How cold do you go?

[2wheeltraveler]

Curious how many cold weather riders we have out there?

Of course a lot of that depends on the bike you ride too. For example, I’ve seen single digits on my K16, but would find that more challenging without heated gear on my GS.

As a reference point, I have a 45-mile round robin ride to work each day, and sport Klim Badlands Jacket and pants, Sidi GoreTex boots, heated insoles for the colder days, cold weather gloves, but will break out the heated gloves below 25F, and a Schuberth helmet. I can handle riding in the teens fairly well, and find myself looking for single digit weather. Note, I avoid riding roads with known ice, but have ridden with snow beginning to stick...and I didn’t like it either...lol


So, tell us about your cold weather adventures...

Rick

[Omega Man]

If been out in the cold. I can do it but being dressed up, looking like the bastard child of the Michelin man and Frankenstein, barely able to move, eyes pealed for the water that froze from the pickup bed that dumped during a back out keeps me from making a habit of it.
I guess it’s old age. I always seem to drop something just as I’m loaded up, hooked up and ready to go
OM

[jgoertz]

My limit is a dry 18degF. Bike is 2015 R1200RT. Heated gear (jacket liner, gloves), many layers, heated grips & seat.

And yes, it does get that cold in Birmingham, AL.

[Lee]

The coldest I remember was 18F in April when we left for Texas.
This morning was 32F when we left and 58 when we arrived in Cuba MO. on our way to NW Arkansas. With sunshine and heated jacket liners we were comfortable.

[akbeemer]

For the last 24 years most of my riding has been in Alaska and Montana, so I’ve had ample opportunity to ride in cold weather. I can ride comfortably in temperatures of around 40. Although I’ve done a fair amount of riding in the 20s, I do not find it enjoyable and don’t do it on purpose. Riding a SnoGo is a different thing all together. I would ride all winter in Fairbanks and could be comfortable down to -25. Rode once or twice in the -40s but it was not a good time.

[skibum69]

Went for a 100 km loop last Feb in -15°C testing the bike and my cold weather gear. No heated gear just a down jacket under my riding jacket, fleece pants under my riding pants and good gauntlet ski gloves. No extra socks and unfortunately the only helmet I had that day was my open MX helmet. My face was cold for sure but the rest of me was fine. Don’t do it much but no problem with it.

[glenfiddich]

+10F was my cutoff for the 40 minute commute when I was working, though the thermometer on my instrument cluster once failed - flashing 12F. I thought it was a bit colder than that but figured I was just getting old so I rode anyway. As I passed the bank in town their sign read -26F! I would not willingly do that again!

Now that I'm retired a certain level of sanity has settled in and I rarely ride below freezing...and then take the little disposable Honda 250 to spare the GSA the ravages of salt.

FebruaryRide.jpg

[soocom1]

+10F was my cutoff for the 40 minute commute when I was working, though the thermometer on my instrument cluster once failed - flashing 12F. I thought it was a bit colder than that but figured I was just getting old so I rode anyway. As I passed the bank in town their sign read -26F! I would not willingly do that again!

Now that I'm retired a certain level of sanity has settled in and I rarely ride below freezing...and then take the little disposable Honda 250 to spare the GSA the ravages of salt.

FebruaryRide.jpg

OK woah!!

How do you handle the snow?
To me that's a death wish!

I have ridden in temps well below 10F with a sideways windchill of about -10.


(Gallup NM on way to LA) THAT was cold!

But maybe i need to start a thread on riding in the snow conditions, because to me, that's just a no no....

[179212]

You can dress for the cold ask the snowmobile riders, for me it’s the salt and the traction thing, lots of salt on roads draws water soon it’s like riding on snot, than the spray from other vehicles trying to remove that while riding and not destroy the visor, than the bike cleanup after you get home, one can ride in the winter but activity is low on fun scale.
Now the question if you look at snowmobile gear you see lots of helmets with heated visor, anyone try one on motorcycle?

[2wheeltraveler]

For the last 24 years most of my riding has been in Alaska and Montana, so I’ve had ample opportunity to ride in cold weather. I can ride comfortably in temperatures of around 40. Although I’ve done a fair amount of riding in the 20s, I do not find it enjoyable and don’t do it on purpose. Riding a SnoGo is a different thing all together. I would ride all winter in Fairbanks and could be comfortable down to -25. Rode once or twice in the -40s but it was not a good time.

-25 and -40...DAYUM! that be some cold weather riding weather right there.

Rick

[glenfiddich]

OK woah!!

How do you handle the snow?
To me that's a death wish!

In the photo you can see the road was heavily sanded. I always waited for the town plow to sand the road before heading out. And once I hit the blacktop 1/4 mile downhill it was fine; one of the few benefits of living in a tourist mecca was the paved roads were always taken care of. My boss, who loved my ability to make him look good, always kept his eye on the weather. If there was even a 10% chance of snow during working hours he would send me home and tell me to connect from my laptop. That was a strong motivator for winter commuting!

Pete

[mylanc]

You can dress for the cold ask the snowmobile riders, for me it’s the salt and the traction thing, lots of salt on roads draws water soon it’s like riding on snot, than the spray from other vehicles trying to remove that while riding and not destroy the visor, than the bike cleanup after you get home, one can ride in the winter but activity is low on fun scale.
Now the question if you look at snowmobile gear you see lots of helmets with heated visor, anyone try one on motorcycle?

+1

[saddleman]

I'm good for all day in the single digits Fahrenheit. I have electric gloves, socks & helmet visor. I've had people that have been on the same Interstate in there cars for hundreds of miles come up to me while I'm getting gas and ask me if I'm ok.

[chrisinsc]

35 mins each way, morning is all that matters where I am. If its really cold its not raining and its dry. If its raining its not that cold. 35 to 40f is as cold as it gets at 0630. The heated seat and grips are a must have and even then the hands are cold when I get to work. Hunting for heat with the grips means not covering the front brake when in cruise mode. It bothers me. I need heated gloves this winter. Rest is ok. R1100rt. If I was all day on the bike in 35f I would need different gear and for sure a heated vest and gloves.

[WalterK75]

35 mins each way, morning is all that matters where I am. If its really cold its not raining and its dry. If its raining its not that cold. 35 to 40f is as cold as it gets at 0630. The heated seat and grips are a must have and even then the hands are cold when I get to work. Hunting for heat with the grips means not covering the front brake when in cruise mode. It bothers me. I need heated gloves this winter. Rest is ok. R1100rt. If I was all day on the bike in 35f I would need different gear and for sure a heated vest and gloves.

See if you can get some thinsulate gloves. I have a pair and they really help.