Tour Details...

When planning a Long Distance Motorcycle Tour, its not only important to wear the protective gear...but the right protective gear is even more important.

When I make short hauls on my Vulcan 900 Classic LT, I like wearing the leathers and half helmet to go with the "look". Its all about image, right?

Well, since we were heading out on a LD Endurance Tour, I figured I'd post a description and review of the gear I used for the Trip. So, without further delay...from head to toe here goes!

HELMET: HJC CL-MAX Modular with Dark Shield for Daytime Riding and Clear for Nighttime.

This helmet performs relatively well when riding behind a large windscreen. Its a little noisy for a modular lid, and the shield changes are a real pain. The venting also leave a little to be desired. Its not bad for a $250 helmet, but I'm already shopping for a replacement. Black is also not the right color in 20+ Celcius Heat. Rating 5/10 for the difficult shield changes and ineffective venting.

JACKET: Joe Rocket Ballistic 6.0

This coat is armoured in the elbows, shoulders and back and offers good protection should a rider ever go down. It includes the ability to zip it into the Joe Rocket pants and a baffle as well. I've been riding with this coat for the past four years and its comfortable and functional. Its Water Resistant and offers venting in the arms and back. When its time to replace it, I'll certainly shop for another Joe Rocket product. However, I'll be searching for a color other than black. The afternoon heat behind the Voyager's big windscreen made the jacket particularly warm during the days, but the zip in liner was appreciated at night. I did remove the back armour because it interferred with the Voyager Back Rest. Rating 8/10

PANTS: Joe Rocket Ballistic 5.0

The pants offer armour in the knees and pockets in the front, but no traditional pockets for keys, etc. The zip to coat feature is nice. These pants are also water resistant but offer little in the way of venting. Warm on the sunny days, but appreciated on the cooler nights. My next pair will NOT be black. Rating: 7/10

PANTS: Joe Rocket Mesh

Nice alternative that took up a little extra space in the saddlebags, but nice during the warmer days. Nice, zipped pockets and a non-mesh ass section. The kness also offer armoured pads as well. These pants are new and will definately be worn on a regular basis. My only complaint was the heat rash I got on my ass the first day of riding...but that could have been the Gel Seat pad I was using as well. Ditto on the color. Rating 9/10.

BOOTS: J. H. Brown 12" Prospector - Canadian Military Issue Garrison Boots

Not a common choice for bikers, but I like the high boot which provides me a bit of ankle protection and the fact they are gortex lined, making them relatively water-proof. The boots had a good coat of Dubbin and Polish prior to departure and I didn't notice additional warmth. They were comfortable while riding and easy to walk in. My only complaint is the larger toe which does not fit well under the shifter. Rating: 9/10 with a caveat: I will replace these boots with a proper Motorcycle Touring boot in the future..but for now, they are my boot of choice.

GPS: Citizen GPD 3559

Previously available at Canadian Tire at a sale price of $49 and features Sygic Mapping software. Easy to use and offers an audio out which I routed to the Voyager's Clarion Sound System. It provided fairly accurate directions, except for once, but Google Maps is wrong too and that Farmer's Cornfield was well kept. :-) The screen was clear, easy to read and I haven't fully learned all of its features yet. There were a couple of times when the GPS didn't like the road choices we made and demanded we turn around and it didn't offer alternatives when planning routes, but the price point and ease of use gives it a 9/10. I made it there and back didn't I?

OTHER ELECTRONICS: Chatterbox 50, Philips 8G MP3 Player & Sirius Satellite Radio

I used the Chatterbox to wire my helmet for the MP3 Play and SiriusXM Radio. It fits well in the helmet and offers additional volume control. It worked well the entire trip, but the small buttons make it difficult to use while on the road or at stop lights. Rating: 6/10

The Philips MP3 Player was half full and I only heard 1 song twice during the 10 hours I listened to it during the Rally. It worked well and will be a regular companion. Rating 9/10

SiriusXM provided hours of Music, News and Talk. The antennae adjustments I made before leaving gave me good signal for most of the trip. I was able to keep up with Canadian News, listen to Howard Stern and have almost 100 music channels to choose from. Its definately staying on the bike. However, Howard Stern's interview with Denise Richards almost made me drive off the road....she's quite a lady! [Lady may not be the most appropriate word..] :-) Rating: 10/10

Stay tuned for some more updates and additions from the trip!

C.