Re: Just for cold weather riders

 

How about Central Florida? I'm hazy on this weather thing.

On second thought, I don't think you'd call it riding anyway, more like
barely-controlled non-crashing.

-gc

--
Science: the Art of figuring out how miracles happen.
Engineering: the Art of figuring out how to make miracles repeat on demand.

 
Heated handgrips and wind deflectors on handlebars are the first things
that come to mind. I've found it useful to size protective gear snug
and wear warmth clothing on top, the opposite of common practice. Easier
to change layers if it gets warm, and a better fit of the protection.

Coldest long ride I ever tried was about 2 hours in the low 40's,
at ~70 mph. Put an insulated FirstGear Kilimanjaro jacket and matching
pants over a set of custom leathers, on a vfr800 with heated grips
and wind deflectors over the clipons. Insulated Redwing style 2426
boots, no electrics, which would have been a huge help. Held gloves.

Still, it was only uncomfortable, not threatening. No ice worries.

Dealing with ice would call for a dualsport, with correspondingly
worse wind protection. That's a tough problem, traction aside.

bob prohaska

 
Dunno if what we get counts as cold :-)

We ride all year round[1] and we're in Central Scotland. It's not
unknown to find myself riding in subzero (centigrade) temperatures or
falling snow but if it's too grim I can resort to the train for
essential journeys.

One of my best days riding last year was delivering a Cagiva Grand
Canyon that a friend from southern England had bought on ebay from
someone just north of here - rode it 400 miles south on a beautifully
sunny, crisp November day. It was -3 centigrade when I set out so the
first 30 or so miles I was having to pay attention to the black ice, I
got a scary, lurid slide on a back road in the Borders but it was okay
otherwise.


Wear? My normal boots (Altberg) & socks, thermal long johns, either
Draggin jeans or leather salopettes, t-shirt, shirt & jacket (currently
a Triumph Expedition complete with thermal liner). Full face lid, scarf
or neck tube & a pair of decent waterproof winter gloves - think the
pair I use just now are by Held. Handguards are a boon & when/if I go
back to commuting by bike, whichever bike I'm using will get handguards
& heated grips.

Take with me? Nothing much - I suppose I should really given my penchant
for heading up nadgery wee back roads in the Highlands, in winter but I
don't carry anything specifically for winter survival.

Never yet spent the night under one but I've used one to melt the frozen
snow sufficiently for me to get my gloves off. That was a particularly
horrible 3am ride home from Glasgow through an unexpected March blizzard
- needless to say I didn't get a second date with her...

Bob

[1] I gave the car away when my wife refused to pay to get it fixed -
getting it had been her idea & I was damned if I was spending my money
or time on it. Keeping her bike running takes up enough of my time.
--
Bob Scott               SFC1000         Pegaso 650      RD350LC
"I was at the lowest point in my life - my house left me, the bank
reposessed my wife, my dog made me redundant, my boss was leaking oil and my
bike died - then I found the word of Sochiro..."

 
Bob Scott wrote:


It's hard to imagine anyone wanting to ride a motorcycle during the
winter in Scotland when it's cold and there are only four or five hours
of daylight.

As we crossed into Scotland at Carter Bar, I was impressed by the
bare-kneed and kilted piper standing there, strangling a cat for all it
was worth, and that was in June.

I hope his tips were worth the frozen knee caps.

Scotland was lovely then, the hills were all green and gold and the sun
didn't set until around 11:00 PM but there was always a bitter wind up
the Firth of Forth. We stayed in a motor lodge by the firth bridges.

Then we went up over the Highlands to Aberdeen. By the time we got to
Fort William, I had been chilled and pelted with freezing rain often
enough to have the beginnings of the worst cold I ever had in my life.

I was on a TWA Getaway bus and I watched BMW riders head up The Great
Glen in the rain, and I did not envy them at all.


I suppose Scots are accustomed to the cold and their blood thickens. I
actually expected *warm* weather in Edinburgh during June, so I didn't
take a heavy coat with me.
I wound up buying a fleece sweater in Fort William. But it was too
late.

I talked to a friend who said that he was wearing only a T-shirt when
he visited Edinburgh Castle, and he stayed to watch the military
Tattoo, even though he was shivering.

Californians just don't expect the weather to be that cold in June.

 
The weather at the beaches around Santa Barbara might be a very

One of the coldest trips on a motorcycle I can remember was in July of
1970. I had ridden the Harley from Nebraska to visit my Dad in Santa
Cruz, CA. All I had carried for warmth was my leather Jacket and
leather gloves.  I rode from Santa Cruz North to San Francisco on the
Coast Highway. I left Santa Cruz at about 7:00 AM and it was clear and
sunny. By the time I got halfway to Frisco it was foggy and about 50
degrees and I was freezing my butt off. Worse than December in
Nebraska. LOL.
Dennis