handlebars .... oh holy cow not again

[k650dsn@aol.com]

This morning I used my new Aerostich electric Darien Liner and Enduro Engineering heated grip elements for the first time. Temperature when I left the house was a balmy 27 degrees and the temp in Albuquerque, 35 miles away, was 36 degrees. The Darien liner is great, but very bulky. Wearing it under the Darien jacket, you feel like Bib the Michelin man. Running 75-80mph down the Interstate to work, the Darien setup was air tight and warm from wrist to waist. The D jacket is still stiff despite two washings and tumbling it with tennis shoes in the dryer. I work up a sweat just getting the thing on and adjusting it. Why this jacket has the following it does baffles me. The grip heaters were okay. If you have ever worn widder electric gloves, your entire hand is bathed in warmth. With the grip heaters you have sweaty palms and frozen finger tips. I could not tell any difference between the Hi and Lo settings. The good thing is that you can wear medium weight gloves instead of heavy winter gloves and you do not have to run wires through your sleeves. And they are always there on the bike when you need 'em. More later. Gino

[John Irvine]

I have a new widder system II vest. Really like widder as they are designed to be worn snug therefore giving max heat transfer. Was about 38 this am, the grip heaters give enough warmth to keep my hand fine wearing my usual lighter weight gloves and the vest allows me to not even use the jacket liner (Roadgear Eurotec). Starting to get cool enough that the knees feel it. At 02:53 PM 11/1/2000 +0000, k650dsn@... wrote:

>This morning I used my new Aerostich electric Darien Liner and Enduro >Engineering heated grip elements for the first time. Temperature when >I left the house was a balmy 27 degrees and the temp in Albuquerque, >35 miles away, was 36 degrees. The Darien liner is great, but very >bulky. Wearing it under the Darien jacket, you feel like Bib the >Michelin man. Running 75-80mph down the Interstate to work, the >Darien setup was air tight and warm from wrist to waist. The D jacket >is still stiff despite two washings and tumbling it with tennis shoes >in the dryer. I work up a sweat just getting the thing on and >adjusting it. Why this jacket has the following it does baffles me. > >The grip heaters were okay. If you have ever worn widder electric >gloves, your entire hand is bathed in warmth. With the grip heaters >you have sweaty palms and frozen finger tips. I could not tell any >difference between the Hi and Lo settings. The good thing is that you >can wear medium weight gloves instead of heavy winter gloves and you >do not have to run wires through your sleeves. And they are always >there on the bike when you need 'em. > >More later. > >Gino > > > >Visit the KLR650 archives at >http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 >Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... >Let's keep this list SPAM free! > >Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

[Scherer, Michael]

I got a new pair of First Gear H-T pants and wore them yesterday and today. Temp was in the mid thirties both mornings and they felt great. No more knee ache. They weren't too warm yesterday afternoon when the temp was in the sixties. I need a solution for my hands soon. Gloves or grips?

>Starting to get cool enough that the >knees feel it.

[k650dsn@aol.com]

I have used both gloves and grips heaters. The gloves require you string wires through your sleeves every time you put your jacket on. For this trouble, you get warmth around your entire hand. The pigtail takes about 15 minutes to install, but you can pull it off if you ever sell your bike. If you have more than one bike, all you need is a pigtail for each bike. Grips take about 2-3 hours to install on your bike. They keep the palm nice and warm, but it seems the finger tips still get cold. You never have to string wire through your jacket sleeves again and the warmth is always there for you; you never have to pack your electric gloves for a trip. You can were medium weight gloves all winter long. If you sell your bike, the grips go with it unless you feel like pulling of the grips, removing the elements and all the wiring. If you have more than one bike, you have to install grips on every bike. Gino --- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Scherer, Michael" wrote:

> I got a new pair of First Gear H-T pants and wore them yesterday and

today.

> Temp was in the mid thirties both mornings and they felt great. No

more

> knee ache. They weren't too warm yesterday afternoon when the temp

was in

> the sixties. I need a solution for my hands soon. Gloves or grips? > > > >Starting to get cool enough that the > >knees feel it.

[Scherer, Michael]

After reading this I am leaning towards grips. Hot grips or Enduro Engineering? -----Original Message----- From: k650dsn@... [mailto:k650dsn@...] Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2000 10:57 AM To: DSN_klr650@egroups.com Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Keeping warm... I have used both gloves and grips heaters. The gloves require you string wires through your sleeves every time you put your jacket on. For this trouble, you get warmth around your entire hand. The pigtail takes about 15 minutes to install, but you can pull it off if you ever sell your bike. If you have more than one bike, all you need is a pigtail for each bike. Grips take about 2-3 hours to install on your bike. They keep the palm nice and warm, but it seems the finger tips still get cold. You never have to string wire through your jacket sleeves again and the warmth is always there for you; you never have to pack your electric gloves for a trip. You can were medium weight gloves all winter long. If you sell your bike, the grips go with it unless you feel like pulling of the grips, removing the elements and all the wiring. If you have more than one bike, you have to install grips on every bike. Gino -

[John Irvine]

Don't forget the Kimpex grip heater option. Sounds a lot like enduro eng. From Dennis Kik, their snowmobile catalogue part 31-34 or 34-31, hey from memory! Consists of the self adhesive heating elements that wrap on the bars, wiring, switch and a resistor. Add the fuse and relay and bingo, warm hards, $25 plus $5 shipping. I've installed three now. At 11:02 AM 11/1/2000 -0500, Scherer, Michael wrote:

>After reading this I am leaning towards grips. Hot grips or Enduro >Engineering? > >-----Original Message----- >From: k650dsn@... [mailto:k650dsn@...] >Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2000 10:57 AM >To: DSN_klr650@egroups.com >Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Keeping warm... > > >I have used both gloves and grips heaters. > >The gloves require you string wires through your sleeves every time >you put your jacket on. For this trouble, you get warmth around your >entire hand. The pigtail takes about 15 minutes to install, but you >can pull it off if you ever sell your bike. If you have more than one >bike, all you need is a pigtail for each bike. > >Grips take about 2-3 hours to install on your bike. They keep the palm >nice and warm, but it seems the finger tips still get cold. You never >have to string wire through your jacket sleeves again and the warmth >is always there for you; you never have to pack your electric gloves >for a trip. You can were medium weight gloves all winter long. If >you sell your bike, the grips go with it unless you feel like pulling >of the grips, removing the elements and all the wiring. If you have >more than one bike, you have to install grips on every bike. > >Gino > >- > >Visit the KLR650 archives at >http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 >Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... >Let's keep this list SPAM free! > >Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

[Jim Clark]

> The D jacket is still stiff despite two washings and tumbling it > with tennis shoes in the dryer. I work up a sweat just getting the > thing on and adjusting it. Why this jacket has the following it > does baffles me. >

I've worn my Darien about 20 times, never washed it, feels great. I cannot imagine a better motorcycling jacket for me. In 100 degree weather, it is comfortable (as long as I am moving) with all the vents open, and the sleeve cuffs unzipped. Of course, it's too hot for off-road riding, but I sweat with just a jersey on off-road. I wear a long-sleeved thermal underwear top under the Darien. I added a thicker shirt, and rode for an hour in the mountains last week where it was 40-45 degrees, and felt fine. Getting it on for me consists of deciding beforehand what vents to open, putting it on, and tightening the belt. 15 seconds max, and no sweat. Mine is big enough so that I can add a fleece jacket as well, but I haven't needed it yet. It hasn't rained on me much since I bought the Darien, but the fact that I don't have to switch to rain gear is an added bonus. The pants aren't as nice as the jacket. Too hot above 85 degrees, but fine at lower temperatures. Still deciding on what to wear when it's hot; I may try the kevlar-reinforced jeans. Jim Corona, CA A14

[Ed Boyd]

I agree totally with Jim on this one. Mine is still a bit stiff, but it doesn't bother me. And I do ride with mine off road, usually with all the vents open, sometimes with the zipper open as much as possible. It great for fighting off tree branches in the tight stuff. And of course living up here in the Seattle area, Gore-Tex is great. (Hey interesting, Gore-Al Gore, Tex -George W. Bush, Gov. of Texas.) I've been thinking of alternatives to the pants too. Kind of hot, and way goofy off the bike. Swish, swish noise doesn't do much for the macho image either. I've been thinking about the kevlar jeans, but not sure I'm ready to give up the armor. Anyone have the kevlar jeans? I'd love to get some feedback, comfort, fit, do they feel like they'd protect you? Thanks, -Ed

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Jim Clark" wrote: > > The D jacket is still stiff despite two washings and tumbling it > > with tennis shoes in the dryer. I work up a sweat just getting the > > thing on and adjusting it. Why this jacket has the following it > > does baffles me. > > > > I've worn my Darien about 20 times, never washed it, feels great. I > cannot imagine a better motorcycling jacket for me... >

[Backroad Bandit]

Anyone have the kevlar jeans? I'd love to get some

> feedback, comfort, fit, do they feel like they'd protect you?

I've got the cheapo Joe Rocket ballistic pants, contrary to opinions expressed here and elsewhere I find them good fitting and waterproof. I take a tall size, not available in most of the better pants. Can't beat leather, though, for displaying the MachoMan image. I like my Hein Gericke boot cuts, they work great, I've had them for years, and HG fixes them for nothing. I'm sending them down to LA soon to have a pocket liner repaired. Same with my leather Kilimanjaro. Since I bought it six years ago, I haven't found any other jacket that will work better. I have a nylon Kili also, but it is getting an awful lot of melted spots on it.........melts easy, like Velveeta cheese. That aspect makes me like it a lot less.

[k650dsn@aol.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Backroad Bandit" wrote:

> Anyone have the kevlar jeans? I'd love to get some > > feedback, comfort, fit, do they feel like they'd protect you?

I have the Bros jeans by Two Brother Racing. Far more comfortable than Draggin Jeans. Hotter than regular jeans in the summer.

> Same with my leather > Kilimanjaro. Since I bought it six years ago, I haven't found any > other jacket that will work better. I have a nylon Kili also, but

it

> is getting an awful lot of melted spots on it.........melts easy, > like Velveeta cheese. That aspect makes me like it a lot less.

Uh... what are you doing that you are melting your jacket? I've had my Hypetex Kili jacket and pants for 4 years and have ridden everything from cruiser to dual sports and have yet to melt a single spot. I even crashed in it! Which brings me to the the problem with the Darien. Anyone who has worn a Kilimanjar HT knows that the jacket is comfortable the minute you put it on. Feels like you've had it for years. Not a single restricting characterstic in it, unlike the Darien which makes you feel like you are wearing a jacket made out of plywood. Gino