How low do you go? weather wise

[motorcyclist]

So the inevitable is happening here were getting in the 30's and winter is around the corner.I do a lot of commuting to the next town over ,it's about a 20 minute ride round trip. Was wondering if there are any riders who ride in cold weather and what gear you use to keep warm?

The couple of rides i've taken in the high 30 low 40's have not been that bad ,if i'm using double gloves my hands are OK and my engine keeps the lower half warm i'd guess becuse of the engine radiating heat,my face is taking most of the cold wind though even with a full face helmet.

[Schneiderman]

I have ridden at about 0*F with a 160 mile round trip commute on a couple occasions, and that was before I had a big windshield and heated gear. Now that I have heated gear, I will never go back to riding without it once the temp drops below 45. The big windshield also helps a lot.

[beginner]

I get on the bike any day where there's a safe surface to use. For the season between mid December and sometime in March that means PLP. I go to the nearby parking lot if it's safe to ride there and it's not too icey or may be a slip and slide practice ride on a closer gravel road or if those aren't available track stands in the driveway. If it's very cold that can mean a shorter time outside. Usually the first thing to get cold are my thumbs.

[CaptCrashIdaho]

L'il Vijimeo help with cold weather issues:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjiD5cp7_Ek

[motorcyclist]

Awesome video CaptCrash!
One question what is the black thing your wearing on your face,that's exactly what I need.

[CaptCrashIdaho]

Neck Gaiter. You can roll them up and down, fold 'em up. Kinda like a balaclava without the top...

[beginner]

For PLP on the coldest days, wool socks, felt lined boots, coveralls over sweatshirt, down vest or down jacket, and windbreaker, nylon glove liners, fleece lined mittens, balaclava.

[JBorg]

I've gone down to the mid 20's.
Using heated gloves (tourmaster) has made a big difference in my comfort, especially at highway speeds. Add my leather jacket, a vest w/ a high collar, lined riding pants, thick sox & boots and I'm good to go. My biggest fear is black ice!
(A windshield is a good thing as well)

[hogcowboy]

I've got down to 28 degrees but started drifting sideways on some black ice on an overpass once. That made decide that trying to ride at 32 and below was a little bit too risky for my taste. Plus it was brutal cold.

[ClassicVW]

Be extra careful not just at 32 and below. At 39 there can still be ice on well shaded sections of roadway.

[hogcowboy]

So true. That is normally not a problem here in Texas since the ground hardly ever freezes. Usually we warm up will above freezing during the day for all but two or three weeks a winter where I'm at.

[DownByFive]

I'm hoping to ride the whole winter...coldest day so far was like 38, which wasn't really that bad with my Olympia AST2 and an insulated windbreaker underneath. Haven't needed to put the liner in my pants though. I work in an office environment, so I pretty much have to wear my office clothes when I ride, so I can't rely on base layers, so it'll be interesting to see how low I can go. But I'm going to get the 7v battery powered Gerbings liner to provide some extra warmth...don't want to mess with wiring and such and I want something that I can also use snowboarding and when I commute on my bicycle.

[irishdriven]

Its so great to hear others actually ride their bikes I have a hard time justifying using a car sometimes cant imagine why folks could own a bike for 5 years and have 1600 miles total on em. underarmor is necessary in my book butim in cali no below 32 here at least no often

[Biker Dash]

If the roads start getting icy, its time to stop.

[murphyshuman]

same here, I'll ride until there is ice and snow. Even when the weather gets good during the day you have to be careful of the curves that are in the shade all day. It's common to round a curve and find ice in the roadway.

[Harvey]

50 degrees is my lower limit.

[cbdallas]

I drove the car this morning. 35 degrees according to my thermometer. That's cold enough for frosty bridges in Texas.

[Dodsfall]

I draw the line at the freezing mark. Every so often I'll head out below freezing if the roads are dry, but not for a long distance.

I've already got the gas treated with Sta-Bil and the motorcycle plugged into the battery maintainer since there won't be too many more riding days left for me here.

[WinterWarrior]

Ive done 16 degrees once, it doesnt get much colder here in jersey. As long as you stick to the middle of the roadway and ride conservatively you can survive, but I typically dont take long trips in the winter. I just commute and live locally for jan-march.

[RangerPJ]

I've ridden below freezing, but I have to know the roads are dry. Just moved here an I don't have to get out on the Highway to get to work. I did back home and was able to ride at least a few days each month during the winter. I have heated grips which help, but my best buy was fleece lined gloves that come up over my sleeves.

[Arko]

26 degrees today on the way to work. Then 60 on the way home. Love North Carolina.

[oldride]

I went for a ride yesterday it was sunny and 41 degrees. My cooldest day riding was my motorcycle riding class back in February it was 18 degrees that morning.

[4Raven]

Coldest is 14 degrees, but I have still taken long trips when it starts out at 35 or so...just have to watch the ice on the roads and put on the heated grips....stop and have a hot coffee...

[bdaggel]

When my ATV wouldn't start one day, and I still wanted to get out on the trail to do some work (I was clearing a trail to the top of a mountain near my house via riding, sawing stuff out of the way, repeat, etc) I rode my YZ85 in 20 deg F, with a chainsaw strapped to the front and a backpack on the seat and fender, in the snow. This trail had already been gone over with a snowmachine, but it was crazy on a motorcycle.

Anyway, from about 700 feet altitude to about 4500 feet and back down. I learned a lot about riding that day, it was great fun. I was a split second from crashing at any moment.

[JBorg]

Last week I got up early for work (~4am), checked the temperature, and decided to take the bike to work. It was about 24 degrees when I finally got my gloves wired up and headed out. The ride was fine, mostly, until I got to this entrance ramp to the highway. A sprinkler in front of an industrial park had sprayed a section of the end of the ramp just as it enters the service road. Luckily, I saw it in time to avoid most of the ice patch. Luckily, there wasn't a car blocking my merge. Luckily, the little slip the bike made on the ice didn't send me sliding into traffic.

[CaptCrashIdaho]

If there ain't liquid water about I tend to get nervous and won't go out in the dark...

[Gold5th]

Below freezing traction is a concern for me. But if traction weren't an issue I really wouldn't have a limit. I've been out in the effective temp(with windchill) was -77F on snowmobile.

[zmago]

Down to freezing is ok. I'm looking forward to riding all winter with a few days off for really bad weather.

[Tankhead]

It was about 26 for this morning ride to work. Only 2 miles so it aint that bad. Thats been about the lower limit so far this winter. Only riden a few times this winter that cold.

[Slim Johnson]

Originally Posted by ClassicVW

Be extra careful not just at 32 and below. At 39 there can still be ice on well shaded sections of roadway.

Gospel ^^^ !

The lowest I have knowingly ridden in is ~24f. It was before the winter storms had moved in, so I was not too concerned with black ice.

I also avoid riding below 40f, in the winter months due to the likelihood of ice on bridges, and overpasses.

I also am concerned with cold tires. When it gets cold outside, the tires will take longer to warm up, which will cause traction issues. I have had the surprise of tires sliding in a turn when they were cold... That will make your butt pucker! So it's important to give your tires time to warm up, or just assume that they will be harder than normal, and keep your speed, and steering in check.

One more thing to consider during the cold winter months is the accumulation of sand/salt/gravel, at intersections, as well as on/off ramps. Salt is used most often here. Not only is it corrosive, it is also dangerous because, the plows will drop small piles of salt on the roadway randomly.

[??]

I ride year round, but we don't get long winters here. On the occasions that we get sonw/ice I don't ride. The rest of the time, I'm on the bike. I wear a heated jacket liner and heated gloves. I just got them a few weeks ago and they are AWESOME. I highly recommend them. I can't believe I have gone sooo long without them.

[Gereke]

Lowest temp I've ridden in has been 17F. Layering properly is the name of the game.

(heated gear works too, but proper layers won't cut out at a bad time )

[Banaticus]

I've ridden below freezing. I hit a patch of ice on a corner on a steep hill last week and ended up losing my front left turn signal (which may also be why my headlight has stopped working). Anyway, I wear the following:

Down coat under a regular black leather jacket -- the down compresses, so I end up bulky, but it all fits. With that and my big scarf on around my neck under the down coat, I feel sort of like this kid:

I also wear snow gloves when I ride. They took a few minutes of getting used to, but I have no trouble working everything with them on now. I also put my scarf around the bottom half of my face and my neck, so it stops so much air coming in the helmet -- I only get a little bit coming in around the edge of the facemask that keeps the facemask from fogging up when I breath on it.

[motorcyclist]

The lowest i've went is 27 degrees.If the temps are 35 and above and the roads are clear i've found this is very do-able to ride if your dressed properly.My gear is a regular leather jacket with insulation,two thick shirts,balaclava ,Xelement Insulated Gloves, and two sets of warm socks.

However i've stopped driving in the below freezing weather as there are two many variables,black ice etc,had a scare a while back driving in flurries a car was slowing for a turn and I gently applied both brakes and found myself sliding in a straight line so I let off brakes and gently squeezed again but i'm still sliding,luckily this car turned before contact was made.My realization motorcycle tires are no good in snow or ice.

[semw]

i ride down into the mid 20's on my commute. when it gets into the 30's i use gerbing. in the 40's i use underarmour.

[Gold5th]

Last fall I rode to work a couple times when it was just below freezing... it was umm.. entertaining. Not due to the cold, but more due to the frost on the road.

[JBorg]

I'm finding that humidity makes a big difference in comfort. The temps were in the low 40's yesterday when I rode home from work. If the sun is out and it's dry, I'd forgo the heated gloves and be fine. But since it was cloudy and damp my fingers were freezing by the time I got home. I should've wired up!

[suzukiproblem]

I ride in the teens in Asheville, NC. Anything to save gas lol

[FreepZ]

The lowest I've ridden is probably in the high 50's. In Florida, the challenge is riding in a leather jacket when it's 90 degrees and humid. Having a spare shirt is usually a good idea.