I had planned to ride to my wife's country home this weekend, but with the temperature in the 20s I've already seen lots of glossy patches on the roadside, and this in Milano. There are some miles of winding road that runs in the woods there, and there will be LOTS of ice. So, having less than 100 miles of motorcycle riding under my belt, I think this winter I'll stand by the old saying that there are reckless bikers, old bikers, but very few reckless, old bikers.
Cold is no problem, nor is rain. Ice... that's another story completely. It scares the **** out of me on my 4WD car, no way I'm gonna ride over ice with summer tires.
Now: who has rode over ice, with which equipment?
How do you manage those nasty patches of ice you get on the road where dew freezes and forms a sort of glasslike patina, often invisible till it's too late?
I've paid attention, avoided darker areas on the tarmac, I've steered well clear of zones in the shadow where unmolten ice from the night can lie awaiting for the unwary...
I'm really pissed off having to let my Dyna rest in its garage because I don't know how to handle such conditions...
Any other advice?
Any old timer trick to help?
Or it's just: risk a nasty fall or leave it in the garage?

 

There is no shame in being smart. While riding can/is a lifestyle, you still have to be smart for yourself. You would not try to pick up a load of ashphalt or ride on an MX track on your dyna because it's the wrong tool for the job - riding a motorcycle on ice is the wrong tool for the job. Can it be done, yes.
Have many done it, yes.
But is it worth the risk to scoot and skin just to ride over dangerous road conditionswhen you don't have to? - Not for me. But then, living in the Lone Star State, I don't get that problem too often...

 

I rode over one small patch of ice last week, I saw it, slowed down, made sure I was riding straight and level and my rear tire still started to move out from under me. It's not fun! It's not worth the risk.

I drove my car this morning, the temp at my house was 34F.

Ride safe!

 

+1

 

Lots of fog this evening. So, while I thought to take my bike out for a last ride to the office tomorrow, I think it will rest in its garage. There will be ice even here
Hope to bring it out again next week
It's weird: I've gone 36 years without riding a bike, and no problem, and now it seems I can't go a day without jonesing for a ride, like some sort of bike junkie... [8D]

 

Riding on ice ain't riding. That's for snow mobiles.

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I have rode for years, rode in all sorts of weather, I figure I have been lucky. I may want to ride, but sometimes it just isn't worth the risks. I want to ride every chance I get, but the road conditions are just too bad right now, from the ice, snow, and the damned salt.