First ride of the new year…

[Buffalo Bill]

I fired up my old dependable 82-GS1100G at 11:00 AM today, and took a half hour ride.
I rode fast up and down my country roads, but used long slow down distances before turns. Lots of sand on the road at intersections, standing water puddles in some places, as we had plenty of rain and warm temps the last 36 hours. That melted all the snow and the rivers are high as a result.
But the temp dropped from 30º to 25ºF in just that half hour! Those puddles are probably freezing over right now, it's already down to 22ºF at 1:00 PM, and the wind is howling too.
I wanted to take another ride or two today, but not now, not for misery's sake.
Bill

[7981GS]

A wise decision.

[Octain]

No ride for me today. The temp is good but it's raining cats and dogs.
At least it aint cold!!

[bluefireant]

thankfully for global warming or whatever it was it hit about 50-55 here in upstate NY. Didnt take the GS out since its in pieces however I was able to take the other bike out (2004 Kawasaki Mean Streak 1600).

Good way to start the new year!

[GS Jim]

I fired up my old dependable 82-GS1100G at 11:00 AM today, and took a half hour ride.
Bill

I too summoned up my courage and set off to Wiltz (about 120 kms round trip) to visit Pete Logan (a regular on this forum). Halfway there it started snowing again. Soldiered on, and arrived without incident, though I must admit I was tiptoeing around curves like a little old lady (no offense to little old ladies )

[Redman]

Hi Bill,

I too noticed the 50 degF Friday and was thinking of going for ride. Then, realized something.
DOAH ....
Carbs of GK are in basement...
... and the Shadow500 has expired plates ....
AHHHH, how did I let this happen?
First time in years that I dont have a bike ready for the road. Yikes.

And I noticed the dropping temps Saturday and SUnday.
Seems that you got to sample it more directly.

So, between the temps and the sand on road, you were not doing any track day practicing, eh?

.

[Buffalo Bill]

The Big Cold…

I Tell you Dave, one half hour of riding at 20º and I feel like I fell off a house, lot's of pain and stiffness. It go's away but leaves behind a strong message. Don't mess around with cold.
Bill
More about track days in another thread.

[argonsagas]

I Tell you Dave, one half hour of riding at 20º and I feel like I fell off a house, lot's of pain and stiffness. It go's away but leaves behind a strong message. Don't mess around with cold.
Bill
More about track days in another thread.

Before venturing out for a winter ride, you must first venture into the closet for appropriate clothing...

Winter riding is something you must adapt to over a few days, at least.
Many, many, riders head out during moments when the temperature moves above freezing and the sun feels great, and then suffer from various problems, ranging from frostbite to having their bikes towed to a garage.
Wind chill is a considerable risk that many new riders know little about, despite hearing constant weather reports that mention it.

You can add your local conditions to this chart and calculate the effective local temperature changes here:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/windchillcalc.html

Temperatures can (and very often do) drop faster than expected, and a breeze can become a wind in just a moment, leading to flash freezing, and a few flakes of snow, or blowing snow, makes for exciting conditions, as vehicle traffic will hit the flakes and melt them momentarily, so the wind turns them to ice, as well.

The last time I rode my "G" in winter I started out with all the right conditions, then got all of those things mentioned. As the wind increased in strength, blowing snow from my right, the cars and trucks running over the snow turned them to ice. A strong gust blew me sideways out of my own lane and mostly across the left one. Fortunately, no one was beside me at the time, but home was to the left and about ten miles away, so, at the next intersection, that is where I went.


The other thing that is ALWAYS to be found and feared (if you live in snowy areas) is sand or salt-sand mix.

Never, never, never, underestimate the danger: it is your worst enemy.

You often cannot see it, but it can be just like riding on tiny ball bearings. Straight ahead and you may be OK but any change in direction can trigger a slide, and if you do not react both quickly and properly, you will go down. In this area there is a huge spate of bike damage and injury in early Spring, every year.

It happens because eager riders lose control unexpectedly, and afterward often do not know what happened as they never saw a thing on the road, and were not even riding fast through the corner/curve.

[DanTheMan]

Another "Beware" in your winter riding. Trucks and large vehicles don't normally have the snow and ice cleared off the tops of the trailer, box, RV, etc. They also gather huge ice loads underneath the vehicle. All of this stuff will move and drop in your path with no warning (ask me how I know?), so you need to be ready to swerve and avoid these hazards all the time. I usually don't have to deal with that stuff until March when it all thaws out and I can get out of my iced up driveway.
Clothing wise, layer, layer, layer or wear heated garments. Before I owned electric heated garments, I looked like the Michelin Man's little brother when riding in cold weather.

[Buffalo Bill]

Look OUT!

Anything can fall off a truck.
One scary moment for me was driving alongside a truck over a high steel bridge in Chicago. Suddenly a chunk of clear ice fell off the top of the box and crashed into my windshield right in my face, shattered into hundreds of pieces that looked like glass and was gone. I was shocked for that instant thinking my windshield had shattered.
Bill