How cold is too cold.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,235
Likes: 65
From: Joliet, Illinois
Tomorrow morning, I'll definitely go with the cold weather leather jacket, lined gloves, and probably throw the windshield on.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 630
Likes: 1
From: Canada
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 0
From: Vermont
I rode at 0 back in '66 in Jan! Being a little older now,about 36 is my cut-off point.The roads around get black ice on them pretty easy.I'll turn the heat on ln the house when my palm tree dies!!!!! fuel prices are a tad high this year!!!!!
I rode last winter in temp at 24 degrees, but note the roads were dry, if they had been wet the bike would of stayed at home. Ride in what you feel comfortable with, me I have been known to ride with it snowing, sometimes you just gotta ride.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,053
Likes: 12,327
From: Arkansas
When your fingers feel like they are going to explode it's too cold for the gloves you have and you should buy some better ones. I think it's all in how much you are willing to spend to stay comfortable. Hell they make clothes that will keep ya warm in the Antarctic. The only time I am home for more that a week or so is in the winter and I regularly ride in the teens. I've found that the older I get the less I can handle and the better gear I have to get.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 294
Likes: 15
From: Fancy Farm Kentucky
It also depends a whole lot on how long your going to ride, 25 or 30 miles it can be high forty's and it's not too bad just with regular gloves and a leather coat, but after a 100 miles, you'll be pretty damn chilled. Trouble in Wyoming is it's forty's a lot and everthing it seems is 100 miles away
Banned
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 2
Way up in the frozen tundra of the Northeast one has to watch out for the 20-30 degree disparity of daytime to nite time temps. In other words it could be a sunny 50-52 degrees when you head to your second shift job but when you get out at midnite its about 28-32 degrees and whatever moisture was on the road is now froze. Up here it ain't the cold that gets ya its the road conditions.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 646
Likes: 1
From: Central,Wisconsin
20 degrees and I'll stay in bed with the ol' lady
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Banned
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 2
They make reasonably priced gear that make the rider impervius to the cold. Here soon I will be putting my thinsulate liner back in my tourmaster/cortec jacket and donning my full face nolan 102. If push comes to shove I have a pair of cortech insulated over pant option. It usually starts snowing before I need those. A co worker rider(BMW GS1100) has one of those heated plug in jacket liners. We both ride well into November and could ride more but black ice and snow start in. I bet the riders in the southern states ride all year round? While it might get in the 30's in NC does it snow? I'll be down there(Ocracoke Island) in December and will ride and it will probably feel like a heat wave compared to up here in mid December.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,053
Likes: 12,327
From: Arkansas
They make reasonably priced gear that make the rider impervius to the cold. Here soon I will be putting my thinsulate liner back in my tourmaster/cortec jacket and donning my full face nolan 102. If push comes to shove I have a pair of cortech insulated over pant option. It usually starts snowing before I need those. A co worker rider(BMW GS1100) has one of those heated plug in jacket liners. We both ride well into November and could ride more but black ice and snow start in. I bet the riders in the southern states ride all year round? While it might get in the 30's in NC does it snow? I'll be down there(Ocracoke Island) in December and will ride and it will probably feel like a heat wave compared to up here in mid December.