The Paulcb coldest ride of Winter 2022-2023

[mudduc]

I'm still allowed to work at home but today had:
- In person meetings needed
- Yamaha WR250R ready to pick up
- Honda GROM ready to drop off
- 24 hours post snowfall
- Bright and sunny day

So, I rode...
- in to work on the GROM.
25 miles at -3⁰F (by stadium sign) or -2⁰F (by Weather Underground Station)

- back from work on the WR250.
25 miles at 3⁰F (by stadium sign)

Would have like the roads to be better cleared but sun warmed pavement and car tire tracts gave me enough grip both ways. Comfortable both ways with unheated Klim snowmobile gear. Ride back was a little better with heated grips on the WR250 and 6⁰F bump in temps. Ride in had me getting some finger ache that I handled by pulling the gloves off a bit (to get fingers into the warmer palms) and giving them a rub at stops. Took the surface streets both ways. Need a few more dry days after a snow before I'll risk the freeways.

Please put me down for -2⁰F.

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

 

[mudduc]

I agree windchill makes a difference to what the rider experiences, however as it's subjective I guess we are stuck with the ambient temp as the official compariter.

Careful with that "windchill" word. It's a trigger for some, well, maybe just for me.
When I'm out on the bike or anything else in Minnesota winter weather, I'm dressed so that windchill has no effect. My outer layer keeps the wind from penetrating and sucking off my body heat. I'm good for zero to 80 mph. As should anyone else who ventures out in sub-freezing weather.

I still think windchill is just a symptom of needing to sensationalize news. It's stupid. Just tell me the actual air temperature and how windy it is. If you...no...wait...I'll resist the rant. Ok, I'm okay.

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

 

[rjs987]

Wind chill only has an effect on a biological body that normally generates its own heat to some extent. It does not ever really drop the temp below the actual temp. It is only a "feeling" related to how fast the heat is drawn away and therefor is not a factor with inanimate objects... like any metal or other non-living thing.

I'll put you down for the -2 F since that is what you requested even though wUnderground stations may not be accurate for exactly where you are. I pass by the location of a wUnderground weather station on many of my rides so I can use that when I want to but usually at home I'll see one temp at that station (a few blocks away) and a different temp on my home temp sensor.

 

[the Ferret]

Thermometers are like tire pressure gauges. Accuracy is expected but not guaranteed. I love looking at a rack of thermometers in a store, all hanging within fractions of a inch and 2 or 3 degrees of each other lol. I have an indoor/outdoor thermometer in my bedroom, that I only use indoors with the outdoor sensor just hanging there by the dresser and it reads 2 different temps all the time. Usually within a degree or so though, but one of them has to be wrong...or both of them. I also have 3 tire pressure gauges out in my toolbox that read over a 2 pound spread.when I set my tire pressure at 42 # I know its actually somewhere between 40 and 44 lol. Close enough.

 

[W0QNX]

Good thing that wind chill doesn't mind you mudduc. Take a look at the flag in the pic. HAHA

 

[Paul st1300]

We had 0 degree this morning in West Tennessee with 3/4 inch of snow but the problem is that there is a thin layer of ice . It went from low 40s to the low teens in about and hour . So that misty rain we had froze on the streets. I was going out but the ice stopped me.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

Good morning all. Today was planned and perfect…


Sadly there is ice on my patio which means ice on other surfaces I may come across. Have a wonderful day, I’ll be trying a bit later.

 

[Ashley]

Us Floridians are anxiously awaiting to see if the record is broken today.

 

[W0QNX]

We had some serious cold for us down here in the Western most part of Florida, Pensacola. So I had to get on the list with a ride. I woke up and looked at the temp on my phone, 18 cool (for real).

I put on my Freeze Out Thermal long undies from Cycle Gear on under my blue jeans as I got out of bed. Ride time! I dug out my old Hippo Hands, Joe Rocket heavy coat with liner, Tour Master heavy pants and wore my wool socks in my normal cowboy boots. I had my cold gloves which are some Acme leather gloves with Thermo something liner. I wore a "Zub" over my mouth and nose and the HJC flip front helmet.

The heated grips warmed up the bike grips as I rode down the driveway (not). As soon as the bike was out of the garage far enough the temp on the bike settled at 19! I rode north up to the old forest service lookout tower on 29 going north near Molino. When I got there the temp on the ST read 19!!

I rode back home and in the driveway the ST temp said 19!!! imagine that. All went well but my ears got cold (huh?) and the toes are too cold. 31.6 miles total and lets go with a temp of 19!!!! This is the coldest it's been here in Pensacola since 2014. No heated gear other than the heated grips. No way the zipper would go up under my old Joe Rocket jacket with a vest under there.

I guess I also learned the ST thermostat isn't working very well as it never cleared 2 bars.

I now switch back to my normal 50 degree riding temperature cutoff with a 60 strong don't leave policy.

 

[the Ferret]

Imagine... A Floridian on the cold ride list. Amazing

 

[rjs987]

Early milestone. All temps in the top 10 are now in the 20s F.
Expecting -6 F tomorrow morning and my driveway has been clear since yesterday. Sublimation finished clearing what was left on the driveway that my big snow thrower didn't clear. I'm certain the main street a block away from home is also relatively clear. But the street in front of my house had too much traffic on it before the plows came through so it is about 98% covered with packed snow/ice with an occasional bare spot here and there in the very center of the street... with glare ice all around those. I don't ride on that stuff. This morning is the first we've seen above zero F in several days. It's +2 F right now.

@W0QNX , 2 bars is normal in these temps for some bikes. That is... if it went up to 3 bars when you were sitting at a stop idling. But replacing the thermostat doesn't hurt. I'd wait until a little warmer to do that however, unless you're allowed to bring the bike into the living room to work on it.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

Merry Christmas winter riders. Low low traffic this morning. My Wife spotted a time temp sign this week and off to find it I was. Enjoy the day!

19*

 

[dduelin]

With family coming over later in the day I took a 64 mile ride after the sun came up. It was 24F officially measured at the airport. Pretty cold for Florida but not a record.

My NC700X does not have an air temperature gauge per se but the TPMS sensor temperature gauges work well enough until the tires begin to heat up. Today the front only gained 3F from 25 to 28F. This pic shows 28 on the front tire after 30 minutes riding on a loop around the airport. The rear eventually gained 20 degrees from initial 25 F. Michelin Pilot Power front, Road 5 rear.

Gerbings G3 heated gloves, Warm & Safe heated jacket under a BMW Dry jacket. Cortec overpants, My toes got cold in wool socks. Heated grips about 75%, jacket about 50%. The jacket is the warmest one I've ever owned.

 

[mudduc]

Happy New Year everyone.

I'll still be commuting every Tuesday (my single in-office day per week) if roads are clear but doubt luck will bring another dry road Tuesday with a temp lower than the -2 I've already logged. So, don't expect me to re-pass if you get a better temp sometime.

Get out there and ride.
My -2 shouldn't shut things down this early.

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

P.S. Took the truck in today for a rare Thursday office visit. Didn't ride as I need a scouting day after the 14" snow dump we just had. Freeways are still not two wheel ready.

 

[rjs987]

In know it's only early January, but it sure has been a while since anyone adjusted their cold temp ride down on the list. We are experiencing unusually warm temps lately and expecting over 50F tomorrow... though with RAIN! Normally that is unheard of in January around here. But we do expect a few inches of the white stuff later in the week.

 

[the Ferret]

We have been on average 10 degrees over average for all of January. Average is 39 degrees for a high so our average for the first 14 days has been 49. According to the weather terrorists we are not supposed to get down to average until Thurs the 26th. Thur the 19th they are predicting 58 for a high! I'm not complaining though. I've only missed 3 days riding this month (2 to rain, 1 to snow. I have vowed not to take off in the rain this year, and only ride in it if I get caught out. Getting old I guess.

 

[W0QNX]

In know it's only early January, but it sure has been a while since anyone adjusted their cold temp ride down on the list. We are experiencing unusually warm temps lately and expecting over 50F tomorrow... though with RAIN! Normally that is unheard of in January around here. But we do expect a few inches of the white stuff later in the week.

You got a problem with Florida and California guys being in the top tens? HAHA

 

[rjs987]

You got a problem with Florida and California guys being in the top tens? HAHA

Nope! I think it's great when you guys post within the top ten. Keep it up... though you might have to get up into the mountains (CA) or ride a fair bit north to keep you place on the list. Or maybe we'll send some of the freezing temps out west or down south. I'm sure you'd like that... right?

 

[Bright Rider]

With family coming over later in the day I took a 64 mile ride after the sun came up. It was 24F officially measured at the airport. Pretty cold for Florida but not a record.

My NC700X does not have an air temperature gauge per se but the TPMS sensor temperature gauges work well enough until the tires begin to heat up. Today the front only gained 3F from 25 to 28F. This pic shows 28 on the front tire after 30 minutes riding on a loop around the airport. The rear eventually gained 20 degrees from initial 25 F. Michelin Pilot Power front, Road 5 rear.

Gerbings G3 heated gloves, Warm & Safe heated jacket under a BMW Dry jacket. Cortec overpants, My toes got cold in wool socks. Heated grips about 75%, jacket about 50%. The jacket is the warmest one I've ever owned.

Thanks for the gear information. I will look into some of the products you listed.

 

[FST-SC]

Inspired by @sirbike, from whom I bought my 2006 ST1300 in November, I took to the road on a sunny 16 degree morning. No winter gear beyond a hoodie under the riding jacket so the excitement diminished when the cold set into my hands. However,I realized how much fun can be had on this awesome machine.