| Author | Message | ||
     Birdy |
Cool ride today I mean COLD Ride. Wasn’t too bad until I was about 20 miles out and it clouded up then it got cold and rainy. I do need to gets so better cold weather gear if I plan to keep this up. I had about four layers on and other than my hands getting cold wasn’t too bad. I was riding the back roads but when I hit the main roads I started to feel it then. Need a wind shield for that stuff.  Guy I work with is taking about getting a Ural with a sidecar to ride in winter…in the snow and ice! I told him I’d visit him in the hospital, if not from a crash then frostbite!  How cold do you ride in before you decide to wait it out until spring? Birdy | ||
| Damnut |
I don't wait it out but I won't ride in temps under 30F. I don't have any electric gear so under 30 is too cold for me. | ||
| New12r |
Never too cold, but wet and cold, That just sux. I wear Gerbing heated jacket liner and gerbing heated gloves. Currently I wear a Columbia outer windbreaker over the gerbing and a pair of long johns under my jeans with wool socks and Alpinestars boots. That keeps me good into the low 20's F. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
if the roads are dry, I will ride below freezing, my coldest ride was 19 decrees F. People around here think I am crazy, I have to help them keep that image alive ;) Snow and Ice are show stoppers though. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
30 and dry was my limit. Now I have a heated vest, so we'll see if that limit changes. (Although I kind of doubt it will) | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
a little snow is good fer ya...sheesh i thought u were hardcore....i fell in a snow bank last year....felt pretty good til i smelled burning doofas. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Heated gear makes all the difference. Layers only insulate the core, but will continue to allow heat loss with no way to replace it. Heated gear allow heat to be put back into the body core. As a result, you can layer less and get better heat retention. I used to try to "layer up". It eventually comes down to how long can you stay out losing body heat along the way. The danger is pushing it too far and not recognizing it. Get heated gear. You'll never go without it again! | ||
| Tattoodnscrewd |
I ride year round ... WI winters get cold as well ... Last year I rode in 16 degrees ... I try to normally only ride when it's 30 or higher ... but sometimes you just gotta ride! | ||
| Metalstorm |
If it's too cold for the bike to start it's too cold to ride. If the bike starts it's not too cold  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Black ice = take truck. | ||
| Jayvee |
When I was a high school junior in Kansas, I rode my Suzuki TS-90 to school every day of the year, except for a week in February when it was down waiting for parts from the dealer. Including snow, ice, sleet, hail, maybe even a tornado. I had hypothermia several times, but didn't know what it was. I had ice freeze up on the outside of my gloves, my face, my shins, gives me chills just thinking about it. When you're young and stupid it's all fun. Now I live in the SF Bay area, it never gets cold, and I won't ride even in the rain. | ||
| Torquemonster |
Year round, baby! But, then again...I do live in the SUNSHINE state! It does get cold here in "Lower Alabama", but not cold enough to stay off 2 wheels. | ||
| Jlnance |
 That did NOT accumulate with the bike sitting still. Of course it's not like I had much choice but to ride, my other option was to sit on the side of the road and let it accumulate on me. Heated gear makes all the difference in the world. | ||
| Saintly |
... WI winters get cold as well ... +1  | ||
| Steve_mackay |
My coldest ride was +3 degrees F. Heck, I tested for my motorcycle permit at +7 F Just gotta dress for the cold. And have a proper helmet shield that doesn't fog up. My Scorpion snow shield works great. I also use the snow 'kit' breath mask to help keep my glasses from fogging up. I am installing the heated grip kit this weekend on my Ulybolt. | ||
| Etennuly |
That rule where if it starts it is not too cold is silly. I used to abide by that rule with my snowmobiles in South Western NY. and North Western Pa. Damn thing started at -30 when I worked at a ski resort, so off to work I go to make snow! A water pit valve was left open on a slope that hadn't been turned on in years. I got soaked to the skin through my snomobile suit and thermals. I then had to ride three miles home at minus 30. My suit, gloves, boots, helmet, and my beard all froze together into a frankenstein kind of pose. It was funny as all get out knocking on my parents door at 2:00 am. I couldn't get my keys out of my pocket and couldn't have turned the door knob if I could have. My dad put plastic on the floor near the wood stove and stoked the fire. It took a half hour to thaw enough to get the main zipper open even with pliers. The wet layer of thermals at my skin level are the only parts that didn't freeze. Moon boots saved my feet and my snomobile gloves saved my hands. I bathed in cold water gradually warming it up over a few hours. It was the only winter I never got a cold, or even the sniffles. On the bikes, when I left for a local soldiers benefit ride on my City-X a couple of years ago it was 36 degrees and raining. It did warm up though on my way back from the fifty mile ride, it was 39 degrees, but raining much harder! Also used to hit the trails with the three wheelers in a good snow storm. Crossing frozen creeks was usually a bad proposition though. I did that crap for many years and moved to Florida for seventeen years. It took sixteen of those years just to thaw out! Here in East Tennessee the fall season went from eighty degrees to the fifties without much in between. I'll ride in most weather, but give me seventy and sunshine any time! | ||
| Us_uly |
33 is my lowest this year. I appreciate the heat from the Uly engine in this weather. | ||
| Mbsween |
Its never to cold to ride, well okay sometimes its just plain stupid to be out there when its below 30 and it start snowing /raining. Sport tires ain't much good at thiose temps. In addition to ice , be wary of salt. It can be tough to see when you visor is all frozen. I can remember one ride where I had to keep opening the visor to see, but the constant blast of 10 degree (F) air at 40 mph was killing me. Thats the question do I breathe or do I see ? When its that cold, the truck is a bit more accommodating Just remember to find some place where the melting snow doesn't piss the wife off too much  | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
now thats hardcore. | ||
| Bad_karma |
Not a fan of cold weather riding but do the 30's. Just remember that you are not up to speed as in warmer weather. neither is the bike. These temps require riding habit changes. Joe | ||
| Fresnobuell |
+1 Bad Karma. The body gets stiff and tense in the cold and that doesn't make for ideal riding for sure. It's not only more dangerous, but definitely not as enjoyable as it equates to conservative riding. | ||
| Crusty |
I ride year round; which is a significant accomplishment in Massachusetts. It's not as enjoyable as summer riding, but it beats not riding at all. Electric gear helps a lot, especially if the ride is for any significant length of time. I do tend to question my sanity early and often when I'm out on the bike in sub-freezing conditions. At any rate, the whole thing can be described by the words: WINTER SUCKS!!! | ||
| Swampy |
My doctor rides his all year. If the roads don't have ice and too much snow on them you will find his motorcycle parked behind the office. | ||
| Bartimus |
I wear heated gear, so the temps don't regulate when I ride, but black ice, and freezing rain will make me stay home.   | ||
| Igneroid |
I shut it down when the salt starts happenin. I havent seen any bike take that stuff well. A half hour ride in the salt will get you electrical connections with the "green stuff" all over them. The green stuff happens just before the connection usually fails......nasty stuff that salt....works good on the mashed potatoes tho..... | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
whats worse..salt or sand...they sand the roads here...works dandy ...til the snows gone.. riding after the snow here is worse than riding in the snow i think...sand dont go away like salt does. | ||
| Diablobrian |
sand + a hard surface = nature's ball bearings. | ||
| Bake |
I ride till it just isn't fun any more  | ||
| Rainman |
Like Bake: The other day was 35 degrees with a high of 50 and I rode to work (I ride the bike to work and take it on interviews and such) and I was fine. Friday was 35 and a high of 45 and windy with a good chance of rain so I left it home. I'm less likely to ride when I'm tired or feeling sluggish during the cold. It just depends. I still ride two to three times a week to work in the winter as opposed to five days a week in the summer. | ||
| Ducxl |
Ewwww,our NEBO crew rides early tomorrow morning with 29 degrees forecast low.That is too cold for me but i can't let my NEBO brothers down.It WILL be my last ride.'Cept maybe the occasional mile or two around town.Winter's here........  |
