How cold is to cold?
When my huevos start to freeze its to cold!!!

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It hit 40 today,now down to 20's here in SW PA,but it was sunny & I had to test ride the stage 1/AC kit I finished up this morning,the only thing that bothers me is my hands but I got a nice warm insulated leather cowhide gloves,I could have used the full face to but I was fine,I only did about 50 miles today Redwings/thermal bottoms under jeans/t-shirt/sweatshirt/leather/gloves & warm hat. I've ridden in colder and been colder but don't usually under 35.

 

Coldest I've ridden has been 19 degrees. That was last year. A good pair of gloves, long johns, flannel shirt, insulated vest, leather jacket, chaps, sock liner with thick wool socks, modular helmet with polar fleece balaclava under it, windscreen and my normal riding boots. About 20 miles at 70-75 mph. I did it just to say I did it. I was tooling around town in the wee hours, mostly, but I took it to the highway for about 10 miles and then turned around and came back. I was out in itabout 2.5 hours. My feet started getting a little cold on the way back.

This year I don't know what the coldest I've been riding in. Probably around 30. As long as I'm dressed for it, it's no problem. Road trip? Mid-40's. To work?About 30. Just around town for thehelluvit? Haven't reachedthe lower limit, yet. I don't like to ride on wet streets and roads below 40 degrees. I rode home from work tonight and it was in the low 60's (it was in the 50's going to work).I wore the exactsame thing I would if it was inthe low 40's.

What's too cold? That's up to the individual rider to judge. I would PERSONALLY have on chaps at 15 degrees,or something to block the wind better than just jeans and long johns, but that's just me. Good pair of winter gloves is important, too. If you can't feel your hands and fingers, that's not verygood for shifting or using the front brake. Throttle sensitivity suffers a bit, too. I'd say go for it, if you want. You can be an expert when this question pops up again...and it will! One word of caution, though...your bike started sputtering? Not good if it konks out halfway to work. I have no idea what's causing it...trash partially blocking the fuel pick up from the tank? Could be any number of things...and I'm not a mechanic by ANY means!

Teek

 

WOW, several questions to address here.

First of all, my cutoff is 10 degrees.

Secondly, you will feel a huge difference in 25 and 15!!

Thirdly, a carbed bike really needs to be adjusted (tuned) differently in cold weather than warm weather. I adjust mine for each season. It has to do with the density of the air at different temps. I don't really know all the scientific stuff about that, but ya gotta adjust the carb for different temps. That's most likely why you were getting the carb farts.

Sounds like you have the right idea about dressing in layers. That's the way to go.

The only way I solved the cold fingers, was heated gloves.

 

I did a 200 mile day Easter Sunday from Makanda IL to Memphis TN. It was about 35 - 40 degrees the whole way on the interstate, I have a ws ff helmet and heated grips. I have no trouble taking the same setup riding when it is in the high teens. I went out Christmas eve day, and rode from Memphis down to Oxford MS and backabout 70 miles each way. It was in the mid 20's that day.

Now that I have the heated grips, I have yet to find a temp that I won't ride in yet.

 

I believe I accidentaly rode home 40 miles at 30 degrees.

Lucky a bit I was, electric vest , glove and socks.

Still froze my face off.

Bought one of those full face things they sell at sporting goods stores.

 

Iusually stop when pinguins start playing hocky in my front yard. Actually, 30 is my cutoff point. As I get older, it takes longer to warm up and quicker to get cold. At the temps you're talking, 15 deg. frostbite could get you real quick if you don't cover everything before you ride. Be safe and warm, take the cage.

 

For me its 32. I have a 30 mile trip to work at 70 plus. So it gets a little cold below that. Also hate scraping ice off the seat!

 

zero is the number I have set, Unfortunatly, ( or fortunatly) , There is always snow on the ground by that time and once the snow flies, Well I have not figured out how to make outriggers on a bike look cool yet. My current lowest is about 10-15. No heated anything just lots of clothes.

You do have to be REAL careful about exposed skin that cold though. Had a piar of gloves that didnt quite cover the gap between my jacket and almost did some serious damage to the skin on my wrist once.

 

I did about 20 miles in 40 degree weather with just jeans on, a sweatshirt, jacket, and gloves, and that was enough for me. I may re-attempt the same thing in full leathers one day, but as of now, 40° is my limit.