Winter commuting questions

[Mr Gazza]

An update on the heated socks I bought.
Well they came soon enough and there anything good ended.
The battery packs are not compatible with the 3.5mm plug on the socks, having two different sizes usb ports and a double ended usb lead with each size at the ends. Presumably this is the charging lead?
The "instructions" do not allude as to the purpose of the lead and do not state which port is for charging and which is for the socks.
I contacted "Heated Apparel" for info on what adapter I needed to connect socks and battery, and also clarification on the charging.
They told me I needed a 3.5mm adapter and gave no further info. I am still awaiting this info a week later. So I don't know what this 3.5mm adapter has to adapt to!!

Anyway I was keen to try them, so I chopped off the plugs and soldered a couple of spare usb charging leads on, using the larger A type plug into the battery.
Plugging the socks in instantly connected the power, while the "control" button on the batteries had no apparent function. Neither turning the power on or off, or changing the claimed three heat settings.
The very expensive Keis socks state that their's should be worn over a normal sock, although this is not mentioned with mine, I wore them over some thin socks anyway. (See notes on inner gloves further on.)
Heat is discernible with the single setting, but it feels a bit weird as the heating coils only go round the foot just inboard of my toes, so it gives a hot/cold sort of feeling. Warmish feet but cold toes!
To be honest it was better than having cold feet, as the new bike doesn't produce heat like the Monster, which I've never really suffered cold feet on.
I will probably persevere with other heated socks, but I'm not recommending these "Heated Apparel" ones at all. I'm giving them 5 stars, but not gold ones, more like rusty Sheriff's badges. I think they are sh!te, like their "customer support".

Just a note on heated grips, which have been mentioned above.
From my first experiences ever with heated grips over the last 2 or 3 weeks and about 100+ miles.
I found them a bit too warm on the lowest setting, while the backs of my hands and fingers were getting cold. However, if I wear my thin inner gloves it makes the warmth less uncomfortable on the grip side of my hands, then the inner gloves seem to let the warmth travel all round my hands and fingers and it's all rather nice and even and toasty, without being uncomfortable in any area. So that's a win and I'm pleased with that set up.

[Mr Gazza]

I thought I'd try the socks again on today's ride, but this time on their own rather than with an "under sock".
Fail one; they itch like a dead badger down each boot
Fail two; my feet felt very strange! A bit like that hot ache you get when things are warming back up from being properly freezing, and my right foot also felt wet, very strange!
Fail three; I took another pair of socks and put them on when I had got to my stop.
This revealed the perfect pattern of the heating wire in red lines on my feet.
As mentioned in the last post, there's nothing in the "instructions" about wearing the heated socks over a normal socks. Let's call that fail four, although it makes little difference to the sh!t show.
For what it's worth the batteries also appear to get hotter than the socks.

Remember the name.. Heated Apparel and don't bother.

[jamminbmx]

That is a properly excellent piece of consumer advice! Cheers!

[jamminbmx]

Anyone know why the carb'd monsters are so sensitive to carb icing? Rode to work today and it is 2 degC and 100% humidity. Bike would not idle properly and jerks around at lower revs. Really have to keep the revs up! Scared the sh8t out of some school children at a zebra

[slob]

long inlet tracts, to fit in the v (L)

pro fst or similar fuel additive?

[Mr Gazza]

I'm not sure that the inlet length has anything to do with icing, as the phenomenon occurs at the venturis, but it might put the carbs a long way from the engine heat, so allowing it to happen more readily?

Moisture is sucked out of the air when it is accelerated and the pressure drops dramatically, as in the venturi and also on the lifting surface of a wing at high speed and G.



That's a pretty graphic description of what's going on inside your carb.
There is also a temperature drop which can cause the vapour to freeze, as in con trails and carburettors. You have the goldilocks conditions for it @ 2 degrees and 100% humidity.

I think it's unlikely to have anything to do with the petrol except that it will rob further heat from the environment when trying to turn from a mist to a vapour.
I'm no scientist and can't see how a fuel additive works when the phenomenon is in the air/moisture part of the mixture.
I think it's better to treat the incoming air in some way. In the olden days of carburated cars, there was always a summer/winter position for the intake, with Winter being directly over the hot exhaust. That's tricky on a Monster though! Not much room under the tank to duct air from somewhere warmer?
Stopping the engine for a few seconds allows the heat to migrate into the carbs and thaw them out, sometimes it comes to the point when the ice stops it anyway!

I once stopped to help a stranded motorcyclist with a frozen carb. (I think it was a C15?) I suggested weeing on it would soon thaw it out. The poor rider just indicated their inability to do so all togged up against the cold, so I happily obliged and blow me it started and ran.
I got a lovely thank you letter from a Miss Carol McTavish.

[crawsue]

Ah! Good old Carol, didn’t realise she was still using that particular chat-up line, she had loads of success in diverse places like Plumstead, Small Heath and Meriden……

[jamminbmx]

That might explain it! My DR800 has no such issue but the carbs are mounted directly on the cylinder and exhaust header runs alongside the air intake. The airfilter is under my bottom which is also generally a warm zone.

Not sure weeing on my monster at the aforementioned zebra crossing would have been appropriate but a great tip for emergencies!

[900Rebuilder]

Had a Yamaha BWS 50 do this to me when working as a private postman in Nottingham maybe 20-25 years ago. Pulled up at house and let bike fall onto its sidestand at which point it picked itself back upright and rode off down the road until it hit a kerb square on and was launched 6ft up in the air landing on someones garden hedge with me running after it. The look on the bus drivers face parked up down the road on a fag break was priceless

[jamminbmx]

Excellent story!

[900Rebuilder]

Originally Posted by jamminbmx

Excellent story!

Meant to add it was due to carb icing

[jamminbmx]

I guessed as much! I assume it was 2 degrees and 100% humidity that day.

Today is 2 degrees and 80% humidity and the little monster is much happier. Still a bit jerky but nowhere near as bad. If I get enough data points I will make a graph that can help in many ways.

[900Rebuilder]

When I get my Monster built I definitely wont be running her intentionally in these kind of conditions

[yellowfever]

Slob is right - pro FST fuel additive should fix it. I used to commute year round on my M600 and I’d get this frustrating issue under certain cold and humid weather conditions in winter months. Got the Ducati carb heating kit fitted (uses oil from engine to supposedly warm things when needed) but frankly whilst there was a bit of improvement it didn’t properly sort things. Fuel additive, however, works a treat. I tried a v expensive one from VW which was for use with their old school air cooled engines, it worked very well but was pricy. Later tried Pro FST which worked just as well for less money. Just put a bit in each time you fill up during affected months and all will be well….

[jamminbmx]

It is now April and my little M600 has made it through the winter...mostly thanks to the advice on this forum! Torrential rain and temps down to -5 degC have not really been an issue! Thought I would sum up the tips in one post...

- Coating everything including exhaust in ACF50 really works! Apart from the engine paint...which is looking a bit battered
- Dielectric grease probably works...I had zero electrical issues!
- A good battery is a good plan...really cold mornings took a little cranking.
- Fresh tyres made a huge difference in the wet
- Carb icing is real! At some combination of temperatures under 3 degC and really high humidity...but nothing a bit more throttle can't cure. I only used E5 fuel...more alcohol = more problems...

I also learned that heated socks are b8ll8cks from Mr Gazza's helpful post above...cold fingers were my real enemy...heated grips next winter!

Cheers all for the info! Now time for a little TLC...my Exact belts are 3 years old so need doing first...