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[trikester]

Today I did a 9.3 mile dirt ride, in 100 degree (F) heat starting and ending at my desert cabin with no problems. I was on my 2012 DS and it preformed flawlessly. I also got to try out my new handlebar mouted momentary switch that puts it into ECO mode and lights the brake light for max regen slowing. It worked well and was very useful on the ride.

A week ago there was a big thunder storm that put major water flows in all of the normally dry washes in the area where my deser cabin is. This provides an opportunity to do legal rides on un-roaded dry wash surfaces. The flows take away any sign of the double track "Jeep" roads that are normally there. But since they are legal routs of travel, in the desert state park, it is like having permission to ride "off trail". I rode up a wash/canyon named "View of the Badlands". A four wheel vehicle had started up the canyon but a new rockfall not far from the entrance had turned them around. I could slalom between the boulders on my bike. from that point on it was "virgin" dirt.

The motor had a pretty good load, even though the gradient wasn't very steep, because the newly deposited soil was sandy and soft in many places. I could feel the rear wheel bogging down often. At a couple of places I parked and did some hiking so the bike had some time to cool down (if that's possible in bright, hot, sun). However, I never had any indication that anything was getting too hot.

The day ended up with a high of 106 so I'm glad I finished my ride at only 100 degrees.

After getting back to my cabin I let the bike "cool" in my garage (not very cool in there) about a half hour before connecting the charger. No problems with the charger either.

See the photo of my solo bike track, about 200 yards from the top end of the canyon. There is usually a well defined double track "Jeep" trail there.

BTW - This ride would have been impossible with the factory tires. My wheels would have been sliding around on the tight turns and no traction on the rear.

Trikester

[manlytom]

great -- might as well be the "Long Way Round" somewhere in the desert .... any pics with the bike and scenery ?

[Richard230]

Thanks for the ride report, Trikester. That sounds like fun and I am happy to hear that your 2012 DS got you there and back without having to pump any gas.   

Speaking of gas, last night the Bay Area's Chevron refinery caught on fire and covered the local neighborhoods with toxic fumes and an oil mist.  The fire is out now but the news media is already reporting that this will cause gas prices to go up in CA - even though the fire was in a diesel production unit.  It is nice to be able to ride right past gas stations and not need to look at the latest increased price for fuel.   

[trikester]

As you wish, manlytom. I only took two photos with the bike in them so I picked this one as the best. The bike is parked at the very top of the canyon. Behind me is where the top of a different drainage starts. In the distance is the spot I took the other photo that I posted (you can spot the green ocotillo that is close on the left in the first photo).

Trikester

[ed5000]

Beautiful scenery Trikester.  I'd love to take my DS out there. 

I saw the refinery fire on the news last night after they just mentioned we had a nationwide 14 cent increase in gas.  I used to cringe when the news media would predict an increase in gas prices because of a storm or refinery mishap.  Local gas stations imediately raise their price around here even though their stock was bought before the mishap.  

[JuicyBurger]

Hey guys;

Not thread hijacking or anything, but I'd like to post my experience in hot weather too. I live in Chandler, Arizona and I've ridden 2000 miles so far this summer on my 2012 S ZF6 (and it's been hot - mostly over 100 degrees). Seems to be holding up fine, maybe 100 miles of that has been off road (rocky dirt roads). The only downside is I can't sustain over 63 mph on the freeway without overheating. Sometimes I can get a few miles going faster before it starts to flash, but after that the limit is 63. I don't park it in direct sunlight, as per the manual, except for a few times a month at lunch when I don't get shade.

[protomech]

Even in 100 degree temperatures I had no problems maintaining 70+ mph here, at least for the 3-4 miles that I need to hop on the interstate.

If you ride at lower temperatures - say, in the morning - what's the maximum and sustained speeds you are able to reach?

[trikester]

One thing on my dirt ride was - no shade, zilch, zip, none. When I left the bike twice to hike it sat in full sun. Hence the comment about searing my butt when I got back on the bike. I mean real pain for a couple of minutes. I was riding in shorts so I couldn't touch the sides of the bike with my knees unless it was absolutely necessary for control.

Trikester

[JuicyBurger]

Well most of my distance is right in mid-day when it's about 115 degrees out. Yeah, I've had a few butt searing moments too -- I've probably had maybe 10 times now where I haven't had shade to park it at lunch and it's pretty hot, although I wear jeans every day so it's not too bad. I just got back from a 30 mile ride @ about 115 degrees and when I gave my girlfriend a hug I forgot that I was at 115 degrees too!

I can maintain 70+ for 3-4 miles too before it starts to warn me - it's after that when I can't sustain over 63ish. Mid - day at 115 degrees I've hit 90 on the freeway, so max speed isn't really affected by ambient temperature. There was one time where it was closer to 87 degrees when I had the same sustained problem of 63 mph on a 20 mile ride. Mornings are still 100+ so doesn't help there!

[Richard230]

My recommendation to improve the hot-butt symptom is to install a sheepskin covering over your seat. They are relatively cheap, will fit any motorcycle seat and will keep your butt cool and comfy.

[trikester]

Will the sheepskin cover also make the seat less slippery? At times when I want my butt way back on the seat, in steep downhill descents, it's hard to keep it there because of the slick seat surface. I have the Corbin low profile seat.

I envy those riding the highway at speed in 115 degree heat. At my slow pace, in a narrow canyon, heat radiating off the cliff walls, and zero wind, I probably would have enjoyed some fast air blowing over me at 115* & 70 mph as opposed to no perceivable air flow at 100* & 6 to 10 mph.  Once in a while, a section of canyon would allow me to briefly "open it up" to 20 or 25mph and it did feel good!

[Richard230]

I just tried out my sheepskin seat pad on my 2012 Zero S, with its low Corbin saddle.  It works great and neither the pad nor my butt slip on the seat. 

The one I have is the Butt Buffer brand (www.buttbuffer.com) according to the tag under the pad.  It clips to each side of the seat with a metal clip about an inch wide, or you can forgo the clips and just use the straps under the seat to secure it.  Actually, it seems to work pretty well by just placing it on top of the seat and sitting on it.  I didn't notice any slippage.  The pad makes the seat more level and adds about a half inch to the seat height.  You will want to get the smallest pad available as the Zero seat is very narrow and the sides of my pad extend over the sides of the seat. I think I have a medium pad, but I can't recall for sure as I bought it a couple of years ago for my F650GS to place on top of the stock seat (another nasty seat) and when I bought a Sargent seat I no longer needed to use the pad.

[trikester]

OK great, thanks for the info. I'll check out the butt  buffer (great name)

[JuicyBurger]

It's counter-intuitive, but the more you're moving in 115 degree weather the worse it is. I wear a mesh jacket (which is not what you're supposed to) and it's just convective heating of your body. You are 115 degrees when done which is slightly more well done than you should be. The cooling from sweat that you get you can't even feel because it's so insignificant compared to 70 mph 115 degree air - you don't even have any sweat on you until you stop at a light. The worst is stopping at a light and realizing you're not sweating anymore since you can't tell while you're moving! (time for a GAS station break to get some water)