Long day's cold journey into night. A little product review
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:31 am
Given that I bought a Gerbing heated pants liner a month ago, I decided to attach the cable that came with it to my SV650's battery terminals this morning. Ever since I had the Yoshimura pipe installed, I've been itching to take the SV on a longish ride. I therefore went for a spin that spanned about 250 miles through the mountains of northwestern Virginia (Sorry CycleRob for missing your call - I was blissfully riding when you called). I got to a buddy's place in Harrisonburg, hung out for a while, and then rode back late in the evening. Daytime temps were tolerable, but the temp dropped precipitously after the sun set. It was a darn good thing I had the Gerbing liner on, because without it I would have been miserable.
The bike feels and sounds great. It ain't no RC51, but it's no slouch. A SV with aftermarket pipes like the Yoshi should be dealer-installed standard. I haven't had this much fun in a few years.
Too bad the stock SV650's alternator only puts out about 275 watts. The pant liner is about the only thing I can hook up without draining the battery while riding. Far cry from the 630 or so watts the stock R1150R alternator cranks out. I am of course going to get the Gerbing jacket and gloves so I can ride the Roadster on long distance trips. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but my tolerance level for low temperatures is diminishing. Given that it was about 25 degrees and I could tolerate the 1.5 hour ride back from Harrisonburg to Haymarket, I can say that with the heated liner the SV makes for a suitable commuter in the dead of winter in the mid-Atlantic. With heated jacket and gloves as well as the pants, the Roadster with its high-cap alternator is now a good comfortable tourer. This of course is provided it doesn't snow or sleet.
Four years ago, I rode to Atlanta from Blacksburg in 25 - 30 degree weather without any heated clothing. It seems that I can't do that anymore and I need electronic assistance. Getting older sucks, but at least technology helps to mitigate some of its effects.
The bike feels and sounds great. It ain't no RC51, but it's no slouch. A SV with aftermarket pipes like the Yoshi should be dealer-installed standard. I haven't had this much fun in a few years.
Too bad the stock SV650's alternator only puts out about 275 watts. The pant liner is about the only thing I can hook up without draining the battery while riding. Far cry from the 630 or so watts the stock R1150R alternator cranks out. I am of course going to get the Gerbing jacket and gloves so I can ride the Roadster on long distance trips. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but my tolerance level for low temperatures is diminishing. Given that it was about 25 degrees and I could tolerate the 1.5 hour ride back from Harrisonburg to Haymarket, I can say that with the heated liner the SV makes for a suitable commuter in the dead of winter in the mid-Atlantic. With heated jacket and gloves as well as the pants, the Roadster with its high-cap alternator is now a good comfortable tourer. This of course is provided it doesn't snow or sleet.
Four years ago, I rode to Atlanta from Blacksburg in 25 - 30 degree weather without any heated clothing. It seems that I can't do that anymore and I need electronic assistance. Getting older sucks, but at least technology helps to mitigate some of its effects.
