Ready for colder weather??

[JCCJMM_]

I am.

I rode all last winter. Down to about 23 degrees (that is as cold as it gets here in the Dallas area).

I will ride all winter this year as well (except for ice days).

What I learned:

1. Fingers and crotch area get the coldest. Bought some waterproof winter gloves and silk glove liners; bought some warmer underwear. Also bought some "winter wings" for the bike from a guy named Michael Mims. He is well known for his aftermarket windshields for the classic 250. The wings mount under the stock mirrors and deflect air around the grip area. Will keep you posted on how they work. $10 seemed worth a try.

2. Mesh jackets provide zero warmth, even with a liner. So I bought a textile jacket with mid-liner and vest. I find that thermals underneath are enough for me, since my ride is around 20 minutes every day.

3. Winter time reflects just how much a guy/gal loves to ride! I saw VERY few bikes out on the road for about 4 months straight. I actually really enjoy riding in cold weather. As a matter of fact, I would rather ride in the freezing cold than 100 plus degree weather any day.

Any of you planning on riding this winter??
I know most of you are in California......so I assume the winter is fairly tolerable for the most part.

[FlamingYellowInsanity]

Yup, I will ride all winter. I can't aford NOT to. Maybe if it rains REALLY hard! THEN, I'll have to take the cage. I've found that my leather jacket with a windbreaker underneath does the trick. I'll be able to use that settup for another year or so till my current (old) leather jacket wears out, then I'll have to get one of them fancy ones with the dragon on it or something. Dragons are awesome.

Although...I did notice on a recent cold spell we had here that my legs got extremely cold through the denim jeans I wear. I think I need some leather chaps.

Travis

[Alex]

Winters are pretty mild around here, just gets a little rainy and cold from time to time. None of the bikes will sit long enough to be "winterized", I'll still ride them often enough to avoid battery or oil issues. Heated gear makes just about any temperature reasonably comfortable; down to the point where icy roads would keep most folks in cages anyway, at least.

It took me a few years before I got some Gerbing stuff, but once you try it it's hard to imagine not having it.

[BlueTyke]

I am probably not going to be riding in the winter. I live in MD so we get a bit of cold weather and even snow...

Of course all that also hinges on what the diagnosis is for a current problem.

[Sailariel]

It is already getting cold here in Maine. Had a stretch of 30 degree weather for the past couple of days. I plan to ride as long as there is no ice. Rock salt on the roads along with sand pose their own hazards. We may get some good days in. I like to wear L.L. Bean blue jeans with the flannel lining under my Icon riding pants. A polartech vest under my leather jacket works fine. Leather boots with wool socks and a pair of Gore-Tex ski gloves finish the wardrobe. Around town, I prefer to ride my bicycle. When there is a choice of two or four wheels--two wheels always win. I just like the motion, whether it is on a motorcycle or a bicycle.

[sprale]

Looking forward to a cool winter in central Texas! I'm a Rounder!

[BlueTyke]

Maine has me beat! you get more snow and cold than I do.

Being transplanted here from California I am even worse off! Their 'gentle' cold here is the cold winter back home.

[Alex]

OK, I am starting to realize that California has made me weak. We were out washing the dog yesterday afternoon, and it felt cold enough that I didn't have much of an urge to go for a motorcycle ride afterwards, so I didn't and watched some tube instead. It was probably still 55 - 60 degrees out. Hopefully I won't be as weak all this week and will get the Ninjette out for a spin...

[BlueTyke]

Shame on you Alex! How am I supposed to live vicariously through you if you are not riding!!

Tehe! I kid Though really.. Throw on the leathers and get out there!! At least you can!

[Sailariel]

Alex, You`re wimping out on us! Just kidding. My kids both live in CA and gripe about the cold--How cold can it get in San Jose or Orange County? I still like coastal Maine. My sailboat is still in the water and I am still riding my Ninja. When it starts snowing, I`ll retire my Ninja to our heated garage and get out my bike which is fitted out for our mild winters--we don`t get a lot of ...snow on the coast. We are talking pedal bike. I still ride 15 to 20 miles a day on bicycles. I have a reputation to maintain. After all I build them. The hard part is that I am pushing 67.

[Sailariel]

Blue, You have to come up to Maine for some really scenic riding. So far I have convinced a guy from Silver Spring MD with a classic BMW that touring Maine is great. He went for it and is a convert. We did 1200 miles together. The nice thing about Maine is that there are not a lot of people here, therefore little traffic.

[kkim]

snow???

just what is this snow stuff you all keep talking about?

[BlueTyke]

Originally Posted by kkim

snow???

just what is this snow stuff you all keep talking about?

I suppose in Hawaii that wouldn't be to much of a problem. If living in CA is nice (weather wise) Hawaii must be heaven!

[BlueTyke]

Originally Posted by Alex Allmayer Beck

Blue, You have to come up to Maine for some really scenic riding. So far I have convinced a guy from Silver Spring MD with a classic BMW that touring Maine is great. He went for it and is a convert. We did 1200 miles together. The nice thing about Maine is that there are not a lot of people here, therefore little traffic.

I would love that! So far, since moving here, I have only ventured into PA and a little bit into Washington D.C. Maybe next year I can make it up further but I'll have to see. I am saving a my vacation days etc... for a trip to California... I wanna go home..

[kkim]

Originally Posted by BlueTyke

I suppose in Hawaii that wouldn't be to much of a problem. If living in CA is nice (weather wise) Hawaii must be heaven!

Weather here is quite nice, most of the year, but it can get cold and rainy during the winter. Tropical storms with high winds and occasionally the temps will dip into the low fifties at the lower elevations.

At the higher mountain tops, we do have snow, but those are at 9,000 ft and above, usually.... and those places are not inhabited.

We also have hurricanes to worry about, so it's not paradise w/o risks, but I would definitely have a difficult time living in a place w/ 4 seasons.

[BlueTyke]

Originally Posted by kkim

Weather here is quite nice, most of the year, but it can get cold and rainy during the winter. Tropical storms with high winds and occasionally the temps will dip into the low fifties at the lower elevations.

At the higher mountain tops, we do have snow, but those are at 9,000 ft and above, usually.... and those places are not inhabited.

We also have hurricanes to worry about, so it's not paradise w/o risks, but I would definitely have a difficult time living in a place w/ 4 seasons.

That still sounds nice. I went from California to Maryland and it was a shocker! I would hate to imagine going from Hawaii to Maryland!

[kkim]

Originally Posted by BlueTyke

That still sounds nice. I went from California to Maryland and it was a shocker! I would hate to imagine going from Hawaii to Maryland!

Enjoy yourself while in MD. I have many good friends from the east coast and they all seem to love the seasonal changes... go figure.

[Purspeed]

I'm in California and the weather is perfect for riding. I can't imagine living anywhere else, to be honest. Winter is perfect for riding because it rains little and is usually sunny and 70.

Can't wait to ride tomorrow!

[sprale]

I grew up and spent the first 25 years in the central States. Beautiful climate. Lush nature. Autumnal bliss.

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

I moved to Central Texas. The only state that holds tight the right to secede from the Union. Its sink or swim here, and I love it.

Since putting 20k miles on my Ninjette and am learning to live with the difficult climate change. It does get down below freezing occasionally here, sometimes for a few days before returning to the upper 50's again. I keep the mesh on until about November.

I bought a Teknic Monsoon 3/4 waterproof jacket for this winter. I tested the waterproof part the day it arrived... It has a removable liner and a large removable collar. I picked it up for around $100.

My Tourmaster Venture pants have both an insulated and a waterproof liner of the armored mesh shell. The jacket overlaps the pants enough to cover the gap where my previous jacket failed. $125 new. My JR Ballistic pants are completely toasted...

My Olympia waterproof gauntlet gloves are going strong on their third season. Not bad for a $50 gamble. A pair of liners allow me to ride down to the 20's.

I picked up a pair of Oxtar Matrix 2 boots for a bit over $100 after the company was purchased. Perfect for commuting and totally waterproof.

My HJC CL-Max Element modular helmet was a bargain at $100, that seems to be a price point for me...

A tall windscreen blocks a good amount of wind from my upper body and hands. I cut it from a cheap sheet of Lexan I picked up at the Home Depot. A bonus is the ability to ride upright at any speed. It turns the littlest Ninja into a true mini-tourer.



A backup cage would be nice for maybe a week's worth of days a year. I might actually reassemble the engine on my Subaru if I could stop riding. Once I run this bike in to the ground, I may have to look closer at the Wee-Strom.

[OldGuy]

It was a sunny 24 degrees for the ride into the office this morning. With a balaclava from my "road bike" wardrobe my head stayed warm (once I remembered to shut the top vent on the helment) and the Pearl Izumi lobster claw gloves took care of the hands. As JCCJMM said, mesh jackets don't work for beans even with the liner; a Nike riding jacket underneath took care of the problem.

I'm still using just the wind liner in the TourMaster Flex Pants and the legs have been toasty. If you haven't found Smart Wool socks yet I highly recommend them. They work in the heat or cold and wick moisture away so your feet stay dry.

Like others I plan to ride unless it is wet/icy or it's a suit and tie day .

[kkim]

Originally Posted by OldGuy

It was a sunny 24 degrees for the ride into the office this morning.

wow, you lucky guy... it's kinda cloudy and 76 here today. brrrr.. kinda chilly. oh, wait... the sun just came out again.

[Ken]

I'm ready for cold winter in SoCal. I've prepared myself with a Teknic Spider Jacket, Teknic Sprint pants, Cortech Scarab winter gloves. The Teknic stuff is suppose to be wind and waterproof. The pants come with a fleece liner. I'm waiting for a one-piece rainsuit to arrive to compliment my Gaerne GR-T waterproof boots and I'll be set to ride in the rain.

[KJohnson21]

Winterize....

Oh yeah, that's when I zip the liner into my jacket!

I don't have much of cold weather problem doing my weekend commutes between my home and LA. I've got the Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants with liner that I can zip to my jacket on the occasional rainy day. I'm always surprised when somebody at work freaks out because "it's raining" and I'm still riding my bike. I may have lived in SoCal all of my life, but I've travelled a bit, and if I can look out and still clearly see stuff more than 1/4 mile away, then it's not "raining".

The seasonal weather "problem" I have is the 100+ degree desert heat all summer long. But, I've got a cool vest to handle that. The other problem is gusting winds! It's OK if it stays under 30mph, beyond that it can stop being fun.

[g21-30]

One of my MSF instructors said he rode all but one day last year. There was ice on the road, so he thought better about going out that day!

My first time in traffic a couple of weeks ago and it was 27 degrees, but I had on multiple layers with a leather jacket topping it off and long leather gloves (insulated) that fit over the jacket sleeves. My feet and legs did get cold, but I wasn't going real fast, as I was trying to follow the factory break in rules. I'm over that nonsense. Yesterday, it was 30 degrees with the windchill and I could feel the cold and the airplane, er uh bike when I hit 9K in second. Wow, what a thrill! But I'm not like you veterans, so I'm easily impressed!

Anyway, it was 28 degrees an hour ago and I'm waiting for the high of 38 degrees. Who knows, I may get to that magical 50 miles on the odometer, today.

I am going to continue to put sta-bil in each tank of gas and try to ride thru the winter as much as possible. It's supposed to SNOW tonight, so we shall see.

[mcteague]

I went out for my bike ride, bicycle, not motorcycle, this morning and it was 28 degrees. My fingers froze after about 15 minutes but the rest of me was okay. I hope to at least get an hour ride on the 250R every week or two just to keep things running. To be on the safe side I keep the tank full and add some Sta-Bil. I'm also reading up on new bikes and may to for the '09 Ninja 650R when they come in. On the other hand, I may come to my senses and keep the Ninjette. Who knows, gas will most likely go back to $4/gal by Summer.

Tim

[toku]

I don't like riding in the cold, it's just not the same experience somehow it's just not as fun. Even with enough layers and proper gear to keep it at bay I find that some small area will still start to get cold and once that happens it spreads. Also since my school is well above sea level it gets ridiculously cold and with mountains all around once the trees lose their leaves the wind begins to howl and makes the sub-zero temperatures even colder (degrees Celsius). Then the salt and gravel come out to keep the roads from freezing over at night. To try and ride on that is just asking for an accident plus salt is a killer for vehicles.
I don't mind riding when it's brisk out say about 5 degrees or so but when water doesn't exist outside it's just too cold to ride. Occasionally there is a nice day here and there and I would love to ride. Sadly I don't have a garage here and I don't want to keep my bike out in this weather. When I lived with my parents about 2 hours south of here I'd ride all winter since temperatures rarely hit below 0 for the days high plus they have a lovely garage to store my bike.

[seedanpaint]

I like riding in the cold much more then the heat. 100 degree plus with a full face helmet just sucks.

Lows in the winter here are usually around the teens. I just bundle up with a couple layers, thicker socks and Turtle Fur neck warmer. I do need a better pair of gloves, my cold weather gloves aren't the best.

Anybody know of some gloves that are warm, but not too bulky? Snowmobile gloves maybe?

Anybody have a good cure for helmet fogging problems? I am in the market for a new helmet soon, heard Scorpion helmets have a good anti-fog system.

[toku]

Originally Posted by seedanpaint

I like riding in the cold much more then the heat. 100 degree plus with a full face helmet just sucks. .....

I don't mind the heat at all, while it never went above 35 degrees (~100F) it was in the low 30's. While moving my helmet vents well enough that I don't get hot and if stopped I just pop the visor up.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by seedanpaint

Anybody know of some gloves that are warm, but not too bulky? Snowmobile gloves maybe?

Here's a review of a bunch of different cold-weather riding gloves...

[TonyKZ1]

Yep, I've been riding just about every day for the last few years. I usually borrow the wife's suv or just take a vacation day(s) when the snow & ice come. However I have rode my Ninja in the snow. I usually wear either a Fieldsheer Highland or a FirstGear Thermo-suit one piece suit with a widder electric vest. I've also got Oxford heated grips along with a pair of HippoHands to keep my hands warm & dry.
Tony

[sprale]

Originally Posted by Alex

Here's a review of a bunch of different cold-weather riding gloves...

My $50 Olympia gauntlets are waterproof and warm down to just above freezing, liners go in at that point. I'm on my second pair (minor failure, free exchange).

[Kurosaki]

It was under 30 this past sunday when I was out.

I probably wouldn't have gone out if I knew it was going to be that cold.

Looks like I won't be getting much riding done this winter

[Mista Bob]

I've been riding at every chance I get so far this winter.
Sadly it will probably be awhile before I get another chance to ride due to all the snow were getting here.
Should probably take my battery out and get a trickle charger...

Only problem I've ever had with keeping warm has been my neck.
Coldest I've ridden in is about -3 C (around 26 F).
Haven't been able to find a balaclava anywhere here though, which would be perfect.

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by Alex Allmayer Beck

Blue, You have to come up to Maine for some really scenic riding. So far I have convinced a guy from Silver Spring MD with a classic BMW that touring Maine is great. He went for it and is a convert. We did 1200 miles together. The nice thing about Maine is that there are not a lot of people here, therefore little traffic.

Alex,

I'll be in Maine next September on my 40-states-in-6-months REBELS WITH A CAUSE bike tour (for the cause and full itinerary see my profile or www.myspace.com/AnthonyMarr). Here are the dates of this segment:

ON
St. Catherines (08-29)
Missisauga (08-30)
Toronto (08-31 - 09-01)
Kingston (09-02)
Ottawa (09-03)

QC
Montreal (09-04)

VT
Burlington (09-05)
Barre (09-06)

ME
Augusta (09-07)
Auburn / Lewiston (09-08)
Portland (09-09)

NH
Manchester (09-10)
Nashua (09-11)

MA
Lowell / Lawrence (09-12)
Boston / Cambridge (09-13 - 09-15)
Quincy (09-16)


Where is Belfast? If not too far off my route, we should go for a ride.

Anthony

[brian997]

I will ride all winter too.
Its cheaper than taking the bus :P

The coldest I have ridden so far was -10C (14F). I have a few tricks to keep warm :P
I wear full riding gear, textile pants, jacket and boots. Under the pants I wear
jeans. I never get cold in the legs. Not yet anyways.
Under the jacket, I wear a hooded sweatshirt. I pull the hoodie up over my head and then put my helmet on. Its important to note with this I only put the hoodie up to the top of my head (not past my forehead). Otherwise it would obscure your vision. I also use a fleece neckwarmer, with a piece of velcro to attach it to my helmet. Together these keep all the wind off my neck and chin.
For the hands, right now I am using a pair of magic mittins under my summer riding gloves. This is incredibly cold though, so I am going to soon be using a pair of snowmobiling gloves instead.

For driving tips:
I have four things I do differently.
1) When taking a right hand turn, use the left hand tire track of the right lane, instead of the right hand tire track. I've noticed a lot of salt builds up on the corner, and often there are frozen puddles near the sidewalks, so I swing out as wide as I can to avoid them.
2) Stick to major roads as much as possible. There is no snow or ice because all the cagers tires melt it all whilst driving. Once you get onto the side roads, it starts to become more noticeable. I changed my driving route just slightly to take a major road instead of two side roads.
3) Don't run yellow lights. I normally do in the summer, but if there is ice at all in the intersection, not only will you have a harder time taking the corner, but the cager will have a harder time stopping. It adds a few minutes to my ride, but its worth it to stop from getting clipped.
4) I drive in the left lane as much as possible to avoid the snowbanks. Its probably not good practice, but I find some people don't know how to shovel their driveways, so the snow/ice/**** builds up at the entrance, and is a major pain in the ass.

[mcteague]

Here on the East Coast, even if the temps are nice, Winter's short daylight hours are a PITA. I leave for work around 6AM and it is still dark. Dealing with heavy traffic on I95 at night is a bit tricky on the bike. Even in my car merging is iffy as judging distance by looking back into lots of headlights is not an exact science.

Tim

[Sailariel]

Anthony, Belfast is 47mi East of Augusta on Route 3.

[Mista Bob]

Originally Posted by brian997

I will ride all winter too.
Its cheaper than taking the bus :P
*snip*

How are the winters over there? Do you stop riding when there's fresh snow?
Or how bad do the roads have to be for you to stop riding.

I've been thinking of getting myself a cheap dual sport bike and fitting it with studded tires for some winter riding fun.

[brian997]

Originally Posted by Mista Bob

How are the winters over there? Do you stop riding when there's fresh snow?
Or how bad do the roads have to be for you to stop riding.

I've been thinking of getting myself a cheap dual sport bike and fitting it with studded tires for some winter riding fun.

Well, I'm in Hamilton. For us the winter is pathetic. Its really weird because of our placement on the lakes. So we get about 2ft of snow the whole winter, but most of it melts right away. There may be a few big dumpings here and there, but I just wait until my street is clear and I can keep riding.
I don't ride when there is fresh snow, or freezing rain. Only on clear days with little to no chance of precipitation. So for me, that is about 60% of days.

[Mista Bob]

Dayum, wish it was like that here.