Fair weather bikers
 

Ok I suppose about now in October the weather for you poor souls in the Northern Hemishere will be starting to get a bit grim.
So how many of you will be sticking your bikes in the shed and how many of you will be keeping a stiff upper lip (not to mention your other frozen parts).
I live in the city of eternal springtime,so it,s no biggie for me.
Al theturtleshead

Seeing as I don't own a car, and haven't done for some years, I don't have a lot of choice. That said winter riding, although not motorcycling nirvana, isn't so bad. Certainly, in London, winter is the time of year when the weather finally matches the mood of the capital's daily commuters!

Now that I'm in Estonia, the winter doesn't play fair! If it snows or ices, I'll lock the two wheels away until it thaws, unless I really feel the need to practice extracting a bike from a ditch in -10C. If that happens, a few dozen watts of heated jacket and the Ural outfit will certainly see me through a Baltic winter.....

It was right at the freezing point this morning and still rode in. I have adequate gear that lets me ride until the road actually get's snow/ice on it. My weak link were my gloves, but I just bought those over-gloves for rain (the ones made in New Zealand) and I use them in the morning. Fingers still fell a bit cold, but never to where it's a problem.

Muff
 

Get yourself some handlebar muffs.They look like shit,but they don,t half work!
Al theturtleshead

Just having a quick cuppa before I scrape the snow of the seat for my 50 mile ride into London, Ive got a Volvo with heated seats sat on the drive !

I ride all year round.
This morning was the coldest morning yet by far.
70 mile round trip,
god bless heated grips

It snowed up here (Midlands) yesterday.. I ride all year round.. the fingers get quite cold but heat grips are the best, I have not put the thermal liners in my gear yet. so that must tell you something...(oh yeah..it tells you that I am an idiot!:stupid:!). This am it was 0.2deg C at my office but it was sunny and actually a nice ride. i really enjoyed the ride in, my only regret was that i did not have my cammera and had an early meeting so i could not enjoy some of the very nice views... Being midterm (school holidays) there was little traffic and that also helped...

besides when the weather gets bad.. the tossers who ride like mad men are gone and the police leave you alone (i have road long distances on the median strip in the snow and the police just waved me on..)

Great Idea
 

Well in an example of absolute brilliance I had my bike off the road through spring, summer and what should have been autumn. It should be road ready and road legel in a few days just as the temp. reaches to below 0 celcius. It's unfaired and not suitable for any electrical heating gizmos. As it's a Moto Guzzi I can warm my hands on the rocker covers at traffic lights but I do fantasize about the Colombian heat!!! Damn you for reminding me. Linzi

After a 200 mile round trip to Coventry yesterday, I am still thawing out.

Sleet, rain, snow, zero deg temperatures, summer gloves, non-waterproof boots, 3 foot visibility and a road full of myopic inbreds. A hideously innapropriate Cruiser, jeans and a leaky waterproof jacket.

I had to stop three times on the way home to try and stamp and clap feeling back into my feet and hands. I burnt my glove trying to get some heat from the exhaust. I can't stop sneezing now.

Was all worth it for the feeling of the warmth leaking back into my bones while stood in my girlfriend's kitchen afterwards; stark bollock naked holding a cup of tea.

Bloody Brilliant; who wouldn't love biking?

Joel

and now for something completely different...
 

...yes im a big 'pussy' who chickens out at the first sign of an erect nipple lol!
although I am getting the bus into leeds to day and will be purchasing a warm jacket for a bit of winter riding. as I am still new to the world of biking I think I may leave riding in frosty conditions till I have a bit more practice. is columbia warm all year round then? sounds nice and I like bananas....is it true that banana plants walk at night???

Ok then – I will take the heat (pardon the pun) for the rest of you who ditched the bike in favour of the car this morning. While the bike certainly isn’t parked up for the winter, sometimes sitting in a toasty warm car and getting stuck in traffic is far more pleasurable than getting into work on time.
Go on, admit it. You do it too :innocent:

To quote (I think) Billy Connolly "there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing" (or bike, or tyres).

Nothing like a nice bit of snow to keep Plod gainfully employed elsewhere and Captain Volvo and the Rice Rocket Brigade at home in front of the telly. :thumbup1:

Now, fog, that's a PITA and a reason not to ride for fun, but anything else, that's fine.

Three camping trips planned between now and February, so bring it on :thumbup1:

Andy

As long as it's not snowing, I'll be riding! :thumbup1:

:rofl:Snip.. VERY TRUE ..but really root-canal work can be more fun then getting into work on time!! but as i dont have a car I dont have the choice.. (except for two hours on the train.. which is even less fun then getting to work on time.) :thumbup1:

I'm with you on this one mate, although I'm planning a few rideouts with people I know ride all weathers just so I can pick up some tips. My biggest fear right now isn't rain or frost, or snow it's wet leaves and mud off all the tractors round here.

Or mode of transport? Can we stretch it that far?

yeah muddy leaves, theres a new worry. went round a blind corner the other day, nice and slow, but not slow enough to be prepared for the van on the other side, parked up 'in' my side of the road. had to break sharpish and went skidding on some leaves. no offy but a mild coronary.

As the ultimate bad workman I did indeed change my tools (got the sidecar). I know people who do the elefant and such like every year with nothing but a set of decent knobblies. It's just practice and possibly some mutation of the inner ear that lets 'em stay upright.

Andy

Spent 10 years racing motocross, as they say it's like riding a bike you never forget :thumbup1: I've been on the start line many times with 6 inches of snow on the ground and frozen solid, that is the best way to get rid of the Sunday morning hangover, tends to focus the mind

Rain, hail, wind, snow -time to get the bike out. (Bike Magazine, 2000+something)

50 mile trip into London as I do everyday at the mo, only two saw 2 other bikes on the journey another 650GS and a KTM Adv. not one scooter all the way through town either, seemed really weard. I would have been one of the missing ones until I got the GS, no way I'd ride my shiney Superduke in this shite

Albert, you really are a smug git :freezing: haha

Thats my only worry about riding through winter, i.e. the damage the road salt does to the resale value of my bike.

Am still riding and looking at buying some kind of rat bike, maybe an ER5, so I can take the Aprilia off the road for winter. Can't be doing with 6 months off like some of my mates do. Besides, taking the car means a 2.5 hour commute or 35 minutes max on the bike. Easy choice.

Acf50
 

Hi Craig76, an Aprilia in winter really needs ACF 50 applied to it to protect it from corrosion. Some say old engine oil is effective and cheaper, but old oil isn't used by airlines or air forces. ACF 50 is essential for all UK riders riding when roads are salted--my belief. Regards, Linzi.

I agree. BTW, mine's an RSV1000 sportsbike, not a 650 Pegaso so not exactly the perfect winter bike. Used my old ZX6-R all year round and the fasteners have faired a lot better than the RSV.

Going to strip the RSV and give it a through clean over winter or it's going to look a state by March. Local council have just started putting grit down so looking for a winter hack to take it's place.

The Tiger is just serviced and fitted with a set of new boots. It'll probably sit in the garage all winter now under a cover waiting for the spring sunshine.

The Serow on the other hand will have to brave the weather until then. I use the car for work though and pick sunny dry days for riding in the winter.

Guess which bike's got heated grips fitted? DOH!

This winter I'm going with the "Muffs" You can't beat a bit of muff! Hopefully they'll be enough.

I first took charge of a bike 2 years ago pretty much exactly. In Scotland. Turning up to lessons and you get greeted with "Ah, you haven't ridden in the rain/wind/dark/all of the above yet have you? Guess that's what we'll be learning today!"
Turned up to my CBT on a grey day in October and there was me and 2 guys, both of whom looked at my waterproof trousers and said "I didn't think of that"...

Tee hee.

I have always fitted Avonaire touring fairings to my bikes, except for teh bmw RT that came with a good fairing. On teh move it keeps you dry and prevents wind chill. I really do not understand why so many riders go without. The collection of dead bees/wasps/hornets and beetles alone on my windscreen should be enough reason to get one.

I decided to try the "muff" idea and went out and purchased one from a local antique shop, fine so far but can anyone tell me what to do with the small yappy dog at border crossings? Ride safe.

Well it was sunny this morning so I thought I'd take the bike to town and not drive. Did just fine on the way there although it was a bit chilly round certain parts. On the way back though I'd just stopped at the lights when the beavens opened, and the hail started drumming on my helmet. Boy was I cheesed off, but I happened to glance across into the window of the house right by the lights, and caught the eye of the old lady in there. Next thing I know I'm invited into her front room to drip and squelch on her tiles, I've got a fantastic hot chocolate pressed into my hand and had a great chat till the rain/hail passed.

I think I'll have to go out more often this winter.

i go without because i think they look awful & i much prefer riding a naked bike. the feel of the wind etc etc is a plus to me as it adds to the experience. if i want a warm dry windless place to sit i'll take the car.
oh & the only faired bike ive ridden have been evil in sidewinds compared to naked bikes. but that obviously could just be the bike.

The handlebar fairings are evil.
There is a world of difference being on a faired bike to being in a car.
The full fairings are all frame mounted and take sidewinds and disturbed air much better. When I started riding I was in the forces and had to ride to and from the base summer and winter each weekend. 435 miles each way, before we had motorways. The winter of 63-4 was really cold and I blessed the fairing then. These days I avoid that sort of cold if possible, but it is surprising how it chills when you go up the mountains in the pyreness or the alps even in summer.

The design of the bike - centre of gravity etc - does have a huge effect on this. In the late 70's (might have been the early 80's - long time ago anyway) I was riding one of the early faired GoldWings, a bike that was really stable in cross winds. I toured northern Scotland on it in side winds strong enough to make it hard to stand up when you got off but the bike hardly noticed it when you were riding.

On the other hand the Honda CX650 Turbo that I had some years later - a bike with a high C of G, could be quite dangerous with cross winds on the motorway, particularly if the roads were wet as well so you didn't know quite how much grip you had. You would have trouble keeping it in one lane if the wind was gusty.

fantastic hospitality there mate, a lucky find indeed! I had a similar problem a while back but when I went into esso to ask if they had any plastic bags i could wrap around my feet all I got was "errr, you gonna buy some petrol?"

yes maybe i was exagerating slighty about faired bikes being the same as cars :rofl:
i understand why people like fairings & so on, its just a personal choice that i much much prefer to be without. my first bike was a fully faired sports tourer that i did about 20k on in 8 months, so ive got an idea what fairings are like to ride with. i just prefer to sit in the wind & wear a bit more in the cold.
mind you i am looking at those wotsits offroad bikes have over the levers to keep the wind off my gloves for the winter.

Fairings Yuk!
 

I agree heartily that fairings are over rated and not needed. My beloved Guzzi Le Mans has a tiny fairing only there to add a dash of style---and obscure the instruments as they are viewed through the miniscule screen. In my first week of riding it I accidentally read the rev counter as the speedo. They were the other way round on my car. "Sorry for speeding occifer, really. It's the screen you see." "Yes sir, would you prefer a ticket for 4000 in a 30 then?" So you see even a little fairing is bad. Linzi.

Mmmm not so sure!
 

I don,t know if my Ktm 950,s doings exactly make up a fairing,but I do know my touring screen enables my to hear my Ipod at over 100mph.Before anything over about 85 and it was just a waste of time.Oh yeah and that screen cuts out so much windblast that you spend a lot more time at higher speeds,ACE! Best money I,ve spent in a while.
Al theturtleshead

:rofl::rofl:

I have become one!!
 

Well on the trip up to Tan Hill, my headlights started to flash and dim, a week later on my daily commute home, It all went bad. I limped home only to find that my rectifier/regulator was putting out a whooping 19V (@ 4k revs). So My bike is now in bits (as i try and figure out what is the cause of the RR failure) and i am on the train... and you know what I would prefer to be cold and wet on my bike then crammed in like a sardine, with all the coughing and rudeness that goes along with train commuters...


I know RR go but this one was new. So the first failure was a symptom of some thing else not the problem.

Hopefully i'll be back on the road soon...

Having just come home at 6.30pm, so not exactly middle of the night, and felt a definite slither turning the corner into my street, I might be taking public transport for a few days till it warms up... :(

Plus reversing it into a slot between cars is interesting when you're on slight tiptoes on ice!!! :funmeterno:

BTW anyone else have issues with heated grips refusing to stay on when it's really cold? Seems to defeat the point a little....:confused1:

Laura

Hopefully i'll be back on the road soon...
Are you saying your RR was NEW?

hi Xander

if the RR is showing a high voltage the problem may be a poor connection in the 12v switched live, or the earth to the RR. If there is any loss of voltage due to a corroded connector a damaged wire the regulator will increase the recharging voltage, so i have been told as i am having probs on my bike at the moment.

Iain

others have said it but but earths & crap connections are a prime suspect. make sure the engine earths properly to the frame for example.

mine kept cutting out, turned out to be a slightly loose connection in the fuse holder.
unless you mean yours are switching off due to a low voltage sensor? if so check the connections & that your bike is charging properly. the auto cutoff ones normally cutout at about 11.5v. mind you if you do a lot of low speed riding it could be your bike is fine but just not putting out enough power.
oh last one - if yours opens, check the water in the battery hasnt dropped.

We crossed the Alps November 2007 on a GoldWing towing a trailer. Four-wheeled vehicles were in the ditch, but we made it over without incident. There is approximately 1" (2.5 cm) of compacted snow on the road surface and it is still snowing. Thank goodness for Gerbings (Gerbing's Heated Clothing // The World's Warmest Clothing!) heated vests and gloves.

http://www.bobkatsjaunt.com/images/I...rd%20001-A.jpg

That 19volts may be because the rectifier is shorted out and it is providing AC or pulsed dc. Many dc voltmeters will give a high dc reading when on AC :(

I do not think it is just the CofG. MY BMW which has a Cof G six inched or more higher than any of my older Triumphs is stable in crosswinds. ( it is also 150 lbs heavier). the steering geometry also plays a part becaus if the bike is naturally self centering it will recover by itself.
It irritates me when people criticise bikes for doing what they are designed to do. eg harley chopper, not my thing at all, but if I had free petrol and 1000 mile straight roads they make some sense. The big low stressed engines also leaves a low stressed rider. That is one reason I prefer to drive a diesel car ( maybe one day a diesel bike also).
However, if you look at those who have to ride their bikes all year irrespective of the weather, the ratio of bikes with fairings become disproportionally high.

Hi Guys!
Thanks for all your great advice! I have not had a chance to go though it too in depthly yet but I have already found a couple of bad connections and at least one short (after market add-on) when i was ripping it to bits. (family commitments and then too bloody cold/dark/tired when i get home from the salt mines.) Saturday is the big fix start anyway.

I am going to make my first step being a step by step checking and testing of the entire loom. Better now then next year when we will be on the road. I have already made sure that the RR connectors are all nice and shiny. Does any one know where i can get my hands on some dielectric grease?

Molly: it was an Electrex World one.. They come hightly recomended and when i called then they did not even stutter and told me to send it back for a free replacement. The EW ones come with a 1 year guarantee..honda come with a three week, and only if not installed (what is the point i ask you??). Hopefully it was the correct choice.. The new one is charging fine, so two options I got a bad RR or (as we all think and far more likley) there is a bigger problem here. I'll let you all know what i find (if i find the the cause).

Thanks again all
Xander

if you mean conductive grease for the contacts, just look for silicone grease. normally seems to be pale pink when ive seen it.