Sunday 2 December 2012

It's Just Too Hot

This week it seems the whole eastern side of Australia has turned it up a notch. We've had high temperatures that have never been heard of before in Melbourne (the coldest, wettest city in Aus) and the rest of this side of the country has gone with the flow. Last weekend I was complaining about not being able to go for a ride cause of the heat and it only got to 38°C / 100.4°F, We went to the local coffee shop for lunch then straight home again cause we were both melting in the heat. I wore my old jacket with all the hot stuff stripped out of it so it was a nice cool mesh with protective bits. It was a tight fit, but I'd boldly stated in the morning that I was going skins for the little ride to the cafe cause it was just too hot, then I picked my helmet up and couldn't go any further. I didn't even get out the door before I realised I just couldn't ride without the protective gear. So I sweated instead .. ugh.

This weekend started with a high temperature of 41°C / 105.8°F on Friday, it stayed at that temp til long into the evening and I think it only cooled down to about 24°C or so over night. Yep it's just too hot to do anything. Saturday was the same so we headed out early to the markets then came home before the heat really set in, on the way home I got Terry to drop in to check out this bike that I've seen a few times out the front of the local bike shop. It's got me intrigued, I wanted Terry to check it out.

Picture from Kawasaki Motors Australia
It's a Kawasaki Vulcan Custom Special Edition, click the link above to check out the stats. It's nothing like the White Shadow, it's actually kinda dark with all that mat black where the chrome is on the Shadow, so even though the majority of the paintwork on it is white (it's a gorgeous pearl white too which you can't really see in the photo) it comes across as a black bike. It's so different to what I'm used to, but I'm almost in love with it. Terry was kinda interested, but he didn't really go for it like I did, maybe it's a girly bike. He took us inside to ask about it and the bloke went to get the key for it for me .. he said 'you wont believe how this thing sounds, ya just gotta hear it for yourself.' He was right, it was amazing! It has a lowering kit as well as the air filter and exhaust thingys and it's just too hot for words. I asked the obvious question and no I can't afford it. As Terry pointed out, I can't ride it yet anyway, I'm still on the restricted licence til next May. But I can dream can't I :-D

13 comments:

  1. Ooooh, that's a beauty! Dreams have a way of leading to reality. :-)

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    1. He is a beauty isnt he? He's definately a he too, way too wide to be a her :-D

      You never know what will happen do you Ally :)

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  2. Brenda:

    that IS a very nice looking bike. Nice to look but we can't buy everything we see. Wow, it sure is HOT where you are. I can't imagine 41°c, I would be a melted blob on the floor. Over 30°c and I would be in the car with the air conditioning ON. You were brave to ride and sweat. Can you send a few degrees over here, we need some

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube



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  3. Brenda:

    PS: something's a bit different with your blog layout. It seems so clean and clear for some reason.

    I like it !

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube



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    1. And I cant imagine being as cold as you are at the moment .. I'll happily send some heat your way Bob. Yep I've been taking the car this week too, goign from air conditioned work to air conditioned home.

      Thanks for the comments on the blog, I play around with the look from time to time and this one is one I like.

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  4. Dare to dream Brenda, Dare to dream.

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    1. It's good to have something to dream about.

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  5. First off I must say a big "ick blah" on your heat wave. We had our warmest November 30th on record with a whopping 57˚F or 13.89˚C, but it is fall here so I won't complain. I do wish it would top raining though.

    Very prudent on you to take the car with those temperatures. I have read that when the temperatures get too high it is best not to use mesh gear as the hot air going through your jacket actually warms you instead of cooling. Wetting a buff around your neck or wetting a cooling vest does help though. But I still wouldn't want to ride in that heat.

    That Vulcan is really cool looking. I can see how you like it so much. I really like the pearl white with the blacked out frame and engine. A nice combination.

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    1. I'm almost wishing for rain here, I cant ride anyway so it may as well rain and cool things down a bit. Actually it's cooled down a bit this week anyway with temps back down to the mid 20's (70's or so Fahrenheit), so it's quite pleasant, here's hoping it stays like this for the weekend.

      I've heard a similar thing about wearing mesh, or going skins on hot days, I"m not sure I beleive it as any breeze cools the sweat on your body and cools it, but wearing a jacket and full face helmet and stopping at lights is a different story, that's when I felt like I was gonna melt. I like the idea of a the wet things, but in the temp we had I reckon they would have dried before I got them on :-D

      It is a pretty bike isn't it, who knows one day ....

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  6. What hot weather you're having! I can't imagine how hot you must have been with all the gear on!
    The Vulcan looks like an awesome bike. Dreams do come true sometimes! You never know!
    Thanks for the birthday wishes :)
    Have a nice day!
    x
    Bel

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    1. I was hot enough not to have a coffee when I got the our coffee shop!! The guy who owns it was confused when I said no to coffee :-D

      Your welcome Bel :)

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  7. Brenda a girl can always dream about her next bike! I will trade you some of our cold wet icky weather for some of your heat! I hear ya about the sweating & gear wearing, I ad some pretty intense days last summer, but didn't compromise on my safety, it's just not worth the ouch factor. Hope it cools down a bit for you to go riding!

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    1. Oh yeah Dar .. I'm just getting warmed up on the dream bike ya know .. I still got a few years left to work out exactly what I need :D

      Yeah you are so right about the safety factor, I cringe at some of the things I've seen around here lately due to the heat I think .. but the worst has to have been the guy in shorts and t-shirt with his kid on the back dressed the same .. (if I was his wife he'd be a dead man taking my son out like that ....)

      Anyway the weather has to get better .. it cant get any worse :) And we have a big ride planned for christmas (fingers crossed the weather plays nice for that).

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