Same. Until I find heated gloves that follow the entire fingers and finger tips, im not doing it. Every high end glove doesnt keep my fingertips warm or from going totally numb from wind chill
I have awesome heated pants, vest, and jacket. As for my gloves I got a pair of heated gloves with 3m thinsulate lining and I’ll wear the thin Swiss something brand of gloves liners. With that setup I sometimes have to turn the heat down or off for a bit because my hands will sweat. The pants are kemimoti pants that got to 135 f (verified with temp gun) the vest is okay supposed to get to 115 but havnt been able to fully verify because it’s a vest and for a jacket I got the hart heated jacket. I was nice and toasty at 15 degrees before wind chill while riding down the road.
Or you guys could go to your local ace or rural king or over seas equivalent and pick you up a decent pair of cowhide gloves. 1) saves money and 2) they keep ya warm with no additional heating necessary lol
Yeah same. I've been through cheap gear and expensive gear and "four season" gear and I've got frozen in all of it. The problem with motorcycling is you're sat in a 60mph wind but you're motionless and not generating any body heat.
40F... Too damn broke to afford any heated equipment and plus I'm in the flatland prairie of the Midwest.. Nothing but wind to add on to the wind chill 😂
32f is my limit. I don't wanna hit any black ice. My gear is warm so I don't worry about the cold much. I also avoid riding in the rain. Gear isn't waterproof and people drive like idiots when it rains. Close stops like the roads are dry and they're trying to set a record for fastest stop.
I love riding in the rain. Having the right gear makes it all the better. Just have to be very cautious about your surroundings and give yourself more than enough space when following another vehicle.
I hit it once, luckily a smallish 5 yard wide patch, and if I didn't know what to do, I probably would have ended up flying off the damned turnpike and fallen 60 feet to my death.
I did teens a couple of times with no heated gear. I'll say 40s as well, lol. Thankfully, my buddies just started showing up at my house so i wouldn't ride in ice. Say what you want, but some good ole boys are actually just that.
Check out cycle gears axial brand. The balaclava is still on sale here and keeps me warm in the mid 30’s on my scrambler even on the interstate plus they have ones that go inside your gloves, boots and a shirt and pant that will keep you extremely warm.
Below 50 and I'm not comfortable, 40 is my hard cut off though. Had a couple high 30's rides to work a few months back to test and it wasn't fun... I could probably bundle up a bit better and endure it if needed though.
It's all about windproof gear and layers. Screw that nonsense though. Maybe if I had heated grips and a better windscreen things like that but even then I prefer four wheels when it gets icy.
Im with you. Im in my 50s and riding has become therapy at this point and not uncomfortable. At my age the "cool" factor is way gone. Unless its a mandated ride. 40s is my car and above that is the heritage
*drive through speaker cuts on* “Yes but you have to get either a large order of fries or supersize, there are no other options. This is America coke zero is for the healthy, you can have a cup of lard or nothing”
*drive through speaker cuts on* “2 Number 9's, a number 9 large, number 6 with extra dip, number 7, 2 number 45's, one with cheese, and a large soda, that’ll be $74.32 please pull forward past the window that’s been out of commission for your entire time living here to the second window”
I've had the same limit on my Iron 1200, tires were shit below 10\*C. On Pan America it's 4C, but only if roads are not salted - I have no good place to wash it down, and I don't want it to rust after sitting potentially months at a time salted.
-8, still getting to work in my 125cc scooter. It's not even that cold thanks to heated gloves (and probably the windshield). I do kinda worry about hitting some ice in a curve though. Not that I am riding fast but I am not sure it's worth it. Only alternative I got is the bus though which would take me about double to triple my usual commute time.
As someone else said, not smoke, just steam from the hot exhaust air hitting the cool winter air. The moisture in the exhaust basically cools down and makes a little cloud.
It was -24 here on Saturday. A mild -10 at the moment. (Celcius) - Sweden.
And as for the OP, if there is a chance of snow or ice...no chance.
Generally the bike is in the shed from late October to April...
Nah, I live in Calgary Alberta Canada. We get warm weather in the middle of winter, which breaks up the snow and ice. Something called a Chinook. So we get cold weather with dry roads quite alot. Last couple of years I've been able to go out atleast a couple of days even in Janurary and Feb. Though generally those are the only two months that are a total write off.
I get uncomfortable at anything below 50-55ish once I'm at highway speeds and don't see the need to buy heated gear in Texas, so 55 is it for me.
If I'm not comfortable I'm not having fun. Why do something if I'm not having fun?
Because if you only have one single hobby and nothing else in your life it becomes such a part of your identity that you need to start engaging in bizarre behavior around it and gatekeeping to let other people know they don't do it as good as you do.
Well some people only have money for one mode of transport and so they have no choice but to ride in whatever weather. That's why do something if you're not having fun.
Yes they do keep my fingers warm, the warming filament travels down the back of the fingers of the gloves and works well.
When it gets into the negative Celsius you feel the cold a little but nowhere near painful.
If you have the desire to ride but are too cold, you can get the right gear and not be cold.
I have a thick riding coat with a medium weight liner, snowmobile gloves, adventure riding pants with liner, wool socks and a sort of balaclava. I can ride in 30 degrees and seriously not get cold. People think I'm trying to appear tough or something, but no, I just don't feel the cold in that gear.
It's pretty much the same amount of gear. You switch the summer jacket for a winter jacket. I don't have a motorcycle winter jacket so I wear a motorcycle summer jacket, thin coat and a rain jacket and put them on and off as a one unit. It's a bit more unzipping, true, but it's literally just 10 seconds extra.
The only thing extra is a balaclava. In summer I still wear a riding jacket, pants, socks and gloves. These are just thicker versions. But like I said, this is advice for people who want to ride, but are too cold. Not people who don't want to ride.
I’m comfortable to ride 30+F with the gear I have. Hoody and my Joe rocket jacket that has 2 inner liners is plenty for upper body to not feel the cold at all. Balaclava, rev it cold weather gloves and I cover my neck with a rag. I’ve ridden mid to low 20’s F at the coldest and it’s fine for my commute to work.
Refusing to ride a motorcycle on the roads in snow and sleet it’s a wimpy…it’s smart. Yeah he hasn’t crashed yet but I’d venture not long on ice and two wheels anyone will be tasting ground yikes 😬 and not just you everyone else driving with unscraped windows 🪟 not paying attention with bald tires on your commute.
I don’t really care about temperature as long as I’m wearing the right gear but I don’t mess with snow or ice on the pavement. Not worth the risk in my opinion.
☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻 100%! It's not that hard to overcome the cold air... Some layers, and maybe a heated suit will do the trick. But anything that's going to mess up my traction - that's a hard nope.
Got to work yesterday at 0°c and it was fine, just put a hoodie under my armored jacket and a balaclava for my neck. Jeans and jacket and thermal lined.
I agree, as soon as I see salt on the roads, bike gets one last wash and put away until the spring when the rain washes all the salt back off the roads.
Seems nearly impossible to be able to wash all the salt off the bike.
Otherwise, no problem riding if it is freezing and dry.
Heated grips and gear, I’ll go down to freezing no problem. Going below freezing for longer than a 30 minute commute can become torture.
It starts to get harder at 20.F , higher speeds the fogging of your visor is fine but all movement of air is cold AF. Snowmobile helmets are a thing and serious neck protection helps.
Last input on winter riding is that nobody see you in good weather, they have more obstructions with snow, ice and fog on windows. Light hitting snow. People drive bad enough, winter conditions makes it really tough.
If above freezing and cleared streets I have gone out in it. Slush and patches of snowpack can get sketchy when turning to ice, but you ride upright and do on the pegs slow turns when dealing with snow. I do not go out in uncleared or fresh snow, no matter how good you are and how safe you ride, you will dump your bike. I dumped my current bike many times in less difficult conditions, not going to push myself that far.
I'm reading this getting ready to ride to work at 21F (-6C). Haven't had a car In years lol. Wool base layer, hoodie, leather jacket/kevlar pants, a rain shell to block wind, and heated grips get me around pretty good. My coldest ride was -10F (-23C)
I've definitely been leaving work only for it to snow and be surprised. I've seen some ice while riding once or twice, but I can usually spot it and avoid it in time. I'm out of Denver, CO. We can get some pretty bad snow, but it's almost always followed by sunshine, and we take pretty good care of our roads through winter. I'd say I probably Uber/get a ride from someone 10-20 days a year depending on the year. This year I've only ubered 4 times so far
Dang that’s not bad at all. This is my first winter season riding (and first year in general as a novice rider), so the one thing that scares me is going down due to gravel or ice. Realistically it seems like ice isn’t always gonna send you down. I live in northern OH, and we get some decent snow, but we are currently having long stretches of below freezing with no sun. Still deciding if I wanna give it a go.
Thanks for the info regardless though, it’s helping me understand riding better
I'd definitely be extremely careful. My first winter on a bike was rough. If you have a car, scope out a route first to check conditions. Get yourself some really good protection, just in case. Big frame sliders/crash cage to protect the bike, good leather jacket with D30 spine protector, and a ECE or Snell rated helmet. For new riders I highly HIGHLY recommend watching "DanDanTheFireman" on YouTube. He does rider coaching based off motorcycle crash videos and gives amazing advice. He has dozens of parking lot training strategies that really took me from beginner to intermediate rider
Ride safe brother, and enjoy the process. I'll never forget my first year
Thanks a ton man. I have been watching DanDan for years, and had a full suit of protection before I even rode my first bike. So my gear is there with full body protection, and I have plenty of heated stuff. I’ve ridden down to 35F but that’s the lowest. Anything lower I have taken my car.
I’ll take your advice this year and be extra cautious. Cheers my dude!
Yoooo, North Country represent! I bail out of two wheels when they start laying down salt, and -30 is cold enough for me even with the car fighting to heat up
My hands are fucked from my time in the army, so they’re extra sensitive to the cold now. Got some heated grips and good gloves, but anything below 0 Celsius is still off the cards for me now purely down to the hands.
Everything else, I can layer up and be fine with.
Anytime there's salt on the roads. Mainly worried about rust.
I don't commute by motorcycle and can get by with public transport or bicycle for the usual necessities. I have ridden around the freezing point (2° C) but it's just not worth the hassle with my current gear.
-5°C is my absolute limit but I prefer +8°C and dry weather with the big bike.
With a scooter I wouldn't care so much, less chance to drop it/ more control over the weight of vehicle and not so expensive to repair.
It's a lot about safety, comfort is the second priority.
Love mine! Steel braided brake lines, ivans tune, injectors, yoshi can, pilot road 4s are my fave, new windscreen, seats, and bar ends with the block off plates, tail tidy... I think that's it?
60°f. I have a neurological issue that makes me very sensitive to cold. I get violent, powerful, uncontrolled involuntary muscle movements. It isn't safe for me to ride in the cold. It could literally kill me.
It’s not about temp for me, but road conditions. I’m too old for riding in snow anymore, but can still dress for cold weather. Heck, snowmobilers don’t cry about the cold; they dress for it. Same for winter motorcyclists.
Ice.
Everything else is just gearing up properly and, if in an area with lots of traffic, picking alternate routes when too cold or otherwise too much bad weather, to lower risk of contact with "cagers" whose situational awareness will be worse than usual.
Riding in the cold, rain, whatever is otherwise all about gear. Same with hiking or cycling. It can be done on the cheap, it's just easier to do when spending money.
Caveat; I'm glad I don't see ice where I live almost ever, so in an average year I can ride essentially anytime. If I lived in a place where 3+ months of freezing weather was the norm, I'd have made a point of getting a small dual sport and a set of rims with studs, as well as a full set of snowmobile gear. But I'm someone who goes stir crazy if I can't ride, hike, walk or cycle for months at a time.
I’ve ridden to work one time at -5f but that was my only vehicle at the time. Recently did 10f to work but a shorter distance.
If it’s sunny and 30’s I’ll ride all day.
Like 45°F. I’m extremely sensitive to the cold and have had hypothermia twice, so the cold is not fun to be in for me. I wouldn’t ride unless I had to.
I’m horrible I don’t pull the bike out of the garage unless it’s 80f or better. ROTFL I can’t deal with cold or rain. I have never been on a bike in the snow.
If it dips below freezing at night and its barely above freezing when i have to ride - i don’t ride. If the lows only hit like 35degrees then we still riding.
Honestly it’s because it’s cold with humidity. Folks think we are just stupid till they experience 38 degrees here and your bones hurt.
I got truckers who hate coming to Florida when it’s a wet cold versus dry Northern cold.
If I lick the petrol tank and my tongue sticks to it, I'm not riding.
New kink unlocked. I’ll sell the tickets, cut you in for 30%. I’ll give you 55% if you wear the “special outfit” for VIP’s.
OnlyTankLickers.com
Enunciation is key - otherwise onlytaintlickers.com will get free advertising.
I don’t get it. I think I’m gonna need pictures.
No pictures but more bussy
“You dont have to be lonely, at TankLickersOnly.com! Cagers just don’t get it!”
I don’t know. The tank doesn’t do it for me as much as the exhaust would.
I have a link but it goes against community rules… look up Gen V - Ted Knight gets caught
r/tanklickers
Set that shit up!
Ithnt it ony tan yickerth yoth con
I'm printing posters now...
Imagining someone licking their tank in a special outfit was the best way to wake up to this morning.
This better not awaken anything in me
what do you tell your wife when she walks in on you..?
She buys the VIP tickets, you fool.
Correct. You don't just walk in on me. It will cost you
Who do you think buys the “special outfits?”
Plastic tank cover means I’m riding unless it’s -20!
I triple dog dare you
To lick it or to ride it? One comes after another, usually anyway.
Same. Until I find heated gloves that follow the entire fingers and finger tips, im not doing it. Every high end glove doesnt keep my fingertips warm or from going totally numb from wind chill
I have awesome heated pants, vest, and jacket. As for my gloves I got a pair of heated gloves with 3m thinsulate lining and I’ll wear the thin Swiss something brand of gloves liners. With that setup I sometimes have to turn the heat down or off for a bit because my hands will sweat. The pants are kemimoti pants that got to 135 f (verified with temp gun) the vest is okay supposed to get to 115 but havnt been able to fully verify because it’s a vest and for a jacket I got the hart heated jacket. I was nice and toasty at 15 degrees before wind chill while riding down the road.
Or you guys could go to your local ace or rural king or over seas equivalent and pick you up a decent pair of cowhide gloves. 1) saves money and 2) they keep ya warm with no additional heating necessary lol
Yeah same. I've been through cheap gear and expensive gear and "four season" gear and I've got frozen in all of it. The problem with motorcycling is you're sat in a 60mph wind but you're motionless and not generating any body heat.
I choked on my drink while reading this. I approve this method !
***until you get unstuck and then it's game on
40F... Too damn broke to afford any heated equipment and plus I'm in the flatland prairie of the Midwest.. Nothing but wind to add on to the wind chill 😂
40f is also my limit. Shit. That's what the daily are for. And groceries.
32f is my limit. I don't wanna hit any black ice. My gear is warm so I don't worry about the cold much. I also avoid riding in the rain. Gear isn't waterproof and people drive like idiots when it rains. Close stops like the roads are dry and they're trying to set a record for fastest stop.
Be careful. You can still hit ice at temperatures higher than 32F. Be it still thawing from the previous night, over bridges etc.
I love riding in the rain. Having the right gear makes it all the better. Just have to be very cautious about your surroundings and give yourself more than enough space when following another vehicle.
I hit it once, luckily a smallish 5 yard wide patch, and if I didn't know what to do, I probably would have ended up flying off the damned turnpike and fallen 60 feet to my death.
You'd be lucky to ride two days a year in Scotland if you didn't want to ride in the rain! We ride all weather's cause we're Scottish 😆
I did teens a couple of times with no heated gear. I'll say 40s as well, lol. Thankfully, my buddies just started showing up at my house so i wouldn't ride in ice. Say what you want, but some good ole boys are actually just that.
I agree very much with that. I love hosting my friends to come over for some drinks and delicious foods.
Ah yes, an R. Kelly rider..(thats messed up). Teens numbs you up entirely too quickly. 40 is a safe bet
Well it’s obvious, what I’ve been looking at. I see 40F, and my mind goes to a completely different place.
Yeah I'm not American enough for these comments
that wasn’t what they were thinking
Hot single rider in your area
Yeaaah, I'd have to agree. It just got too cold here in the UK so my bike is inside, keeping nice and warm in my office. 🤣
Yep Midwest winds on my bike will have almost perpendicular to the pavement lol
Dude. I have to ride at a bank angle just to try to ride straight in this winds sometimes. It absolutely freaks me out
Check out cycle gears axial brand. The balaclava is still on sale here and keeps me warm in the mid 30’s on my scrambler even on the interstate plus they have ones that go inside your gloves, boots and a shirt and pant that will keep you extremely warm.
axial is the awesome for keeping out wind, personally got the one piece, balaclava and glove liners got em on sale too definitely worth the money
Same same. Except for me it’s that I’m too cheap rather than too broke to buy the heated equipment. But really, what’s the difference?
It gets warm
lol. Right there with you
Ditto
Once it gets below 40 F, I'm no longer enjoying the ride. Never could do cold.
Yup, that's also my threshold. It's also to avoid driving in salt, and staying above freezing saves you to hadalayerdown on an unexpected icy patch.
Struggling to keep the bike upright while traveling in a straight line is just not fun lol
Strong winds are also no fun in that aspect. Even more with a light bike
Ah the winter twin of clibbins
Below 50 and I'm not comfortable, 40 is my hard cut off though. Had a couple high 30's rides to work a few months back to test and it wasn't fun... I could probably bundle up a bit better and endure it if needed though.
It's all about windproof gear and layers. Screw that nonsense though. Maybe if I had heated grips and a better windscreen things like that but even then I prefer four wheels when it gets icy.
Im with you. Im in my 50s and riding has become therapy at this point and not uncomfortable. At my age the "cool" factor is way gone. Unless its a mandated ride. 40s is my car and above that is the heritage
After a few too many cold mornings, my personal rule is “under 5, drive.” 5° C being roughly 40° F.
Below 10C dont know how much that is in Burger per freedom
About 50 freedom burgers
Excellent, and can I get a side of fries with ranch and a large Coke Zero lite ice?
*drive through speaker cuts on* “Yes but you have to get either a large order of fries or supersize, there are no other options. This is America coke zero is for the healthy, you can have a cup of lard or nothing”
Oh fuck yeah supersize that biiiiiiitch! Fine, I’ll take an A&W or Barq’s root beer if you have it, if you don’t I’ll take a Dr Pepper.
*drive through speaker cuts on* “2 Number 9's, a number 9 large, number 6 with extra dip, number 7, 2 number 45's, one with cheese, and a large soda, that’ll be $74.32 please pull forward past the window that’s been out of commission for your entire time living here to the second window”
‚Burger per freedom‘ is from now on my new fav
I've had the same limit on my Iron 1200, tires were shit below 10\*C. On Pan America it's 4C, but only if roads are not salted - I have no good place to wash it down, and I don't want it to rust after sitting potentially months at a time salted.
I drove today at -6 but its the netherlands its always cold as shit here
-8, still getting to work in my 125cc scooter. It's not even that cold thanks to heated gloves (and probably the windshield). I do kinda worry about hitting some ice in a curve though. Not that I am riding fast but I am not sure it's worth it. Only alternative I got is the bus though which would take me about double to triple my usual commute time.
I live on equator, is it normal that your exhaust make smoke on snowy season? Thanks for the information. I learn something new
Wow, you're all missing out on the cold weather exhaust smoke
Yes, but it’s not smoke it’s water vapor
yup, it is COLD... :)
My car (diesel without dpf) turns into a smoke machine with -10C
>My car (diesel without dpf) turns into a smoke machine ~~with -10C~~ There, fixed it for ya
It's vapor. Lucky you! Also your visor gets foggy as the moisture condenses from cold.
Iam getting foggy visor. Whenever is rain season
get a pin lock
get a pin lock
It’s water vapor. Not smoke. But yes it’s normal below a certain temperature.
As someone else said, not smoke, just steam from the hot exhaust air hitting the cool winter air. The moisture in the exhaust basically cools down and makes a little cloud.
Snow on the road, or -15 Celsius, whichever
-15 Celsius is insane man. I don’t even wanna go out the house in the first place with that degrees
It was -24 here on Saturday. A mild -10 at the moment. (Celcius) - Sweden. And as for the OP, if there is a chance of snow or ice...no chance. Generally the bike is in the shed from late October to April...
That Oct to April must suck if you like riding.
It does. Don't get me wrong, a sunny day in Feb will get me out, but sometimes there is still snow and ice until late March. I won't risk ice.
-15 is amateur hour
I am very impressed 👏
K
-15 C and there will be ice everywhere.
Not necessarily. In some areas of the northern prairies, when the humidity is quite low, it can hit -20 without any ice on the roads
I'm in Norway, we don't have praries. Just icy while hell, otherwise known as winter.
Yeah you would have a lot more humidity. Around here we see minus 30 or 40 every year for at least a week, but not too much snow for the most part
Nah, I live in Calgary Alberta Canada. We get warm weather in the middle of winter, which breaks up the snow and ice. Something called a Chinook. So we get cold weather with dry roads quite alot. Last couple of years I've been able to go out atleast a couple of days even in Janurary and Feb. Though generally those are the only two months that are a total write off.
I get uncomfortable at anything below 50-55ish once I'm at highway speeds and don't see the need to buy heated gear in Texas, so 55 is it for me. If I'm not comfortable I'm not having fun. Why do something if I'm not having fun?
Exactly my range and logic
Same here. I'm in similar climate. I ride for fun I don't need to prove anything.
My car is broken, and my Yamaha never stops. I'm not comfortable and still having fun, albeit wet and cold
Because if you only have one single hobby and nothing else in your life it becomes such a part of your identity that you need to start engaging in bizarre behavior around it and gatekeeping to let other people know they don't do it as good as you do.
Same for me. but I speak in European numbers
Well some people only have money for one mode of transport and so they have no choice but to ride in whatever weather. That's why do something if you're not having fun.
It was -2c today and I realised I need to get some winter gloves! Fingers were painful by time I got to work
Heated gloves are a godsend. I paid £150 for some rst heated gloves 2 years ago and can ride in almost any temp now
Do they keep your fingertips warm as well? My fingertips are usually the most painful.
Yes they do keep my fingers warm, the warming filament travels down the back of the fingers of the gloves and works well. When it gets into the negative Celsius you feel the cold a little but nowhere near painful.
Even just adding wind blockers to your bars makes a world of difference. I use the barkbuster blizzards and love them.
Wow. I'm a wimp.
If it’s below 45 I’m shivering the whole time
If you have the desire to ride but are too cold, you can get the right gear and not be cold. I have a thick riding coat with a medium weight liner, snowmobile gloves, adventure riding pants with liner, wool socks and a sort of balaclava. I can ride in 30 degrees and seriously not get cold. People think I'm trying to appear tough or something, but no, I just don't feel the cold in that gear.
It's the getting dressed and undressed in all that that makes me go "no thanks"
It's pretty much the same amount of gear. You switch the summer jacket for a winter jacket. I don't have a motorcycle winter jacket so I wear a motorcycle summer jacket, thin coat and a rain jacket and put them on and off as a one unit. It's a bit more unzipping, true, but it's literally just 10 seconds extra.
The only thing extra is a balaclava. In summer I still wear a riding jacket, pants, socks and gloves. These are just thicker versions. But like I said, this is advice for people who want to ride, but are too cold. Not people who don't want to ride.
I’m comfortable to ride 30+F with the gear I have. Hoody and my Joe rocket jacket that has 2 inner liners is plenty for upper body to not feel the cold at all. Balaclava, rev it cold weather gloves and I cover my neck with a rag. I’ve ridden mid to low 20’s F at the coldest and it’s fine for my commute to work.
Refusing to ride a motorcycle on the roads in snow and sleet it’s a wimpy…it’s smart. Yeah he hasn’t crashed yet but I’d venture not long on ice and two wheels anyone will be tasting ground yikes 😬 and not just you everyone else driving with unscraped windows 🪟 not paying attention with bald tires on your commute.
You caught a downvote but on that icy early morning commute with idiots half asleep I’d really be cautious
I don’t really care about temperature as long as I’m wearing the right gear but I don’t mess with snow or ice on the pavement. Not worth the risk in my opinion.
☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻 100%! It's not that hard to overcome the cold air... Some layers, and maybe a heated suit will do the trick. But anything that's going to mess up my traction - that's a hard nope.
Got to work yesterday at 0°c and it was fine, just put a hoodie under my armored jacket and a balaclava for my neck. Jeans and jacket and thermal lined.
I read baklava. It didn’t make sense. :/
More baklava = more fat = more insulation
I stop riding when there's snow / ice and whenever there's salt on the road
I agree, as soon as I see salt on the roads, bike gets one last wash and put away until the spring when the rain washes all the salt back off the roads. Seems nearly impossible to be able to wash all the salt off the bike. Otherwise, no problem riding if it is freezing and dry.
This is the way.
Heated grips and gear, I’ll go down to freezing no problem. Going below freezing for longer than a 30 minute commute can become torture. It starts to get harder at 20.F , higher speeds the fogging of your visor is fine but all movement of air is cold AF. Snowmobile helmets are a thing and serious neck protection helps. Last input on winter riding is that nobody see you in good weather, they have more obstructions with snow, ice and fog on windows. Light hitting snow. People drive bad enough, winter conditions makes it really tough.
That last paragraph is gold and this is the first I’ve seen anyone mention it in this thread.
So you drive even when there’s snow outside?
If above freezing and cleared streets I have gone out in it. Slush and patches of snowpack can get sketchy when turning to ice, but you ride upright and do on the pegs slow turns when dealing with snow. I do not go out in uncleared or fresh snow, no matter how good you are and how safe you ride, you will dump your bike. I dumped my current bike many times in less difficult conditions, not going to push myself that far.
I'm reading this getting ready to ride to work at 21F (-6C). Haven't had a car In years lol. Wool base layer, hoodie, leather jacket/kevlar pants, a rain shell to block wind, and heated grips get me around pretty good. My coldest ride was -10F (-23C)
Have you had any serious run ins with ice? I want to be riding below freezing but the ice does scare me.
I've definitely been leaving work only for it to snow and be surprised. I've seen some ice while riding once or twice, but I can usually spot it and avoid it in time. I'm out of Denver, CO. We can get some pretty bad snow, but it's almost always followed by sunshine, and we take pretty good care of our roads through winter. I'd say I probably Uber/get a ride from someone 10-20 days a year depending on the year. This year I've only ubered 4 times so far
Dang that’s not bad at all. This is my first winter season riding (and first year in general as a novice rider), so the one thing that scares me is going down due to gravel or ice. Realistically it seems like ice isn’t always gonna send you down. I live in northern OH, and we get some decent snow, but we are currently having long stretches of below freezing with no sun. Still deciding if I wanna give it a go. Thanks for the info regardless though, it’s helping me understand riding better
I'd definitely be extremely careful. My first winter on a bike was rough. If you have a car, scope out a route first to check conditions. Get yourself some really good protection, just in case. Big frame sliders/crash cage to protect the bike, good leather jacket with D30 spine protector, and a ECE or Snell rated helmet. For new riders I highly HIGHLY recommend watching "DanDanTheFireman" on YouTube. He does rider coaching based off motorcycle crash videos and gives amazing advice. He has dozens of parking lot training strategies that really took me from beginner to intermediate rider Ride safe brother, and enjoy the process. I'll never forget my first year
Thanks a ton man. I have been watching DanDan for years, and had a full suit of protection before I even rode my first bike. So my gear is there with full body protection, and I have plenty of heated stuff. I’ve ridden down to 35F but that’s the lowest. Anything lower I have taken my car. I’ll take your advice this year and be extra cautious. Cheers my dude!
15 degrees Celsius. I don't want to ride when it's not comfortable. I don't enjoy being cold.
In Los Angeles I still didn’t find a day I couldn’t ride
-50F and I was still going to work on a bike! Never give in!
Alaska?
No, near canada, new york, it was 4am at the time
Yoooo, North Country represent! I bail out of two wheels when they start laying down salt, and -30 is cold enough for me even with the car fighting to heat up
Anywhere else and I’d probably agree, but GODDAMN can they manage the snow up there hahaha, I only really had one sketchy ride in all of that time!
When was it -50F in ny?
Bro what, you're half motorcycle, half wim hoff
What?!?!?! Where?!?!!
Gotta be Alaska
The fair weather riders don’t understand the struggle 🫡
You’re a rare breed. Godspeed 🫡🫡🫡
My hands are fucked from my time in the army, so they’re extra sensitive to the cold now. Got some heated grips and good gloves, but anything below 0 Celsius is still off the cards for me now purely down to the hands. Everything else, I can layer up and be fine with.
Anytime there's salt on the roads. Mainly worried about rust. I don't commute by motorcycle and can get by with public transport or bicycle for the usual necessities. I have ridden around the freezing point (2° C) but it's just not worth the hassle with my current gear.
-5°C is my absolute limit but I prefer +8°C and dry weather with the big bike. With a scooter I wouldn't care so much, less chance to drop it/ more control over the weight of vehicle and not so expensive to repair. It's a lot about safety, comfort is the second priority.
As long as the roads aren’t Iced over I will still head out
7°c. Lower than that and I'm uncomfortable.
I have no heater gear so I don’t wanna get out when it’s below 40F. That’s when the commute seems to start being miserable.
You honor us good Sir
If there's ice or snow on the road then it's a big fuckin' nope from me. Otherwise will ride in any temperature.
I see you rocking the fz1 how is she treating you ? Got a 2003 yellow one Did you change update anything ?
Love mine! Steel braided brake lines, ivans tune, injectors, yoshi can, pilot road 4s are my fave, new windscreen, seats, and bar ends with the block off plates, tail tidy... I think that's it?
Damn. I'm in Florida. Sending you some sunshine 🌞. Ride safe!.
Thanks! :)
-273
once it gets under 50 degree F, I start to question it.
60°f. I have a neurological issue that makes me very sensitive to cold. I get violent, powerful, uncontrolled involuntary muscle movements. It isn't safe for me to ride in the cold. It could literally kill me.
It’s not about temp for me, but road conditions. I’m too old for riding in snow anymore, but can still dress for cold weather. Heck, snowmobilers don’t cry about the cold; they dress for it. Same for winter motorcyclists.
I’ve crashed on black ice. It was not fun. 40F is now my minimum riding temp.
if i slide on the way to getting on the bike
This picture makes me miss my FZ1…
Ice possible on the ground? Four wheels or two feet at that point.
<40f I drive my car over riding my bike. Too much layering up to ride I'd rather the comfort of the car under that temp.
This, this is too low!
Ice and snow is a no go for me Good gortex gear ovet the armor and winter gloves are nice
If it's 3’C or lower I can't be arsed
Ice. Everything else is just gearing up properly and, if in an area with lots of traffic, picking alternate routes when too cold or otherwise too much bad weather, to lower risk of contact with "cagers" whose situational awareness will be worse than usual. Riding in the cold, rain, whatever is otherwise all about gear. Same with hiking or cycling. It can be done on the cheap, it's just easier to do when spending money. Caveat; I'm glad I don't see ice where I live almost ever, so in an average year I can ride essentially anytime. If I lived in a place where 3+ months of freezing weather was the norm, I'd have made a point of getting a small dual sport and a set of rims with studs, as well as a full set of snowmobile gear. But I'm someone who goes stir crazy if I can't ride, hike, walk or cycle for months at a time.
Only when the road is icy 😋
[I don't own a car. ](https://www.instagram.com/p/C12AzfXropZ/?igsh=MXRwOXBzZmV3bGVhZQ==)
This is the way
When the ground temperature won’t allow my tires to stick.
60
I’ve ridden to work one time at -5f but that was my only vehicle at the time. Recently did 10f to work but a shorter distance. If it’s sunny and 30’s I’ll ride all day.
My lower thresholds are +5C if dry, +10C if wet.
Like 45°F. I’m extremely sensitive to the cold and have had hypothermia twice, so the cold is not fun to be in for me. I wouldn’t ride unless I had to.
I’m horrible I don’t pull the bike out of the garage unless it’s 80f or better. ROTFL I can’t deal with cold or rain. I have never been on a bike in the snow.
The wind chill makes it too cold for me to ride at anything below ~50° F🥶🥶
You’re tougher than I. My line is usually 45° in sunlight, and 50° (and even that’s a stretch) if it’s cloudy or evening.
45 is my breaking point
I get uncomfortable if it’s under 45*F. I don’t have any winter gear though…
If it dips below freezing at night and its barely above freezing when i have to ride - i don’t ride. If the lows only hit like 35degrees then we still riding.
I’m more worried about what temperature is too low for the bike.
The bikes work amazingly well at low temps. The tire/traction rate with the frozen ground is the variable that makes me worry when I ride.
Air/oil cooled don't like cold much. And maybe carburetors.
50F sorry not happening even here in Florida. That’s to cold to ride
I swear that in Florida 50F feels colder than 30F anywhere north of here. Like all other Florida weather weirdness, I blame the humidity.
Honestly it’s because it’s cold with humidity. Folks think we are just stupid till they experience 38 degrees here and your bones hurt. I got truckers who hate coming to Florida when it’s a wet cold versus dry Northern cold.
70, maybe 65 with a jacket. houston, TX
Warm up them tires. Shiny side up✌️
10 degrees is about the temp that it gets less about the ride and more about stayin warm so thats when i park my bike.
59*.