[AZWinger]

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If I haven't said it before, let me say it now GSMacLeanWelcome to the forum! :waving:

I have an 83 GL1100 Aspencade thatI put a windshield vent for a 1500 on. It helps! I'll probably get some side wings before the summer is over.

Bob :11grey:

 

[AZWinger]

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Goldwinger1984 wrote:

Has anyone tried those windshield vents that open and close. Seems like an interesting prospect.

Vic

Thats what I did Vic.

Bob :11grey:

 

[AZWinger]

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Frenchy,

I know exactly what you mean! My legs cook when the fan comes on. I don't do to much in-town driving. Too hot in the summer and too many Snowbirds in the winter!

Bob

 

[AZWinger]

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csanders67217 wrote:

Keep up the posts!!! I too have this problem on my 84 Aspencade. The heat is almost unbearable. I was wondering, everyonesays that they are running in the"low normal" heat, my bike has the digital dash and right where the water temp gauge turns from a single line to a double line is where mine runs all the time. Seems to me that is a little too hot for it to be running.

I also have the digital dash on my 83 Aspencade.When the air temp is only about 100 deg. F. I normally run right where the line doubles, while going down the highway at 60-75 mph. Once I get into town and start hitting the stop lights it creeps up a couple of notches until the fan comes on, then goes back down to the first double line. When the temp is 110+ my operating temp goes up (even while running at highway speeds) a notch, sometimes two if the air temp is high enough. Once I get into town it stays up at least one notch above where the double line starts, sometimes two. This is when I start to worry. I don't worry so much about the bike overheating (it never has) but I do worry about my battery being sucked down by a constantly running fan. If Iget into much traffic, and have to sit through a traffic light cycle or two, the bike never has a chance to cool down enough for the fan to cycle off before I get to the next light. I am thinking about putting in a switch to disable the headlight while going from light to light. It should be simple to set up.

Bob

 

[AZWinger]

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Axelwik,

If they work better in low humidity I should give one a try! Like everyone says about Arizona, "at least it's a dry heat" except during the Monsoon (wet season) anyway! Dry or not, anything over 110 is HOT!

I'll have to do some reading on them. You wouldn't have a good link would you?

Thanks,

Bob

 

[AZWinger]

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exavid wrote:

The cooling effect of evaporation is enhanced with low humidity. That's why swamp coolers work so well on the desert and so poorly in Florida. The only problem is keeping the item wet.

Thats what I want to read up on. Find out how long they last. I have a 45 minute ride home.

Bob

 

[AZWinger]

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Goldwinger1984 wrote:

Another way to keep cool is to move to a place where they do not have helmet laws.

(I wonder how many accidents and deaths have been caused by helmets eg: heat exhaustion, fogged visor, poor peripheral vision, neck strap on the helmet causing fatal damage etc.?)

Vic

There is no helmet law in AZ. I always wear mine when going to-from work (have to to get on a military reservation) or when cruising on the open highway. I DON'T always wear it in town though. It would help if I switched from a full face to an open face, but Iusually leave the visor open a couple of inches to get some air. Although when I rode through that swarm of bees that day I was glad to be wearing the full face!

Bob

 

[AZWinger]

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Thanks Axelwik. :waving:

I read the article and it does sound good. I was wondering if anyone has tried them, or something similar? I think I'll order one butI want towait a day or two to give anyone who has tried one a chance to post their opinion. One thing I worry about is that you are supposed to wear a mesh or well vented jacket over it to slow the evaporation. I don't own anything like that! I never bought one because I know I won't wear it. It's just too damn HOT! It should (I hope) last for the 45 minute trip home without a mesh over it. I'm sure I can find a light mesh jacket or something if I need to.

I'll give it a couple of days but if I don't see any negative posts about them Ill order one, try itand post my opinion on it.

I also did a quick search on the net for ECV's and the Techniche vest has good reviews and is the lowest price I could find.

Bob :11grey:

 

[AZWinger]

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It's too bad your father didn't live in the desert South West of the U.S.! We would all have air conditioners! :clapper:

Bob :11grey:

 

[AZWinger]

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I haven't heard anything bad about the ECV (evaporative cooler vest) from Soundrider so I went ahead and ordered one. I'll post my thoughts about it after I try it a few times.

Bob :11grey:

 

[AZWinger]

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Thought I would come back and post my thoughts on the Evaporative Cooling Vest (ECV). I have tried it four times now in a few different ways. First of all I would like to say I was very happy with the response from Mixed Media-Sound Rider. I ordered my vest Sunday night (12 June) and it was delivered on Wednesday the 15.


The manufacturer says it works best if used with a mesh vest. After trying it with and without some kind of mesh material, I do believe this to be true! On Thursday I soaked the vest down just before I left work. The water was hot (thats the only way it comes this time of year) but I let it hang in front of the AC vent for a couple of minutes. Then I put it on and headed down the road. The first 5 miles I ride are still on the base and the speed limit is only 40mph. At 40 mph I was very happy and impressed with the way it kept me cool! When I got to I-95 and hit 70mph the cooling effect rapidly diminished to almost nothing. 25 miles later when I hit town, the vest was almost completely dry and useless. It was only 108f that day. After thinking about it a little while, I figured out why the manufacturer suggested a mesh jacket. A mesh jacket would block most of the air blowing directly onto the vest, reducing the amount of hot air flowing through the vest and cool the air that did pass through more efficiently.Less flow through the vest would also slow the rateit dried out at.

I don't own a mesh vest so I went to Factory-To-You and bought a couple of cheap mesh shirts. I bought one shirt that has more holes than material and one with considerably less holes than material (like a sports jersey). I work a 4 10hr/day week here so I don't work on Friday unless we have a high priority test. Sincethe Iraq thing started,I haven't had too many Fridays off, butIgot that Friday off!:clapper: Soon Monday and Tuesday I wore the vest with the shirtand all the holes. Much better! I still got the excellent cooling at 40mph and the vest lasted most of the way home. The cooling effect still fell off quite a bit at 70mph but worked some. Monday and Tuesday the temp was about 111f. Today I tried the other shirt. It worked the best yet! Same excellent cooling at 40mph and even at 70mph (short burst up to 86) I still had fair cooling. The vest was still wet when I got home about 50 minutes after leaving work. The temp today was 112f, 116 on theheat index. There was a light wind blowing in town and I even got a little relief while sitting at stop lights.:skipping:


So far I think it's money well spent! The only concern I have is how long it will last. The vest seems to be well made and should last a long time. I'll need to wash it fairly often I think because the water out at work is not potable. High levels of arsenic and other things you wouldn't want to drink! All our drinking water out there is trucked in or processed through reverse osmosis and we try to use it only for drinking.

Sorry this got so long! :waving:

Bob :11grey:

 

[AZWinger]

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axelwik,

It was 83 at 5AM this morning when I left for work! Had a great ride in! :clapper:

It's almost 1030PM right now and still 97.



Bob :11grey: