Shifting Gears Episode 1

Dave

Now be sure to tune in next week to follow the progression of this 14^th Ultimate Ride, it’s a good one. Meanwhile, we’re going to kick off the twenty-sixth season of Motorcycle Experience by celebrating Honda’s 40^th anniversary of their iconic touring machine the Honda Gold Wing. And in order to pay tribute to the art of touring, we’re going to spend some time with a guy who’s spent a lot of time in the saddle of a Gold Wing, Ken Edick.

Ken, this week on winging it, you want to talk about layering it up and as a result you’ve turned the gold wing into a bit of a clothes line.   Tell me, what do you mean by layering up, why do you want to start out all covered in gear.

Ken

Because typically when you start out in the morning it’s going to be cooler than any point that that day will unfold to and if you run a little later in the day, you’re going to fall right back into that. So be ready for the two extremes and you can peel down to accommodate yourself during the middle of the day.

Dave

The premise being: start out with more gear than you need, you don’t want to get cold, I’m assuming, right.

Ken

Correct. Because once you get a chill on a bike it’s hard to overcome it without stopping and going inside a building. So start warm… you can dial down, you can open up things then you can stop and peel off a whole layer of clothing if it comes to that point.

Dave

So I see the first thing that we’re starting with is the heated vest. I just recently got into this whole heated vest thing and it’s a game changer… any tips in terms of how to wear a heated vest.

Ken

I’ve found, over a period of time, that it was better to put it closest to my body. So I start off with a cotton t-shirt, I put that on next, then I put a sweatshirt over top of that to keep that all inside underneath my riding jacket. Then, with the dialing of the heat element I can dial it up to hot or slow cook or turn it off completely.

Dave

So insulate it and keep the heat inside. Three kinds of gloves, this is what you travel with obviously these are your thick ones with the gauntlet so you don’t get any wind up your sleeve and then eventually throughout the day and then full on light weights.

Ken

Light weights. I always wear gloves all the time but even at the hottest point of the day these are a porous material that lets the air circulate through but I’ve still got the minimum protection to help me out there. So I never ride without them.

Dave

So, no matter where you’re going, no matter what kind of tour, this is the kind of kit you take with you?

Ken

Other than the dead of summer, the vest was the only part of the bike all summer long.

Dave

What happens if you blow it – you forget this or you didn’t predict this or you don’t dress accordingly – what can happen when you start out riding and you do get chill?

Ken

Get yourself out of the element, get inside a building, get inside a clothing store. Maybe that’s what you have to buy, that one piece – you can always have a back-up. But get out of it because hypothermia can make you start to do some silly things.

Dave

The thought process changes.

Ken

Just gone.

Dave

Awesome. Well that’s some great advice for touring on a Wing. Thanks.

Ken

Thank-you.

VO

Next week, be sure to tune in as we will continue to once again tap Ken for some key advice on touring in the rain. Up next, we’ll kick off our ultimate Yamaha challenge and get some very important tips on shopping for a motorcycle. Stay with us.