gear logic for cross country RT trip

demet123 said:

Thanks, I've been rethinking my strategy every couple of hours. Received my BMW rain suit in the mail today and upper body is OK fit, but legs are very long... Also your point about it being a pain to pull off the road, and put on the suit is well taken.

BUT I'm more worried about heat then rain or cold for this trip. So I'm not sure a waterproof jacket is a good idea as I will just not wear it if it is too hot, and most of the jackets built for warm weather are not waterproof, i.e. mesh jackets. I may just stick with plan of a mesh jacket and rain suit for really bad rain, but otherwise I might get wet, but more then likely it will be warm rain and/or will warm up soon and I will dry quickly. If it looks like longer or cooler rain, I will either stop riding or put on the suit (which I will need to see about the fit though...).

Finding a true four season jacket that comes in Tall sizing is proving difficult!

I think wearing waterproof pants, with vents, will be OK as most heat issues will be in torso.

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Look at Olympia Motor Sport jackets and pants. I have the Olympia Air Glide 5 jacket (works well in the eastern US humidity, especially when moving) and am about to order the Air Glide 4 pants. They have mesh with a removable liner for rain, plus a removable liner for extra warmth. The rain liners can be worn inside or outside the mesh jacket/pants.


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36654 said:

Tourmaster Sonora Air. Sizing is generous and comes in Talls. I have some nits with the jacket, but it's a reliable performer at a reasonable price.

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or tourmaster intake air 4.

all the tourmaster gear comes in tall sizes.

ez to find gear in tall sizes!

tonyfr said:

You need to put on the suit and sit on the bike using the center stand. The legs will shorten a bit. You also need to try putting on and taking off the rain suit with your riding gear on. That will be the challenge. I bought mine one size larger than my riding gear because I knew it might be a tight fit. I took mine out of the package and tried it with my gear on, and it has been hanging in my closet ever since (thought I might have to cut it to get it off).

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mlytle said:

or tourmaster intake air 4.

all the tourmaster gear comes in tall sizes.

ez to find gear in tall sizes!

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Yes thanks guys, I have Intake Air arriving today I hope, and will test immediately, both on the bike and with rain gear, although it's super hot and humid here so full test on bike will be brief haha!

pkpilot said:

Look at Olympia Motor Sport jackets and pants. I have the Olympia Air Glide 5 jacket (works well in the eastern US humidity, especially when moving) and am about to order the Air Glide 4 pants. They have mesh with a removable liner for rain, plus a removable liner for extra warmth. The rain liners can be worn inside or outside the mesh jacket/pants.


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Thanks, have been looking at Olympia because rain layer can be worn outside, but does it fit OK over the jacket, and really does a good job of waterproofing? Seems odd that it could comfortably fit inside AND outside.

36654 said:

Tourmaster Sonora Air. Sizing is generous and comes in Talls. I have some nits with the jacket, but it's a reliable performer at a reasonable price.

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Nice jacket! I would go for that but having rain layer INSIDE the jacket seems weird. Doesn't the outside just get waterlogged??

demet123 said:

Thanks, have been looking at Olympia because rain layer can be worn outside, but does it fit OK over the jacket, and really does a good job of waterproofing? Seems odd that it could comfortably fit inside AND outside.

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Mine works as advertised, in or out. Recently rode between Lafayette, LA and Mobile, AL on I-10 as the tropical storm made its way inland with the rain gear on the outside and the sleeves loose to allow air flow and was quite comfortable even though the temp gauge read 90's. Some spots the rain and wind where quite heavy but I stayed completely dry underneath and cool enough to not have to stop between fill ups. A few times I might have looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy but who cares. I have the Moto Quest and Airglide 4 jackets and Moto Quest pants. They are well made gear at a great price point.

Update

Here's where I stand. I've taken a lot of the advice from y'all, and many thanks for it! Planning to leave in about a week if all goes well.

Helmet: I really like the Shoei Qwest (https://www.amazon.com/Shoei-Metall...Race+Motorcycle+Helmet+-+Anthracite+/+X-Large). It still fits a bit tight however. Not bad enough that I'm going to give up on it, especially now that I've worn it long enough to rule out sending it back. It's tight right along my brow, and pushes down a bit. If I lift it and 'reseat' it it's OK for a while. Sometimes it seems fine, others it seems like a no-go. I'm hoping the foam gives there a bit over some time. I've been wearing a thin beanie cap which I may have to ditch to help the situation.

I'm wearing the beanie because I put speakers in the helmet (https://www.amazon.com/UCLEAR-Digit...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00RW10WBC), and have added the included spacers so the speakers are right up against my ears. But this means when I put on the helmet my ears tend to fold over without the beanie, and sometimes even with it on. An added benefit of the beanie is it will soil first and the Qwest liner is not removable (wtf?).

So if the foam doesn't give a bit I'll have to ditch the beanie to start, hope that makes the helmet work. But that means I'd have to take out the spacers on the speakers so my ears don't fold over putting on the helmet. And that means the speakers probably won't work as they are just not loud enough at highway speeds. My backup is a set of Harmon-Kardon earbuds, although I have not tried them in the helmet.

Jacket: The TourMaster Intake Air 4.0 (https://www.amazon.com/TourMaster-I...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KMJE8M9E0HSE0XZ84YQ7) is a nice jacket. Mine is in solid black with some reflective piping. I've been wearing it around New Orleans the last week, and while it is not super comfortable in this heat and humidity, it lets enough airflow to not be unbearable. It's not going to last forever but it seems like decent quality for the price. Fits well, I got a XL Tall and it just fits my long arms properly. Comes with a quilted liner vest and a full 'waterproof' liner. Not banking on the waterproofness of it, see below, but it might come in handy in some situations. I bought a D30 back armour piece to replace the thin foam it comes with. (https://www.amazon.com/Klim-Replace...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C37FMTX4E5S8H0X4WKCC)

Overalls: Sticking with my trusty Carhartts. I bought some leather armoured riding pants, but as someone noted they were going to be a sweaty mess in there. I'm adding D30 armour to the Carhartts. Knees are fairly easy as they already have a double layer of denim that am able to slide the armour into. Hips will take some ingenuity in the next few days.
https://www.amazon.com/Klim-Replace...ads+T5+Evo+Pro+X+(Set+Of+2)+Orange+/+One+Size
https://www.amazon.com/Klim-Replace...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=30BRXXZZ9KM304BXE6P7
If I was going to be riding in cold wet weather a lot I would def consider some solid waterproof riding pants as full time gear. But as this will be a summer trip I won't mind getting a little wet, and have BMW waterproof suit as backup for when it gets really bad. The BMW suit (https://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-...in+Rain+Overall+Riding+Unisex+Suit+Yellow+2XL) feels like quality kit. And the 2XL I bought fits well. Tested with everything on and maybe the legs are a bit long, but on the bike they will be fine. It was damn hot wearing everything, even inside in mild AC, so I don't plan on wearing it much. On the other hand if I think I'm going to run into serious rain any time soon I might just put it on preemptively and wear it loose then tighten it up if and when rain arrives.
Also bought some waterproof overboots (https://www.amazon.com/Overshoes-Outdoor-Waterproof-Overshoe-Uelfbaby/dp/B06X9RGMJ5), we'll see how they perform.
Also bought some First Gear waterproof gloves, good fit. (https://www.amazon.com/FirstGear-Explorer-Waterproof-Street-Motorcycle/dp/B00NYCNW7O)

Boots: Bought these BMW beauties, they arrive tomorrow. (https://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-...otorcycle+Urban+Boots+Brown+Euro+48+US+Men+14) Hope they fit! If not, I will revert to my old Fryes.

Tankbag: Waiting on this waterproof Givi: https://www.amazon.com/Givi-GRT705-Waterproof-Gravel-T-Range/dp/B01EG9S7GO/
Wanted a decent sized bag, not crazy big, with easy on/off. If I understand correctly, the harness will stay on the bike, and can remove with quick release clips.

Drybag: Bought this big bad boy: https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Quest-White-Water-Duffel/dp/B00CJCCQB8. At 30" wide will span across back seat and most of both tank bags. Plan to keep clothes in it, and some valuables I need to carry (laptop and full size camera). I'm a little worried about ending up with too much weight, will need to do some tests and maybe ditch some stuff.

I stripped the Garmin and Starcom com system, and both are on eBay now. People seem very interested in the Garmin, I had no idea they were so coveted. I'm hoping to get decent money for it to offset the stupid money I have spent on gear so far lol.

DG

demet123 said:

So if the foam doesn't give a bit I'll have to ditch the beanie to start, hope that makes the helmet work. But that means I'd have to take out the spacers on the speakers so my ears don't fold over putting on the helmet. And that means the speakers probably won't work as they are just not loud enough at highway speeds. My backup is a set of Harmon-Kardon earbuds, although I have not tried them in the helmet.

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I have a full face Shoei with speakers in it that I used on my sport bike and I do the same thing with a beanie. Can't get it on without the beanie because the speakers are close to my ears. Mine doesn't have spacers; it's just thicker speakers. I also wear ear plugs whenever I use this helmet and the volume is okay.

tonyfr said:

I have a full face Shoei with speakers in it that I used on my sport bike and I do the same thing with a beanie. Can't get it on without the beanie because the speakers are close to my ears. Mine doesn't have spacers; it's just thicker speakers. I also wear ear plugs whenever I use this helmet and the volume is okay.

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Cool man, I should try it with earplugs, I just assumed the volume would be problematic, but I will try it.

The BMW boots fit well. A bit stiff of course, but nothing a cross country trip won't solve! ;-) Also, I think I'm sold on BMW gear quality, I'm impressed with the rain suit and boots, although I have zero miles on either haha.

Glad to see you skip the Carhartts. I'm sure they are great if you're working on the farm, but totally useless for protection if you fall. You might as well leave them at home.

Leather is great on the track, but I'd skip that in favor of textile pants, possibly mesh. Textile is more flexible in its use and less expensive. I use an Olympia textile pants like the X Moto 2 pants. I'm not saying you need to buy those, but they have features you might look for. The top (thigh) area unzips and gives you a mesh pant in that area. The ventilation isn't as much as a full mesh pant...but it's a nice compromise.

I just got through with a trip through Utah, Colorado, North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Stop at Cycle Gear (or order it online) and get their Bilt Cooling Vest. You might also get their long sleeve Heat Out t-shirts. I lived in those for most of the day when the temps were in the 90's and 100's. You'll find they are as good as higher priced alternatives.

I soaked the cooling vest overnight in the motel sink, then put it in a couple plastic bags with a lot of water. About lunch, I'd pull the cooling vest out and put it on. It was like turning on the air conditioning for the bike and the only way I survived the temps over 94F.

The Heat Out shirt did two things. One, it acts as advertised and pulls the sweat off your body and cools you down. Once the temps hit 94F, you can't sweat enough to cool you down. The shirt acts as a barrier to the hot air and protects your skin.

You'll need to be concerned with the heat. At 93 or 94F, the thyroid can't keep up with the heat and produce enough sweat. The sweat dries in the air before it can cool you down and the effect then is like using a hair dryer on high blowing hot air all over you. At that point, the air on your body becomes a liability. You will get heat exhaustion if you can't keep the air from blowing on you full force.

I had full mesh gloves that I used till I got smart. My hands were drying out, even with hand lotion and chapstick on the hands, till I got smart and went to some light weight leather gloves that had perforations to get some ventilation. Once I started wearing them, I was fine.

The Heat Out long sleeved t-shirt, I would wash each night then hang it up to dry. You'll have to squeeze out the water as it collects in the bottom of the shirt a couple times. Even if it is still damp when you put it on in the morning, that's okay.

Good luck on the trip.

Chris

tonyfr said:

I have a full face Shoei with speakers in it that I used on my sport bike and I do the same thing with a beanie. Can't get it on without the beanie because the speakers are close to my ears. Mine doesn't have spacers; it's just thicker speakers. I also wear ear plugs whenever I use this helmet and the volume is okay.

Click to expand...

For those of you struggling with common helmet-fit issues, a couple of suggestions:

First of all, the protective foam won't compress over time. Not that kind of density-foam. However, just tip your helmet upside down on the kitchen table (cradled in some bath towels for support and scratch prevention) and use a croquet ball to knead the foam. Just start pressing the ball aggressively on the foam 'hot spots' until, trying on the helmet frequently, you notice the foam displaced and the annoying area resolved. It works!

Secondly, when donning any helmet with an after-market comm system, take a moment to tug on the chin strap on each side, forcing the helmet shell away from your head a tad. It will give you enough clearance to get un-gloved fingers slipped far enough inside to flip those ears flat against the inner lining and comfy with the speakers. Then close the chin strap and glove up.

Enjoy your upcoming rides in comfort.

My Shoei helmet issue was just deeper speakers in the ear well. The helmet fit fine when I put in the thin speakers when I first bought it, but later switched to a better quality speaker.

greenwald said:

For those of you struggling with common helmet-fit issues, a couple of suggestions:

First of all, the protective foam won't compress over time. Not that kind of density-foam. However, just tip your helmet upside down on the kitchen table (cradled in some bath towels for support and scratch prevention) and use a croquet ball to knead the foam. Just start pressing the ball aggressively on the foam 'hot spots' until, trying on the helmet frequently, you notice the foam displaced and the annoying area resolved. It works!

Secondly, when donning any helmet with an after-market comm system, take a moment to tug on the chin strap on each side, forcing the helmet shell away from your head a tad. It will give you enough clearance to get un-gloved fingers slipped far enough inside to flip those ears flat against the inner lining and comfy with the speakers. Then close the chin strap and glove up.

Enjoy your upcoming rides in comfort.

Click to expand...

Thanks man! Good tip on using the strap to make a little space and reaching up to fix my years, works quite well. I'll probably keep using the beanie for the time being, but nice to know I can just take an extra moment to fix the problem.

I will try working on the brow of my helmet, but I'm going to give it a little time. There is some softer foam before the higher-density stuff, and it's very close to fitting now, so I'll see how it settles in. Also I took a couple more spacers from the speaker kit and put them up on the inside top of the helmet, and it seems to relieve some pressure on my brow. Need to test over time though.

Thanks again!

Thanks Chris, good advice. I'm actually going to try the Carhartts for a bit, am adding some quality armor to knees and hips.
I like them because you can vent the legs significantly, as they have long side zippers. And they are tough and relatively cheap, so if I wear these out and I can just switch the armor over to the new ones ;-)

I will likely take your advice and find a Cycle Gear shop on my way. I'm planning to minimize riding in high temps, by having short days of morning riding, followed by leisurely afternoons in the hammock ;-) Thanks for the reminder about high temp riding, it was something I wasn't that aware of until I started reading these comments!

I have perforated leather gloves.

daboo said:

Glad to see you skip the Carhartts. I'm sure they are great if you're working on the farm, but totally useless for protection if you fall. You might as well leave them at home.

Leather is great on the track, but I'd skip that in favor of textile pants, possibly mesh. Textile is more flexible in its use and less expensive. I use an Olympia textile pants like the X Moto 2 pants. I'm not saying you need to buy those, but they have features you might look for. The top (thigh) area unzips and gives you a mesh pant in that area. The ventilation isn't as much as a full mesh pant...but it's a nice compromise.

I just got through with a trip through Utah, Colorado, North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Stop at Cycle Gear (or order it online) and get their Bilt Cooling Vest. You might also get their long sleeve Heat Out t-shirts. I lived in those for most of the day when the temps were in the 90's and 100's. You'll find they are as good as higher priced alternatives.

I soaked the cooling vest overnight in the motel sink, then put it in a couple plastic bags with a lot of water. About lunch, I'd pull the cooling vest out and put it on. It was like turning on the air conditioning for the bike and the only way I survived the temps over 94F.

The Heat Out shirt did two things. One, it acts as advertised and pulls the sweat off your body and cools you down. Once the temps hit 94F, you can't sweat enough to cool you down. The shirt acts as a barrier to the hot air and protects your skin.

You'll need to be concerned with the heat. At 93 or 94F, the thyroid can't keep up with the heat and produce enough sweat. The sweat dries in the air before it can cool you down and the effect then is like using a hair dryer on high blowing hot air all over you. At that point, the air on your body becomes a liability. You will get heat exhaustion if you can't keep the air from blowing on you full force.

I had full mesh gloves that I used till I got smart. My hands were drying out, even with hand lotion and chapstick on the hands, till I got smart and went to some light weight leather gloves that had perforations to get some ventilation. Once I started wearing them, I was fine.

The Heat Out long sleeved t-shirt, I would wash each night then hang it up to dry. You'll have to squeeze out the water as it collects in the bottom of the shirt a couple times. Even if it is still damp when you put it on in the morning, that's okay.

Good luck on the trip.

Chris

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