Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I keep riding to work if it is in the 20s. I dont have a windshield, but I do use heated clothes. Once we start getting snow and Ice, or if it is in the teens, I stop.
I have a group of riding friends from the Sacramento, CA area that go to Death Valley every January. Coming back home on a Sunday once on 395 it was 17 degrees for a couple hours. We were all riding BMW's with heated grips and seats and adjustable windscreens. Along with Gerbing heated jacket liners. Wearing all the right gear like with snowmobiling is the key. And filling in all the cracks especially in the neck area is necessary.
Yep. I used to have and ride snowmobiles when we lived in Minnesota. Good times!
Unfortunately, I have no desire to feel like I'm snowmobiling when I'm on the motorcycle. So I leave it in the garage when the temps drop below about 50.
With a Belstaff one piece "barbour suit" as the top layer to keep out any air leaks, and a couple of down vests over flannel shirts, Belstaff "dolomite mittens" with the heavy wool liners, a wool scarf wrapped around my neck and face, and engineer boots with heavy wool socks. A helmet with a bubble was essential to keep the cold air off my eyeballs, and a helmet liner to further insulate my ears.
Overall, I was reasonably comfortable, although I did have a number of times where I did get chilled and getting inside to a warm place was really nice at the end of the ride. Rarely rode over 55-60 mph for these trips, about 2-3 hours long.
This was on a naked Moto Guzzi Ambassodor, no heated anything, no windshield ... commuting in the Front Range of Colorado and up to Idaho Springs those few times the nightime winter roads were clear.
I know that I don't have the cold resistance ability to do this anymore, and wouldn't do it now without heated grips and socks and vest and my trialmaster suit. Keeping the wind out is the key to being able to layer up with comfort. I've tried a number of snowmobile suits, and all of them had annoying little air leaks that made them very uncomfortable on a motorcycle, although appeared adequate on snowmobiles with their fairings. Mittens are much better than gloves, too, for me.
Cold isn't the deciding factor for me in winter riding. . . icy streets are.
I have a pair of insulated boots, insulated coveralls, insulated gloves, an insulated pull over Dicky and a helmet. I usually just ride across town (ten miles) when it is below 20 above. When it is below zero I take the car. I don't head out on long trips (over 25 miles) until it is in the forties or higher. But I am 63 and not as stupid/brave as I was when I was in my twenties. Only thing that stopped me in my twenties was that most of the bikes I rode then had kick starters. Try kick starting a bored and stroked Sportster in cold weather.
with proper clothing i can ride all day in 20s-30s as long as there's no snow...black ice scares me more than low tempertures...
I wear thermals top and bottom, baraclava with neck gaitor, wind breaker under my leather jacket and I have "Racer" winter gloves with latex and thin liner gloves inside...
yea...I know it's alot of work just to ride but you know why...
I was out on the Hawg today. Any day in you can ride in Omaha, in December, is a MUST ride day! A little nippy this morning, but fabulous this afternoon!
Mine is primarily an office job, and I see a lot of different clients, so it's really not feasible for me to dress heavy and keep riding on into the bitter cold.
Also, my office is only 5 minutes from our house, and my car gets 30+ mpg, so riding the motorcycle really doesn't save me any significant money.
I keep riding to work if it is in the 20s. I dont have a windshield, but I do use heated clothes. Once we start getting snow and Ice, or if it is in the teens, I stop.
I used to live close to you(relatively speaking, in PA). I would ride
whenever there wasnt actual ice or snow on the roads.
A lot of problems though....The carb bikes would ice and sometimes
fingers and feet could not cooperate with brain
One time on I-95, FD was spraying a car fire and the run-off
was freezing as it hit the road. There was about .5 miles of stop
and go(mostly stop) traffic to get by it and everytime I put my foot
down, or let the clutch out-braked , the Sportster would go
crazy squirrely ! Not pleasant at all
I learned to ride in 35 degree weather. I remember being SO excited to ride, but so frozen that I'd come inside, thaw out and then go back out again.
Now...If it's below 60, I'm not interested in riding in it. I'm a fair weather rider with nothin' to prove and proudly own no heated gear.
I got caught riding in cold weather one day and I don't know the temp, but I know it had to be in the super low 20's or something equally as ri-dic. The only thought I had was, "I wanna park my bike in that ditch over there and curl up and die". Never again. Ever.
I've had a few times when it's cold that I feel chilled to the bone. I come home and hop in the hot tub until I feel human again...man does that feel great...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Not pleasant at all 
