Today I rode my KZ 1000 80 miles, it was 24 deg F when I started in the morning and 29 when I got back. I wear snowmobile gear and it keeps me warm. Last Tuesday I rode my Concours 14 348 miles (Chicago to home) and it was 40 deg, thunder storms, steady rain and 15-30 mph winds for 260 of the miles. Can't say that was fun but it was an adventure...could never do that on the KZ.
Coldest start temp for your motorcycle?
- Thread starter gman2304
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"With frost" so 31'F. I had a swing shift at work so the day ride would be good if not awesome but then I'd find frost at 1 am. 82 Virago XV750 with a flaky starter anyway, so I bump started it most of the time.
Gear was a couple fleece sweatshirts, leather coat, Under-Armor leggings, flannel lined jeans, and a thin spandexy "bank robber" hood with full face helmet, and flock lined leather gloves. I'd make a fist with my left hand and if able (at a red light) one with my right inside my gloves.
The bike ran fine, but I hugged the air cooling fins with my legs for warmth.
Gear was a couple fleece sweatshirts, leather coat, Under-Armor leggings, flannel lined jeans, and a thin spandexy "bank robber" hood with full face helmet, and flock lined leather gloves. I'd make a fist with my left hand and if able (at a red light) one with my right inside my gloves.
The bike ran fine, but I hugged the air cooling fins with my legs for warmth.
I used to ride in 45 degree weather, but now it's 50. I wear H-D branded winter gauntlet type gloves (excellent gloves), knee guards, a H-D 3/4 face helmet with flip-up face shield and a armored jacket with liner. No windshield on the bike. The bike is fuel injected, but still gets slow to start at cold temps. The coldest I actually started the bike to let run and warm up was about 30 degrees.
Who said it bothers me, whats your problem?
36 for my wife's carb'd Pacific Coast...fired right up.
I'm good down to the low 40's with the liner in my (mesh) jacket, sweatshirt, and heavy work pants under my riding pants.
But the roads have been salted, so the bikes are away for the winter.
I'm good down to the low 40's with the liner in my (mesh) jacket, sweatshirt, and heavy work pants under my riding pants.
But the roads have been salted, so the bikes are away for the winter.
Back about 1971, I rode a BMW R50/2 about 300 miles in the middle of the night, 20 degrees, with my girlfriend (Wife since 2 years after that) on the back. Didn't have proper cold weather gear, and did not realize how hypothermia had effected me. When we got near our destination at around dawn, I could not get my foot off the peg at a stoplight without the aid of my hand. Then, when I got off the bike, I could not speak clearly. Took over 30 minutes hugging a radiator before I STARTED shivering.
These days, I still ride a BMW.....But I have heated gear. A couple of years ago, I took a 2500 mile trip in February. It was about 20 degrees when I started out. I didn't take the gear off until I was 400 miles closer to California.
These days, I still ride a BMW.....But I have heated gear. A couple of years ago, I took a 2500 mile trip in February. It was about 20 degrees when I started out. I didn't take the gear off until I was 400 miles closer to California.
I've started it (air cooled GS500) into the upper 20s, but just to move it, was probably running Castrol GTX 10W40 at the time. I usually stop riding when the temps go below freezing as long as it's not precipitating. If it's wet/raining, I won't usually go below 45F. No heated grips or anything.
I have a set of heated grips, but haven't installed them yet. I'm not sure how well the electrical system would handle it, I'm planning on an LED headlight retrofit to reduce the load before I do the grips.
I have a set of heated grips, but haven't installed them yet. I'm not sure how well the electrical system would handle it, I'm planning on an LED headlight retrofit to reduce the load before I do the grips.
50 if its any distance at all. But maybe down in the forty's ,if its10 or 15 miles . My Dyna will start down to freezing , but the sporty won't fire much below 45
Jake
Jake
Only carbed and air cooled bike I rode in the cold was my Yamaha XV250 Virago. Below 40 degrees it would not run well because it would not warm up enough.
I had a new '65 BSA Lightning Rocket that I would ride as long as I didn’t need snow tires on it (back in the day).....
The thing I used to hate was when the throttle cable would freeze with the rear wheel spinning and wouldn't go back to idle.
Patches of black ice on the road will unnerve you too.
I'm too old to do that now but I've ridden on some "crisp" days. ~50F and above is good.
The thing I used to hate was when the throttle cable would freeze with the rear wheel spinning and wouldn't go back to idle.
Patches of black ice on the road will unnerve you too.
I'm too old to do that now but I've ridden on some "crisp" days. ~50F and above is good.
Touring bikes are real easy riding in the cold, naked/half naked not so easy...no matter what type snow or the chance of ice is dangerous on the street.
Papa Bear you da man ! "back in the day".....I couldn't get the BSA & Norton started on a cold day in Phoenix, Arizona...haha
Papa Bear you da man ! "back in the day".....I couldn't get the BSA & Norton started on a cold day in Phoenix, Arizona...haha
Coldest it gets here is -3C, I don't usually ride in that, 3C is as low as I go. The Airhead always starts no problem, choke off in a couple of hundred metres.
Yeah, I used to commute in the city at these temps no problem, but now I'm doing a 40km open road commute - after 15 minutes at 100kph my hands are frozen, and the rest of me not far behind. You need better gear at those speeds and distance.
Although not air cooled, I ran my 86 Yamaha FZX700 to an early work shift one morning; it was around 26 degrees and a half hour ride at roughly 55-60 mph. Using 10W40 the bike fired up easily and ran flawlessly, but adding in the wind chill factor on a naked bike, my hands felt like they were frozen on the bars, I'll normally ride down into the 40's, but anything lower I'll gladly be a cager and drive the car! Lol
Kudos to the fellow riders riding in lower temps, it's not an easy task!
Kudos to the fellow riders riding in lower temps, it's not an easy task!
Back when I was young and dumb, (teenager)I rode a Honda XL with semi knobby tires through snow, ice, and temps down to around 0°F, to go see my then girlfriend. At the time it seemed worth it. LOL
Originally Posted By: 02SE
Back when I was young and dumb, (teenager)I rode a Honda XL with semi knobby tires through snow, ice, and temps down to around 0°F, to go see my then girlfriend. At the time it seemed worth it. LOL
The back when I was young and dumb
I also rode my MC after it snowed and the roads were plowed and sanded and only the center line of the road had snow on it. I actually was young and stupid. Now I am just fat and stupid.
Back when I was young and dumb, (teenager)I rode a Honda XL with semi knobby tires through snow, ice, and temps down to around 0°F, to go see my then girlfriend. At the time it seemed worth it. LOL
The back when I was young and dumb
Mid to low 20's, just get good cold weather gloves and riding gear.
ROD
ROD
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