From Hell, To San Diego And Back

Looking back (hindsight being so acute), it was a bad idea to take the bike to San Diego this past weekend. Here in the central valley, specifically Fresno, we have had something like 29 of the last thirty days with temps over 100. It was 99 one day two weeks ago. Since the addition of our Joe Rocket Sahara Vests, I figured all would be tolerable since we were leaving in the morning. We didn't stop until Bakersfield to wet our vests, and it may have been too late for us by then. We drank some water, wet our vests and ourselves down, then pressed on southward. Traffic was very heavy, on top of one accident and two fires on the way down. The whole experience turned out to be a bit too much for Brenda, but she was a trooper and we continued on to the concert.

The way home (back to Hell) was worse than I originally expected but about on par with my assessment based on the day before. We made it from San Diego to Azusa in 1-1/2 hours, where we topped off the fuel and wet down our vests. It was pretty decent until we dropped down into the valley from the Grapevine. By the time we got to Bakersfield (30 miles later) we were being torched. We stopped and took on fluids, but we still had another 1-1/2 hours to endure the 106 degree temps if we didn't stop. What the author of the article in this thread wrote held true for us in our mesh suits. Our torsos were fairly cool but our limbs were roasting. I'm going to have to figure out what to wear under the suit when temps are over 100. Note the singularity of that last statement. I'M sure I'LL be alone on the bike in hot weather from now on. Saturday night I noticed a first-degree burn on my left leg from the afterburner heat. We stopped once more because I guess I drank too many liquids at the previous stop, so we wet down again and made it home. I know my wife will find it in her heart to forgive me, eventually, but it may not be very soon. It works out OK I guess, since it's time to tear into the bike for the 16,000 mile service.

I'm airing my own dirty laundry here so maybe I can help someone else avoid making a similar mis-judgement. Let's continue to be careful out there.

Er... Never broke 75 degrees on the coast yesterday...

As far as under garments, I use a pair of Patagonia fleece pants (I just popped onto their web site and don't see them listed...), they're really for winter wear, but I find that they work well in higher temps in keeping the moisture away from the skin. Might also help keeping the heat off the legs.

The heat does me in badly, heat, of course, being a relative term. Being of the Northern clime, I have no problem riding at 25-35 degrees, but 90 is about my limit on the other end. I would very much like to attend the Reno party in the works, but would likely have to trailer the bike there for the first time in my life., if I am to survive the journey. CFO damn near did me in.

I would very much like to attend the Reno party in the works

Click to expand...

Que? Oh, maybe I'm not invited.

I would very much like to attend the Reno party in the works

Click to expand...

Que? Oh, maybe I'm not invited.

Click to expand...

WFO-5

LOL -- I think you only do that sort of ride once. Or at least, that was my experience. Why do you think I'm found mostly in the mountains? I'll also ride the coast, but it's getting across that valley in the summer that's unbearable to me. You're tougher than I am to ride that much distance on 5 and/or 99.

In 1972, I rode my BSA Thunderbolt from LA to Pine Flats Reservoir for a weekend with some motorcycling friends, leaving just before midnight. But it was the trip back that your story recalled. Fresno was hot and muggy in the morning when we got to it to head south. By the time we got to Bakersfield, it was HELL already. No helmets, tee shirt and Levis, sunburned and parched. We stopped for a couple hours in a park under some trees to cool off and drank lots of fluids. Then we started south over the Grapevine -- still hot as hell itself. On that long uphill, just in sight of the Fort Tejon exit, I felt my bike stagger and miss, then a moment's acceleration. As I looked ahead at my two friends, something pretty obviously bad happened and I lost power altogether. I happened to look back, and a heavy plume of black smoke was pouring out of the right pipe, pretty much filling hte lane behind me. Turned out that I blew a hole in the piston. Fortunately, my friends saw the smoke cloud in their mirrors, stopped to help me roll it to the Chevron Station, and I waited until nearly midnight for someone to come pick me up in a truck.

Most miserable day I've ever spent on a motorcycle, and it seems my bike thought the same thing. I spent most of the rest of the summer rebuilding the thing.

It must be our need to ride that makes us use the bike instead of the air conditioned vehicles. I've found that more than an hour in plus 100 degrees leads to poor thinking. When I'm close to home I tend to ignore to personal discomfort and keep riding. Even hydrating and wearing breathable clothing doesn't mean I shouldn't stop every hour to cool down. It takes longer to get to the destination but better late than not at all.

I'm glad you and Brenda made it home and can recover for riding on another day. I hope by this weekend it will cool down so the riding isn't so difficult

Ah, the T-Bolt. I had a '66, and it didn't like heat either. None of the Beezer 650's did, they had kind of a reputation for being out of their element once removed from The Island, and weren't shy about letting you know they wanted to be back with the tea drinkers.

Never had to deal with much more than 100 degrees, which I can handle as long as there's enough fluids going in. Look on the bright side, at those temps, there sure isn't much need to stop for a piss much more than once a day.

I've heard stories of people riding across death valley by getting a sweatshirt totally soaked and wearing it under a jacket. As the moisture evaporates, it's supposed to cool you down. Never tried it meself tho. Prolly won't anytime soon.

You just gotta wonder how much money a guy could make by making A/C for a motorcycle. Some type of electric pump and a small refrigerator unit supplying cool liquid to the helmet might work. Keep yer head cool, the rest of ya would stay a lot cooler too. h34r:

A COOL IDEA, Air conditioning for motorcycles? An Israeli inventor has designed what he claims is the world's first air-conditioning unit for motorcycles. Physicist Glen Guttman from the company Entrosys said the device was technologically simple, but added: "Like any simple idea, you have to think it up, and then you have to implement it."

The bike is fitted with an electronic unit powered by a standard motorcycle battery which funnels cold air into a thermal vest worn under the rider's jacket. Speaking to Israel Army Radio, Guttman said the air conditioning unit was a small, lightweight box that fitted into the vehicle's storage compartment and was connected to the driver's body by a rubber tube. "The torso is the obvious target for air conditioning if you take into account the human physiology," said Guttman.

The system cost $450,000 to develop, which Guttman raised through investors, and he now hopes the cooling motorcycle air conditioning unit will be on the market by the middle of next year. He said each unit would cost "several hundred pounds" and would first hit European and American shores. The inventor said, however, that he will not be testing the unit himself: "My investors don't want me to ride a motorcycle myself. They want to make sure I stay safe."

Meanwhile, "Air-conditioned" jackets have become a big hit in Japan. Jackets with built-in electric fans are providing relief in Japan during the country's record-breaking summer heat. The prototype grey nylon coats have two fans in the back above the waist which are connected to a battery pack. The air runs along the wearer's body and comes out at the cuffs and the neckline, drying off sweat which cools the skin as it evaporates.

I feel your pain. Last year, for my yearly two week motorcycle/camping trip, I rode from San Diego to Diamond Lake Oregon in two days. I made it to Sacramento on the first day. All freakin' day in 100+ degree temps! I was wearing TourMaster mesh pants so the engine heat had a direct route to my legs. I ended up with a rash on my inner thighs (from the heat, I swear) that lasted for over a week. This year I added more insulation to the underside of the tank. It appears to have helped, although I didn't ride through heat-rash-worthy temperatures to give it a true test.

BadMonkeyMC.com

EscapeFJRtist ( George) and I just got back yesterday from a 7000 mile - 2 week ride from Michigan to the WFO-4 in Washington and back. Much of it in 100 degree temps with 14-16 hour travel days (with sightseeing/breaks/food & gas stops) on most days.

We found the heavy duty Draggin Jeans with the kevlar lining protected our legs from most of the engine heat while still providing some level of breathability and crash protection. Joe Rocket mesh jackets combined with UnderArmor tee shirts and underpants kept the rash away and allowed our sweat to readily evaporate helping to keep things bearable.

The HotGear UnderArmour garments were indispensible in my opinion, clean up easily in motel sinks and air dry readily for the next days use. The heavier ColdGear version retains lots of water when soaked and can keep you cool for 45-60 minutes in 100 degree temps before drying out at highway speeds. They are primarily meant for coldweather use but did work well in the heat as long as they were kept wet. That version is skin tight and quickly becomes uncomfortable however when dry. The lighter HotGear version drys in probably 20 minutes so its imprtant to keep hydrated when using them as your body becomes the main water supply for them.

Surprisingly, my one piece AeroStich also kept me either warm or cool depending on the need and the venting open / wetting down undergarment options or closed vents and dry undergarments. Only problem was looking pretty clunky and not being able to strip when going into restaraunts for a bite.

Toe, I'm catching up quickly to my old bike mileage wise, the 05 now has 14,000. Hope she's running well and holding up good for you and Bren. -Ross

toecutter, sorry to hear about your miserable experience but I don't know how anyone can be comforable on a motorcycle in 106 degree temperatures for such a long period of time. I just read your comments (over in Parts and Accessories) about Cycleport's claim that their Air Mesh Kevlar suits are effective up to 120 degrees. I am assuming that you now dispute that claim.

Toecutter, you need underarmour (of some type, most "sports" chains now have their own housebrand). It does make a difference! I use the pants and the shirt under my riding gear, and Sacramento gets hot, too.

When you buy the stuff for Bren, take a shorter ride to see where her comfort level is. My cool-vest gets mostly used up in 1 1/2 hrs, so I'm stopping to rehydrate that and myself. I will wet down the sleeves of the jacked and underarmour--and the pants if I'm travelling very far when its over 100.

I assume you now know that WFO-5 will be held in Reno next July. Looks like you're riding up really early in the morning. :haha:

@Radman, I don't think there is a cool route in July....start shopping for a trailer. Even the mountains run 80-90 in the summer, though the Tahoe Basin will drom into the mid 70's.

Yeah, I will be equipped with under armor or similar for the next ride. I read the article W/C posted about endurance riding in hot weather, but discounted the recommendations due to the fact that we were leaving in the morning and didn't expect the kind of temps that were mentioned in the article. I had ridden in 108 temps for three hours before and it wasn't really all that bad. Of course, I was alone and it hadn't been done two days in a row. As for the mesh gear, I still stand behind my decision to go with it as the most versatile choice for my riding envirionment. It's just going to take some more tweaking to get it right. And the occasional Camry for two-across trips through Hell's Basin.

I assume you now know that WFO-5 will be held in Reno next July. Looks like you're riding up really early in the morning

Click to expand...

Yeah, and it may be by way of Sonora Pass.

Toe, I'm catching up quickly to my old bike mileage wise, the 05 now has 14,000. Hope she's running well and holding up good for you and Bren. -Ross

Click to expand...

That's some serious mileage. I just turned 16k myself and time for some maintenance, but otherwise runs like a top.

Jeez, Bob. How the hell do you put up with that heat? I was in Fresno yesterday and it was 109 effing degrees at 3:30 pm! By the time I got home, it was a nice foggy 61 degrees...

Jeez, Bob. How the hell do you put up with that heat?

Click to expand...

Probably because I was born here. The other day it dropped down to 102. Felt nice.

By the time I got home, it was a nice foggy 61 degrees...

Click to expand...

Actually, I'd rather have the heat. Plenty of cold foggy days in the winter around here. Then we run up to Oakhurst or Yosemite and soak in some sunshine. Same places we hide from the heat in summer. Fresno's best strong point - You can be somewhere nice in 2 hours any direction.

Radman, talk with FJRchooser...he met us in Hood River and joined our merry band of travellers. He came across in some hot weather, IIRC, he travelled one section early in the morning.

I saw a AC system for motorcycle riders at a bike show in San Mateo not to long ago, the unit was kind of big for a bike if you are not riding a Gold wing, and it was somesort of AC system that you hook up to your suit to cool off with.

Few years back, there was also a helmet that had AC cooling features, but I guess it did not go over to well because you don't find it any more.

Here is a link to a kool suit My Webpage

and here is how it should work if it work My Webpage

System performance My Webpage

What do the guys do in Iraq in the heat?