[vito]

Two or three days in December I was able to get out riding, and winter didn't seem so bad. But its been about 6 weeks since I last rode, and locally the roads are not suitable for two wheel riding. Spring looks awfully far away. With three of my five grown kids living within an hour of us, along with 8 of my 12 grandkids, my wife won't even talk about selling the house and moving to a more civilized climate, and after 53 years with her its too much of a habit to break and go without her! In two weeks there is the Chicago motorcycle show, so that will be my big mid-winter jolt of something related to riding. I hope to pick up a nice set of chaps at the show, and maybe another jacket. Snow sucks.

 

[Tobacco Road]

It's called winter, and without it you would not appreciate the spring and summer riding months. Enjoy the cold and even snow for the beauty it provides, you will embrace the next season even more.

 

[vito]

There is truth in what you wrote. After a winter, the first ride or two is extra special. When I lived in South Texas, where there never is real winter, the Spring is just the beginning of the hot season but nothing special. Still, as I get older and older, I become more aware of the limited time any of us have on this earth, and winter is not time that I make good use of. One by one my riding friends have dropped by the wayside; some just don't ride anymore, some are no longer with us. I just need to stay well enough to ride when the weather allows it.

 

[bpe]

All winters are too long.

Spoiler: Too long

Always too long

 

[Eagle Six]

I agree, this winter has been too long, although I haven't stop riding, actually just got back from a ride to lunch with the wife. I don't miss the long hard winters of the north, not even 1%. I would prefer 78*f year round day and night!!! Not having that I'll have to put up with our 25* overnight low and 62*f high today.

 

[johnnyvee]

This is hardly a winter yet! I live in 60618, that's inside Chicago city limits, and I'm expecting to ride EVERY day this coming week.

Vito, you should surprise us sometime, and start a thread that isn't a negative declarative statement. That will have everybody wondering, and sending get well cards.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

We have been very wet lately, but there are starting to be some breaks in the rain. Today was over 50 I think, and the warmest day so far. I did one trip around the Island. I even fired up the XS1100 with the side car. Might use it for darts on Friday night. Noticed the head light is busted.

UK

 

[hogcowboy]

The only reason I hate winter is I can't get and stay warm. I'm always cold. So I go thru extra wood to keep warm. Once the temps are back in the 80's I'm good again. Y'all can have winter. I should have moved further south but I'll suffer thru.

 

[RonK]

--

Hey, Vito, lighten up. You don't like winter because it's too cold. You don't like summers when it's too hot. Maybe it's time to stick to a cage? ??

I used to ride about 7-9,000 miles in 3 or so rides per week each winter down here in Arizona. Then summers in Colorado and other places around the area about 3-4 times per week for another 15-20,000 miles. You know what, riding all the time can get kind of tiring. Sometimes you can have too much of a good time and need to back off awhile (or even longer).

There were some years I rode an ATV as much as 5,000 miles per year. That's a lot of off road riding.

Nowadays I realize that it's kind of fun to watch a movie, listen to music, read a book--all good things also.
--

 

[Offcenter]

I got out yesterday morning to meet with the members of my bike club for breakfast.
We had a good turnout with 18 people showing up.
Not surprisingly, I was the only one who actually showed up on a bike, since it was
33 degrees when I left the house. It had rained all day Saturday which washed all
the damned salt off of the roads. With the electric vest, I wasn't cold at all.
God bless electric clothing!
It's still two months 'til spring though.
Damn. That sucks.

 

[CTX]

For us, winter has just started. Saturday our grandkids came over and spent all day ripping around on the mini snowmobiles. Sunday the wife and I spent all day riding, hiking and stopping at scenic overlooks with friends. My wife has been campaigning to move somewhere warm too. But she took it all back yesterday. It sure beats sitting at home staring at a calendar....
PS, by design, you are warmer riding a snowmobile in sub freezing temperatures then riding a motorcycle at 45 degrees.

 

[hogcowboy]

Even that wouldn't get me to change my mind about a warm climate. As a matter of fact, where is that global warming we are supposed to be having? What a crock.

 

[Porky]

It got up to 60 today but it is supposed to snow tonight and maybe tomorrow.

I have been too busy at work to ride anyway! I still have a 2020 Harley with my name on it at the Dealer but I'm not signing the dotted line unless I ride it first and I don't ride in freezing weather.

I also picked up a bad head cold that is probably the Coronavirus!

We do go on and on about cold and heat don't we?

Sam

 

[Unkle Krusty]

We are warming here and the rain will slowly ease. I do not have any kind of a cold. All in all things are peachy.
And I did ride yesterday.

UK

 

[hogcowboy]

I have been too busy at work to ride anyway!

At least your reason for not riding is work related. I just haven't felt like it. Have missed several beautiful days with all but zero wind. Doc just says my parts are passed their expiration date.

 

[Porky]

You have a big rain storm bearing down on you right now Larry and it's gonna add to the one we have now, by this evening.

Health wise, I haven't felt good in a long time but my physicals and blood work are all perfect????

My cold has rendered me almost incapable of speech, my nose is running constantly and I'm sore and stiff but I will bite the bullet and go to work, IF I can hoist myself into my new F250 that I swear is 'lifted' by the factory!

It's almost February a COLD month around here but March is just around the corner which is usually the start of the riding season.

Sam

 

[mike721]

It happens to the best of us, I was down and out for a week with the Flu, didn't ride, felt miserable. I only took 1 day off work but between the flu and the meds I was on just driving the car in and home was exhausting, not to mention trying to work with a headache etc.

Today I finally got back on the bike and rode to work, it was chilly, I had some coughing from the cold air, but it sure felt good to ride again

 

[McRider01]

Where I live in Southwest Washington I often get suckered into riding and then the weather gods **** on me. Like two days ago when I needed to get something in town and the sun was shining so I took the bike. Halfway there it started raining so I turned around. Then after lunch the sun was out again so I headed in to town and got caught in another shower that was pretty heavy. I was close enough to my destination that I just kept going and got pretty wet. I've got good rain gear and don't mind riding in the rain when I have it on, but I'm too lazy or stupid to wear it when the sun is out.

 

[hogcowboy]

got good rain gear and don't mind riding in the rain when I have it on, but I'm too lazy or stupid to wear it when the sun is out

About two miles after I go the the trouble of stopping and putting rain gear on I can almost bet the sun will pop out. Irks me to no end. But then there are those times I'm sure glad I had it on too.

 

[RogerC60]

For now, at least, I'm kinda glad there are a couple of months of winter weather where it's too cold or snowy/icy for me to be tempted to ride. These are the months I get to leisurely wrench on my bike. It's 17 years old and I didn't get any service records at all from the previous owner, so I'm doing some PM whether it's really needed or not. I'm replacing the alternator belt and the fuel filter and all the inside-the-tank fuel lines. Also going to install the upgraded cam chain tensioner (a known engineering deficiency on the pre-2005 oilheads). I've probably been riding on borrowed time on this bike, and now's the time to remedy that.