Cold Weather Ramblings

[Atesz792]

I've got an HJC helmet that is compatible with the pinlock inserts...I think they run about $30 so I was thinking of giving one of those a try before I go another route. Anyone have any experience with them?

They make a world of difference. They might be my favourite feature in my Nolan N86. Well on cold days anyway, in the summer I love the built-in sunglasses.

Pinlock works such a wonder that one cold ride with buddies, while riding in some serious fog, and the sun began shining, I slid down the sunglasses. What I forgot was that those (obviously) didn't have Pinlock installed and were completely fogged up. It didn't even occur to me before that this might be an issue, my main lens was SO clear. Gotta love them.

[barry905]

Envy noises coming from here. I live to the north of most of you, and sadly when it gets down to freezing temperatures here the snow starts in earnest and the city crews can be a couple of days before they get round to ploughing our street. Consequently I've not seen the asphalt for a little while and so do not ride on the rutted snow/ice. I normally ride from mid March until December, but have to take a break through January/February. It's not the temperature that stops me, but the roads are terrible for a bike: they are bad enough for a car! And we have had 150 cm of snow already this season, which is the highest for the last five years.

As ShowBizWolf points out so well, layers are the thing. I've never got really cold when riding at the freezing mark, but good gloves are essential.

[J_Walker]

for fogging inside the visor. I've been told to use rainx on the outside/inside of visors to prevent fogging. and help with rain beading. I'm going to try it here soon when it starts to warm up, and raining again here. as I need a new visor soon anyway. so mind as well experiment to see if it really works.

I have pin locks too, but the first time mine got dirty from leaving my main visor up, I washed it with dish soap, and a paper towel, and it got ALL scratched up! softer then suzukis famous cheese bolts!

[ShowBizWolf]

There is a fella here at my work who rides to work a lot when it's not as cold as it is now... he's got a ~20 minute commute on the highway... anywhoo, he swears by the Rain-X on his clear visor. Says it works very well, even on the highway!

[J_Walker]

There is a fella here at my work who rides to work a lot when it's not as cold as it is now... he's got a ~20 minute commute on the highway... anywhoo, he swears by the Rain-X on his clear visor. Says it works very well, even on the highway!

yeaaa I've been wanting to try it, just haven't been down to the wallyworld.

side rant for a second..
finding a 1k used VStorm is pretty hard, everyone is keeping theirs! so greedy... I watch my local craigslist like a hawk too.. well If I can just win a small lottery [I'm okay with 20 thousand..] I would totally get the upcoming 2018 tho.. Looks goood. I really just need a highway bike.. the GS500 on the highway is do-able. just not enjoyable...

[urbane]

Great story ShowBiz.

I was just like you, riding as long as the roads were dry.  It certainly is a mixed sort of "fun".

I've found the best way to warm up a Lithium battery is to "stab" the electric starter, wait about 15 seconds, and then try and start the bike. Works every time.

Wouldn't that put more stress on the starter?

Leave the bike in gear, kickstand down, and press the starter. It gets the "juices flowing" in the battery. They are weird batteries.

[ShowBizWolf]

Finally bought the gloves I wanted! Got them last week I think? Something like that. Anywho, I haven't been able to test them out on a ride yet which is really a bummer.

The leather is so soft and they fit me perfectly. I bought them in large size because my summer Joe Rocket gloves are a large. I have bigger hands for a chick... but my wrists are tiny haha which works out because I can't feel the battery when it's in the cuff at all. These gloves are probably one of the nicest things I have ever bought for myself.




You can almost smell the leather


And here's the charger that splits into 2 so you can charge both batteries at a time.


I charged 'em, put them on and turned up the heat to high. These things definitely get hot! I know it will be totally different outside in the temperatures I end up riding in sometimes... so I can't wait to test them. The snow seriously needs to stop. And STAY stopped 

[Big Rich]

Nice!!! I'm a big fan of heated gear.....

Ya know, you can find snow chains that fit to a motorcycle. Or studded tires for ice. Just sayin.....

[ShowBizWolf]

Ugh I've had daydreams about that, believe meeeeee

[rscottlow]

Those things look awesome! Can't wait to hear about how they are on a cold ride.


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[pandy]

Mad props for the cold riding you do. Heated gloves is something I *really* want (my hands are the only things that get cold in the winter when I'm out riding in our horribly-cold Cali temps of....uhhhhhh.... 50F degrees  ).   Seriously, though, I think I'll likely get the gloves with the little batteries, too, because I don't intend to wear a heated vest and I'm not likely to wire just my gloves to my battery (which is already a little crowded with the alarm and the trickle charge wired on).

In your research, did you see any heated gloves with the hard knuckles? I'd probably be very happy with those awesome heated gloves if I had snow to ride in (not too subtle, am I?  ), but I'm rather partial to my knuckles, so it's been a long time since I've had gloves w/o the "brass knuckles" across my knuckles. I thought there were a pair out there last time I did some research that had everything including the heavy-duty knuckles I like, but I can't remember. I have some time on my hands right now (here's where you can jab me, cuz I can't ride at all right now...I like to be fair ), so I'm researching this stuff again for when I *can* ride! Maybe you saw some while you were researching!

Even if you didn't, you're badass in my book for the low temps you ride in! 

Love,
pandy

[ShowBizWolf]

These ones I bought have the hard shatter-proof knuckles built in  Here's a linky to a vid about them:

http://www.joerocket.com/gloves-1/mens-rocket-leather-burner-heated-glove

[pandy]

I'm going to be watching every resource I have on the web to try to get them on sale! 

[ShowBizWolf]

Ugh I hear ya there. I tried for about 2 months to get a coupon or find them on ebay for OBO or something... I even joined BikeBandit and they sent me a coupon for like 20% off my first order... but they didn't have my size in stock and they still haven't gotten them back in. I was like wtf is this sh*tttt come on I'm a thrifty bastard and I don't wanna pay that much!!!

I ended up just treating myself and swore I wouldn't make a habit out of it 

[rscottlow]

Ugh I hear ya there. I tried for about 2 months to get a coupon or find them on ebay for OBO or something... I even joined BikeBandit and they sent me a coupon for like 20% off my first order... but they didn't have my size in stock and they still haven't gotten them back in. I was like wtf is this sh*tttt come on I'm a thrifty bastard and I don't wanna pay that much!!!

I ended up just treating myself and swore I wouldn't make a habit out of it 

Have you used them yet? How are they?

Temps in the 60's here this weekend, and my brother should have his SV back on the road, so we're planning a ride. Can't wait!


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[ShowBizWolf]

I haven't gotten to use them yet :frustrated:

When we were getting that constant snow day after day after day is when I decided to start my seat cowl and Busa fender project on my bike. The nice days we have had, I've not wanted to put things back together and ride to work... and of course end up getting it all dirty with salty melty snow-water off the roads.

The past two days would have been pretty good for trying them out... and I'm getting antsy so maybe I'll do something here soon if the forecast is a negative for more snow!