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Im Chris Harris and I'm New to touring

C

chris9622

Member
Member
Hey everyone, my name is Chris Harris and I live in Birmingham Alabama. I just bought a 2009 abs concours. I rode small ninjas as a teenager, then nothing til now. I'm 52 and I know nothing about touring. I'm planning some 6 hour daily trips to see how much I like it. If that goes well I'm going to plan for coast to coast in August.

I have tons of questions. 2 main topics.

Clothing needed for trip:
I have no clue what's good or junk

I want to add an electronic cruise control to my bike (if possible).
Again I need your opinions on what's good or bad.
Thanks in advance.
 
Definitely need good to excellent rain gear including covering for your boots. Also make sure neck and cuffs seal out wind and rain. You will also need underwear that is specific to touring. Decent first aid kit. Flashlights with strobe function. Smartphone holder with earphones and mic able to integrate into helmet. If you ride at night temps will drop so will need warmer clothing especially heavier gloves. Get Compression socks as feet and ankles might swell up due to sitting for hours on end. Tire repair kit very important as well as a compact air compressor. I am sure there are others with more experience that will offer advise. I completed an Iron Butt Assoc initial ride of 1000 miles in less than 24 hours...lots of fun but did have some physical issues due to lack of warm clothing. Have a safe ride.
 
croach1776 said:
Definitely need good to excellent rain gear including covering for your boots. Also make sure neck and cuffs seal out wind and rain. You will also need underwear that is specific to touring. Decent first aid kit. Flashlights with strobe function. Smartphone holder with earphones and mic able to integrate into helmet. If you ride at night temps will drop so will need warmer clothing especially heavier gloves. Get Compression socks as feet and ankles might swell up due to sitting for hours on end. Tire repair kit very important as well as a compact air compressor. I am sure there are others with more experience that will offer advise. I completed an Iron Butt Assoc initial ride of 1000 miles in less than 24 hours...lots of fun but did have some physical issues due to lack of warm clothing. Have a safe ride.
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
All of the above is good. I just got myself a Camelback backpack. This way I have a something to drink while riding plus I can also put the tire repair kit and air compressor in that pack. The other item I would suggest is a few small battery packs for charging electronics. I am going to the National in June. I will be using a GPS, plus a Cardo Bluetooth unit on the helmet and my cell phone. Unless you get creative with charging ports, there is only one on the bike.
"Clothing needed for trip:
I have no clue what's good or junk"
There is tons of good gear out there to choose from. I would suggest a site called Webbikeworld. Lot of reviews on motorcycle gear.
 
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Welcome. Good luck on your trip, you are doing something I've always wanted to do, and I've been riding for over 40 years! Learn the bike, make it comfortable for you, there are quite a few aftermarket items that for me and others were essential to make this bike work in the long run, seat, bars, pegs, shield, etc... plan it out and go.
 
Hi Chris, Welcome to COG. Thanks for joining.

I think that unless you are headed for an area known for day after day of steady body numbing cold rain (Pacific Northwest at whatever their rainy season is?) that supplemental rain gear isn't that high on the list. Most mid priced textile riding suits systems have either their own rain liners or an integrated GoreTex like breathable waterproof membrane (several options, I like Olympia for mid priced quality, others prefer Klim, or Aerostitch). Waterproof boots are available from several makers. Gloves are the main area for examination after a riding suit is selected, a pair of warm gloves and a pair of mesh gloves will be needed on almost any cross country trip. The warm gloves can be difficult to dry out overnight so actual waterproof covers for those can be handy and take up little packing room. I usually don't bother with rain covers on my mesh gloves if I'm in a warm rain, they dry out pretty good overnight (maybe not if you are camping).

On the bike itself two main areas of consideration are 1) bike road maintenance, 2) rider comfort (A & B).

1, Bike road Maint.) An air pump, tire plug system, air gauge, and some upgraded tools that are better than what comes in the bike tool kit are my recommendations. Doing some maintenance at home will help refine your road tool kit. Some say a cell phone and a credit card is all they need for roadside tools, others prefer to have the roadside ability to remove either wheel if they need to go get a new tire. Avoid complete tool kits not designed specifically for your bike. Having a complete set of sockets half filled with sizes that don't fit anything on your bike is not very efficient. I attended a COG National and they had a tool kit seminar. I thought I could pick up some pointers to trim mine down a bit. The guy struggled to lift his tool bag up onto the table and it was 4 times the volume of mine. I pretended to get a cell phone call and walked away. I think an air pump, a tire plug system, a cell phone, and credit card are minimum. If you have a simple tire puncture from a nail, you can be moving down the road again in 20-30 minutes where as waiting on a tow truck or roadside assistance can be hours that feel like days. Prevention steps can reduce the need for roadside tools...get a radiator protector screen and maybe even a front fender extender. (yeah, I know, a belt and suspenders :D ) I also carry a set of soft ties in case I actually need a tow, assuming that most of the tow guys will not have any.

2, Rider comfort) This area is very subjective so there is no one answer as to what is best, it seems to be a trial and error thing which can get expensive. For the bike itself, there are two main areas, (A)seat comfort and (B) arm/shoulder comfort...plus the two can be related because depending how far forward you are leaning changes what area of your posterior has pressure points. Other comfort areas are (C) knee pain can happen if you are very tall and (D) wind buffeting problems from windshield turbulence.

(A, seat comfort) I think the quickest solution that is adjustable is an Airhawk seat cushion. It seems to be able to handle different seating pressure points as you adjust the handlebars to your liking. Be patient with it and try different inflation pressures until you find a good spot. Some dismiss it out of hand when they first sit on it. Try lowering the pressure if it feels too weird at first. On long trips you can try different pressures on different days to move pressure points around a bit. After you get your handle bars right (B) where you want them, then if you want to ditch the Airhawk you can then start looking at some custom seats (think $$$ and some mistakes when taking this road). I used the Airhawk for several thousands of miles on the stock seat, then later a Kawasaki Touring seat became available at about half of what a new one costs. I now use an Airhark on top of the touring seat. Some sort of special underwear may be needed as well if there are sore spots where underwear seams are causing problems. Tighty whities and boxers were different problems for me mostly in the upper thigh areas. I found the $10 undies from Cycle Gear as the cheap solution to my problem. I also spent a little extra money here ( link ) for the shorts I wear for my longest days in the saddle.


(B, arm/shoulder comfort [maybe upper back as well]) From my vantage point, 52 isn't that old, but I don't know what your body has endured so I'll just assume that you prefer to be riding more upright. Many bar risers out there, I got lucky in that I found a system that brought the bars back and up for me without needing to change or lengthen my brake and clutch lines. If bar risers and pull backs aren't good enough then you may need to entirely change the whole handle bar system. I think there are only two types of replacements available but I could be wrong as I quit looking when I found what worked for me.

The above are the main comfort area problems, but once you get those fixed then the others will seem more important. (C, knee pain) lowering pegs and highway pegs are available to help with knee pain. I'm short so I can't recommend any lowering pegs. I can recommend Ronnie's Highway pegs for having an alternate foot placement that is still somewhat protected from wind and rain...but if you are really tall these may not be far enough out for you. (D, wind buffeting etc.) I found that the newer stock OEM windshield with the air vent was all I needed...but I didn't have buffeting problems, I had a back pressure problem when I raised the windshield. It felt like an invisible passenger was pushing my head forward and down whenever I raised the 2010 stock windshield. Again this area may require an experimentation period with trial and error for you to get it right. Hopefully you'll be fine with the stock shield. Gusty crosswinds are a problem without any solution I know of...change direction of travel or stop for the day if you can't endure them safely.

Avoid night riding whenever possible. No matter how good your lights are, deer are quick, and the stupid suicidal deer are even quicker.

Rostra electronic cruise control gives the most bang for your buck...but if you are uncomfortable with doing electric wiring then maybe a throttle lock will suffice. I don't like Cramp Buster throttle controls, I think they are dangerous...however they may only be dangerous on my bike..not yours. :rolleyes:
 
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You have 2 choices for electronic c.c.. as Marty said rostra and from the land down under Mccruise. The rostra is the least expensive between $200-$300, but requires some fabrication and ingenuity in mounting and running wiring. Great thing is there's a TON of threads, youtube video and experience with installing it.

The Mccruise runs close to$1000 depending on.the current us dollar to.australian dollar rate. Its.not completely plug and play but close to it. I.have a buddy that has it and he loves it. I have a rostra and love it. It's almost as much fun as a valve adjust (lol) . But it does let you get to see the guts of our bikes.

Your long distance riding will run only as.long as your Arsh will let you. Butt, pun intended, there are many many seats out there,.and everyone's cheeks are different. Go to some nearby cog events so you can see and possibly sample what's out there and what might work for you. Some of us,.myself included, have bought and sold many many seats looking for our Excalibur. Same holds true for handlebar adjustments and the farkles that make that happen. While checking out the seats, check out the bar set ups and ask questions. We coggers are frugal folk, but very social and have no problem sharing info and our opinions.

Lastly welcome to.the group, from the south georgia area....
 
Welcome to the group Chris! All very good advice in the responses. If your thinking about doing some 6 hour trips from time to time, I would also highly recommend practicing your on the road flat/puncture repair skills. When you get ready to put new tires on the bike for all those long rides you should puncture one, or even both of the old tires while in the comfort of your garage. Get your flat repair kit out of the bike, just as you would if you were on the road and see how good you are at fixing the flat! When plugging the 12V compressor into the bike you will want to have the engine running so you don't run down the battery and create another problem for yourself. After you plug the tire, get it inflated to 42psi, make sure the bead of the tire is evenly seated on both sides of the wheel, put some good ole spit around the plug area to see if it makes any bubbles. This is a great use for tires that your going to be scrapping anyhow. You might also want to make sure the batteries in your TPMS sensors in your wheels have plenty of life left in them. The batteries in the sensors on your bike can be replaced without to much trouble.

The best money you will ever spend on your Concours is joining this group.
 
Welcome Chris. Lots of good info here. These guys have it right. You just missed the Hohenwald rally in Tennessee but we’re getting together again in Maggie Valley in July at Beat the Heat. Come on out. Your closest AAD is Tom Sills in RomeGA and I’m your AD and I’m in Gainesville GA. Hope to see you soon.
Ron
 
Hello Chris. Welcome to the COGdom.
You sound like a lot of us.
ie; Used to ride/gave it up for a period of years, and (prolly after the family is raised) decided to buy a bike/Connie and start again.

I'll start with (As many will here tell you) I'm not a touring guy.
I've done the Touring and the long trips. When I was young (like you) I enjoyed them, but hours of droning along to get to a spot isn't my thing anymore. {I now prefer to trailer to an event, ride the event, then trailer home. I do occasionally tour but my Touring is more sightseeing than going from point A to point B}.
Some of these guys pick on me about that, but I think their just envious. :sneaky:

I have some thoughts that I haven't seen here yet, so I'll take a shot at it.
(As you might guess, my post is sorta from the other side of the street)

1) AGATT (All the gear, All the Time)
Before you start your rides, get the gear you need to keep you safe.
Buy Helmet/gloves/boots/coat at a minimum.
NOTE: You do not have to initially buy the Premium gear. Buy good enough gear to be safe and buy the premium as you learn what you want.
2) Don't change anything on the bike at first.
Ride the bike and get to know it. While riding look for the things you want to change on it to make it more comfortable. {What works for another person does not mean it will work for you}.
3) Summer/Winter gear.
We're at the start of the Summer Months. Don't worry about the heavy Winter gear now.
Get Summer gear and give yourself time to determine what you'll want for the Colder Months.
4) Touring.
Don't Tour by trying to see how long you can stay in the Saddle.
Tour by setting a destination that you want to see with a flexible time limit.
{Plan to stop and see things along the way}.
ie; Make the ride enjoyable.
5) Twisties.
Learn to love them!
A Connie (both the C-10 and the C-14) are pretty serious Twisty bikes.
Hone your skills and adjust the bike to get the best out of the bike.

A GREAT way to start your Touring is; Travel to COG events.
Watch for events near you, do those, and then increase your range by finding some that are farther away.
You'll enjoy the trip/meet people/learn what they have done to their bikes/and learn what you want to do in the future.

Ride safe, Ted
 
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If you feel like watching (long videos) Check out Ricks Alaska trip from several years ago on his Concours . Might give some perspective on what to encounter on a tour .

 
Welcome Chris, from a left coast Chris. :D

I know you want to go coast to coast in August...but that may be a bit premature. Call me a "wet blanket", that's okay. :D

You have some great questions. And there are some great answers here too. For clothing, you could easily need everything. Around here, I can leave at sea level in a mesh jacket and be wearing heated gear by the top of the mountain passes. So you'll want to pack wisely and scope out the entire ride for potential weather conditions. You'll learn what works (for you) and what doesn't in day trips. While you live in Alabama, if you go across the Beartooth Mountains, you'll find it totally different. You'll get an idea of what you need by riding into the fall/winter/spring temps. And even riding year around unless it is snowing.

Cruise control? Do you even know if you and the bike are a fit for an all day ride? IMHO, I'd go with a Go Cruise till you know for sure. I find it works as well as a cruise control on the wide open spaces of the western areas. Everything else is so congested a cruise control would never be used.

As I said in the beginning, I'd hold off on the coast-to-coast trip till next summer. This winter will be a great time to explore options. Saying you've done a coast-to-coast ride is like me saying I have a SS1000 award. A latte at your favorite coffee shop will cost the same, with or without it. BTW, I did my SS1000 on a 34 hp scooter. :D Riding coast-to-coast is a lot different than driving it. And I would definitely avoid the interstates unless there's no other choice.

You have an opportunity to take a northern route, or southern route. South will make it as quick as possible with as few miles as possible. North will open you up to some "bucket-list" rides...and that takes planning. When I'm planning a ride like that, I'm looking not only for what I want to see, but how many miles can I make each day and where will that put me? Do I need reservations for accomodations? Where are my fuel stops? Etc. A lot to think about in a couple months.

One last thought that comes to mind. Do not do anything to your bike within 2-3 days of your trip. No oil changes, no tire changes, no nothing. More epic rides have been cancelled by a maintenance malfunction within the borders of the city you're leaving from solely because someone didn't tighten something down properly...including something as simple as an oil filter. ;)

Sorry to sound like a "wet blanket", but I felt like a bit of a different perspective might be helpful.

Here's a couple pics to wet your appetite for a left coast trip...

AJFCJaX0O5nzNwt7NJlp5W79oIWaNMzBD5q7sRvHR5Qnts2lA9NMNuWJnr69p4u6LAgY-jWLmbL4NXWOw4xwUzF6YezeE7ZkP-WzTCCa1VgfkR3M1Qge8P5zt_YLu0_Vf1gAhfWp2i9Mdxw_2mtclX0FNpHGzA=w1673-h941-s-no


AJFCJaXSVtGsAU3yeeQ6H04b7z3nHSXS1ywO3pbm3UJf5C_e2qigM6QJFg50ZSzsDZvK-UbB8h90SYh96L5gJ-H1nCVF6OBYiJYgkqyalASkw1jqSdMS_kbiUxNm0up4_SVHL7v8k52TO66_OVXR6Wlf798K4A=w1673-h941-s-no


Chris
 
Daboo said:
Welcome Chris, from a left coast Chris. :D

I know you want to go coast to coast in August...but that may be a bit premature. Call me a "wet blanket", that's okay. :D

You have some great questions. And there are some great answers here too. For clothing, you could easily need everything. Around here, I can leave at sea level in a mesh jacket and be wearing heated gear by the top of the mountain passes. So you'll want to pack wisely and scope out the entire ride for potential weather conditions. You'll learn what works (for you) and what doesn't in day trips. While you live in Alabama, if you go across the Beartooth Mountains, you'll find it totally different. You'll get an idea of what you need by riding into the fall/winter/spring temps. And even riding year around unless it is snowing.

Cruise control? Do you even know if you and the bike are a fit for an all day ride? IMHO, I'd go with a Go Cruise till you know for sure. I find it works as well as a cruise control on the wide open spaces of the western areas. Everything else is so congested a cruise control would never be used.

As I said in the beginning, I'd hold off on the coast-to-coast trip till next summer. This winter will be a great time to explore options. Saying you've done a coast-to-coast ride is like me saying I have a SS1000 award. A latte at your favorite coffee shop will cost the same, with or without it. BTW, I did my SS1000 on a 34 hp scooter. :D Riding coast-to-coast is a lot different than driving it. And I would definitely avoid the interstates unless there's no other choice.

You have an opportunity to take a northern route, or southern route. South will make it as quick as possible with as few miles as possible. North will open you up to some "bucket-list" rides...and that takes planning. When I'm planning a ride like that, I'm looking not only for what I want to see, but how many miles can I make each day and where will that put me? Do I need reservations for accomodations? Where are my fuel stops? Etc. A lot to think about in a couple months.

One last thought that comes to mind. Do not do anything to your bike within 2-3 days of your trip. No oil changes, no tire changes, no nothing. More epic rides have been cancelled by a maintenance malfunction within the borders of the city you're leaving from solely because someone didn't tighten something down properly...including something as simple as an oil filter. ;)

Sorry to sound like a "wet blanket", but I felt like a bit of a different perspective might be helpful.

Here's a couple pics to wet your appetite for a left coast trip...

AJFCJaX0O5nzNwt7NJlp5W79oIWaNMzBD5q7sRvHR5Qnts2lA9NMNuWJnr69p4u6LAgY-jWLmbL4NXWOw4xwUzF6YezeE7ZkP-WzTCCa1VgfkR3M1Qge8P5zt_YLu0_Vf1gAhfWp2i9Mdxw_2mtclX0FNpHGzA=w1673-h941-s-no


AJFCJaXSVtGsAU3yeeQ6H04b7z3nHSXS1ywO3pbm3UJf5C_e2qigM6QJFg50ZSzsDZvK-UbB8h90SYh96L5gJ-H1nCVF6OBYiJYgkqyalASkw1jqSdMS_kbiUxNm0up4_SVHL7v8k52TO66_OVXR6Wlf798K4A=w1673-h941-s-no


Chris
Click to expand...
Thanks
 
I do tour/travel which ever you want to call it. Suggestions are helpful but everyone has an opinion & their all different. Your gear is likely to change/evolve the more you do it, doubtful you'll get it perfect the 1st time. Nobody has mentioned gloves & I find comfortable close-fitting gloves a major thing. Nothing worse than uncomfortable or bulky gloves. Quality & comfortable ear plugs are another thing that makes the ride much less tiring. I've personally never felt the need for a cruise control, my C14 has a throttle lock but I rarely use it. My longest trip so far was 10,000 miles & that was on my Strom which doesn't even have a throttle lock.

My .02 without confusing things too much!
 
TireguyfromMA said:
The batteries in the sensors on your bike can be replaced without to much trouble.
Click to expand...
....having replaced a few in the first gen sensors, Id call it at least mid range trouble..Soldering isnt my strong point ,and my efforts were met with about an 20% failure rate after a month. But a failed sensor wont stop a trip. With the bike being a 09 theres a good chance it has the latter sensors in it as well..which ups the scale some more

Excellent recommendations so far, I have a couple Rostra installs listed on our knowledge base page, wrote by legends in the Concours World ..

Knowledge Base

murphskits.com murphskits.com

Ive drop carrying the units as they are readily available..do have some supporting hardware not listed on the site



..
 
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WOw!

SOme of the best advise out there has already come your way. I read it in depth and reread it as it is so good. On my 3rd Connie and working on getting to 300K miles.

Abate course or an advanced rider course if you have not taken one already. Get good gear and wear it. I had mid level gear (Olympia and Kawasaki GA gear I brought back from the UK) Then practice turns, emergency stops and manuvers each and every ride

Went from this

Blue RIdge..jpg

to this a couple of months later when some dude pulled through a stop sign without looking. ATGATT and evasive manuevers were all that kept me alive.

accbike7.jpeg Acc ankle.jpglegs.jpg



Now it is Motoport gear, Forma ADV boots, Shoei Helmets and practice practice practice. Every ride. EMergency Stops, Evasive manuvers, Quick turns. Every ride. And don't trust anyone.... Use hand signals and let them know ....wave them through stop signs and direct them so there is no question.

Mackinaw.jpg

The advice in this thread is really good. I want to do a trip to the left coast through Vegas to see friends and country along the way. Curious to see how you rode as a youngster and see if there is a difference in gear and riding habits with time, wisdom and experiences under your belt.
 
FREEBIRD6 / Boy that hurts my heart to see all those screws & plates in your legs. I was in pin traction in San Diego Naval hospital for 6 months. I dislocated my left shoulder and broke it in two rt under the ball socket. I could not get out of bed. Had to use a bed pan to use the bathroom. The nurse that took care of me was so nice. I had a CZ-360 and a bike pulled out in front of me and I tried to lay it down and those knobbies grabbed and I went hard rt over on my left shoulder.

Dean
 
I only have one plate in one ankle from dropping a fully dressed 850 Suzuki on it. Rode about 40 miles home that way.
 
Maybe after all these ankle x-ray wars, we should give Chris some advice on boots? Clearly some of you know what boots don't protect your ankles enough.
I have Red Wing boots because, 1)waterproof membrane, 2) steel toe, 3) re-soleable, and 4) thick sole aids my inseam length. However, I don't think they have much ankle protection accept for abraision.
 
Not fun reading about wrecks.
fartymarty said:
Maybe after all these ankle x-ray wars, we should give Chris some advice on boots? Clearly some of you know what boots don't protect your ankles enough.
I have Red Wing boots because, 1)waterproof membrane, 2) steel toe, 3) re-soleable, and 4) thick sole aids my inseam length. However, I don't think they have much ankle protection accept for abraision.
Click to expand...
Ty
 
At that point in the game I didn't own any gear other than a helmet. That's what can be learned from me with the above story. It might not be a fun story, but it might save someone else. I'd also be interested in hearing about boots that can stop an 850 cc or larger bike from breaking bones when it falls on your ankle. Does such a thing exist?

When my son low sided. He was wearing boots. Spiral break of his tibia that required a nail and a splinter fracture to the fibula. One lesson learned from that experience was that gear doesn't always save you. Gear is great, but don't think it makes one invincible. I own good gear and use it, so don't think I'm knocking wearing good gear.
 
fartymarty said:
Maybe after all these ankle x-ray wars, we should give Chris some advice on boots? Clearly some of you know what boots don't protect your ankles enough.
I have Red Wing boots because, 1)waterproof membrane, 2) steel toe, 3) re-soleable, and 4) thick sole aids my inseam length. However, I don't think they have much ankle protection accept for abraision.
Click to expand...
I wear Alpinestar Toucan GTX boots. They are very well reinforced and designed to dissipate impacts.

I’ve worn them from 109*F to 19*F, they get a little hot above 90*F but what real boot doesn’t?

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
Boots.jpgboots2.jpg


Only boots I have worn for 10 years since I started protecting the ankles. Forma ADVs walk like tennis shoes and protect the ankles Waterproof and comfy. When the right starts walking over to the outside I get a new pair. Walk all day in them with great support. When some smart azz started making fun of me at the Spyder ride for wearing "motocross boots" I will forever thank the COGGER who jumped in and set him straight and let him know I was protecting "million dollar ankles" . I would recommend them to anyone and wish I would have been wearing them instead of the "touring boots' I had on when was in the wreck......
 
freebird6 said:
View attachment 35845View attachment 35846


When some smart azz started making fun of me at the Spyder ride for wearing "motocross boots" I will forever thank the COGGER who jumped in and set him straight and let him know I was protecting "million dollar ankles" . I would recommend them to anyone and wish I would have been wearing them instead of the "touring boots' I had on when was in the wreck......
Click to expand...
Same with the Toucan’s I wear, the support is amazing and looking back now realize I was on borrowed time with the touring boots.

Regarding uninformed comments - PPE I wear is for Performance and not for Optics - get outta here with that tripe. Lol

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
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Reactions: Bud
freebird6 said:
View attachment 35845View attachment 35846


Only boots I have worn for 10 years since I started protecting the ankles. Forma ADVs walk like tennis shoes and protect the ankles Waterproof and comfy. When the right starts walking over to the outside I get a new pair. Walk all day in them with great support. When some smart azz started making fun of me at the Spyder ride for wearing "motocross boots" I will forever thank the COGGER who jumped in and set him straight and let him know I was protecting "million dollar ankles" . I would recommend them to anyone and wish I would have been wearing them instead of the "touring boots' I had on when was in the wreck......
Click to expand...
2andblue said:
Same with the Toucan’s I wear, the support is amazing and looking back now realize I was on borrowed time with the touring boots.

Regarding uninformed comments - PPE I wear is for Performance and not for Optics - get outta here with that tripe. Lol

Wayne, Carol & Blue
Click to expand...

Those (Forma & Toucan's) look like good boots, I'm not sure my riding pants would fit over the tops of those....am I wrong?.... or do you guys have shorter riding pants?...or do you tuck them inside the boot (sounds uncomfortable)?
I might as well learn something here along with Chris so I don't get some xrays of my own to brag about. 🤞
;)
 
Bud said:
I think they would fit under my aerostich suit. Not sure about the motoport.
Click to expand...
They fit under my riding pants, Olympia, no biggie at all.

When riding I usually wear a thin base layer that if the long version tucks into the boots and no issue. Short base layer of course no issue.

My everyday office dress pants used to fit over my touring boots as well, now I do need to tuck them into my boots.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
fartymarty said:
Those (Forma & Toucan's) look like good boots, I'm not sure my riding pants would fit over the tops of those....am I wrong?.... or do you guys have shorter riding pants?...or do you tuck them inside the boot (sounds uncomfortable)?
I might as well learn something here along with Chris so I don't get some xrays of my own to brag about. 🤞
;)
Click to expand...
I wear mine with Motoports but I can wear them with Levi's and Olympia Mesh pants as well.
 
Thanks for the feedback on pants and boots guys.

I'll pass along another tip, which may seem obvious to most but unfortunately wasn't to me when I purchased my original riding pants. My riding pants maker advertised that the pants I was buying were designed to be easily tailored for length if needed. I found what I thought was a reasonably priced tailor to do the job. I thought that even though it was going to be obvious that I was height challenged, I didn't need to advertise it more by having my riding pants all bunched up at the bottom, so I did it. However, my tailor wasn't familiar at all with motorcycle gear (and at that point I wasn't much either :rolleyes: ) so he marked new pants length with me standing instead of sitting and straddling a stool. This resulted in a great length of pants when I'm standing around in the parking lot, but not so great when riding. My blue jeans hang out underneath the riding pants and wick up moisture which moves up under the riding pants when I'm in heavy rain. It never reaches my knees but still, it should have been avoided with a bit more forethought on my part. :unsure: (DOH! Homer Simpson emoticon goes here)

 
fartymarty said:
Thanks for the feedback on pants and boots guys.

I'll pass along another tip, which may seem obvious to most but unfortunately wasn't to me when I purchased my original riding pants. My riding pants maker advertised that the pants I was buying were designed to be easily tailored for length if needed. I found what I thought was a reasonably priced tailor to do the job. I thought that even though it was going to be obvious that I was height challenged, I didn't need to advertise it more by having my riding pants all bunched up at the bottom, so I did it. However, my tailor wasn't familiar at all with motorcycle gear (and at that point I wasn't much either :rolleyes: ) so he marked new pants length with me standing instead of sitting and straddling a stool. This resulted in a great length of pants when I'm standing around in the parking lot, but not so great when riding. My blue jeans hang out underneath the riding pants and wick up moisture which moves up under the riding pants when I'm in heavy rain. It never reaches my knees but still, it should have been avoided with a bit more forethought on my part. :unsure: (DOH! Homer Simpson emoticon goes here)

Click to expand...
Ooops
 
Ok I've done a couple 6 hours rides. Everything was fine, but if I was riding the next day I'd have chafing fir sure. I have an 09 concour with a Corbin seat. Any suggestions for underwear or ideas
 
chris9622 said:
Ok I've done a couple 6 hours rides. Everything was fine, but if I was riding the next day I'd have chafing fir sure. I have an 09 concour with a Corbin seat. Any suggestions for underwear or ideas
Click to expand...
AirHawk - We can ride all day without issues. Economical, adjustable firmness, riding on air, super easy install / removal and very durable (have one 10 yrs old ~130K miles).
 
+1 on the airhawk, it has saved me on the C-10. Underwear has seams, seams cause problems for me after about 100 miles and above 85F. Cycle gear has a product called "heat out", essentially yoga pants made of a space age material that has no seams and wicks moisture. I wear it only under my mesh over pants.
 
Wow, Revzilla been giving Cycle Gear some marketing lessons...change the name from Heat-Out to AXIAL and double the price.
I'm sure the price used to be like $9.99 and then on sale for $6.99.

I just looked at the Axial Base shorts and in my opinion those are going to be awful...they've moved the seams to right under each cheek....compare the photos to the Axial compression shorts to see what I mean. I pulled out a pair of my old Heat-Out shorts and the seam is in the butt crack.

Almost anything with a seam down the butt crack instead of around the legs or under the cheeks will work. Some regular athletic compression shorts work as well.
Boxers will bunch up in different places and cause hot spots that you'll be pulling at as you go down the road...so I advise against those. Tighty whities will hurt under the upper thigh where the leg openings are so those don't work for me either.

The Iron Butt set swears by LD Comfort gear but it can be pricy at $55 per pair of shorts. I have one pair and they are good, and much better than Heat Out shorts when going up to the urinal.
 
chris9622 said:
Hey everyone, my name is Chris Harris and I live in Birmingham Alabama.

Clothing needed for trip:
I have no clue what's good or junk
Click to expand...

kzz1king said:
Has a pocket to keep the beans and weiner sperated so you dont have to adjust all the time.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry Chris, in your asking for clothing advice, some of the guys here got carried away with their answers.
Not all of us need different loading pouches in our underwear, and some others brag a bit.
Simply finding some that don't have seams in the sitting areas should suffice. The rest of the underwear junk I'm sure you'll be able to work out by yourself without help from us. :rolleyes:
 
chris9622 said:
Ok I've done a couple 6 hours rides. Everything was fine, but if I was riding the next day I'd have chafing fir sure. I have an 09 concour with a Corbin seat. Any suggestions for underwear or ideas
Click to expand...
If the chafing is from overheating/sweating, in addition to what's already been suggested, you might look into one of these. https://windriderseatcovers.com/products/air?variant=37025668792481.

You may need to call/email them to discuss the Corbin seat, but I have had no 'swamp crotch' since putting that seat cover on my bike. Full disclosure, I live in the Pacific Northwest and most of our temps are pretty mild, but I've been on the bike in several 88+ degree days (but low humidity), and I'm not sweating like I used to before adding that seat cover.

The company must have merged/bought-out another company because they used to be called Air-Flow Seat Covers. I hope their products are still as good as they used to be.
 
Hello
I found this on ALI express and it’s great
berna1201.over-blog.com

Bas résille noir pour Grisette ! - Berna1201

Montage 5 à 10 minutes, c'est une housse avec un élastique tout le tour et 3 sangles velcro sur la longueur pour pouvoir ajuster le serrage dans la largeur de la selle, j'ai fait une 10 ene de KM et on sent bien l'air qui circule entre la selle et le...
berna1201.over-blog.com berna1201.over-blog.com
 
runnerb0y said:
If the chafing is from overheating/sweating, in addition to what's already been suggested, you might look into one of these. https://windriderseatcovers.com/products/air?variant=37025668792481.

You may need to call/email them to discuss the Corbin seat, but I have had no 'swamp crotch' since putting that seat cover on my bike. Full disclosure, I live in the Pacific Northwest and most of our temps are pretty mild, but I've been on the bike in several 88+ degree days (but low humidity), and I'm not sweating like I used to before adding that seat cover.

The company must have merged/bought-out another company because they used to be called Air-Flow Seat Covers. I hope their products are still as good as they used to be.
Click to expand...
I wonder how it would be over an airhawk pad.
 
hammerash said:
Rostra 250-1223 is the right kit, correct? Besides a switch, what else is needed that is not in that kit?
Click to expand...
Didn't see anyone answer ur question. . Correct. And the kit needs nothing else besides the switch. Get the one that shows its powered on and backlit...
 
Konehead34 said:
Didn't see anyone answer ur question. . Correct. And the kit needs nothing else besides the switch. Get the one that shows its powered on and backlit...
Click to expand...
Also if you go with the rostra I have the instructions that Murph had/has on his site. If needed I can email them or are they archived on this site?
 
Konehead34 said:
Didn't see anyone answer ur question. . Correct. And the kit needs nothing else besides the switch. Get the one that shows its powered on and backlit...
Click to expand...
It also needs a relay for the brake light circuit, I didn't see it pictured in the Amazon kit. I also recommend some posi-tap connectors instead of the automotive clamshell ones supplied with the kit.
 
connie_rider said:
I understand that ONOBob prefers these...

Men's Ice Silk Breathable Boxer Briefs Plus Size Elastic - Temu

Check out this 3pcs set mens ice silk breathable boxer briefs plus size elastic stretch thin underwear for summer on Temu. Shop now for limited-time deals. You may also like other Men's Underwear & Sleepwear products.
www.temu.com www.temu.com

Ride safe, Ted
Click to expand...

Weeeelllllll now……
If they’re as cool and comfortable as silk socks I might try em 😁😁😁

( I’ve only had one pair of silk socks in my life. A friend of mine left em at my house back in the 70s. They belonged to his dad, Judge Jones)
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
 
Konehead34 said:
Didn't see anyone answer ur question. . Correct. And the kit needs nothing else besides the switch. Get the one that shows its powered on and backlit...
Click to expand...
kzz1king said:
Also if you go with the rostra I have the instructions that Murph had/has on his site. If needed I can email them or are they archived on this site?
Click to expand...
fartymarty said:
It also needs a relay for the brake light circuit, I didn't see it pictured in the Amazon kit. I also recommend some posi-tap connectors instead of the automotive clamshell ones supplied with the kit.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. I assumed that was right kit. I have the instructions. Haven't pulled the pin on a kit yet. maybe a winter project? I know several places to mount-actually probably a lot of places. Low and behind radiator on left and high below the right side inner cover (thats what called per manual) seem to be most used. advantages/disadvantages of each?
 
Mine is high and on the right. The instructions I have show in low left. I didnt install it but have done 2 C10's.
 
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