This past Thursday was First Thursday at Dulono’s Pizza. It was a far cry from just two months ago with only my lonely Ural sitting in the dark versus the hundreds earlier.
Inside was a bit more sparse than November too. I had a good time chatting with friends and meeting new ones.
I met one guy who was selling a new type of heated coat. It came with a tank bag that plugged into the radiator, and the heated coat plugged into the tank bag. It provides lots of heat as soon as the bike is up to temperature without using any electricity. The fluid from the radiator passes through the tank bag with a temperature regulator and then into the coat.
It sounds like a great idea and is popular in eastern Europe. It would be awesome for a bike with limited electrical capacity like an ice-racer.
The kit, however, is very expensive. When I asked how much it cost, he replied “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Annoying. It turns out it costs about $1000. He claims he’s the only dealer in the US to have them. I tried to find them on the Internet and failed.
It’s not very useful for me for a couple of reasons. One, I already have a fabulous heated coat from Gerbing. Two, my Ural is air cooled and does not have a radiator, so it won’t work. My BMW is oil cooled, so it won’t work on that either.
I also question the longevity of a system like that. If the coat leaked, the bike would likely overheat as the fluid comes out and makes a mess. If an electric coat fails, the bike still works.
It is a good idea for a specific use-case, but with the price and the complexity I think it is out of reach of average motorcyclists.
When I saw the title on this post, I'd expected a picture of a lone Ural in the parking lot LOL
ReplyDeleteIt was 18F when I rode to work this morning. I didn't have any trouble finding a place to park in the motorcycle parking area behind the Courthouse. It's the way of it, and even more so where there is snow involved.
Be safe and have fun!
Keith: LOL!! There are supposedly other sidecar owners who ride in winter, but I haven't seen any at Dulono's yet. I did meet one guy on a Ural in Feb at a motorcycle safety conf.
ReplyDelete18F! Nice! I have also been enjoying empty motorcycle parking spots. Be safe on the scoot! I did a lot of sliding around last year on mine before I got the Ural.
When it snows or is icy I park the bike, at least for the ride to work. I'll take it out to play but that's different :)
ReplyDeleteYou be safe as well. Maybe one of these days I'll have three wheels and then the folks at work can think I'm even crazier than they do now.
I think I wouldn't have been surprised if you were the only one to show up. That heating system sounds way weird with more similarity to space suits than motorsports. It doesn't sound practical on a bike. Maybe there is a heat exchanger in the tankbag. Maybe a little bit more practical as you wouldn't be sharing the actual coolant between the jacket and the bike.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Keith: I've gotten over what people at work think. They get weird in the winter and even weirder that I don't have a car.
ReplyDeleteRichardM: A heat exchanger would be a good idea. I agree not very practical on a bike. I've seen some ice racers pump their coolant through their handlebars with a heat exchanger instead of heated grips. Kinda neat.