Ready For the Road
READY FOR THE ROAD
GARMIN GONE MAD
Having six million-plus points of interest at your fingertips is a wonderful thing.
But when you want to see the big picture, zooming out on an itty-bitty screen just doesn’t cut it, especially with riding buddies peeking over your shoulder. A better choice is a traditional map that you can fold out on a picnic table or the bed of your hotel room.
That’s why
Garmin’s zümo 550 ($964; www.garmin.com) and Mad Maps’ Get Outta Town series ($6 per map, $30 for four-map Tour Packs with nylon carrying case; www.madmaps.com) are such great companions. Mated to our Rocket III Touring testbike using a chrome Techmount 1-inch handlebar mount ($70; www. techmounts.com), the Bluetooth-enabled zümo proved rugged, powerful and easy to read at a glance. And its 3.5-inch color touch screen responded immediately to glove-handed inputs. The durable, 12 x 24-inch GOT maps focus on scenic and challenging two-lane backroads, highlighting “funky, quirky and fascinating” roadside attractions along the way. Newly available electronic versions download turn-by-turn directions and even more attractions to your zümo.
With this combination, making a sidetrip to Tortilla Flats for Prickly Pear Ice Cream has never been easier. -Matthew Miles
TOOL TIME
Obviously, it’s not possible to drag a rollaway tool chest behind your bike on a long ride. But as we found on our four-day bagger comparison, the Powersport Utility Bag from Stealth Workshop ($130; www.stealthwork shop.com) lets you carry along a large and useful variety of tools to deal with most on-theroad mechanical problems that might crop up.
Though it looks like you might find a bowling ball inside, the Utility Bag flips open to reveal multiple storage locations for tools or other items (camera, GPS, cleaning equipment, your navel lint collection, etc.). The two large outer pocket “wings” can hold lots of tools, even hammers and large wrenches, while two zip-off pouches have little pockets for organizing smaller items. There also are two clear-faced storage pouches, and the base contains a removable plastic tray that can serve as a work surface or small-parts holder during a repair. The bottom of the bag is rubberized so it won’t slide around when placed on a seat while work is in progress.
Gear that will help get you where you want to go
SWS sells a $30 Travel/Mounting Kit for lashing the bag to a passenger seat or luggage rack, but a couple of bungees did the trick just fine on our ride. Whether for basic maintenance at home or a repair on the road, the Powersports Utility Bag is a handy item to have by your side-or behind you. -Paul Dean
KEEP YOUR COOL
Staying cool in temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit couldn’t have been easier for CW Road Test Editor Don Canet and me thanks to TechNiche’s Evaporative Cooling Vests ($35; www.techniche-intl. com). We tried both the zip-up Standard Sport (pictured), and the pullover Ultra Sport; same concept, different styles.
The vests use Polymer Embedded Fabric (PEF) topped with a quilted nylon outer shell and a waterrepellant nylon liner; the lightweight, scoop-neck Ultra Sport adds mesh ventilation panels. Use is simple: Soak in water (we used an ice chest) for 1-2 minutes, wring gently and don over a dry (soon wet) T-shirt. Best results come with a jacket that vents well; mesh is ideal. Figure two hours of use between soakings.
Criticisms? Slimy to the touch when wet, and stiff as cardboard when dry. Hard to beat, though, when it comes to keeping your core cool on a hot day. -Ryan Dudek
FEEL THE BREEZE
Cynics of mesh riding gear were True Believers by the time we returned to CW HQ following our cruise-fest. When crossing the desert in the heat of summer, mesh is a must.
Obviously, I didn’t need the removable insulated liner that comes standard with Joe Rocket’s Big Bang jacket ($175; www.joerocket.com).
CE-rated armor at the elbows, shoulders and back, however, was a welcome safety feature.
Adjustable forearm straps eliminated flapping at speed, and reflective piping kept me in the public eye at night.
I paired the 500-denier Hitena-nylon Big Bang with Phoenix 2.0 pants ($140). The lightweight Free-air polyester mesh shell conceals hip pads and adjustable knee armor, and the seat is reinforced with Rock Tex. Full-length side leg zippers and separate boot zips made entry easy.
Rocket Nation gloves ($40) combine poly/mesh tops with synthetic-leather palms. Velcro wrist closures guarantee a snug fit.
From what I saw of my soggy, sweaty Death Mongers M/C brothers, Joe Rocket gear was a good choice. -Mark Cernicky
FILL ’ER UP
We stopped for fuel and bike swaps every 150 miles or so.
Over 1400 miles, that equated to nine stops.
Carefully orchestrated eight-bike fill-ups-think Cirque du Soleil minus the spotlights and spandex-were made easier with Big Al’s McCuff ($20; www. mccuff.com).
Manufactured from a tough, rubbery aerospace-grade composite, the “no spill motorcycle fill” lets you fully fill your gas tank without splashing nasty chemicals on yourself or having to repeatedly remove the nozzle to eyeball the fuel level. One click and you’re topped off. It’s that easy. -Matthew Miles
