Breakfast run and Steel Horse Swap Meet

[rboe]

Monthly Guzzi breakfast this morning so I dusted off the CB (she needed the ride time and I figured would be a good bike to take to the Steel Horse Swap meet; last year I took the CB350F).

33 degrees, kept the windscreen off though - went commando! Bundled up, electric jacket liner (but did not use the glove liners - only a five mile ride) and a bunch of Freeze Out under garments. Wore the kevlar jeans instead of the riding pants with insulated liners; glad the ride was not any longer.

Several guys bailed and rode their cages to breakfast but about ten bikes showed up (only four Guzzi's!). One was an older CB750 with Rifle fairing and a Targa chin piece. I'd love a chin piece on the CB!!

Warmed up to 40 after breakfast, was hitting 50 when I left for home. Hit 60 later in the day when we took the truck out.
Anyway, it has been a spell since I have ridden the CB and it was so nice to be on her again. And without the windscreen! Need to do that more often.

[Powerdogg55]

My short experience owning the CB has been the first ride after it has been sitting idle for a while seems to be better than the last. Almost like the day you brought her home only smoother and more refined. Kinda like fine wine!

[the Ferret]

Rboe, your opinion of the freeze out gear?

Glad you were able to get out. Even just a few miles makes the world seem like a much nicer place, doesn't it?

[rboe]

Powerdogg11; you hit that on the head. Perhaps we start to take her for granted when we rider her too much. But you ride another bike for a spell and it just feels so good to get back on the other one. While I enjoy both bikes I do get a kick out of the locomotive feel of the Guzzi. On the Honda the motor is not very present but the handling and riding experience is amplified because of it. Even though it was pretty cold in the morning, it was very nice not to have a windscreen too.

The freeze out gear is much better than my initial opinion checking it out on the rack. Chaps or insulated pants would be needed on days like yesterday though. Thick jeans and freeze out long johns were not going to cut it.

Once we got to Denny's I was vastly over dressed. So it does make dressing and undressing in layers difficult. The balaklava is a big improvement for that nasty bitter cold breeze that nips under your chin. Normally I have a fleece turtleneck (I wore both yesterday) but the fleece makes for a very poor windbreak, but for most days it's enough. The freeze out balaklava though cuts the wind. Mandatory on long rides for me.

I picked up the knee wraps - rarely use them. The glove liners; prefer the liners I bought from Aerostich. I don't think I have the socks, if I need anything for my feet it will be electric as just sitting on the bike does the feet no good.

The shirt seems to get the most use but with electrics now I can see just the long johns being used the most now. Even then; I'm considering electric pant liners now. Creating heat seems to be more productive than trying to keep what little I have inside. The stator on the 650L won't support electrics and from this site it seems the CB can not support too many electric gizmos (the Griso has power to spare - in more ways than one - so not an issue).

I was really won over on the Freeze Out gear when several of the riders I meet at The Grotto Sunday mornings were swearing by it. High marks as they have several miles of 50+ riding to get there; just long enough to find the weakness in your cold weather gear choices without killing you.

Being cheap; I think it's only worth it when bought on serious markdown though - which I have managed to do.