I can usually wear my leather jacket without sweating too much in winter. I hope it gets better for you guys, soon.
Hate Winter
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,580
From: Wisconsin, USA
I'm not sure what the problem is. I'm in southeastern PA and thanks to heated gloves & boots, unless there is snow on the roads, I've been riding all winter (at least twice a week). I'd MUCH rather spend $400 on heated gear and be able to ride, instead of sitting at home twiddling my thumbs & bitching about the cold.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 57
From: PA
If you wanna be a dick about it, go ahead, but get your story straight first. Don't be hatin' because some of us have the ***** to ride when its cold and you don't.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,325
Likes: 7
From: SE Illinois
It's been cold here since mid-November, and we've had snow & or ice on the roads for 90% of the time since early December. It's March & we had another ice storm yesterday, so it's been next to impossible to ride any this winter.
In addition to the lots of snow we've had this year (about 3 times our normal), it's been bitterly cold with many nights well below zero & many many days with highs in the teens or low 20s (currently 24). Even if the roads were clear & I had heated gear, I would pass....I HATE cold weather & I'm just not going to ride when it's like it has been.
Then once it does warm up, there's been about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons of chemicals dumped on the roads here that need some heavy rains to wash it off before I get my bike out in that ****.
I draw the line at about 50 degrees, which in a normal winter happens frequently here with a descent chance of clear(non-salt covered) roads. This winter has been WAY different. Since Dec 1st, there's been 2-3 days that were acceptable for me to ride in, and I was either working or had other **** I had to take care of, so I haven't been on my bike since sometime around Thanksgiving.
Hopefully spring is just around the corner here...usually mid-March brings on a fair amount of descent to good riding weather around here. Hope this holds true, but the way this winter has been I'm not holding my breath.
In addition to the lots of snow we've had this year (about 3 times our normal), it's been bitterly cold with many nights well below zero & many many days with highs in the teens or low 20s (currently 24). Even if the roads were clear & I had heated gear, I would pass....I HATE cold weather & I'm just not going to ride when it's like it has been.
Then once it does warm up, there's been about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons of chemicals dumped on the roads here that need some heavy rains to wash it off before I get my bike out in that ****.
I draw the line at about 50 degrees, which in a normal winter happens frequently here with a descent chance of clear(non-salt covered) roads. This winter has been WAY different. Since Dec 1st, there's been 2-3 days that were acceptable for me to ride in, and I was either working or had other **** I had to take care of, so I haven't been on my bike since sometime around Thanksgiving.
Hopefully spring is just around the corner here...usually mid-March brings on a fair amount of descent to good riding weather around here. Hope this holds true, but the way this winter has been I'm not holding my breath.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,557
Likes: 6
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Born and raised in Bethlehem, PA. We used to treat the winters like most people do the summer. All of us had ski roof racks on our cars and we would trade up our skis each year for the latest and greatest. Buying ski clothing was more fun than buying biker clothing. Winter only sucks for those who don't find enjoyment in it. It was skiing for us, and we couldn't wait for boring summer time to be over so that we could go skiing, and it was snowmobiling for others, and 4X4 quading for others. So don't be sad and just dream of summer, go out and get a winter hobby that you could love too.
I think if I lived back up in PA, I wouldn't own a Harley. I'd own a dual sport bike that looks better when it's dirty than it does clean, with semi-knobbed tires. I'd get so much more use out of a bike like that in a state that snowed a lot.
I think if I lived back up in PA, I wouldn't own a Harley. I'd own a dual sport bike that looks better when it's dirty than it does clean, with semi-knobbed tires. I'd get so much more use out of a bike like that in a state that snowed a lot.
Last edited by Thumper09; Mar 3, 2014 at 03:01 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,580
From: Wisconsin, USA
The only problem I see with this is the ice covered roads. AND if you would have read my comment and understood it, you'd see that I don't ride when there's ice on the roads.
If you wanna be a dick about it, go ahead, but get your story straight first. Don't be hatin' because some of us have the ***** to ride when its cold and you don't.
If you wanna be a dick about it, go ahead, but get your story straight first. Don't be hatin' because some of us have the ***** to ride when its cold and you don't.
I don't ride below 36. You must be a lot smarter than me, because I seem to encounter black ice under that temperature. And my tires lose significant traction, even on dry roads when that cold. So I take offense to your bewilderment at those of us who choose to ride on 4 wheels below freezing.
And I must be a real chicken, because I actually prefer a 4WD truck in the snow.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 57
From: PA
I read your statement fully. In WI, we have had 3 days(total about 24 hours) above freezing since Thanksgiving. So you might be bragging about your *****, but in real life nobody is riding below freezing. Especially when it has usually been below 10 degrees.
If it's not for you, that's fine. But don't be an *** about it to those of us who do it.