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How Low Do You Go?...Temps i mean

M

mnofpeace

Scooter
I am relatively new to this sport-touring thing, and i have only owned my 09 Connie since June.  I was I see all of the posts about seat comfort, wind screen size, farkles up and down, but with the winter months coming, i wanted to know from the group...

How cold do you ride in in this sport-touring game?

I have much of the necessary gear from my sport riding days; silk thermals, winter gloves incl. silk glove liners, helmet specific baclava, heavy cordova coat & overpants with liners, water proof riding boots...and i love how they all work.  I have even been looking through the Tourmast and Airostich catologues contemplating my next purchase.

When my R6 was my street bike, i would take it just about until NOW with my commuting.  I was comfortable riding into the mid 40s in the mornings, and into the 50s and 60s during the afternoons.  some days it was a little uncomfortable, but hey, like all of you, i LOVE riding.

With my new connie, and its adjustable windscreen, more fairing coverage, and nice amounts of heat coming up from the engine, i have had very few mornings (hi 30s) where i was a little uncomforable, but most of the time i am good to and from work.  I put the windscreen all the way up, and only feel a little air at my head.  In the afternoon, with all of that gear on, I put the screen down just to keep from overheating.

And with the power outlet and availability of power-ups for colder weather gear...it makes me wonder what you more dedicated sport-touring riders are able to ride thru.

FYI...i live in the Washington DC area, it is just starting to get cool during the overnights and early mornings (i commute at 4am daily).  I REALLY dont want to put the bike away for the winter, but i know its coming, i guess i am just delaying it until the last minute.
 
Last winter I rode to work in the high-teens, I never could have done that on my Gixxers...

Heated Corbin, heated grips, and ProjektD hand wings.  :13:
 
Been down in the mid-to-upper 30's on my FZ-1 (previous to the Connie). It did have heated grips but not as much protection. I'd guess that I could get down into the upper 20's for an hour or so on the Connie. But ... it very, very rarely gets that cold here in Houston. Heck, as I write this, it's 68 down here. We'll have 80 tomorrow for a high. Great riding weather!!!
 
I normally will ride below freezing in the morning if it will be above freezing shortly after. But I don't ride if the temps will stay below freezing unless I have to. I don't push the chance of ice or worse yet, black ice. When I do ride below freezing, I'm very careful. The beginning of last December, I had to ride home from Virginia in 27 degrees. To make it worse, it snowed and the road was covered for about 10 miles between Harrisburg and Scranton, PA, on I-81. Of course there were no exits when this happened either.
So I followed a tractor trailer in the right lane at about 20 MPH for a while. It were the only tracks where I could somewhat see the road. Talk about pucker factor!  :)) And the fuse on my Gerbings had blown that morning and I was too stupid to take the time to pull over for a half hour or so to replace it.  So it got pretty cold as time went on.  :-[
 
There are other factors I consider other than the temperature, but I've ridden in the 20's.  My biggest concern is black ice. Another is what time of day will I be riding. It's colder at night without the sun's rays to add warmth to the body. How long I plan to ride is yet another consideration. 
 
With all my gear on, I would ride no lower than 35 degrees on my Ninja 650r, but by the end of my 15 mile commute my fingers would be frozen.  I bought my C14 specifically to extend my riding season.  (I don't feel at home in cages anymore, haha)  I assume I can get into the mid to high twenties without a problem.  And it normally wont be colder than that here in South Carolina but maybe a few days.
 
I've ridden into the mid 20's on my cruisers, but not for long rides- 40 miles to work was about it. Layered up with a good wind proof layer on top, I was ok.

Last spring we rode about 300 miles to the outer banks. It was in the low 40's and cloudy. 3 hours in, my throttle hand was numb. Glove liner, leather glove and heavy Windtex glove on top and it still didn't help. Pins and needles when we stopped for lunch, it wasn't fun at all. My body was ok, and on that trip I had my mesh gear on with the jacket liner, a fleece, long sleeve shirt and underarmor underneath. My hands, particularly the 1st 2 fingers on my throttle hand, really suffered.

So in my limited experience, it isn't how cold it is, but how long you are exposed to it.
 
I've ridden down to 15 a few times on my first ST11 with no heated gear. After that I got an electric vest and what a differance. With the 1300 I had a heated Corbin and electric grips, what a difference there. Watch the weather and dress right and you'll be able to reuse til the dreaded snow flies.
 
Assuming so slick stuff on the roads, I'll ride in the upper teens, that's about my comfort limit.
 
I rode down to bike week in 2010, Left Florence, SC it was 37, got to Daytona the temp had risen to 42. No heated gear, just good gear, and made the 400 miles in 6 hours flat. :)
Here in SC I ride year round.
Skin Dr what part of the state are from? coast, Pee Dee, midlands or Piedmont? ^-^
 
I'm jealous, to be able to ride year round, I ride til they saltthe roads up here in Michigan. Then the long winter begins :mad:
 
Thanks guys for all of your responses.  Winters in DC are iffy.  last year we got 'snowmageddon' with three different blizzards of 20+ inches.  the year before that we didnt get any snow at all.

my gear is pretty good, and i can take it into the low 40s, and have ridden in the 30s as well.  I have been contemplating a larger windscreen to install just for this occasion.  install it for early spring and late fall, but put the stock back on during the warmer months, as i like it (as many others do not) and it gives me back my 'sport riding' tendencies.

Maybe even the wife might gift me something good to keep me warm...she's done it before...
 
kawcon14rider said:
I rode down to bike week in 2010, Left Florence, SC it was 37, got to Daytona the temp had risen to 42. No heated gear, just good gear, and made the 400 miles in 6 hours flat. :)
Here in SC I ride year round.
Skin Dr what part of the state are from? coast, Pee Dee, midlands or Piedmont? ^-^
Click to expand...

Florence Area
 
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