Commuter Riders, I salute you

[Phalanx]

I rode in as well... hands were a bit chilly (still only have my vented summer gloves) but everything else was nice and warm.

I have 1 tight thermal long-sleeve, and then another larger themral shirt and sweatpants under my jeans.

[jayth]

25 degrees 4 me this a.m. I've had visor foggin' issues this week. I installed a clear shield cause its downright dark when I leave work now. The same helmet was fine with tint shield. wtf?

[mojobreakfast]

I rode in as well... hands were a bit chilly (still only have my vented summer gloves) but everything else was nice and warm.

I have 1 tight thermal long-sleeve, and then another larger themral shirt and sweatpants under my jeans.

My gloves are winter riding gloves but my fingers still got very cold this AM. I don't know how you can do it with vented summer gloves. I'd actually be very worried about that. How far do you have to ride? I go from Salem to Bedford. If I had to go any further than that I'd probably have to look at some heated gloves, grips or those hippo hands things.

[Phalanx]

My gloves are winter riding gloves but my fingers still got very cold this AM. I don't know how you can do it with vented summer gloves. I'd actually be very worried about that. How far do you have to ride? I go from Salem to Bedford. If I had to go any further than that I'd probably have to look at some heated gloves, grips or those hippo hands things.

I go from Beverly to Burlington... but, Im very cognizant of my joints freezing up due to the cold, so I make sure to constantly move my fingers around and make sure Ive still got full control of them. If I felt like I was losing them, I'd stop and get them warmed up and functioning again before getting back to my riding, but so far, so good.

Im just trying to hold out till my birthday (next week) because Im pretty sure my wife bought me some gloves.

[rice_rocket]

What excellent weather today. I was so happy to get out on the road. Although I did put some fuel stabilizer in and spilt it on my tank as I was squeezing the darned bottle to twist the cap. Did the best I could with a rag.. how bad is this stuff, equivalent to gas?

[Phalanx]

What excellent weather today. I was so happy to get out on the road. Although I did put some fuel stabilizer in and spilt it on my tank as I was squeezing the darned bottle to twist the cap. Did the best I could with a rag.. how bad is this stuff, equivalent to gas?

I thnk that really depends how much got in the tank vs how full your tank is. But if the bike was funning fine this morning then I would worry too much about it.

I spentthe past 2 days troubleshooting why my bike wouldnt start. I ended up getting a battery tender (which i needed anyways) because I was cranking it so much while trying to locate the problem.

Turned out that it was either bad gas or some water in my tank from the rain this week... had to dump the tank, drain the pump lines and rail then put in fresh gas and she fired right up.

[schleppy]

I go from Beverly to Burlington... but, Im very cognizant of my joints freezing up due to the cold, so I make sure to constantly move my fingers around and make sure Ive still got full control of them. If I felt like I was losing them, I'd stop and get them warmed up and functioning again before getting back to my riding, but so far, so good.

Im just trying to hold out till my birthday (next week) because Im pretty sure my wife bought me some gloves.

I do the same thing, on nearly the same ride (Wenham to Woburn). However, I do have heated grips going on shortly, and handlebar mitts. That should keep the hands toasty down to silly temps.

[Phalanx]

I do the same thing, on nearly the same ride (Wenham to Woburn). However, I do have heated grips going on shortly, and handlebar mitts. That should keep the hands toasty down to silly temps.

What time do you guys go in? Im a little surprised that I havent seen anyone on the highway (in my car or on my bike)... then again I tend to go in a little later than most people. leave my house at about 8:30.

Where did you buy your heated grips? Thats something I may look into.
Let me know if they end up being worth it.

[rice_rocket]

I thnk that really depends how much got in the tank vs how full your tank is. But if the bike was funning fine this morning then I would worry too much about it.

I spentthe past 2 days troubleshooting why my bike wouldnt start. I ended up getting a battery tender (which i needed anyways) because I was cranking it so much while trying to locate the problem.

Turned out that it was either bad gas or some water in my tank from the rain this week... had to dump the tank, drain the pump lines and rail then put in fresh gas and she fired right up.

I was more concerned about how corrosive it could be to get it all over the paint and drip down in places I couldn't see. It wasn't a lot, and after the 35 min ride in I looked at the paint and didn't notice a thing..

[Phalanx]

I was more concerned about how corrosive it could be to get it all over the paint and drip down in places I couldn't see. It wasn't a lot, and after the 35 min ride in I looked at the paint and didn't notice a thing..

ooooh... yeah. I dont think its all that bad. Especially if you got the majority of it cleaned up.

[Garandman]

Where did you buy your heated grips? Thats something I may look into. Let me know if they end up being worth it.

You use them a lot more than you'd think.

I use made-in-NH hotgrips.


Others install inexpensive snowmobile strip heaters from companies like Symtec.

Some bikes (V-Strom, for example) have grip heater wiring pre-installed, others have to be wired. Most use a relay so they switch on and off with the key: otherwise a kid who flips the switch may drain your battery.

[schleppy]

What time do you guys go in? Im a little surprised that I havent seen anyone on the highway (in my car or on my bike)... then again I tend to go in a little later than most people. leave my house at about 8:30.

Where did you buy your heated grips? Thats something I may look into.
Let me know if they end up being worth it.

I usually leave the house around 9ish.

I buy these heated grips usually:
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...uct_code=16025

They are a bit harder to install than some, but they are CHEAP and really work well.

[mojobreakfast]

What time do you guys go in? Im a little surprised that I havent seen anyone on the highway (in my car or on my bike)... then again I tend to go in a little later than most people. leave my house at about 8:30.

I leave Salem at 7 and arrive in Bedford around 7:45 most days. I gave up on 128 a few weeks ago, which has been a complete clusterf*ck. I'll go 114 out to 62, and the same way back around 4:30. Black Sprint ST or orange CBR.

[NobodySpecific]

I usually leave the house around 9ish.

I buy these heated grips usually:
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...uct_code=16025

They are a bit harder to install than some, but they are CHEAP and really work well.

I used to run those on my SV, and they are better than the OEM Triumph heated grips (by quite a bit). I just picked up a set of the Symtecs to toss on the dual sport. You can't beat the price and they work well.

[Phalanx]

Thanks for the links to the grips, guys. Ill have to look into them.

I usually leave the house around 9ish.

Hmm. Im not even more suprised that we have crossed paths because theres been many-a-time when I dont get out of the house till like 8:50.

... or we've crossed paths and just not known it. lol

I leave Salem at 7 and arrive in Bedford around 7:45 most days. I gave up on 128 a few weeks ago, which has been a complete clusterf*ck. I'll go 114 out to 62, and the same way back around 4:30. Black Sprint ST or orange CBR.

Im still rockin 128 for now... when I leave im usually hitting the tail-end of traffic, if any, so its tolerable.

Ive done 62 a number of times, but I seem to ALWAYS get stuck behind someone driving under the speed limit. It drives me nuts.

[Garandman]

I used to run those on my SV, and they are better than the OEM Triumph heated grips (by quite a bit). I just picked up a set of the Symtecs to toss on the dual sport. You can't beat the price and they work well.

One other suggestion for you SV riders: the OEM DL650 hand guards are pretty easy to put and take off, and provide respectable protection.



Does the SV650 have the pigtail for grip heaters ala DL650?

[schleppy]

128 has been a bit worse than usual these past few weeks, but not too bad. In the places I hit traffic I can just get off and back road it the rest of the way to work.

What color is your 250 Phalanx?

[schleppy]

One other suggestion for you SV riders: the OEM DL650 hand guards are pretty easy to put and take off, and provide respectable protection.

Does the SV650 have the pigtail for grip heaters ala DL650?

I tried putting those hand guards on my 06 SV650N and I couldn't get them to fit well (I had different bars though). And the SV doesn't have wiring for heated grips, so far as I know.

[Phalanx]

128 has been a bit worse than usual these past few weeks, but not too bad. In the places I hit traffic I can just get off and back road it the rest of the way to work.

What color is your 250 Phalanx?

Yeah... Ill jump off and use backroads as well if the traffic is too bad. When coming home I usually take backroads and then hop on the highway in Woburn

My 250 was blue... but I traded it in mid-october and Im on a black 07 zx6r now.

[NobodySpecific]

One other suggestion for you SV riders: the OEM DL650 hand guards are pretty easy to put and take off, and provide respectable protection.



Does the SV650 have the pigtail for grip heaters ala DL650?

No, it doesn't have a pigtail, so I just ran a relay and stuck it in the headlight housing. I also had the Strom hand guards, and they saved the controls from getting any damage when I flipped the bike on its nose. The hand guards themselves didn't even break. They definitely helped a lot with rain and wind.

[fjrrider RI]

You use them a lot more than you'd think.

I use made-in-NH hotgrips.


Others install inexpensive snowmobile strip heaters from companies like Symtec.

Some bikes (V-Strom, for example) have grip heater wiring pre-installed, others have to be wired. Most use a relay so they switch on and off with the key: otherwise a kid who flips the switch may drain your battery.

you can get a pair of wired cards that you place under your grips for around $40 I have them on two bikes easy to install

[Chippertheripper]

I've been lucky enough to be on the "elephant" the past couple days. Coupled in between by 2 full days of dirty riding (on the same bike) in between my night shifts. I'm running the moose racing grip heaters, which are the same as schleppy posted afaik, and the joe rocket imitation stitch. Snuggly, buggly, ruggly.

[whynot]

So I was thinking that that I could upgrade a notch or two on the dork scale if I added an apron along with my handlebar mitts on the KZ550.

Anybody using an apron, like these from Bagster?
http://www.bagster.com/en/showroom.php?id=106

If you don't want to admit publicly that you use one, please PM.

Thanks,

-Kurt

[schleppy]

Wow, that is really ugly. I bet it works really well though. I can only imagine how nice it would be to have all that warm air from the engine bathing your lower half. Mmmmm.

[Garandman]

Had to go to the office in Westborough this morning. The advrider tag was also in Westborough, so it would be cool to take the bike.

Lets see, 49 degrees, wind 8 gusting to 18, and rain. Take the nice comfy car, or the V-Strom? By the time I got there, it was sunny and over 60. Yay!