Cold weather riding/trip up north

[bigbore2]

Just finished up a 3300 mi. ride from Albu

[FJmonkey]

 

Just finished up a 3300 mi. ride from Albu

[bigbore2]

just finished up  3300 mi. ride from Albuquerq

[bigbore2]

Just finished up a 3300 mi. ride from Albuqueruqe to just NE of Minneapolis, MN and back.  Don't know what happened on my last post, but you caught it there, FJ Monkey.  Anyway, mainly the hands get cold as I was wearing my motocross boots and my feet stayed suprisingly warm with them on.  Even in Colorado at 35 degrees.  Guess i would need hand shields for my next ride or maybe just start out earlier in the year when its not so cold. Bought some snowmobile gloves for the ride back and they were better but not perfect in 35-40 degree weather.  Heated grips, etc., etc.  Guess I am too stubborn to do that, or maybe just too cheap. Sometimes riding is about suffering a little. 
I was feeling all proud about the mileage I did and then read about a guy here who has done 17,000 mi and is not home yet. 640 mi for my best one day.   

[Goetz]

"Sometimes riding is about suffering a little."
Yes, yes it is. Im planning on riding from charlotte, nc to afton, va . 250 miles give or take, probably all in the 30's. Will be my first cold weather ride over 60mi, and im kind of dreading it, but also looking forward to the challenge. I remember road exercises in s. Korea with the top half of me sticking out of a 577mk3 command track in -10 f at 30mph for hours... misery.

[fintip]

Did someone say cold weather?



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I'm feeling you on the hand shield thing. Definitely my #1 wishlist item for cold weather riding after that day.

[Yamifj1200]

"Sometimes riding is about suffering a little."

Get some decent electric heated gear and enjoy the ride. No need to suffer at all.. When are you headed to Afton Va.? I'm in Richmond, might be able to catch up and say hey..

Eric M

[Dan Filetti]

I was eying these up.  They will look dorky, but blocking the wind on the outside and heated grips on the inside, seems like a winning formula for braving the cold...

http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product/Brush_Guards_with_Aluminum_Mount/web1008620

Dan

[Goetz]

-eric, i may be headed up there for christmas, my folks arent thrilled w/ the idea, want to rent me a car. Im undecided, will probably depend on the weather.

[bigbore2]

Goetz, if the roads are dry, it can be done, but a bike on any snow covered road is a very bad idea.  Get something to block wind on the hands.  And you can stop at a truckstop and go to the bathroom and use the handdryer to warm/dry hands and gloves, makes a HUGE difference for a while for hands.   

[bigbore2]

Dan- those look good and I would silicone shut the holes in them.  If they mounted up ok, that is a bargain of a price for protection. They look like they only have a front mount.  Should work.  I saw an FJ1300 with what looked like a stock/Yamaha version hand shield that also mounted on the outside of the handlebar, I assume where the endcap screws on, on our bikes.   

[fj1289]

http://www.warmnsafe.com/

Jacket liner & gloves - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  Very happy with their gear and heat controller - can adjust each separately which is very nice.