Today I took the scoot out for a little ride. It was 39 degrees when I left and it never got above 41. I rode for 250 miles and it felt great. I have heated gear and it makes me feel so loose. After 120 miles I stopped for fuel and wasn't stiff at all. The bike loves that cold air too. Another great thing, when I got home not a single bug hit my bike LOL. I remember one year leaving for Daytona and it was 31 out and when I got down there it was 81. That was nuts.
Thing is with salt, we drive our cars & trucks ALL winter long, through snow, slush, salt and it takes YEARS for rust to develop. So a ride or two on a road that has some salt on it...meh, clean the damn bike and you'll be fine. Most likely you're gonna trade that bitch in on something newer WAY before any rust occurs anyway.
Living in Wisconsin means riding in cool, and cold weather or park it. I choose to ride. Heading in to town with the rig after I drop Payton at school. Damp 31 degrees out now.
Cold riding is great. I use Salt Away on the bike to prevent rust, and I've never had an issue. The Night Train is almost 15 years old, and it's got zero rust.
Curiousity got the better of me, so I had to look up what the heck it is that they spray on our roads, because it will cut channels into snow banks. Our road crews spray Magnesium Chloride onto our highways and roads to prevent icing. Not only does this stuff like to corrode metals, it will pit aluminum and can sometimes leave black motors with white spots all over the block. Basically, if you value your bike, you shelf it around here through the winter months and wait until the roads are washed clear of the brine in the spring.
A little light reading for those curious (there are pictures further down)
My 2012 RG Custom and I love the colder temps for riding.
I just make sure before the cold season that all my Heated Gear is working properly.
I've been caught in snow and ice storms while travelling home from work when in NYC and luckily always made it home safe.
I usually don't ride after the first big snowstorm unless we get a nice rain shower to clean the roads.
Otherwise, I will hibernate until Spring Time.
Mike U.
I don't mind the cold myself , compliments of heated gear, but once the first salting goes down my glide goes into hibernation, fuck that noise, that shits rusts everything, and I keep my bikes for a while, love it too much.
Back in 1974 when I took a loan on my first bike (1974 XLCH Sportster @ $2,600) it was my sole means of transportation, and I rode it about 12 miles each way, back and forth to work, right through the year.
Being an AMF the kick-start broke after a few months and I didn't have the money to fix it, so I was running along side holding in the clutch in 2nd, and then jumping on it and releasing the clutch. I smoked back then and would be sucking air like a old broken bellows. I remember not being able to open my fingers for 10 minutes or so, after some of the colder rides.
Fast forward to today--if it goes below 50, I'ma in my heated truck.
....oh and it was uphill both ways back in the old days!
I too don't mind the cold rides, with the right gear that is. I live at 5500' in southern Utah and to get to a little warmer climate in the dead of winter is a 45 minute run then down in southern Nevada, Northern Arizona and much warmer. in our younger days, we would leave here two up at around 10 degrees and icy road in January to make the Las Vegas Harley "Frosty Balls" rides. Buuuurrrr!
i will usually ride down to 40°F with heated vest.
bought it 2 years ago and was amazed at how well it works.
the cold air running down my back always got to me, but the vest cured that.
lowers go on in the late fall and long johns keep my legs comfortable.
My 06's 95 cu in absolutely loves the cold. I moved to my new house a few years back in Jan and the temperature was barely 0°F and she was a whole different beast. Just an absolute screamer. We went out for a ride first week in January here in WY and it was 49. That is a tropical heatwave compared to the single digits and low teens we've been having lately. Still had to ride two up down the icy alley to get it to the relatively dry pavement that still have ice patches on it. We put on a solid 60 mi that afternoon. Good times for sure!
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