Had to work Saturday this weekend, and decided to take the bike to work. Finally it was sunny around NEPA and it was gonna reach about 40 for a high. When I left this morning it was a balmy 25 degrees. I put on a t-shirt, sweater, and sweat shirt, a pair of long johns and a pair of jeans. Also wore my leather jacket (with liner), leather gloves and my full face helmet. Should also mention I snapped on my QD windshield before I left. My ride to work is about 13 miles and I have a couple of routes I can take. I decided on taking the interstate (it'squicker)and reached speeds up to about 75 mph. All in all, only my fingers got cold.
Unfortunately I have to go in tomorrow morning also. The high temp is supposed to reach about 50 before some more rain moves in. I plan to leave work around noon and take a long ride and I really don't want to take the cage, then come home to pick up the bike before I depart. Here's the dilemma - the low temp tonight is supposed to be only 15 degrees. I'm debating on whether there's gonna be a whole lot of difference between 25 and 15 for the ride in to work. Or is this just TOO COLD TO RIDE??? What do you all think??? I can take a different route and pull over a couple of times on the way in to warm up. How many of you have ridden inweather this cold before???

On another note, coming home tonight the bike was spitting and farting a bit. The gas tank was getting low on the way home and I switched over to reserve along the way. After I topped off the tank it continued to spit. Prior to this the bike ran well after warm up. Any ideas on why this may have been happening?? BTW the bike is a carbed '05 XL1200C. Thanks

 

I don't like cold. Especially if interstate travel is required. 40 (F) is about all I want.

 

As far as the bike spitting on you no idea there. And everyone is different on how cold they can handle. I will ride if I have to in 40 degree weather but prefer 50+. I have a buddy who doesn't start riding untill it is 70+. So the temp. is up to you and what you want to do.......

 

me 40deg is the lowest I will ride ne more , I dont like having to wear all the clothes it takes

 

I ride in north Georgia year round. 14 degrees is the coldest I have rode in but bundled up big time with heated gloves. Anything under about 30 hurts the hands pretty good after more than 10 minutes. The only time I will not ride is if when I have to leave out in the morning it is raining hard.

 

If you are going to ride 13 miles at 15 degrees at 75 mph you are going to be cold, even with a WS. I'd stay off the interstate and ride at 55. Youcan manage that with the proper clothing including good gloves, and you can enjoy a longer ride. Speed makes all the difference. Here in N. Virginia I rode all winter in 30s and 40s without a WS, but not too far and not too fast. I put on aQD last week and can feel the difference. Even with a face mask your face will feel the cold wind and can be uncomfortable without a good neck scarf around your face and neck. It is worth it though, riding in cold weather can be invigorating, but you will see few other bikers.

 

The coldest that I have ridden in is 18 degrees. At 75 mph and 18 degree temps, wind chill is about minus 9 degrees. At 75 mph and 25 degree temps, wind chill is about 1 degree. Of course, when it's that cold, it doesn't really make much difference. Frostbite sets in pretty quick if you have any skin exposed. If the temp's are in the 20's and 30's, i usually wear a pair of Carhart insulated bib's, an insulated sweatshirt under my bike jacket, 2 pairs of thick wool socks, and glove liners inside my gloves. Also have a thick wool sock cap with the top cut out so that I can pull it down around my neck. Between that an a full face helmut, I am able to commute 42 miles round trip at freeway speeds. Been riding all winter long between 3 and 5 days a week as long as it's not raining. Longest that the bike has been parked has been 4 days (and I started having PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome).

 

The coldest I rode last winter was 19 degrees and I won't do that again, at least not until I buy some electric gloves and an electric jacket liner. And I only had to go 13 miles on city streets.

 

35is my cutoff

 

Living in Wisconsin I know what its like to ride in cold30 degrees is my cut off if I have a choice. Even between 30 and 40 riding just isn't that nice. To many clothes and if you go any long distance you will get cold no matter what you have on unless you have some kind of warmers or are dressed for a snowmobile ride.