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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 35
, IL United States | I live in the midwest. I ride all year long thanx to the Visions great wind management and heated seat n grips. Barring snowy and icy roads or those that are unpredictable such a mildly plowed, thawed, and refroze, I ENJOY riding my bike no matter the temperature. 10 degrees is my limit though.
I wear quilted lined denims, a hoodie under cordura jacket and gauntlets and 3/4 helmet over a mouth/nose covered head pullover. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 190
| When I first retired in 2002, I normally rode to the Corpus Christi area of Texas from middle Michigan. I have family in Ft. Worth as well as 3 children and their families in MI, so I take turns doing Christmas and Thanksgiving in both places.
We got 18 inches of snow a couple days after one Thanksgiving so I was stuck in Michigan and wasn't able to leave until the last day of the year. It was 23 degrees but sunny and the roads couldn't have been better...and I live and breathe heated clothing...jacket liner, gloves, pants and even the socks though I think that may have been the only time I wore the socks. They worked well enough on that trip that I kept turning the pants/socks down. Pretty much all I wear under the jacket is a long sleeve T-shirt or a similar light-weight shirt to even the heat out.
Edited by beemerdad2@yahoo.com 2016-11-18 11:31 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | As long as the roads are clear and dry, there is no limit due to temperature. The wife and I both have full sets of Warm-N-Safe heated gear.
We would much rather ride in cold weather with our heated gear on than ride in 100+ degree weather. It is more comfortable.
Ronnie |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| If its that cold remember your tires don't grip like when its warm. Your tires don't hold the same in corners. It will take longer to stop in panic stop.
You should put a lightbulb that creates heat under bike to get cases warm for easier starting |
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Cruiser
Posts: 207
| Only time I don't ride is if the roads are ice covered. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | In 2009 I left pittsburgh pa it was 28F and rode to N.C. , when I went through the W.V. mountains, OMG ...... I stopped for fuel, after 160 miles and al,osteoporosis couldn't get off the bike ... the one thing I worry about is , cold ground and min contact patch of the tires |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | What is this 'cold' you speak of? As in sniffle sniffle cough ? 
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD3MuL99r9U |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | YIKES ! Here is MY video on Mountain Riding - only it was 90f + on the ride - I went up Mt. Baker, WA to find some COOL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eqiW3EqyEo
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 19
Redwood Falls , MN United States | Not much riding when it drops below 30.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 25
Hastings, MN United States | I tend to stop riding when the snow starts since the various DOTs like coating the roads with salt. In terms of temps, I've been as low as the mid-20s. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | I don't have a limit. My rule is, if the bike will start, I will ride it. My record low ride day was 4 degrees F and I did heat the engine block with a 500W halogen work lamp an hour before I started it that morning. That just happens to be the coldest it's been here. If it got colder , I wouldn't hesitate to fire up the Vision and ride the 60 miles round trip commute to work. I ride everyday no matter the weather and have since 1995 , then on my Honda Magna. I love the challenge. I have retired my electric gear last year when I bought the one piece Firstgear suit (non-heated). I love that thing. windproof, waterproof and bullet proof 
Being a daily rider for that amount of time, I have gotten caught in snow and sleet , obviously. It is usually just patchy ice.
26F this morning on a Vision with that one piece suit is a cakewalk, didn't even use the heated seat. I did use heated grips on high with non-electric gauntlets, a half helmet with winter skirt zipped in and neck gator. Short sleeve T, long sleeve thermal, hoodie, leather vest. Bottom half just jeans under the one piece. That combination was very comfortable, could use that same combo for 10 degrees colder no problem. I hands down would prefer hot weather but I'm riding no matter what. I shame some of my 4WD friends that call into work on winter weather days. Their boss says "Jim Tom rode his bike in " LOL!!!!!! My co-workers get mad at me.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 19
Redwood Falls , MN United States | photo from last winter
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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | Cold is not the concern (been comfortable at 14f), base my decision on the use of salt on the roadway. Not fond of what it does to the bike. Coworkers claim I listen to a special motorcyclist weather report since I ride when they are of the opinion that no one would. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 35
, IL United States | I saw 24 F on the way to work yesterday. Highest risk is a day or two after a snow when the sun is out and it's about 30 as far as road conditions. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 190
| lol...Now THERE'S a rider. My hats off to you.
A couple of your pictures remind me of the time I'd crossed back into the U.S. at Niagra Falls and was a little south of Buffalo N.Y. It was fine while it was raining but then that one extra degree and the snowflakes were bigger than I'd even seen before. 20 miles to the first exit and it was 8 inches deep and I didn't realize a person could pucker that long and still be able to relax enough to get off the bike. Don't really want to do that again... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | I have certainly had my share of pucker moments , praying in my helmet...Vowing never to do it again if The good Lord would get me home this time. I inevitably do it again , round and round we go. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 15
| I'm trying to find out how low I can go!
It was 22F this morning, 72 mile ride into work at 4 am, roads are dry, no problems. I stayed warm, and I wasn't even wearing electric gear, and my bike is a street without heated grips or seat.
MY Vision runs great on the cold, dry air, I can actually feel a power increase.
Does anyone else worry a bit about tire grip in these temps? I ride 6 miles to the interstate at 40 mph or so, then it's a long, sharp, steep uphill curve right after getting on, sometimes I think I need to take it easy till the tires warm up at speed so in cold weather I usually keep it around 65 on that curve and the next mile or two till the tires warm up, then I activate the warp drive and accelerate to ludicrous (I mean cruising) speed :-)
Is this a valid concern or am I just being overly cautions?
Edited by mike721 2016-11-28 6:40 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | I've been winter riding since 1995 and never worried or had an issue riding at "cruising " speeds Many sub-freezing days over that span of time, a couple of single digit days, many days in the teens never a problem, I ride it no differently in dry cold than dry warm, same feedback, same ride experience and feel. You will inevitably get a response(s) to the contrary. Just ride, it really isn't that big a deal. So I am saying "overly cautious" , this will upset the extreme safety conscious but I call it like i see it, others don't have to agree but I am speaking from my real experiences , not any scientific studies of the affect of cold on rubber LOL! |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 40
Cheyenne, WY United States | I'm stuck on around 38F but have ridden colder. Roads froze on a grave yard once and I had no choice but to ride about 2 miles on the iced road - at 5mph with BOTH feet on the ground. Pucker factor off the scale.Now I'm afraid these nimrods that like to water their freaking grass (and subsequently) the road at or below freezing (lord only knows why the grass ain't gonna grow) icing up the road and get me wrapped around a light pole or something. As far as tire temps never noticed any issue as long as the tires are in good shape but one can't argue with racers who "warm"their tires before a race. I know in extreme cold weather (say -20F or below) you absolutely have to warm them (drive slow and not over any obstacles) or they can blow out. Fella at work blew two fronts (on a car) at -30F by not "warming" them and just running over some railroad tracks. Still, beyond that I've not noticed a serious issue [except of course when the road is frozen ;-)] I say ride as cold as your guardian angle feels comfortable :-)
Edited by RoteBarron 2016-11-30 9:13 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | I'll never ride in negative temps simply because it just doesn't get that cold here, and I'm thankful  . Single digits are very rare.
I can relate to the "both feet on the ground at 5mph". I got caught in a snow that was forecast but I ignored because they had forecast several snow events prior to this one that didn't happen but this time it did. I have a mountain pass to climb on the return home. It was so sketchy! I had to park at a neighbors and walk the remaining half mile. I came back and got my bike the next day. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | Have ridden a couple hours at 9-14F but it was just to test out some heated clothing. Usually if it's below 30F I ain't going, just ain't that much fun to me. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 15
| I guess the cold tires issue was only in my mind, at least for the temps I've been riding in, I'll engage warp drive as soon as I get on the highway next time and see what happens :-)
It didn't matter today anyway, we had a warm, wet front came through, this morning was 50 degrees but the roads were under an inch of water, so I was testing the wet traction instead :-)
Full disclosure, I was riding a Yamaha, not the Vision today, I didn't want to get my baby filthy again after I just cleaned it, the Vstar was still disgustingly dirty from the last time I rode in the rain so I figured a little more wouldn't hurt it. I would have stayed a lot drier on the Vision though :-) |
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Cruiser
Posts: 196
Asheville, NC | I was out on a ride up into East Ky. a couple of weekends ago. It was around 29 at departure back to NC. If it will start, I'll ride it sans ice or snow. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 35
, IL United States |
It's supposed to be -9F when I leave for work in the morning. I'll be in the truck.
The other day I pushed my luck however, when The wife n I left for a party when the roads were clear. 'bout mid twenties out. Started to snow when we got there. An 1.5 hours later twas still snowing so we left. Half hour ride home was uneventful til the last stop sign before our house. Creeping up to the stop line with an inch of driven on snow, too much front brake pushed the wheel to the side throwing off the mrs. I also left the bike running til I heard loud valve noises. Turned off the bike, helped her up then uprighted the VV. She walked home the two blocks and I let a few cars go by me as it was still very hard to keep it upright.
Snow riding was much more fun on the ol' dirt bike |
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How cold do you go ?
