Where did you ride today?

Temps around 42F today and weather prophets are calling for chances of snow later today so I took off for a short ride through the country. Only rode 33 miles since I didn't want to be out when the snow arrived but was a nice ride. I am realizing that getting older is causing my circulation to get worse. I used to be able to handle temps down to just below 30F with just my PolarTex gloves and primary jacket liner. Last year I needed to add an extra liner and turn on electric heat for the hands around 35F. This year seems to be closer to 40F to start with the electric heat. I guess I'll just have to start getting out and walk around the neighborhood more to improve that.
 
Yet another trip to the store... 4.5 miles round trip turned into 15 miles round trip. Wanted to test something with my Tourmaster jacket. I currently have the Flex Series 2 jacket which has a mesh base, an outer solid shell, and an inner thermal liner. When temps go below 40F I sometimes will also add the joined rain and thermal liners from my previous Flex Series 1 jacket that this one replaced after being shredded in a low side crash that year (no liners were being worn but only the outer shell). That older jacket did its job since there were no injuries but the jacket was trashed. I can usually get down to around 15F with this combo and added heated gloves. Adding more layers to get even colder. The outer solid shell of my current jacket is starting to fall apart. The collar has holes in it and the zipper on one pocket is broken and unusable. The other pocket is showing signs of breaking as is the main zipper. All the edges are frayed and I've replaced the velcro strips all over at least twice now. I consider this to be fairly good considering I have worn the jacket in one configuration or another almost every day since summer of 2010 and I rode to work with it almost every day as well as longer trips.

The one jacket I want to replace this with is the TM Pivot Touring jacket. The main difference is that instead of a removable solid outer shell the Pivot has very large zippered openings. 2 on the chest, almost half the front, and one that covers almost the entire back. The covers for these do not remove but fold down inside the jacket. It also returns to the dual inner liner configuration (rain and thermal liners like the previous jacket) rather than just a thermal liner inside. The problem with the Pivot is that it is a discontinued item and becoming very hard to find at a reasonable price, if I can find my size at all. I won't pay MSRP for any jacket since there are too many to be found for much less.

The alternate choice for me is the TM Intake Air 5.0 jacket. This one is full mesh (like my current base layer) and has the dual inner liners but no outer solid shell. I've heard from someone (sorry, don't remember who) that they had the 4.0 version and used it down to around 25F with all the liners in.

This was my test: I removed the outer solid shell of my current jacket but added the thermal liner plus the dual rain/thermal liners from my older jacket. I rode on the Interstate for part of my ride and with temps around 40F was very comfortable with this configuration. After I stopped at the store I added my Frogg Togg jacket over it all for the ride home and found that was almost too warm, tending to being hot, since the rain suit was substituting for the solid shell. I'll have to test again when the temps are closer to 20F to see how this works for me. If I am still comfortable at that temp with this configuration then I may just go for the Intake Air 5.0 jacket instead since I really don't think I'll be riding nearly as much in colder temps as I did when I was working. When I was riding to work on the bike the morning temps were right at the low for the day, which is when I usually was best able to compete in the coldest ride contest. But being retired I tend to sleep in later and daytime temps are warmer before I get out, and I only really get out when I feel like a ride for fun since there is no more ride to WORK! :biggrin:
 
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Was mostly sunny and 42F today so I took off on an afternoon ride. Was a very nice 75+ miles today. Roads were clear other than some run off streams running across. Mostly the E-W roads had water across them and the N-S roads were mostly dry. I wore my Flex jacket in mesh mode and also added 2 layers of thermal with the wind liner inside. That was enough for this ride. Filled up with gas just before returning home. I'm still getting 55+mpg even with one ride at below zeroF and this ride.

I did finally order my new jacket Thursday. Ordered using Buy on Google using the $20 off online coupon (which expires after tomorrow). I went to the local Suzuki dealer last week and tried on several jackets to verify size since they did have some of the same brand I wanted, but not the same jacket model. My new Tourmaster Pivot in HI-Viz will be arriving Tuesday.

Saw an interesting sign on my way around. I didn't stop to take a photo but guess I should have. As usual I just like to keep on going without stopping. The sign was on the entrance to a small town cemetery and said:

St. Marys
Have a nice day
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It just struck me as funny being the sign to the cemetery.
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Received my new Tourmaster Pivot Touring Jacket in Hi-Viz yesterday. Fit is exactly what I expected, though it is one size letter bigger than my old TM jacket. My old one was XL. My new one is XXL. Yet they feel like they fit the same. Tourmaster did change their sizing charts a few years ago so anyone buying a new TM Jacket to replace an older TM jacket should be sure to buy one size bigger (though the actual inch measurements are similar between the old size and new one size bigger). Can't wait until warm and even hot weather returns to try out the new features of extra large mesh panels built into this new jacket. But for now, with those panels closed up and the dual thermal/wind liners installed it is actually a slightly warmer jacket than my old TM Flex 2 jacket.

I know this since I took the scoot on a Dentist appointment this morning for 13 miles round trip. 24F when I left and 26F when I returned. There have been a few warmer days over the weekend at just below or just over 40F, and even one day just over 50F. So all roads are clear and dry. There was snow falling south of home but no chance of it getting up here today per the weather prophets.

I wore the new jacket on my ride and verified this new one is slightly warmer than my old one. Yet with all the mesh I should be fine when the temps approach 100F. Panels on the upper 1/3 of almost the entire front of the jacket unzip and the panels fold down inside the jacket to open very large mesh openings there. Also almost the entire back of the jacket is one big panel that unzips and also folds down into a pocket at the bottom to expose mesh. So not just a vent but almost the entire back is open mesh. There are also vents on the biceps (instead of the shoulders) so air flows up each arm and out the back. The Hi-Viz is not overwhelming but definitely makes the jacket visible both front and back and some on the arms. It's a discontinued item in the Tourmaster lineup but they currently still have some available on their web site. A lot of online stores no longer have it or don't have it in all sizes or colors. I just didn't see anything I liked coming up new to replace it or my old Flex 2, at least with the same features for being essentially all season (hot, mild, cold, wet) and I was not about to spend twice the MSRP of this jacket for anything else that may come close. That's one big way I maintain being financially independent during my retirement years... don't spend much money to get what I need. :biggrin:
 
AV8R said:
Today?

Absolutely nowhere.
Sat on my fat azz in front of a computer all day.
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Wouldn't it be more fun even to just sit on your ST and make vrrrroom vrrroom noises while watching riding videos?

Though I also often sit in my home in front of a computer... when snow is on the roads. And a bunch of other times when it's not but I'm not riding or watching grandkids. (that's what I'll be doing the next 3 days).
 
rjs987 said:
Wouldn't it be more fun even to just sit on your ST and make vrrrroom vrrroom noises while watching riding videos?

Though I also often sit in my home in front of a computer... when snow is on the roads. And a bunch of other times when it's not but I'm not riding or watching grandkids. (that's what I'll be doing the next 3 days).
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Truth be told, when i first got this beastie, i would sit in the garage and stare at it - envisioning all my evil farkle gadgetary plans to take over the world. Gps, radio, lights, hud, ...
 
Rode L.A. round robins Bakersfield today, first XC on the 1300.

54 F. at Gorman pass on the I-5. Severe clear. No mountain obscuration. Heavy wind gusts, 90 on the dial, tracking straight while leaning into the crosswind. Discovered where 115 is on the dial today, fast as a Grumman AA5B! Rock steady, smooth as silk, rolling on the Pilot 5 GTs. Brand new RDL with seatback produced effortless ride. No hand tingling, no hip joint cramping. 42 mpg at 85. Windshield down, invigorating. BP plugged in, throttle response superb. Delkevics pleasant to the remaining ear. KN air filter breathing nicely. Hauling through the mountains, splitting lanes here and there, (gotta luv the diamond and fast lanes of the 405 between LAX and Westwood) negotiated the SOCAL multitudes. Plenty of bugs on my visor today. Couldn't get the wrist to work right today. Bike kept overspeeding.

FREEZE THE DESIGN. IT WORKS.

Thank you Lord for a safe ride. And thank you forum members for the education.
:thumb: :run1: :usflag1:

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Rode yesterday actually, to central Florida from Pensacola. I saw 88 degrees on the temperature and with the HIGH winds we had actually rode through a sand storm in Florida!!

Off to travel further south today. We will pass by Mickey Mouse today we’re going to see if there is any couch space at Mar-a-lago.
 
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Rode to Mar-a-Lago well about 18 miles north of there. Nice day, 72 when we arrived to Juno Beach. 89A352A7-EFDA-4853-8B99-5DFE3EC5CAC2.jpeg
 
Had a nice 460km ride yesterday around some of my favourite twisty roads down by the Kawhia Harbour. Beautiful weather (18-23C), sunny and dry, not too much traffic. The only problem was the 1300 wanted to travel faster than the speed limit, fortunately that is a secret between the bike, me, and all of you. Lots of corners, a bit less metal on the footpegs, and the tyres got a proper work-out.
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Was sunny and around 35F today with not so nice weather coming up so I took off on a little ride around the big lake. Well, big by Iowa standards. In Texas it would be a puddle. And in the Land of 1000 ... uh... puddles (MN) it would be large puddle. There is a mile long bridge that crosses half way up the elongated lake. The wind sock showed almost no wind so I proceeded across. Then down to the south end of the lake to cross back over on the dam. All told I ended up with 47 miles.

My wife is leaving Saturday for a trip to Louisiana to visit our son and his wife and our granddaughter. Since Feb 14 is Friday I stopped on my way back on the ride to pick up a rose. Figured she'd like to enjoy it before she left. If I waited until Friday she'd be upset that she couldn't enjoy it longer and wish I hadn't bothered. A long stem rose just fits in the under seat storage without any damages to it. I get stares from people seeing me walk out wearing my full motorcycle gear and a long rose. Of course, I was getting stares anyway due to the temps. It's nice having all that storage under the seat to carry stuff like this.
 
Another New Zealand "where did you ride today" report. I have to add that New Zealand is everything it is said to be. This shot was taken in the South island on a round trip of both islands, but you can get faboulus views all over.
And just by chance bumped into Bruce, Mary and Mac from Edmonton, Westoc 2019, in a pub a couple of days back as they were heading from the south island to the north island on a 30 day ride. Popular place this New Zealand!
Andy
 

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kerbside said:
Another New Zealand "where did you ride today" report. I have to add that New Zealand is everything it is said to be. This shot was taken in the South island on a round trip of both islands, but you can get faboulus views all over.
And just by chance bumped into Bruce, Mary and Mac from Edmonton, Westoc 2019, in a pub a couple of days back as they were heading from the south island to the north island on a 30 day ride. Popular place this New Zealand!
Andy
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You ship the bike over there or rent-buy another?
 
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