/fall. That, or hippo hands.

I think that would maximize battery efficiency and keep your hands warm. Putting heat to your hands that will just blow away in the wind seems like a dubious proposition.

I loathe installing crap on bikes, tend toward the lowest tech solution. Prop is your man for thereifixedit type solutions.

[Grainbelt]

In other news,

[propforward]

I have found heated gloves to work exceptionally well. Barkbusters and similar help, but only go so far. They do not wrap around your hands enough to provide sufficient wind protection when it gets really cold.

Handlebar muffs (hippo hands) work really well. Look awful, but a million billion disptach riders can't be wrong on that one. I have a set that I use sometimes when it gets really cold.

Grainbelch doesn't bolt things to his bike because he is a technical incompetent and doesn't know how, blustering about with derisive comments in order to cover up this failing. It's why he drives a ford focus everywhere instead of actually riding a bike.



EDIT: I don't think that GSAnderson should have burned that KLR effigy. It looks like it prolly goes better than most KLRs. Also, its paintwork is significantly more uniform in colour than the paintwork on mine.

[Spikehead]

Originally Posted by propforward

I don't think that GSAnderson should have burned that KLR effigy. It looks like it prolly goes better than most KLRs.

I heard the front brakes felt a bit wooden. You know, just like any other KLR.

Originally Posted by propforward

Also, its paintwork is significantly more uniform in colour than the paintwork on mine.

Ain't that the troof.

[propforward]

Originally Posted by Spikehead

I heard the front brakes felt a bit wooden. You know, just like any other KLR.

The brakes on mine feel a little more like applying a damp sponge than wooden. This can be dealt with, but is especially dangerous after spending time riding a good motorcycle, and getting used to proper brakes.

Ain't that the troof.

BUT I have a zombie sticker. There is simply no getting around that piece of excellence. If it weren't for that I'd be sorely tempted to replace all the plastics.

Well, plus I know it just bugs the shit out of you.

[Unstable Rider]

Someone mention ZOMBIES?

We are standing by for any immediate extermination or pursuit of said un-dead.

Brakes are for the untrained.

Controlled skidding or "planned collisions" with the Thailand-built chicken hauler against fixed objects far more reliable.

Be safe and well.