Not me, this was a video that was on another bike forum.Originally Posted by rd400racer
And I don't own penny loafers or fingerless gloves.
Not me, this was a video that was on another bike forum.
And I don't own penny loafers or fingerless gloves.
Now: '12 R1200RT Midnight Blue Metallic / '11 Ural Patrol 2WD ridden to Alaska / '09 KLR 650 / '05 HD Heritage Softail (wife's ride) / '02 KTM 520 EXC / '85 Yamaha VMax bought new. I wasn't ready to say goodbye: www.shaunlunt.typepad.com
Sorry, but I find this comment to be a tad odd.
If I want to beat my chest, I'll grid my FZR up for a WERA race at Tally.
I ride because I love to ride, period. Why let weather be a factor in this decision unless it happens to be cataclysmic?
[QUOTE=amiles;835578]I know that I sound like someone's mother speaking,
Why take an unnecessary risk?
Find some other way to figuratively beat on your chest like Tarzan.[/QUOTE
Because the only thing worse than riding in winter is not riding all winter.
Looked like a nice day for a ride. I wouldn't have done it in loafers, khackis, and fingerless gloves though.
Howard Edwards
2009 R1200GS; 1975 R75/6
RD400 My apologies for my negativity about your quest. May you have cataclysmic free riding weather this winter.
No worries at all brother.
I figure if I can still roadrace at 52, I might as well try the all-winter challenge.
As an added benefit the guys at my office think I'm nuts, and it's always good to keep them on their toes
RD - Do they use road salt or brine down by you and what bike are you planning to ride. If it has magnesium parts and you get to deal with salt, coat them with something to prevent corrosion. I got to work on a G650XMoto this summer which had been ridden through a few winters. The right case cover was very deeply pitted. I also had a fun time dealing with corroded fasteners going into the aluminum pieces.
And when you encounter a bit of ice like the rider in the Mt. Lemon video, just pretend you are blowing a turn and shortcutting a chicane while the track is still drying out. Stand it up, no brakes, steady gas, no turning input, lightly balanced on the pegs... I'm sure you've been there and know how to dance.
Going from the warm up your tire rubber idea, there is also the pressure question. As most bikers are frequent pressure checkers(or should be) : My Cad CTS with tire pressure monitors will show a change of 4-5#'s on these days in the 20's & 30's after just a few miles. Never having owned a bike with TPS monitors I wonder how much change happens in a little bike tire in cold weather? They always say to check your car tires cold but is that also wise with the low volume of a bike tire when it's really cold?
Another cold weather hazard in my area is the steep driveways /roads coming off of hills that "bleed" water onto the pavement and freeze & often are hidden . FWIW, my elec jacket heats up in way less than 20 miles. It's the older style Gerbings not microwire. Maybe you need a new jacket or diff hookup?
I check my tire pressure before every ride and adjust accordingly. Cold pressure is cold pressure, no matter what the ambient air is.
To this question, quote, "Never having owned a bike with TPS monitors I wonder how much change happens in a little bike tire in cold weather?"
When I had my cold tire low-side crash back in Nov 2010, I was really surprised at how the "leaning sides" of the tire was much colder than the center of the tread. Like I said, using a infared thermometer, 35 F ambient temp, cold tire tread surface was 27 F (emmisivity at work here). In four miles at 55mpg, the CENTER of the front tire had quickly warmed to 55 F. BUT! The tread section I leaned onto when making the right hand turn (90 degree turn from a county highway onto another county highway intersection) was still ONLY AT 27 F!
So don't assume the tires are universally the same temp through the tire carcass. I contacted Avon tire at the time ( I was riding on Avon Storm tires) with my findings and they agreed. They recommended at east ten miles of sedate riding/cornering before expecting fully normal grip levels for non-aggressive riding.
Woodenshoe to Cheesehead
On my way to a Yankee Beemer meeting approx. 50 miles from my house. this photo was taken early am. While traveling on the highway, I hit some lite snow fluries, no other vehicles on the road at theat time. What a great ride it was. I had my Tourmaster heated jacket and gloves, first gear riding pants,and jacket, and a pair ofheavy socks in my riding boots. I was not cold at all. I do work outdoors for a living so I am used to the elements. Having all that plastic on a RT did not hurt either..
The thing about traveling is, you never want it to end and you can't wait to get home.
I answer to Roy, Chief, or Sarg.
04 R-1150-RT current bike. 94 R-1100-RS74,383, Sold, 78 R-80/7, K.I.A by a D.U.I
www.OceanStateBMWriders.com
The BMW motorcycle TPM is a goofy setup. It's temperature compensated and you see very little change in the pressure reading when the tires warm up.
Lee 2011 K1300S
MOA # 30878
Past BMW Bikes, 2003 K1200RS, 1991 K75S, 1987 K75T(bought new in 1988), 1984 R100RT
That is totally goofy.
TPM is misleading.
Mike Marr
1978 Yamaha XS750 (Needs rings), 1996 BMW R1100RS, 2004 Honda CRF230F
Not if you know how it works. We have both kinds. My Smartire shows actual pressure, internal air temperature, and a temperature compensation of + or - in psi based on the pressure and temperature. I ignore everything + or - 1, but add air when it says -2.
Voni's F800 has the BMW OEM setup. It just shows temperature compensated pressure. Take her rear tire for example. I air it up to what I think will be 37 psi at 70 degrees. Maybe a little extra. Then I ride the bike and see what it says. When putting the air in I mentally adjust by 1 psi per ten degrees of temperature. That always gets me close and I then add or let air out till it reads what it is supposed to read. When it is right it shows 37 cold and hot but that is temperature compensated pressure - that is it would be 37 at 70 degrees - higher hotter, lower colder but I don't have to care about the actual pressure.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://www.bigbend.net/users/glaves
Snow flurries really no biggie, as they don't tend to stick. Cold tires less sticky is a constant, you just need to stay aware of that. The real PITA is the frost and black ice. Around here, with the way the temps run, we can get freeze/thaw cycles of black ice for many days, day in and day out, from just one snowfall. Because of this, you want to leave, and return, while the sun is still pretty high. Knowing the icing characteristics of a frequent route is quite doable. Outside of such area, especially when the sun is going down, you have to be extremely cautious.
Great group of people at Rounders Web Site
"You're not dealing with your average Wackos here!"
'05 F650 GS
IBA # 38142
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