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Guess I am turning into a wimp

3K views 34 replies 15 participants last post by  hogcowboy 
#1 ·
I used to say to myself that as long as the temps are above freezing and the sun is shining I can get out for a ride. Especially since my current ride has a full fairing, heated seats and grips, the cold should not be a major factor. But a few years ago I adjusted my cold point to 40. The other day I went for a ride when the temp was 50, and sunny, and came home after only about 45 minutes on the road. I was just chilled enough to not want to stay out for a longer ride. Now I am thinking that maybe I should set my lower limit at 60 degrees, and just accept being a biker wimp. Maybe its age. I know that as we age we lose the layer of fatty tissue just below the skin and that makes us more susceptible to cold. This is why you will see folks in a nursing home often wearing sweaters or other warm clothing even while the staff is still in short sleeves. This came to mind when I received a message today that the local riding group is going out tomorrow morning for a ride to see the fall colors in the area, and the weather report shows that at the time the ride will begin the temps will be in the lower 40's. Not too long ago I would have not let that stop me for a moment, but now I am not sure I will be going for the group ride even though it may be the last such ride before winter really sets in. Or maybe I'll put thermal underwear under my jeans, and add a sweatshirt under my lined jacket, and still give it a go. I hate the reality of growing old, even though it sure beats the only other alternative.
 
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#3 ·
Go for it, Vito! I used to layer up with Nylon Stockings, thermals, jeans, and some riding chaps. Thermal top, loose long sleeve shirt, sweat shirt, and liner in your jacket, and you'll be peeling off clothes after a couple of hours.

Yeah, I know it's 'old school', but I don't have the money for all the new 'Wiz Bang' clothes that is out there. But it works, and works well. Besides, at our age, this might be the last chance we have to see the Fall colors. I already did my trip to the top of the Mountain where it was 35 degrees with a stiff wind blowing at about 10/15 miles an hour.

Make me proud!
 
#4 · (Edited)
I used to say to myself that as long as the temps are above freezing and the sun is shining I can get out for a ride... Not too long ago I would have not let that stop me for a moment, but now I am not sure I will be going for the group ride even though it may be the last such ride before winter really sets in. Or maybe I'll put thermal underwear under my jeans, and add a sweatshirt under my lined jacket, and still give it a go. I hate the reality of growing old, even though it sure beats the only other alternative.
Yep -- I’ve ridden in sun and snow (well was much more foolish back then), without much other than leather when I was a touch younger (remember when newspapers stuffed into your leathers were considers good fall/winter insulation) and used to think that stuff like windshields, fairings and `lectric-lingerie were for over-the-hill geezers… Well, that changed about the time I hit 50-55 and was commuting regularly on a bike – daily roundtrip 150 miles +/-… Admittedly it is one thing to stay comfy on a sunny, recreational ride, but when you have to be out in it regardless, it was another matter – and I got smarter (well, maybe…). I got to where my electric jacket-liner was as much a part of my equipment as the gas credit card… in summer when the before-sunrise temps were in the high-50s to low-60s we all know the wind-chill moves it down – and even then I’d wear the `lectric-lingerie under my mesh on the way in – riding home the electric was in the pack, but going to work I’d wear electric nine days out of ten, maybe partly unzipped, but getting chilled on the way to work day after day got old much faster than I was aging…

For a recreational ride, goodness, be comfortable… :smile:
 
#5 ·
I decided to go on that ride even with temps predicted to be a bit cooler than what I like. The morning was in the high 40's and thick, thick fog, but it was still a good ride. By the time we finished lunch it had risen up to 70 degrees and a blue sky, so I peeled off some of the clothing I had worn, changed to lighter weight gloves, and had a really great two hour ride home. With November right around the corner, this might turn out to be the last "big" ride of the season so I'm glad I decided to go after all. At the end of this week its an oil change and two new tires, so if I have to put it away for the winter the timing is not bad.
 
#6 ·
I do fine from 60 degrees to 90+ and I'm proud of it.:)

My past 3 new Goldwing's and especially my past BMW K1200 LTC made riding in much colder weather tolerable with the heated grips and seat but riding when there is even a chance of FREEZING weather to me is stupid.:(

When I lived in Southern California and led many riders to the Sturgis Rally, the 4 corners Rally, the Laughlin River Run and visits to Utah and Zion National parks, the temps were as HIGH as 120 Degrees or more so in Lake Havasu City! The temps never really bothered me there as I/ we all kept ourselves well hydrated! LOW humidity riding is much more tolerable than the terrible humidity in FLORIDA, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia or even Arkansas, where sometimes I swear 70 degrees can kill ya----think Florida:)

I have nothing to prove so if the riding conditions aren't perfect for ME, I'll take the F150 thank you:)

Sam
 
#7 ·
LOW humidity riding is much more tolerable than the terrible humidity in FLORIDA, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia or even Arkansas, where sometimes I swear 70 degrees can kill ya----think Florida:)

I ran into that Georgia heat and humidity on my BBG ride, 102 degrees and it felt like 299% humidity, it damn near killed me.
114 in the dry badlands of South Dakota was pleasant compared to that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Early Spring 2018 and Winter 2018-2019 I rode in whatever. Picked up the bike in March 2018 and rode the rest of the Alabama winter, which rarely got below freezing after Ferbruary. That winter we had some cold times, unusually cold for the area. I bought some Oxford Brand handlebar mitten things that, in combination with the heated grips, worked absolute magic. Rode in summer gloves all winter long. Had a great time, but didn't take too many long rides.

Here in San Antonio the days continue to hit the upper 80s and low 90s, even in late October. Long-time residents say this is unusual, and that winter will eventually arrive. Seems like every day the forecast calls for falling temps tomorrow. Then it doesn't happen. I begin to despair of ever using those mittens again!
 
#15 ·
Early Spring 2018 and Winter 2018-2019 I rode in whatever. Picked up the bike in March 2018 and rode the rest of the Alabama winter, which rarely got below freezing after Ferbruary. That winter we had some cold times, unusually cold for the area. I bought some Oxford Brand handlebar mitten things that, in combination with the heated grips, worked absolute magic. Rode in summer gloves all winter long. Had a great time, but didn't take too many long rides.

Here in San Antonio the days continue to hit the upper 80s and low 90s, even in late October. Long-time residents say this is unusual, and that winter will eventually arrive. Seems like every day the forecast calls for falling temps tomorrow. Then it doesn't happen. I begin to despair of ever using those mittens again!


Fear not. It will happen. You can bank on it. Well...unless they are correct and we are in a global warming event.:surprise: I think not.
 
#11 ·
Well I'm 38 and last year my cutoff point was below 30 degrees. Now I'm thinking it'll be more like 40 degrees...unless I can figure out which handlebar wind blocker things I can get for my bike...and maybe some heated gloves that plug into the bike battery. We'll see.

Nothing wrong with not riding if you think you're going to be uncomfortable the whole time. Doesn't matter if you're young or older.
 
#12 ·
I've ridden in the high teens (111° + in Arizona and California) and the low teens (16° and higher in Texas and New Mexico mountains). I don't recommend either. If you gear up for it, it's tolerable, but I tend to lose interest if things are just 'tolerable.' High temps are dangerous. I've come close to heat stroke several times. The only thing I hate about low temps is the risk of hitting patches of ice or snow. That said, there's something appealing about being out and riding when nearly all other riders are comfortably stashed away in their climate controlled homes. When you see another rider out in those extremes, that low friendly wave you give each other seems to have more meaning to it.
 
#17 ·
I had an appointment today to get new tires for the motorcycle. It was 39 degrees when I left the house, and 40 when I arrived at the shop 25 miles away. I dressed for the weather, and turned on the grip warmers and seat warmer to Max about 5 minutes before I left while the bike warmed up. Other than my legs being a bit cold, despite the flannel lined jeans and thermals underneath that, it was not a bad ride at all. The shop seemed surprised to see me, assuming I was canceling due to the temperature. It should be about 50 when I go back this afternoon to pick up the bike. But I'm not sure I would have taken the bike out had I not had that appointment. Bringing the bike home later today might well turn out to be the last ride of the season for me.
 
#18 ·
Always expect the unexpected!!

In 2003, this time of year, my cousin and I left in the morning early, for a breakfast ride to Springfield, MO, about 70 miles away and it was a COLD 41 degrees but I was dressed like the Michelin man or the Pillsbury dough boy with a nice thick jacket and gloves, scarf and boots! It was cold but my new Honda VTX1800R had the big Factory windshield so it wasn't too bad. My Cousin was dressed about like me and riding his 1500 Kawasaki Vulcan, with a windshield also.:surprise:

We messed around looking at a couple of bike Dealerships after breakfast and then started west on the Interstate 44 but the entire horizon was a dark grey fuzzy color and as we approached it the temperature dropped to 20 degrees in a half hour and were were frozen almost stiff! I motioned for my cousin to follow and we got off and went to a gas station, had a HOT cup of coffee and tried to warm up!:crying:

I remembered a trick I learned while riding ISDT type enduro competition in the very high MT. Whitney area near lone pine, CA many years before, where we had all stuffed the fronts of our jackets with folded newspaper to keep any freezing wind from seeping through and to act as a thermal barrier:wink2: It worked and we made it home without frost bite:smile_big:

Missouri's weather can change in a heartbeat!

Sam:nerd:
 
#19 ·
I can still handle the 100 degree temps as long as I'm moving. If I need fuel, park in the shade, fill up, get moving again. Not going to eat at any drive ins, going inside a nice air conditioned building for lunch or supper.

And with the cold, wet, rainy days we've just had, plus a tornado that went south of us this past week, I'd like to see a few weeks of 80 or 90 plus degree days. I'd sure feel a whole lot better and probably a bit more energetic than I am right now. :)
 
#20 ·
My motivation to ride in the cold weather is simply that I don't know (and don't want to learn) how to "winterize" my bike. The best I can muster up is adding Sta-Bil to every tank in case we have a longer cold snap.

We have a regional group that focuses on winter rides; it's called the West Central MO Polar Bears (I've posted this season's schedule in the Events subforum).

Tomorrow is their first ride of this season and I hope to haul my sorry self out of a nice warm bed tomorrow for a 2-hour ride in the low 50s. I don't have fancy gear either and am depending on some past-their-best-by-date Little Hotties charcoal heating packs, along with many layers of clothes and whatever leathers I can pull over them. We'll see...

:}
 
#21 ·
The best way to winterize and keep the fuel fresh is to make sure you burn it up every month and replace it with fresh. Helps with the mental state as well as the fuel state :)

I too add some stabil if the weather looks particularly evil for a few weeks, just in case though, that's just being prudent.
 
#28 ·
Get ready to stay home in the Heartland:surprise: A cold front with possible Ice storms is in the mix for Thursday:plain:



Sam:nerd:


Going around draining all outside faucets today. Hate to see **** this early. Might mean one nasty winter.


Freezing already but thermometer doesn’t say so.
 
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#31 ·
We are in the 40 to 50 range at the moment, with some mornings in the 30's. Some warmer days are 55. We have had one freeze so far. As above, if it is 40 for the morning ride, and warms up. that works for me. It should stay in this range for another month. Then Noddy will get parked, and only the XS400, Yami and the side car, and the van cage will be in action. Mostly it will be the 400.

UK
 
#33 ·
Some chilly weather has finally hit San Antonio. It was 43 degress on the ride to work the other day (Friday?), though it did climb up to the low 80s by afternoon. Today it is in the 50s and raining. It's not going to hit 70 degrees, today. The the ride home from work will be in overcast, 65 degrees and light rain.

Perfect!
 
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