Motorcycle riding in Arizona comes with its own set of challenges. There is of course traffic which is at times comparable to that in California. Then there is the fact that most Arizona drivers fail to notice motorcyclists on the road leading to the inevitable close calls where cars pull in front of your bike or cut you off in traffic.
Besides the physical dangers brought about by inattentive drivers there are also environmental issues that cause problems for motorcyclists in Arizona. Although we get only ten inches of rain per year it seems as though that rain all comes in the course of just one day.
There are also the extreme temperatures that exist in the southwestern desert. It is not unheard of to see summer temperatures reach 120 degrees or hotter. During the winter it is rather common to see early pre-dawn temperatures drop to the teens making it somewhat difficult to dress appropriately.
It seems as though the longer I am in Arizona the more difficult I find it to accurately guess what the temperature is. There are days I would swear that the temperatures are over 110 degrees only to find that it is only 87.
As my buddies and I ride we are continually commenting on the weather and temperatures with guesses differing by more than 20 degrees. I finally decided I needed to find some way to accurately measure the temperatures to try and settle some of the outrageous guesses that come from riding for hours in the heat.
During one of my near weekly trips to the Harley-Davidson dealership I happened to find a bike accessory that would perfectly fit the bill.
Harley-Davidson has developed a Master Cylinder Clamp Thermometer that attaches to your bike’s handlebars at the master cylinder. The thermometer then displays the temperature using an analog dial.
The dial face comes in either silver or black to match your bike. The housing is chrome which allows the thermometer to blend into the handlebars making it fairly inconspicuous. Besides face color, you can also choose between Celsius or Fahrenheit temperatures.
The thermometer is an analog device with temperature readings between zero and 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The gauge numbers show 120 degrees but minor marks go an additional ten degrees.
Installation is extremely simple. All that is required is to remove one screw from the master cylinder clamp, thread the screw through the thermometer clamp and replace the screw on the handlebar.
Based on initial testing the temperatures are fairly accurate when compared to the local bank signs I’ve come across when riding. While this is not a must-have accessory, it has eliminated a lot of discussions about how hot or how cold it is during a ride.
The gauge face is very easy to read even while riding providing a way to quickly glance at the handlebars to see what the temperature is. Now when someone asks me if it’s hot enough for me I can respond with the temperature quantifying exactly how hot it is.
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