Cold Weather Riding

[Yata-Garasu_imp]

What's the winter like in your part of the world?

Do you ride year round?

Or do you ride seasonally and load up the bike with fuel stabilizer and wait for spring?

I suspect that the CB1100 is going to become a collector's item in the near future, so it makes sense not to ride it during the winter... But I ride mine year round. Texas winters are usually mild but we can have a week or three where it gets stupid-cold.

I dont have a windscreen for the Eleven, but I still try and get her out once a week all winter long. Just avoid the snow and ice, and patches of sand from the sand trucks...

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

The day I brought my air-cooled 2014 CB1100 home from Honda, it was a 40 minute ride home at -25C. The CB behaved normally once warmed up to operating temperature.

Until very recently, I rode without heated gear. Now I ride with cordless heated riding gloves. The finger tips have never been a strong point all my life riding in the cold.

The other key area to focus on in southern Ontario, Canada winter is ensure to cover-up the neck. On the freeway you will know quickly if you don't.

The coldest I've ridden was lower than -50C on the freeway with windchill. It was on a liquid-cooled (or perhaps liquid-warmed) 650. With no heated gear my limit was 45 minutes before I needed to hold a hot coffee in my hands. I almost froze my right eyeball.

I stopped winterizing my motorcycles back in 1988. Since I rode during the winter, I was just wasting time with storage prep and throwing money away on fuel stabilizer.

Today in the 21st century, fuel stabilizer in my region is not required whether you ride or not during winter. I would, however, try to keep your tank topped-up otherwise while parked.

All my bikes are stored in outside air-ambient temperatures - no heat. Sometimes it is tricky starting a bike up below -20C, but start they do even if it takes 10 seconds.

My CB1100 drive chain and rear fender took hits from road salt. I never replaced the [orange] chain, and my fender never looked as bad as The Ferret's. The chain I would eventually just keep more lubricated.

During winter riding I avoid my favourite rural routes, especially those that experience daytime shade. I do not ride purposefully in snow, but have been caught a few times. I do not purposefully ride on wet salted roads. I prefer salted roads when they are at least dry. When wet, it is just an overall bloody mess on everything.

 

[Tev62]

I have used Winter gear, plugged into the bike, for many years now. Our climate is temperate so you can pretty much ride all year round albeit it is cold in the winter months. "Cold" I wear a vest, "Bloody Cold" I will add heated inner glove liners, "I shouldn't be out on a bike really" I'll add heated soles. As for taking the EX out in winter I try not too unless it is one of those crisp sunny winter days. I went out for one of those crisp sunny days last Friday and it started raining out of nowhere, the EX is looking a little worse for wear and I'll have to spend some time cleaning it up. It is the only bike I really clean, I can't get enthused about polishing up a GS.

 

[The Gecko_imp]

My no-go time is rather late fall with leaves on the asphalt everywhere where you expect it and where you don’t. I think it’s called “fall” for a reason.

 

[the Ferret]

I ride all year and have for 57 years. As long as the roads are clear

(and sometimes when they aren't lol).

Temperature is not a worry I have good gear that protects me down to below zero.

 

[The Gecko_imp]

@Le Ferret, I am sure you know what you’re doing, but one day you ride onto a bad patch of frost, and you may find out that old bones take much longer to heel than those of a young spring chicken.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I ride all year and have for 57 years. As long as the roads are clear

(and sometimes when they aren't lol).

Temperature is not a worry I have good gear that protects me down to below zero.

Sometimes the rider has to adjust to the riding conditions.

 

[the Ferret]

or a car could turn left in front of me this afternoon, or a deer run me over this evening, or .............

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

... and remember: The Ferret is very aware of the precarious situation that be-fronts him, as he quietly pulls out this olde school digital camera to take a snap.

 

[clearviewx]

No longer ride if the temp is below 50 degrees.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

No longer ride if the temp is below 50 degrees.

You are probably well past needing a daily "fix" compared to some of us.


Now you got me Jones'ing ...

 

[clearviewx]

I love the ignore list.

 

[Gone in 60]

I might have to zip some liners in my jackets soon... maybe pack the mesh gear away till next year... pull out the thick gloves.

 

[peterbaron]

Today was warm, 59 F and I did 300 mile ride.
Started riding am at 5 F and electric liner, shoe insoles, gloves + grips were turned on....like California.
The only thing I left at home were my heated chaps, not needed it yet, but winter is coming

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I might have to zip some liners in my jackets soon... maybe pack the mesh gear away till next year... pull out the thick gloves.

Southern Californian winter riding must be amazing.

Once I left southern Ontario when it was -25C and landed in L.A. and it was 11C at night. The air was still. In my books, that is winter riding glory. It was February.

 

[Gone in 60]

I might have to zip some liners in my jackets soon... maybe pack the mesh gear away till next year... pull out the thick gloves.

Southern Californian winter riding must be amazing.

Once I left southern Ontario when it was -25C and landed in L.A. and it was 11C at night. The air was still. In my books, that is winter riding glory. It was February.

Southern Californian winter riding must be amazing.

Once I left southern Ontario when it was -25C and landed in L.A. and it was 11C at night. The air was still. In my books, that is winter riding glory. It was February.
No matter what else... traffic, homeless, burning freeways and priceless WW2 landmarks, $5 gas, I have to remind myself that I can ride year-round.

It gets down to the mid 40s F on the early morning ride in a few spots, but nothing a neck gaiter, winter gloves and a heavy jacket can't shrug off.

We had our first cold nights over the past few weeks, coincicentally the same nights that the Tustin hangar and the freeway fires were set. Open, undeveloped areas get chilly. Two nights ago, worked very late and was riding past the still open land where the hangars are located and felt the temp drop sharply - wasn't ready for it.

I remember wondering why a little flashing snowflake would appear on the dash of my last R1200 from time to time. Found out it was a cold weather warning if the temp dropped below something like 40 degrees.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I might have to zip some liners in my jackets soon... maybe pack the mesh gear away till next year... pull out the thick gloves.

Southern Californian winter riding must be amazing.

Once I left southern Ontario when it was -25C and landed in L.A. and it was 11C at night. The air was still. In my books, that is winter riding glory. It was February.

Southern Californian winter riding must be amazing.

Once I left southern Ontario when it was -25C and landed in L.A. and it was 11C at night. The air was still. In my books, that is winter riding glory. It was February.
No matter what else... traffic, homeless, burning freeways and priceless WW2 landmarks, $5 gas, I have to remind myself that I can ride year-round.

It gets down to the mid 40s F on the early morning ride in a few spots, but nothing a neck gaiter, winter gloves and a heavy jacket can't shrug off.

We had our first cold nights over the past few weeks, coincicentally the same nights that the Tustin hangar and the freeway fires were set. Open, undeveloped areas get chilly. Two nights ago, worked very late and was riding past the still open land where the hangars are located and felt the temp drop sharply - wasn't ready for it.

I remember wondering why a little flashing snowflake would appear on the dash of my last R1200 from time to time. Found out it was a cold weather warning if the temp dropped below something like 40 degrees.

lol - yeah ... the first time I saw the "snowflake" instrument cluster warning LED was on an Aprilia street bike. I thought, "Really - I need to be shown this?"

Perhaps some parts of the globe do need reminding.

 

[Pauley]

I must be a wimp - I wont ride if it's below about 35F and I use my heated gloves and jacket liner up to about 55F.

 

[Wagonpeddler_imp]

It's been unseasonably warm here in Western PA for November...almost 70 yesterday...but, alas, the weather goes into the dumper today...rain and cold. Projections are for a mild winter, however. Guess I'm a fair weather rider. Just changed the oil, air cleaner, tank filled with non-ethanol gas and stabilized. Today, the cover will go on until April.

 

[Yata-Garasu_imp]

I must be a wimp - I wont ride if it's below about 35F and I use my heated gloves and jacket liner up to about 55F.

I'm with you there!

I've never experienced electric heated gloves or jacket, but I do keep a couple of chemical pocket warmers with me during the winter months, just in case!