What's the coldest you've ridden in?

HyperstradaHopeful · Jan 21, 2014

Just got back from a 150 mile night ride. Was mostly between 32F-37F the whole way. I froze my *** off and should of worn my ski mits over my gloves and a thermal underpant (only had motorcycle jeans on and the cold went straight through it).

I remembered halfway through my ride that I have the heated grips on my Hyper (DOH!). Turned them on high for the roundtrip and frankly was a little disappointed as I could hardly feel them through my gloves. Perhaps they just can't overpower 32F weather when going 80mph. Seemed my throttle grip was hotter than the left side though because I had to stop 50 miles into the 75 mile return journey in order to thaw out my left thumb. LOL!

Also, I noticed that even while cruising at 6k rpm at 80mph, the engine temp never got above 138F and dropped as low as 132F. I guess the engine was having a hard time keeping even itself warm with all of that ice cold air rushing over it!

jerdog53 · Jan 21, 2014

I regularly ride into the mid 20sF but not long distances

SuperTen · Jan 21, 2014

Below 39f is brutal without proper clothes. I use warm & safe jacket and have heated gloves also. Another thing that I have discovered by accident, when I added the anti-fogging shield to my Arai XD3 it provides a double shield air pocket which shields the cold from your face.

31f is my coldest ride, couple of weeks ago, but short ride, it hurt my fingers for sure!

StefanR · Jan 21, 2014

Early spring in Sweden, 32-41F.
Coldest was in winter 1984 when I drove a motorcross bike, 0F.

gatdammit · Jan 21, 2014

I got one of these for face & neck protection and helps reduce fogging when pulled over nose/mouth: cyclone buff

But...being in Florida, it's not worth buying extreme weather garments for maybe a month of very cold weather. So, I spend the money on wet gear and just park it below 50 F.

mentalist · Jan 21, 2014

I concur that the headed grips cant cope at 80-90mph at temps around 4-5*C
Although once I slowed to about 65mph my hands warmed up again. I'll ride all year providing there is no ice on the roads. I always wash the bike down and blow dry and then spray protect with fogging oil.

porkrind · Jan 21, 2014

I've ridden in the high 20s. I have a heated jacket and gloves and those get plenty warm.

The weak spot is my chin. I have a balaclava with a Turtle Fur neck, but it's so much material I can't turn my head. I've been using a thin wool Buff instead. It takes the edge off, but at those temps it is not what I'd call warm.

HS821 · Jan 21, 2014

In my early motorcycle days, the lowest Temperatur was something around 15-20F while driving to school. After 10km every finger seemed to be frozen

jamiesk · Jan 21, 2014

About -2c in snow. It seemed warmer as I looked like the mitchalin man ! Just slow up a bit and it warms up!

GTHawk · Jan 21, 2014

I have a rule, if the temp at night will drop to 0c (32F for the Americans) or below then I don't ride. Basically don't want to run into ice on the road on any bike. Reason for the night item is that if i ride to the office and i end up staying late and temp drops it could be ice situation. Now if its Saturday and 1c for the afternoon I would go. But I do have the gear to ride colder, but ice and 2 wheels not my idea of fun.

I have gone out on colder days when I know the roads I will take are perfectly clear.

jamiesk · Jan 21, 2014

GTHawk said:
I have a rule, if the temp at night will drop to 0c (32F for the Americans) or below then I don't ride. Basically don't want to run into ice on the road on any bike.

I dont ride in the frost / ice anymore. I didnt have a car back then, just the RD350. Not quite the ideal bike for the snow !

Dane1960 · Jan 21, 2014

32 and snowing heavily. Colorado on a mountain top.

Overstrada · Jan 21, 2014

Once I had to come home from a place called Valladolid in early january. We started the trip around -14ÂºC and we arrived home in Cadiz around -2ÂºC.
700km under 0Âº it was the coldest day in my life.

After this One week in bed with a heavy flu

Pinoybear · Jan 23, 2014

14F ambient. Not sure what that's with windchill at highway speeds but proper gear, especially heated gear can make it prefectly bareable. The main concern I have in cold weather is the tires never warming up to their ideal temp.

jerdog53 · Jan 24, 2014

Pinoybear said:
The main concern I have in cold weather is the tires never warming up to their ideal temp.

A big concern for me to!

gatdammit · Jan 24, 2014

Pinoybear said:
The main concern I have in cold weather is the tires never warming up to their ideal temp.

I left on a cool morning on my R6 many years ago, took a very slow right turn with very little lean and the bike shot out from under me like the street was coated with cooking spray. If this has never happened to you, please respect cold tires.

zippy49 · Jan 24, 2014

Years ago I was on my way north, with my wife on the back of my Concours and my niece on her KZ550. We traveled over the Los Angeles mountains through Wrightwood and then down the back side on packed snow. Very slowly! At one point we passed a campground, and some guy was shoveling snow around his tent. He looked up at us, and I am convinced we had the exact same thought...'what a fool!'

We all stayed upright, and I was proud of my niece who was a novice rider. Can't remember if I got cold...too busy keeping it on two wheels.

HyperstradaHopeful · Jan 24, 2014

Pinoybear said:
The main concern I have in cold weather is the tires never warming up to their ideal temp.

Just do what I do and put some gasoline on them and light them on fire. Nice and toasty. Also works well to provide extra visibility to other drivers at night.

NewRider · Jan 25, 2014

I've stored the bike 6 days before the first snow storm in november. Before that I've made a couple week-end and work rides where the temperature went as low as -7 celsius (20 fahrenheit). It was geting pretty darn cold sometime despite two layers clothing and mid season jacket and gloves. It has been a while I shivered this much. lol

The tire grip was the thing that worried me the most though. I could feel the grip going away in some turns. Even at slow speed. Paint marks felt right down like ice surfaces.

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zippy49 · Jan 25, 2014

Perfect situation for Urban mode, and TC on 7 or 8,

I'd tell you how nice it is here, but that would be mean. Looking forward to the hockey game at Dodger Stadium this evening!

What's the coldest you've ridden in?

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