I'm a wimp...please no rain

Wife and I want to do one last ride end of October down by Starved Rock Illinois (foilage should be great). Cold is okay...rain is not, cross your fingers for us, do a rain dance, whatever.

Is it me or have the winters gotten longer in the Midwest?

larrydk said:

Is it me or have the winters gotten longer in the Midwest?

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It is you.... Heck it was 90 degrees last weekend

I don't think winters have gotten longer, just it seems the seasons change are more radical. I.e. 90 last week 37 this morning

Ride safe and enjoy

Roy

I keep taking long weekend trips and saying "this is going to be the last one for the year"... and then I find myself going on another ride.

I agree with the rain, though. Ever since I had issues with my "new" GSPD in the rain, I'm a bit rain shy when I ride it. It still has not earned my trust. I got lucky last Sunday coming back from PA; the roads were wet and the sky looked a little ominous for a while, but I stayed dry. I'll get out the chicken bones, for you.

Bad weather riding

It's ok riding when it's hot, but you have to deal with the loud muffler crowd. But, it's even better when it's 20 degrees (or less) as long as it's been dry with no chance of ice. Love pulling up next to someone in a big SUV sipping a drink of coffee with their goatee and Oakleys on and with an ostentatious Hardley Dangerous sticker in the back.

I just shake my head and let my shoulders shake with mirth. "Yeah, you're a real rider." Cold is good but rain? I have to clean my bike and that takes time I could be riding!!!!

Regards,


Randy Kasal

Just ride

It's raining right now in SF Bay area, but I'm still going to roll the R90S out in a few hours to head down to the vintage campout near Paso Robles this weekend. I hope it doesn't rain down there -- I don't mind riding in the rain (lived in Seattle for 8 years after all), but I don't much enjoy camping in it.

I'll check the weather prevaricators web site after I'm done here...

rkasal said:

It's ok riding when it's hot, but you have to deal with the loud muffler crowd. But, it's even better when it's 20 degrees (or less) as long as it's been dry with no chance of ice. Love pulling up next to someone in a big SUV sipping a drink of coffee with their goatee and Oakleys on and with an ostentatious Hardley Dangerous sticker in the back.
Randy Kasal

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I get the same feeling when I ride into my local BMW dealer when the temp is below 50 and NO BODY who works there rode their bike(s) in. If you think Harley riders are the only ones who don't ride when conditions are less than perfect I would ask you to take a look at the used BMW bikes for sale in the ON or on this website or maybe go to an event at your dealer. There are almost as many folks with spotless Stiches and 2-3 year old GS's with 1500-2500 miles on them as there are Harley riders who don't ride all that much.
When I ride around where I live and the temps are 20-30 degrees, the ONLY others I see are a couple of Harley riders.
Rounders Rule - no matter what they ride!

+1 El Dookey!

Cliffy777 said:

I get the same feeling when I ride into my local BMW dealer when the temp is below 50 and NO BODY who works there rode their bike(s) in. If you think Harley riders are the only ones who don't ride when conditions are less than perfect I would ask you to take a look at the used BMW bikes for sale in the ON or on this website or maybe go to an event at your dealer. There are almost as many folks with spotless Stiches and 2-3 year old GS's with 1500-2500 miles on them as there are Harley riders who don't ride all that much.
When I ride around where I live and the temps are 20-30 degrees, the ONLY others I see are a couple of Harley riders.
Rounders Rule - no matter what they ride!

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Its sad but too often true, when I bought my 78 R100 back in 99 it had only 22K on it! Over twenty years old and only 22K? To make matter worse the PO had already toasted the clutch! She's got well over 100K now and lovin' it.

RM

Last winter I rode over to Max's BMW to meet Gail. I pulled in and ..... no bikes? I went in and the place was hopping. My lowly Hardley was the only bike out front. Seemed wrong somehow..... That was one of the few times at my size I felt invisible. There were a lot of downcast eyes i think in embarrassment.

Just ride....

BTW 35 degrees F this morning on the way to work.... Electrics Rock!

please no rain

Toughest guy I ever saw was riding a Harley, in the rain, wearing a tank top. This was at 11,000 feet, just west of the Eisenhower Tunnel, on I 70. The temperature was at about the freezing level.

Rinty

You should live in Oregon. You would learn to "love" the rain. lol

Driving from Rochester, MN to Lincoln, NE about six P.M.

It started to rain about the time I hit I-80 on my R90 w/ Windjammer Faring. I took 75 south which is only two lanes. I found out I would have to ride faster than the occasional tractor-trailer rigs to avoid being swamped - one of those fairly stupid adventures you fall into when you don't plan. I ran about 75 mph pretty much all the way to Lincoln. Arrived about 2:30 a.m. No incidents, just one of the most spiritual experiences of my life.

Just rode in rain today

Today, I picked up a '95 K75 (now I know why they have an excellent reputation) and it was raining. I could have waited a couple of days but the dealer is 120 miles away. Conicidentally, they had their open house today. One Hardely, a couple of Japanese, and a whole lot of BMW's rode there in the rain. Of course, the Hardely guy had no helmet and he overshadowed in noise the K1200LT near him.

But, it was a great time and they had brats for free and lots of BMW riders. I could also have had it put in the back of my brother's truck who came with me, but being a BMW rider, I bought a rainsuit and rode it home. I can't say enough positive things about the BMW pro-winter gloves, BMW rain suit, and my boots are gore-tex but I don't recall the brand. Add a full-face shield and it was en enjoyable ride. Once again, I felt sorry for the cubicles on wheels traveling with me.

In short, you might surmise I'm now an enthusiastic not letting rain stop me rider. You should do it if it rains. Just wait 1/2 hour after it starts raining (so most of the oil and other car fluids on the road wash away) and you'll have a great time with the proper gear. Good luck!

Regards,


Randy Kasal

jdmetzger said:

I keep taking long weekend trips and saying "this is going to be the last one for the year"... and then I find myself going on another ride.

I agree with the rain, though. Ever since I had issues with my "new" GSPD in the rain, I'm a bit rain shy when I ride it. It still has not earned my trust. I got lucky last Sunday coming back from PA; the roads were wet and the sky looked a little ominous for a while, but I stayed dry. I'll get out the chicken bones, for you.

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I am a pretty conservative rider in the rain. I've had folks ask me, "Don't you trust your tires?" I always answer, "Sure I trust my tires, it's the pavement I don't trust."

rkasal said:

It's ok riding when it's hot, but you have to deal with the loud muffler crowd. But, it's even better when it's 20 degrees (or less) as long as it's been dry with no chance of ice. Love pulling up next to someone in a big SUV sipping a drink of coffee with their goatee and Oakleys on and with an ostentatious Hardley Dangerous sticker in the back.

I just shake my head and let my shoulders shake with mirth. "Yeah, you're a real rider." Cold is good but rain? I have to clean my bike and that takes time I could be riding!!!!

Regards,


Randy Kasal

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Couldn't have said it better myself, Randy. I started riding my mini bike in the snow when I was a kid, so it seemed only natural that when I got my first bike, to just keep on riding in winter. Not in the snow, or on ice, but if the road is clear, I'm out there.

I finally broke down & bought Gerbings socks & gloves. I have to admit I feel like I'm cheating somehow, but at least my feets will be toasty this winter.

If I had the means & storage space, I'd get myself a 2 wheel drive Ural so I could ride in the snow.