[ST] Product Review / Ride Report

["STeve Duncan" <xhippy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Christmas morning broke with bright sunshine and frigid temps.  Just what I 
was hoping for.  I waited for the sun to get up and dawned my riding gear.  
Specifically, my just new Gerbings electric jacket liner, and worn twice 
Wintex leather pants. Went out to the garage and warmed up my BLACK beauty 
and prepared to ride.  Temp at noon was about 45.F.  First thing I noticed 
as I hit the road north was that the "zook" anti-fog wax I had applied to my 
shield and glasses really works!  Absolutely *no fogging*.  Great stuff I 
picked up at the M/C show, Dallas, highly recommended.

After about 10 min's, as I was making my way out of town, I began to 
appreciate the Gerbings.  Man this thing was keeping me nice and toasty!  I 
had to turn down the thermostat by a 1/4 as my back and arms were nice and 
hot.  I never really felt direct heat on my chest as the forward riding 
position caused a bit of a gap.  BUT, this did not seem to matter as my 
chest, arms and back never got cold the whole day, even at speeds reaching a 
buck-30.  The temp never got above 48.F and I was a warm, toasty little 
bugger the whole day.  The leather pants worked equally as well, though not 
*electric*, the combo of their thickness, the wind protection offered by the 
faring on the ST, and a pair of "cool-stuff" thermo long-johns was all I 
needed.

Triumph's  "Explorer" gloves did the trick for my hands, although I can see 
the heated grips, or Gerbings heated glove liners (they plug right into the 
jacket sleeve ends) could be a real plus.  The only part of me that got the 
least bit cold were my toes, not my whole feet, just the toes, and that was 
only after about three hours into the ride.  I think the next purchase will 
be the Gerbing's heated socks (again, plug directly into the jacket).

Overall, I give the Gerbing's product a hearty endorsement. The jacket liner 
kept me warm during 4 1/2 hours of riding in the 40's and this while wearing 
it under my FULL PERF Triumph leather jacket!!!  I can't imagine how well I 
would perform with a real winter jacket.

After all these years of freezing my ass of, I don't know why I didn't go 
"electric" sooner. Cause I'm a masochist?  Just dumb?  These are rhetorical 
questions, no response required. :]

The ride itself was nearly transcendental.  Beautiful bright blue skies.  
Empty backroads, twisting and winding there way north and east of the city.  
I found a few *new* ones that I have marked on my map.  Amazing that after 
ten years of riding this area, I still find a surprise now and then.  This 
was one of those days when it all came together; the right gear, the right 
roads, and the right attitude.  I thank God for days like these, it's what I 
live for.  Now if I can just put together another 3-day or 5-day, or 10-day 
trip.......let's see, New Mexico, Arizona, or California???  Let the games 
begin......again.



STeve Duncan
'00 Sprint-ST, Black as Nite
Dallas, Tx

"you don't know that you don't know what you don't know"


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