How cold is too cold?
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
From: Hollister, California
How cold is too cold?
When temp. do you guys/girls stop riding? I went out for a 8 hour ride today and it was in the 40's all day. It was definitly chillymore sowhen we cracked it wide open on the freeway ,but, I thought it was berrible. The bad part was after the ride my neck and shoulders were killing me. I am assuming it was from being tense from the cold all day. Me and my partners have agreed that the 8 hours rides are off untill spring. I sure hate to put her up for winter. I think that I will have to just keep it to a couple hours around home..... Bummer...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,755
Likes: 12
From: Commerce, Mich.
RE: How cold is too cold?
I stop riding for the season when they put salt on the roads. Unfortunatly, that happened last week, so my season is done util spring.
Cold isn't the problem, Warm gear takes care of that, but Salt eats chrome...
Cold isn't the problem, Warm gear takes care of that, but Salt eats chrome...
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,338
Likes: 92
From:
RE: How cold is too cold?
I just wired up my aerostich electric vest last Saturday. With heated vest and good gloves the only thing that will keep you off the road is the possibility of snow or ice. Ride all day in 40 degree weather.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 129
Likes: 1
From: NOMAD
RE: How cold is too cold?
Never to cold just to icey...black ice being the worst.
Yesterday AM temps in the 30's. Gear-up, check driveway, wet, not icey. Light the wick roll down and out of the driveway...our 'ranch' is on a hill...going down our street I start feeling that rear wheel swim to the right as I level-off at the bottom, this happens again...black ice...okay, not riding today.
Very carefully, I go down the road and turn around...so now I have to coax ol 'Warpig' back up to the stable...our road is steep enought that in similar road conditions cages have problems going up.
I line up on the 50 yards of straight away and starting moving forward, nice and steady like. Curve #1 no problem. Okay, do or die time...up,up, almost to the top a little rear wheel swiming action but we are almost up...level off.
Continue up the road past the ranch to turn around...get to the turn around spot and that spot is like the worst spot...very carefully we execute a gentle controlled slide into the snow covered (less than an inch) grass...almost stalled in the patch but cleared it w/out crashing. On to a nice flat and ice free spot in front of the ranch, shut 'er down and lock 'er up.
Oh, I have 16" apes...but Warpig is lowered so, that helped...a little.
So, if it looks wet on the hardball during winter...no go!
Yesterday AM temps in the 30's. Gear-up, check driveway, wet, not icey. Light the wick roll down and out of the driveway...our 'ranch' is on a hill...going down our street I start feeling that rear wheel swim to the right as I level-off at the bottom, this happens again...black ice...okay, not riding today.
Very carefully, I go down the road and turn around...so now I have to coax ol 'Warpig' back up to the stable...our road is steep enought that in similar road conditions cages have problems going up.
I line up on the 50 yards of straight away and starting moving forward, nice and steady like. Curve #1 no problem. Okay, do or die time...up,up, almost to the top a little rear wheel swiming action but we are almost up...level off.
Continue up the road past the ranch to turn around...get to the turn around spot and that spot is like the worst spot...very carefully we execute a gentle controlled slide into the snow covered (less than an inch) grass...almost stalled in the patch but cleared it w/out crashing. On to a nice flat and ice free spot in front of the ranch, shut 'er down and lock 'er up.
Oh, I have 16" apes...but Warpig is lowered so, that helped...a little.
So, if it looks wet on the hardball during winter...no go!
Novice
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From:
RE: How cold is too cold?
Today I had a 5 hours ride and the temp was from 41 to 35. Same problems on knees and shoulders when I stopped, but the ride itself was ok with a sweatshirt, leather jacket and gloves and heavy jeans. Open helmet with bandanna without any goggles for the second half of the trip because with the dark had view problems I can't explain because my english.
I had eyes red like hell.. hehe
I think only ice will stop my ridin'!
Tramma
I had eyes red like hell.. hehe
I think only ice will stop my ridin'!
Tramma
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,432
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From: SW Ohio
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,801
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RE: How cold is too cold?
ORIGINAL: voyager1
anything below 70 sucks .
anything below 70 sucks .
For any ride longer than 10 miles or so (riding to work), 30 is about my limit.....or, when the snow and ice coats the road.
40s is not bad at all, provided you dress right. Also, having a faired bike helps alot too.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,256
Likes: 5
From: Concord, CA
RE: How cold is too cold?
No ice then its fine.
I tend to stay out of the mountains once the temps go below 30 but regularly traveled roads I've done to the teens.
Sucks when I can't pull in the clutch or brake though.
I tend to stay out of the mountains once the temps go below 30 but regularly traveled roads I've done to the teens.
Sucks when I can't pull in the clutch or brake though.