Author Topic: What's the coldest temperature you've ridden in? (Read 2826 times)

b82ta · « **on:** November 04, 2009, 10:41:45 PM »

So tonight I rode home in sub freezing temperatures, I think like 29 or so. Made me wonder what some of the coldest temperatures others have ridden in. I must say I was shocked to come outside and find frost on my seat!

But the ride wasn't terrible, Heavy sweatshirt, leather jacket, jeans, motocross gloves, scarf and a full face helmet. Only my hands and legs were very cold at all....

754 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 04, 2009, 11:10:00 PM »

Zero fahrenheit quite a few times,, and at 90 mph or better. In the 70s I rode nearly every day thru a few winters.. Then when I was around 21, I finally learned to drive a car..

If I ride in the late fall into winter, I usually get into temps around 20 to 35 degrees.. it is about 4-5 miles to town. I never use a windshield, face shield or longjohns, to do short hops at those temps. I have unlined rainpaints I put over my jeans fairly often, if it is below freezing. Sure could use better gloves though..

I rode into temps around 47 degrees in late Aug, in northern Montana, in the middle of the night.. first ride in over ayear, and it had been in the 90s or higher for the last few months, that was a bit of an adjustment..

Gordon · « **Reply #2 on:** November 04, 2009, 11:32:17 PM »

I've done minus 5 Farenheit a few times on the way to work in the mornings, and that's about as low as I'll go. It's only a 5 mile ride to work, but my face and fingers are almost numb by the time I get there at that temp, even with the heated grips.

The 750 has a much easier time of it than I do at those temps. I've never had any problem starting it up no matter how cold it is. A few extra priming kicks and she's good to go!

bucky katt · « **Reply #3 on:** November 04, 2009, 11:33:34 PM »

Quote from: Gordon on November 04, 2009, 11:32:17 PM

I've done minus 5 Farenheit a few times on the way to work in the mornings, and that's about as low as I'll go. It's only a 5 mile ride to work, but my face and fingers are almost numb by the time I get there at that temp, even with the heated grips.

The 750 has a much easier time of it than I do at those temps. I've never had any problem starting it up no matter how cold it is. A few extra priming kicks and she's good to go!

when i worked at Canton Cycles in winsted ct i would uncrate and ride the new bikes that came in and i rode a few times in sub-zero weather. regular riding though i never rode in anything below freezing since the k4 wont start when it's that cold.

BeSeeingYou · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2009, 11:40:50 PM »

Probably around 25. By the time it's that cold here we usually have snow. I do this for pleasure and have little interest in making an ordeal out of it.

That's why I have a car. I don't need to ride the bike in lousy weather.

Johnie · « **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2009, 05:17:38 AM »

10 degrees here in WI...but I cheated and was on the Wing. Not anywhere near the wind chill I would get on an open 750. I wonder how in the world the 750 would get up to a nice operating temp in those conditions?

hopterfixer · « **Reply #6 on:** November 05, 2009, 05:19:52 AM »

24 F, 75 MPH, 20 miles each way. No Fun.

ColinMc · « **Reply #7 on:** November 05, 2009, 06:04:44 AM »

Used to ride my moped year round to high school when I lived in Holland...was most certainly well below freezing the last winter I was there...granted I was going only around 50mph(yes MILES per hour...i'm converting and it was a heavily modified 50cc) but I did have a 30 min commute. I would wear massive layers, ended up looking like the michelin man lol.

Oh and a few weeks ago I rode home to albany from Storrs CT at 5am when they just got that cold snap...was 27 degrees or something crazy like that when I left. All i know is I had to scrape the ice off of the windshield on the bike to see, and had to crack and break the ice off of the seat.

kirkn · « **Reply #8 on:** November 05, 2009, 07:51:55 AM »

As cold as it got here in Central FL: 37 degrees F. Hardly anything compared to some of you Polar Bears...

754 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 05, 2009, 07:52:49 AM »

I had a cobra seat on a CB 350 one winter.It had cut thru the covering on the edges and would sometimes get water in it. Then freeze like a board, only more on one edge, due to parking with sidestand, that would feel wierd.

Wore a snowmobile suit back then, & snowmobile gloves.. worked pretty good.. The Honda dealer also sold Ski-Doo.

demon78 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 05, 2009, 08:03:53 AM »

The year the bike shop gave me a bike to ride all winter it would snow like a SOB and temps were in 20F range. On would go the long johns, wool socks, jeans, t shirt, sweater, snow mobile suit, motocross boots, thin wool gloves, scarf, helmet, goggles, gauntlets. Off I'd go to the shop, pull off outer layer, throw on coveralls, finish work, on goes outer layer, off I'd go home, if I remember correctly it was a 20 min commute in the summer and winter 25-40 minutes depending on how the weather was and how idiotic the car drivers were, the really long rides were tiring and my wife would have to use a hair dryer to get the zipper on the snowmobile suit to work every once in a while, but generally it was a blast, puttering past all the stuck drivers on the hills. I liked driving in the snow a hell of a lot better than freezing rain or sleet.
Bill the demon.

tramp · « **Reply #11 on:** November 06, 2009, 03:42:38 PM »

ok i'm a wuss
35

zzpete · « **Reply #12 on:** November 06, 2009, 03:53:43 PM »

We used to do a New Years day ride. So in Chicago it can be 10 below or 60. The coldest was 0 (Fahrenheit) and it warmed up to about 10 after lunch. About 20 miles of riding, with damart under gloves with scuba gloves on top, long johns and lots of layers. My 1971 cb750 had a pacifico faring. I put a piece of cardboard over the oil cooler. BRRRRR.

Gordon · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:07:08 PM »

Quote from: Johnie on November 05, 2009, 05:17:38 AM

10 degrees here in WI...but I cheated and was on the Wing. Not anywhere near the wind chill I would get on an open 750. I wonder how in the world the 750 would get up to a nice operating temp in those conditions?

Mine does just fine.

Bill/BentON Racing · « **Reply #14 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:40:13 PM »

-5,Snowstorm in Atlanta early 80's,not fun @ all,bike had no problem,me another story,I grew up( well got older in MBSC)so I like warm climates!Bill

74cb750 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 07, 2009, 07:53:39 AM »

28F, a 28 mile ride back to school and ran into a snowstorm 5 miles out.
Never again. Now I don't ride if there's a chance of ice on the road.

SO, 34F is ok. but the hands and knees protest afterwards.
peace,
michel

andy750 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 07, 2009, 08:25:13 AM »

On the 750....I made the mistake of camping at Devils Tower, WY one year and was the coldest night of my life...my gatorade froze solid in the tent...woke up to a flat front tire (unrelated to the cold obviously)...rode in 15F and upwards -usually the short commute to my work - same as Gordon - about 4 miles each way. Chilly! No fairing or heated gear.

On the VStrom I just rode 1200 miles with temps typically 32F - 40F. You dont notice the cold until you stop and realise you are quite chilled. No heated gear.

Keep warm ;-)

cheers
Andy

azuredesign · « **Reply #17 on:** November 07, 2009, 10:02:40 AM »

I don't know how cold it was on one ride from Truro to Northampton MA. , but it was cold enough so that my hands froze to the shape of the handgrips and when I finally got to my destination, I had difficulty getting them to open enough to remove them from the grips. Probably November 1978 or 1979 on a Suzuki GT380, which never let me down.

mrblasty · « **Reply #18 on:** November 08, 2009, 10:47:37 PM »

Growing up in Alaska you see some pretty cold temps. The coldest I've ever ridden was -20 F on a snow machine that was the shut down temp at the ski slope I worked at. No matter what you are wearing -20 at 50 mph is fookin' cold.

BeSeeingYou · « **Reply #19 on:** November 08, 2009, 11:04:12 PM »

Quote from: mrblasty on November 08, 2009, 10:47:37 PM

Growing up in Alaska you see some pretty cold temps. The coldest I've ever ridden was -20 F on a snow machine that was the shut down temp at the ski slope I worked at. No matter what you are wearing -20 at 50 mph is fookin' cold.

I had forgotten about all the snowmobile riding I did as a kid. Yeah, -10F to +30F was pretty common. As long as you dressed right it was not a problem. I suppose you could do it on a bike with a fairing but they just don't handle the snow and ice like a snowmobile.

Steve F · « **Reply #20 on:** November 09, 2009, 03:13:43 PM »

The coldest temps I ever ride in is when I tell the wife I'm going for a ride and her reply is "...OH...., go ahead and do whatever you want, I don't care"

Steve F

Gordon · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2009, 05:17:29 PM »

Quote from: Steve F on November 09, 2009, 03:13:43 PM

The coldest temps I ever ride in is when I tell the wife I'm going for a ride and her reply is "...OH...., go ahead and do whatever you want, I don't care"
Steve F

Does your key still work in the door lock when you get home?

Spanner 1 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 09, 2009, 05:35:49 PM »

LOL Gordon!!, No , it was frozen as well... !!

mrblasty · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2009, 12:17:24 AM »

Quote from: Gordon on November 09, 2009, 05:17:29 PM

Quote from: Steve F on November 09, 2009, 03:13:43 PM
The coldest temps I ever ride in is when I tell the wife I'm going for a ride and her reply is "...OH...., go ahead and do whatever you want, I don't care"
Steve F

Does your key still work in the door lock when you get home?

Never marry a locksmith or a woman that's handy with a screwdriver and you can solicit as many icy retorts as she can dish out.

Grnrngr · « **Reply #24 on:** November 10, 2009, 01:06:27 AM »

Quote from: azuredesign on November 07, 2009, 10:02:40 AM

I don't know how cold it was on one ride from Truro to Northampton MA. , but it was cold enough so that my hands froze to the shape of the handgrips and when I finally got to my destination, I had difficulty getting them to open enough to remove them from the grips. Probably November 1978 or 1979 on a Suzuki GT380, which never let me down.

GT380!! The only new vehicle I ever owned, got it in 71, one of the first 5 to hit the west coast according to the dealer. Winter of 72, it was so cold there was ice on the ground for days all the way from Sacramento where I lived, to Vallejo where I was going to school, about an 80 mile trip. Got so cold I had to get off in Vacaville to have some coffee and just thaw a little. probably mid 20s around 10pm. I'm a skier so I was sort of dressed for it except for my gloves which were army surplus wool inserts with leather covers. took about a half hour to unfreeze and another 10-15 minutes to convince myself to get back on and finish the trip. When I got there, took a minute or 2 before I could get my hands off the bars. First time I was ever truly chilled to the bone. Tripped some folks out when I rode my XS650 to Kirkwood ski resort when my wife was working there in Jan 83. Rode a bit in the cold when I lived in Tahoe, but never for very long trips. Don't think I've got down to 0 yet...but there have been a few times when I had to slow down because the wind chill factor can get excruciating. But yeah..the bikes never seem to mind when it comes to running. Went to brush the frost off the XS seat one night tho, and just the lightest touch ripped the perfect but frozen vinyl from front to back right down the middle. I almost cried.

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Author Topic: What's the coldest temperature you've ridden in? (Read 2826 times)