Riding in the cold - Balls of steel or just plain stupid?

[FJ Flyer]

So far, 16 deg F is my record.  Once last year, once this year, although it was reading 13 on the garage thermometer.  I go by what it reads on the bike gauge on the FJR.  Use Gerbings gloves and the heated grips. 

[Glen]

I rode from Orlando Fla to Pawleys Island SC on Christmas morning this year and it was 28 in Orlando when I started at abt 4am. It was frosty cold all the way,abt 9 hrs,including many coffee breaks. I was wearing a leather and cordura riding suit,and although chilly,it was not unbearable. My caloric intake that day was insane and I still arrived hungry. I can see how I might have been very cold without ingesting all those calories. BTW,this was my first long trip on my fj and it was a real hoot,hardly any traffic and plenty of room to open it up a couple of times.I love this bike.

[Smola67]

My low was 26 deg heading to Calvins place. No heated gear @ the time and yes I was in pain. Funny how ones pace follows the temp. I think I was doing 35 in the cold stuff and when the sun came out and it hit a high of 40 my speeds increased. Cold makes the mind slow. Not sure what the temp was @ my first rally but on the way home a buddy and I got caught in a hail storm around the Mt Mitchell area. Absolutely no gear on that ride. Jeans baby. Had to stop 4 times to warm the hands from engine heat. 

Now I roll with heated grips, heated vest, and tons of waterproof stuff.

[Striker]

My record is 23 degrees without any heated gear on the I-15 just a couple of weeks after I bought the bike in Utah. Put on some of my ski gloves and jacket and hoped I didn't get hypothermia while on my way to visit a friend. I love the bike, and still ride it every day come hell or high water. (though now I live in AZ so the heat makes it more hell.)  The bike has never let me down regardless of the weather!!! Not bad for a bike only three years younger than me.

[Flying Scotsman]

Had my 85 out today went about 50 miles.It was hot today 36 deg.It was good to crack the throttle.I dont ride much under 30 deg although I have on occasion.Not worth the time to get all the layers on lol.

[RACER111V]

I saw someone riding a Concours on my way to work yesterday.It was 6* when I left the house.

[Lotsokids]

I always told my co-workers, "If it's not raining or snowing, I'm riding."

I have ridden regularly at about 25 - 30 deg. F. I rode to work one freezing, foggy morning and arrived at work with literally a thin sheet of ice over the front of me. Man, if I only had a picture of that. You've got to be careful, especially on bridges. I go over 2 bridges (both in a turn) on the way to work. Once, I slid BOTH tires there slightly at about 60 MPH. THAT makes you panic a little!

I've got an Alpenstars leather jacket, Hein Gericke winter riding pants, and those nice sleeves you put your hands into that attach to the handlebars. I feel no cold. It just sucks to crack the visor open so it doesn't fog up.

[racerman_27410]

I've got an Alpenstars leather jacket, Hein Gericke winter riding pants, and those nice sleeves you put your hands into that attach to the handlebars. I feel no cold. It just sucks to crack the visor open so it doesn't fog up.

i've been using a pinlock shield on both my Arai and shoei helmets for years and they completely eliminate fogging... good stuff!

http://pinlock.com/


KOokaloo!

[andyb]

Just got back from a quick spin.  Bank said 37F on the sign!

VROOOM brrrr brrr VROOOM ehehehehhehe...

Gotta do what you gotta do


I will give a word of advise though.  If you're going for a ride in cold weather and you store your earplugs in the garage, bring them in and warm them up first.  It's like sticking an ice cube directly into your brain.

[FJ Flyer]

The last winter I was riding the FJ daily to work, we got hit with an ice storm.  I left a little early and beat most of the traffic and most of the ice.  Storm literally shut down I-95 for hours as the plows were stuck on the ice and nothing moved.

Freezing rain was pelting my faceshield.  Wasn't too bad most of the way.  About 10 miles from home, I took the exit.  It has a tight bend and an overpass.  I was crawling.  There was a two-car accident on the overpass and I had both feet down and was skating all over.  Faceshield then froze shut and started really fogging.  Didn't have the pinlock then (+1 on pinlocks!).  One more bridge to cross, which also had a 1-car accident and a cop, with both of them looking at me like I was an alien.

When I put the bike in the garage, I finally realize how big that bullet was that I dodged.  Had a 1/4" of ice all over the bike (should have taken a pic) and over most of me.  

Another guy at work on a GoldWind went down in VA, but was lucky.  He went across three lanes on I-395 and didn't get hit or hit anything and made it home.

ABS saved my butt this year in some slush.

[Bill_Rockoff]

I've ridden in low-20's-F (-5C) but not recently. 

The first time I ever went to Boone was a December motorcycle trip with John The Beer Scientist in 1987 or 1988.  We camped with my college girlfriend and her roommate, and froze our asses.  His Maxim X fired right up, but it was a struggle for me to kick-start my KZ750 twin.  We each took a walking-speed spill in some snow the first day; nobody hurt, a bit of damage to my Bat Girl fairing, and some luggage to re-bungee.  (Not much luggage, though - we were all wearing pretty much everything we had brought.)  It was colder than we expected it to be.

After I had bought my first FJ but before I had riding gear beyond "helmet," my car was a 1968 Benz sedan that didn't like the cold.  It didn't start one morning and I was supposed to be there by 8, so I rode the FJ.  It was in the low 20's there, too.  I was still cold at 10:30.  I bought a brand-new car that night.

[jamesearthdrum]

Insane!   
coldest Canadian contest

[Arnie]

Yep.  That Canadian gets my vote for stupidest cold biker award.
At least he'd have had good traction at those temps.
I don't understand how he was able to avoid freezing his hands, especially as I could see no gloves or even wind deflectors.
Total madness.

Arnie