Twin Cities Area Campfire BS Thread

[Spikehead]

No, I like it... really I do!

Originally Posted by propforward

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

[propforward]

Here's the perfick solution for the heated clothing conundrum.

[swann]

Originally Posted by propforward

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.

You have an impressive ability to generate alternate realities, I mean, unusual options. Along those lines, perhaps I could rig up some kind of trailer to haul around a generator. Or attach a beanie propeller to the top of my helmet to harness wind energy to charge a second battery. Or mount a small fireplace with miniature brick hearth (above the gas tank - of course the most rational place so it's out of the direct wind right?) to blast targeted heat down customized sideways chimneys to warm the handlebars. Uh......perhaps that is going too far.

[swann]

Originally Posted by propforward

Here's the perfick solution for the heated clothing conundrum.

Yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about!

[swann]

Originally Posted by 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.

I'd consider the handguards. The hippo hands look pretty funny - are they really easy to get your hands out of fast?

That thereifixedit site is hilarious! There are some very inventive workarounds illustrated there!!

[pineconeMN]

Don't underestimate the awesomeness of heated gloves. Flash's only electrics are Gerbing's (G3) gloves and she can easily tolerate an hour on her unfaired Bonneville in temps in the upper 30s. I have an electric vest and heated grips (with GS handguards) on my BMW and my hands still get cold during a 30 minute ride in the same conditions. Think about it. Your (unheated) grips are the temperature of the air and your hands are in constant contact with them.

[Spikehead]

If only we knew someone who, say, worked for a company which produced solid state batteries.

[Spikehead]

Well, except when I'm flipping someone off. So really they're in contact about half the time.

Originally Posted by pineconeMN

Think about it. Your (unheated) grips are the temperature of the air and your hands are in constant contact with them.

[propforward]

Originally Posted by swann

You have an impressive ability to generate alternate realities, I mean, unusual options.

While that is true, I have actually added a second wiring harness to a bike before, just to be able to run better headlamp and tail lamp. The vehicle in question had even less electrical output than your Rebel, and the lights were pathetic, totally useless to guide me around the country roads of Lancashire (where Wallace and Gromit live by the way). So I put 12V bulbs in the headlamp and tailight, and rigged up a motorcycle battery to run those items only. Had to charge the battery each night, but at least I could sort of see where I was going. Sometimes you do what you gotta do. But it's all a case of matching the solution to the need. If yer only going to be riding for a short while in the cold, the cabelas gear you listed should be OK as is.

I did consider mentioning that you could haul a trailer with additional power plants on it, but decided that getting someone to run a cable from their bike to yours would be even more fun. It would help you get formation riding down to a fine art anyway.

Originally Posted by pineconeMN

Don't underestimate the awesomeness of heated gloves.

Quite so, they are fabbo. I have often wondered about how well heated grips work - truth is, everyone I know who has them says they are great, so they must be, but it sounds like you are not quite so in favour of the grips as other people I have spoken to. The main reason I stick with heated gloves is because I can use the one set on multiple bikes - but they also have heating elements both sides of your hands. I can use my heated gloves on unprotected handlebars, all day in the zarking cold.

Fabbo.

Originally Posted by Spikehead

If only we knew someone who, say, worked for a company which produced solid state batteries.

I have top men working on that.

[propforward]

Originally Posted by swann

The hippo hands look pretty funny - are they really easy to get your hands out of fast?

Yes. Awkward at first, but after a short amount of practice you get used to them.

[propforward]

And while we're going on about bloody batteries, it is absolutely zarking ridiculous that now my cordless drill batteries have reached a point where they won't hold more than 2 screws worth of charge, I can buy a combo outfit including a new cordless drill, a new cordless impact driver, two battery packs (of higher discharge capacity than the old ones), a charger and a bag to hold it all for the same price as two replacement battery packs.

That's all.

[Grainbelt]

Originally Posted by propforward

I can buy a combo outfit... for the same price as two replacement battery packs.

Then I guess it comes down to how much you hate the earth.

[propforward]

Originally Posted by Grainbelch

Then I guess it comes down to how much you hate the earth.

I may yet be able to repair the battery packs, after doing a certain amount of googling and this, that and the other.

Owning additional tools has it's attraction as well.

[swann]

Originally Posted by propforward

While that is true, I have actually added a second wiring harness to a bike before, just to be able to run better headlamp and tail lamp. The vehicle in question had even less electrical output than your Rebel, and the lights were pathetic, totally useless to guide me around the country roads of Lancashire (where Wallace and Gromit live by the way).

Hard to believe a motorized vehicle could possibly have less electrical output than the Rebel. Must have been a motorized ten speed? Wallace and Gromit, they are quite the pair. So, you friends with them? hee hee

Originally Posted by propforward

I did consider mentioning that you could haul a trailer with additional power plants on it, but decided that getting someone to run a cable from their bike to yours would be even more fun. It would help you get formation riding down to a fine art anyway.

Oooo, cabling two bikes together, that could be pretty crazy. Even better if it was like a bungee cord, bo-woing bo-woing. I'd probably be capable of speeds up to 10 mph tethered to some unfortunate soul.

Originally Posted by propforward

The main reason I stick with heated gloves is because I can use the one set on multiple bikes

That's be my main plus for the heated gear as opposed to heating the bike parts - transferable to other vehicles.

[propforward]

Originally Posted by swann

Must have been a motorized ten speed?

Not far off it.