what's cookin'?

While researching the Ulysses, I heard stories of the seat getting hot and right legs being roasted.  During my test ride, I didn't notice it all.  I was wearing my AGV Telluride pants (McMark and I both have them) with a pair of jeans squeezed under them.  I could have been so distracted by the newness of the experience that the heat didn't register.  Also, I didn't get stuck in any slow speed situations.  However, during my spirited ride in southern Indiana, my arse and surrounding areas got uncomfortably warm, while my right thigh felt like it was up against our woodstove.  Not fun.  So, I started to look into how other Ulysses owners dealt with this issue.

There are few heat solutions out there ranging from the Spec Ops heat blanket, products from DEI and home brew solutions using aluminum tape and some sort of heat barrier.  This project is the later.

Using an old Kevlar vest I had laying around the garage, what doesn't everyone have old body armor in their shop?  I cut out the panels and removed all the stitching so I could use individual layers of kevlar.

Using the weird plastic sheeting that was sandwiched with the Kevlar, I made a very rough template.  I wanted it to cover the gap between the frame, seat and airbox on the right hand side.  This is were a good amount of heat escapes and cooks your thigh.

While I was tinkering with the heat blanket, I also used two layers of Kevlar and some tape to cover the top of the RHS air deflector.  This is rumored to help pull air away from the RHS of the rear cylinder and keep it off your leg.  

Trying to do everything I can to keep my personal areas at a reasonable temperature, I added a few layers of the tape to the bottom of the seat pan. 

Some of the other heat blankets go all the to the back of the underseat area.  I didn't want to cover my ECM, battery and fuse box with the blanket and cook them to a slow death, so I stopped just after the fan shroud.  With my template ready, I drug out the sewing machine and got to work.  Using 4 layers of Kevlar and some Kevlar thread I purchased from Fly Masters, got to work cranking out my homebrew version of a heat blanket.  The sewing machine did well, almost better than it has on other fabrics.

After a quick test fit, I wrapped it in the aluminum tape.  I had planned to only wrap the side facing the engine but I wasn't paying attention and started on the wrong side.  Oops.  

It's not pretty but it was basically free!  Seems to close off all the gaps but I did have to fold the RHS tab that goes down by the rear cylinder.  It was too close and I don't want my heat barrier to turn into a heat sink. 

I'll put some miles on and report back.   Hopefully this will solve my burning issue or else my next project will be liquid cooled pants.  

new friends

I added a few new links to the blog roll, check 'em out.


Tucson Bonnie (Tons of cool pics of rides around the great American Southwest)

Good Spark Garage (an awesome moto site located right here in Indy)

I also added a link so you can email us here at the blog.

Think we're doing a good job? Let us know!
Think we suck and that each post makes the internet a worse place? Let us know!
Want to send us something cool to review? Let us know!


The Indiana winter is finally dying off, I promise some good moto content is in the works.  We just need life and the weather to cooperate.

monkey bikes and memories

I've been browsing Craigslist to get a few ideas on bikes for ShrewsieQ and I ran across this:

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/3577782864.html

How can this not be a complete blast!?!

As a kid, I was obsessed with the Honda Trail 70 that was left to rot in the corner of my friends' garage.  His  parents probably got tired of their son's nerdy friend bugging them about it.  They were lucky enough to live outside of town with plenty of room for dirt bikes.  So eventually, they bought an XR80 for my friend and what seemed giant at the time, an XL200 for his Dad.  I lived in town and the closest I ever came to owning a dirt bike was the Tecumseh Mini bike I had for a summer.  I got in trouble on it a few times and eventually broke the pull starter.  It mysteriously vanished from the garage one weekend, never to return. 

Throughout the summer, I rode on the back of the XR80 a few times and my bike fever got worse every time.  I would spend hours devouring the pages of Dennis Kirk catalogs and the local For Sale ads dreaming about bikes, helmets and all the possibilities.  I rode the XR80 a few times, always limited to within his Dad's line of sight.  

I told ShrewsieQ that when we have kids, I won't deprive them of two wheeled joy.  There are plenty of safe ways for kids to get the motorcycle bug.  

I still really want an orange 80's XR80.  

over the edge

(VIDEO CONTAINS NSFW LANGUAGE)



Follow the thread for the full story.

Another great reason for ATGATT and being prepared for the worst with products like SPOT Trackers.