I had wanted to buy an evaporative cooling vest before I left but there was no where in town to buy this item and I didn't notice any dealers while I was on the road so I did without. I never even considered buying this on-line but thanks to Motorcyclehouse.com and their quick shipping, I now have one to review before I head out on another tour. I also took the opportunity to buy another farkle
EDITED: here is the link to this Formotion Thermometer LINK HERE
which is a nice Thermometer which I can mount on my bike. I brought along a cheap, plastic thermometer but it wasn't waterproof and water got inside. This one is Stainless steel and is water sealed to 5ATM, is vibration resistant and liquid filled so it is very well made. I can purchase one locally for much more money, but this one from MotorcycleHouse.com was very reasonably priced.
Motorcyclehouse.com sells lots of products but it wasn't easy to find these gauges as it was put under electrical, even though this requires no power. The needle indicator glows in the dark so you can read it at night and it also has a backlight which can be turned on by pushing the little button on the top. It must have an internal battery but I can't see how it would be replaced
Here is another photo to show you the scale. It looks larger than what it is in the previous ones
It can be mounted on my bike using the screw on the back and the supplied bracket
EDITED: here is the link to the Evaporative Cooling Vest LINK HERE
If you go to their website you will find that MotorcycleHouse.com carries much more than Viking Bags and Riding Jackets. As soon as the weather improves I'm going to be reviewing this evaporative cooling vest but not this weekend as the forecast is for showers with cloudy periods but summer should be here soon
I used an evaporative cooling vest for a couple of days on my 2012 road trip. I realized that I needed it when going through southern B.C. Ordered it on Amazon (free shipping!) and had it delivered to the hotel where I would be in a few days. Hotels.com works great to find hotels on really short notice. I've even used it around noon to find a hotel a few hundred miles down the road.
ReplyDeleteNow that you have the thermometer you'll know when you should feel miserable from the heat...
Richard:
DeleteMy plan was to buy one whilst I was on the road but I never encountered any bike shops and I didn't go out of my way to search them out. Then when I reached State College, PA and had my bike serviced, I FORGOT. I have never seen any for sale up here as we don't get hot enough.
I needed the thermometer for cold weather. I don't like to ride below 5°c because of slippage, not because it is cold. The Beemer has a frost warning at 3°c but there is no warning with my Vstrom
You need a hygometer too!
ReplyDeleteAll the best from England
N
Nikos:
DeleteWe have moist air here, same as in England. So riding is the same in cooler weather. It's just that all of you ride on the wrong side of the street
You could wear the cooling vest on the outside of your gear on rainy days to "presoak" it.
ReplyDeleteI have been considering the Pro-motion thermometer, but I seem to ride by enough banks and businesses that have digital thermometer signs not to warrant it. Besides, I have to side with Richard: "Now that you have the thermometer you'll know when you should feel miserable from the heat..."
Troubadour:
Deleteexcellent suggestion, then it will be ready the next time I need it
as for the thermometer, we don't have as many banks as you where they display the temperatures (or clocks either). When it's hot I like to see the needle point to hot.
Bringing a cooling vest to Canada... sounds a bit like bringing a fridge to Greenland ;-)
ReplyDeleteSonja:
DeleteI needed one for my next tour. I know it's going to be hot and now I've got one. Last year my plan to get one "on the road" didn't work. It's so hot where you are, perhaps you should look into buying one too
Bob, you have a point. I should get one for work actually. We had 30+C the whole week, and I am talking indoor (office) temperatures (no A/C in the part of the building where I work...)
DeleteSo far I've done without a vest but will be anxious to hear how the two of you get along. For longer days of riding in the heat I'd most likely need/want one as well.
ReplyDeleteCoop:
DeleteI am sure it would be beneficial to have one, but not necessarily here on the Coast where we don't get very hot. I wanted one for my trips into the Mid-West
I've used Motorcycle House a few times and I've found they provide pretty decent gear at a fair and reasonable price. I've considered a vest myself at times here in Central Florida, so I'll be curious to know what you think.
ReplyDeleteRobert:
DeleteStill waiting for our rains to stop. Should come in handy where you are. Lots of reasonably priced gear at MotorcycleHouse.com
i'm looking forward to hearing your review of the cooling vest...I have in the past just 'watered down' my shirt while riding in heat...much to everyone's 'approval', tho i've never won a free beer ;)
ReplyDeleteTerry:
DeleteIf you mean a wet T-shirt then you should have won something. I think a cooling vest will "cool" longer as it has absorbent material which holds more water. A regular shirt wouldn't last long. I really could have used it last summer when it was 100°F for weeks as I was riding Coast to Coast
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI love my wet vest! I think it was you that told me last year to wear it UNDER a jacket or vest, not on top. It really dried out fast when I wore it alone and you were absolutely right! You'll love it next time you ride across the states, huh? ;)
Does it even get hot in Canada?
Smooches,
Sash
Sash - The Rude Biker Chick
Sash:
DeleteI'm waiting for it to get a bit warmer. I wished I had it last summer but it will come in handy next summer when I go on tour again. When it's hot I guess you just wear it over a T-shirt, is that right ? and then under your jacket to stop it from drying out too fast