After almost a month touring Yukon and Alaska last year on the edge of the snow season, I have come to swear by my heated gear, grips, seat and vest/jacket. I'm pretty sure I was the last bike up to Inuvik before the snow flew.
The problem with running them on the KLR is the lack of available amps, but I was suprised what I could get away with using the Heat Troller grip and vest controller- because they're electronic, they save you amps, unlike the basic resistance type (and more reliable than the mechanical bi-metallic type). The grip controller is hard wired onto the bike, the vest controller is a portable model that I can velcro to the tankbag or wherever when I'm running heated clothing. This was Mike Coan's (developer of the heat-troller) advice for a setup and it makes sense. I use the grips a LOT more than I ever expected I would.
I would recommend having a detailed meter on any bike running additional accessories, the 3 or 4 LED style aren't enough. Most importantly, MOUNT IT WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT ALL THE TIME - its not just a confidence tool, with the heat trollers, you can maximise your heat to the point just before your battery isn't being charged anymore. With a conventional battery, this is 13.2V With Dual Star's Super Battery, this is 13.6V. In practice, the difference between these two points is negligible - I found that I could dial the heat in to a point where the system voltage would just start dropping rapidly; dial it back a bit and it would run with a charging voltage all day.
The heat trollers also mean you aren't constantly fumbling or searching for on/off switches to control the heat. For the most part, its set and forget for a while.
Heat Trollers are available from www.warmnsafe.com, Gerbing heated clothing and Riderwearhouse. |
