The Paulcb coldest ride of Winter 2022-2023

[rjs987]

About 60 miles today in 17° in central Ohio but I feel like I've been cheating all winter wearing a heated jacket and gloves from WarmnSafe. Balaclava and long johns on I faired pretty well. My feet stay warm as long as I'm on the ST11. The ignition switch keeps freezing up though. Have to leave it idle to warm it up enough to turn it off.

Nah, I don't consider that cheating. Riding in cold temps includes wearing the gear needed to make you comfortable, AND SAFE, enough to do so. And if that means heated gear then wear the heated gear. With all my previous bikes I wore Gerbing heated gloves. Since I now have heated grips I added the handlebar muffs to use WITH the heated grips to keep my whole hand warm. Consider it part of the uniform. ATGATT for cold weather riding.

As to that ignition switch issue. Have you tried to turn the engine off with the kill switch? But I guess that won't turn off the power on the bike if the switch is defective in cold temps. Sounds like you have a moisture issue in the switch that freezes the contacts or switch barrel in the cold.

 

[sirbike]

Yesterday I rode a V Star 1100 that I worked on. Getting out of the driveway was a trick with so much polished ice. The road was clear.

I was looking forward to a personal record today of 7 or 8. But it snowed covering the ice. Then it kept snowing covering the road.
No go.
It was a good day to build another work counter top in the MC Spa.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

I feel like I've been cheating all winter wearing a heated jacket and gloves from WarmnSafe

This is not cheating, it’s recommended. Wind chills can kill. Stay Warm and Safe.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

Some serious cold. Screen shot and a link for the weather geeks.

Current Summit Conditions - Mount Washington Observatory

www.mountwashington.org

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

I went out looking for single digits this morning. Apps said 8 and 9f, I was unable to find under 10f, after about 45 minutes my mid section and hips were getting chilly.
We are back to 40 plus this week. Don’t forget to plug in the heated gear, yes, I forgot and was happy when I stopped to plug in.

 

[the Ferret]

Some serious cold. Screen shot and a link for the weather geeks.

Current Summit Conditions - Mount Washington Observatory

www.mountwashington.org

My wife and I went there a couple of years ago on a trip to Bar Harbor on the ST. Amazing difference in weather between the bottom and the top lol

 

[ibike2havefun]

Some serious cold. Screen shot and a link for the weather geeks.

Current Summit Conditions - Mount Washington Observatory

www.mountwashington.org

Man I get cold just LOOKING at that.

 

[centralMN]

This isn't really much of a cold ride brag since we're in a heat wave the past couple weeks. You may be able to tell from the corn snow in the picture. I didn't even break out the extra down jacket layer or heated socks today. It's the first nice day since before the gracious December snows that I took time off from winter adventures and got my sunshine fix with the ST hack. A bit sloppy down the road further where it opens into full sunshine so I'm still wanting to mount the fender I carry along in the back waiting to find the right person to weld a couple supports for it. Came home after 110 miles and it was still above freezing so my groceries didn't freeze. No trouble climbing my driveway since I followed the fireplace ash path that I laid a few days ago. That stuff really gives good grip on what would otherwise be sloppy ice on a day like today.

BTW, enjoyable to read what else you'all do for cold weather....although it seems mostly on two wheels. That could have been me today but it's so luxuriant to just jump on the hack and go. No need to air down tires and air up at the tar with that chair keeping everything shiny side up! And then a shopping cart of groceries can come back home.

 

[Daboo]

I have to laugh... We're getting a cold snap. In the wee hours tomorrow morning, the low will be 24F. So I looked to see where that would get me on the top 10.

It'll get me nowhere.

Well, except laying in a warm cozy bed thinking of how my brief fleeting moment of "glory" came and went never to be seen again.

If I could make it to ToddC's place tonight, the temp will get to 19F...but that only leaves me tied for 10th place. And its on the other side of the passes...

Chris

 

[Mellow]

I have to laugh... We're getting a cold snap. In the wee hours tomorrow morning, the low will be 24F. So I looked to see where that would get me on the top 10.

It'll get me nowhere.

Well, except laying in a warm cozy bed thinking of how my brief fleeting moment of "glory" came and went never to be seen again.

If I could make it to ToddC's place tonight, the temp will get to 19F...but that only leaves me tied for 10th place. And its on the other side of the passes...

Chris

Yeah, I hit 24 on the way back from WinterSTOC last month and nada... I truly hate this game... lol

 

[Daboo]

Once again, I thought I had a chance at glory and fame. Note, no fortune. So I would at best get only half of the "fame and fortune" benefit.

The Jet Stream has wimped out on me. Earlier today, it was saying I might get to 16 or 17F. Now...sigh...it is up to 19F. That only ties me for 10th place.



Sad. I'll probably just sleep off my disappointment in my warm cozy Sleep Number bed.

I was soooo close.

Chris

 

[Obo]

@Daboo at least you're on the board.

 

[centralMN]

Last week I ventured to the welding shop to get the stock fender attached on the Unit fork. I challenged my fingertips at 12 Fahrenheit when getting a modest side breeze. Heated grips and barkbuster blizzard muffs evidently only go so far. It was only 16 miles so I never lost my toes. Fun part was much of the way had hardpacked or icy snow on the road. Getting up to a moderate speed took some patience as those road tires don't exactly grip like the snow tires on my car. Some snowmobile or RWD car driving skills came into play. Then I stopped by to see the project on Monday and without a fender the one stretch of state road that was drenched in the dreaded road salt gave a spray to make it more of a modern art polka dot pattern of white on maroon.

That of course is the side effect of wanting to ride in cold weather around here. Way too much road salt. Some environmentalists should chime in and I'll join you in complaining about that one. Not hard to believe but in the land of 5 months of snowy conditions few folks switch to snow tires on their cars. Seems like a silly trade off no snow tires but more salt so you spend on a new car when it rots rather than an extra set of tires.

Enough of that whining - Just took a DR650 out of the basement and around to the shed while the world is still frozen as the mud season cometh soon. Vroom, Vroom.

 

[rjs987]

@centralMN , That post is formatted as a quote of your earlier post but the content is different. Did you really mean to just make a new post?

 

[Obo]

@centralMN , That post is formatted as a quote of your earlier post but the content is different. Did you really mean to just make a new post?

Maybe it was too cold to type??

 

[centralMN]

Maybe it was too cold to type??

Could be a side effect of cooling the brain too often......or just unfamiliar with posting sites to figure out how these posting things actually work. Trying something new all the time on the computer. Thanks for looking out for the betterment of posting.

 

[rjs987]

Cold weather is not done yet. Next few mornings we expect temps in the low teens F.
I WAS thinking it would be nice to ride tomorrow... but it's snowing again here. Don't expect much but enough to need to wait a day at least.

 

[Daboo]

My opportunity for fame is lost... I'm going for a ride tomorrow to relieve my sorrows.

 

[centralMN]

My heart goes out to all of you who aren't able to find much below freezing. To make you envious, the high school track kiddos made their 5 miles today at 22 Fahrenheit. Even jogged a bit down the track of a snowmobile in the snow for reasonably firm footing.

Such a winter wonderland this year I just had to go out and find a "new" Polaris SKS. You know the 1991 with the fancy air cooled 488 engine dubbed "500" and touted to be "really fast". Seems when time permits it will get some exercise soon. Purrs like a Polaris should.

And occasionally there is both a gap between snow falling and time permitting to get two wheels out now that the gravel roads leading away from my stable are more gravel and less ice/slop. Yes, I can't imagine living in the midatlantic where I grew up and suffering grey winters with barely snow to speak of. Luv winter!

 

[the Ferret]

It has been a crazy winter here in the Ohio Valley. December and January weren't bad. February was warm. March has been kinda cool. Hardly any snow or any below freezing temps. Only had to use my quad with snow blade 2 days I think. I've been able to ride 76 days since Jan 1. I'll take it though, in fact I'd take this every year lol