Triumphrat

Pistol

Thanks guys...I can feel my hands getting warmer already!

P

357Bob

Work jacket under a leather jacket. I bought the leather larger just for this. Leather chaps from Pakistan. Camel hide?? Face cover & full helmet with large shield. Large cuff gloves. Handlebar windshield. Only thing showing is the eyes.

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357bob

black-bonnie

In Texas it seldom gets truly cold, but windy and wet in 40 something degrees riding for hours with no break gets me cold. My trips for work visiting companies are over 400 miles.

Today I bought a Widder e-vest, under helmet hood, $75 long johns that are wind-proof and insulated, and installed an outlet.

So far my heavy gloves have worked "ok" just by themselves, but I may try the wraps listed in this thread for more comfort.

I hope I'm impressed by the e-vest like everyone else is.

Motoleo

black bonnie,
I prefer an electric liner with sleeves to the vest for 2 reasons:
1- The liner has sleeves that also get heated keeping your arms warm
2-Some liners(Gerbings) are wired so you can hook-up electric gloves to the arms so yon can run both items.

The one thing to realize with electric gear is that you need to run your bike at high enough rpm so tht the electric gear doesn't draw off the battery. Stop and go commuter traffic is not good for too much electric gear use. The best way to monitor your battery using electric gear is with a simple led voltage monitor. The led changes color according to output. Green is good, orange starting to get low, red not enough charging. Here is the link:
Voltage indicator

black-bonnie

Motoleo,

Thanks for the input. I'll see how the vest does alone and I could always add sleeves. Texas is mild compared to way up north. Still, cold, windy, wet with high winds plus the speed of the bike on the hwy for hours is a chill factor. This week I hit a hail storm and my thighs hurt bad from the hail. Sometimes I wonder about my sanity.

I highly agree about using electric stuff for high rev use only.

According to my math:

The bonnie puts out 378 watts (14 volts x 27 amps).
Carbed bikes use ~195 watts to operate.
That leaves ~183 free watts available. You shouldn't go beyond 80% of max wattage so that puts it in the ~145 free watt range.

A small Widder vest takes 33 watts. My auxiliary lights take 70 watts, so I'm at 103 total watts, way within a safe limit.

All I know with just using my auxiliary lights, my bike starts easily every time. I'll see what happens with the vest too and may look into buying that voltage indicator.

Motoleo

black bonnie,
Thanks for the output info. That will come in real handy!

sweatmachine

I put my Widder electric vest for sale in the classifieds...

It's brand new, and one size too small...

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"If you will it dude, it is no dream"

Click for a picture of my slightly modified Bonnie

GUNGUY45

It was 29 F this morning, threw on an extra pair of pants, and a scarf, Except for a cold nose the ride to work was great. Just have to look out for ICE.

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Pete

Life's too short to drink cheap beer!

black-bonnie

sweatmachine,

I couldn't have bought yours anyway because I got a size 38. I wanted it to fit snug.

jimmyc

Getting some great tips here. But what about gloves? Anyone have electric? or maybe some inserts that work? I love my tourmaster elite's but I need a little more warmth.

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2006 Triumph Bonnie Black

Nothing says retro like inner tubes~