So, it's starting to get cold in the SF bay area and I wanted to get some recommendations on two things:

1. Does anyone make any engine, carb, etc. adjustments for riding in cold weather?  I've noticed the engine will crank for an extra second or two before it starts up now, and it hasn't even dipped below 50 yet.  Are there adjustments or techniques for getting a bike to start better in cold weather?

2. Can anyone recommend some good cold weather riding gear.

I actually have my bike set-up for riding in cold weather, and it runs great all-year round.  It's best to do tune-ups during the winter, and setting your idle.  I also use the throttle to keep the rpm's up, until it's fully warmed up (choke off after 1 minute, ride away, but still use throttle to keep rpm's up.  It takes a while to get to full operating temp).

Winter Gloves: Tourmaster ColdFront Carbon II's
Put an oversized textile jacket over your leather jacket (adds color and keeps the sun from fading the leather, take the armor out).
Fieldsheer Carbolex overpants, $50 (and these will fit over your leathers too, but I'm warm enough with jeans underneath)

My GS was extremely cold-natured until I re-jetted. After going 40/128 I never had a cold start issue again.

The most changes I make are to myself. If it feels chilly outside, I will wear gloves and maybe a jacket if I'm in the mood. I only wear gloves because once it gets really chilly and your fingers start to numb, it gets hard to feel the throttle and brakes and things start to get a little dangerous.

Scratch is right. And ohgood recommends a lightbulb under a bike cover as well as a headlight interrupt relay.

I use a windbreaker under my leather jacket. Fieldsheer Mercury over pants over my jeans. Tourmaster Winter Elite gloves (but still need handguards or heated grips for serious cold). Balaclava and neoprene mask, and I close the rear vents in my helmet with tape. All that is good for up to 20 miles on the highway down to about 25°f.

I also have a pair of Winter Elites (I also have heated grips (don't have to have the handguards anymore)).  Having two pair of rain gloves helps if you ride in the rain a lot; while one pair is drying out, you can use the other pair.

It is pretty cold in the middle of the UK at the moment. Yesterday's ride was in 0 degree's celsius, with the wind it felt chilly!

This is how I ride to work [I have added couple of additions since]


Weise hornet Hi-Viz Jacket
Weise Motorcycle titan sport textils
Alpinestar gloves wr 2 gortex/thinsulate
FRANK THOMAS H2O316 boots
Cold Killers Maxi Neck Tube

Plus a Glenmuir sweater but as yet no thermal's.

In addition, to be fitted as late on as I can to get the maximum benefit are my Oxford bone dry handlebar muffs.

Look like this:



As for the bike, it is going in for a service on Monday, I use ACF50 all over it to protect it from the salty roads, but that is it!

Tourmaster Synergy Heated Vest, say goodby to multiple layers, it's like cheating Mother Nature!  



EDIT: Oh yeah, I also have a Winter Bike, I call my Burgman a "Baby Goldwing", full frontal protection helps allot, I punch a hole in the weather and it's Tupperware, so it's easy to clean 

Quote from: 007brendan on October 20, 2010, 11:13:49 AM
So, it's starting to get cold in the SF bay area and I wanted to get some recommendations on two things:

1. Does anyone make any engine, carb, etc. adjustments for riding in cold weather?  I've noticed the engine will crank for an extra second or two before it starts up now, and it hasn't even dipped below 50 yet.  Are there adjustments or techniques for getting a bike to start better in cold weather?

2. Can anyone recommend some good cold weather riding gear.

From what I understand, Seattle weather is similar to what you see in S.F.

As far as carb adjustments, all I do is raise the idle a bit in winter and lower it a bit in summer.

This is my gear for "winter" riding in Seattle. Average temps are mid 40's and lots of rain:



- Shoei RF1000 - Visor fogs up like the bay! I use FogCity insert, works great.
- Motocat Jacket - Super warm and keeps me dry. Got it from a friend from Czech Republic. I found no info when I googled the brand. Anyone familiar with Motocat?
- TourMaster Sentinal rain pants- Cheap and effective. Nylon not PVC.
- Olympia Cold Throttle gloves - Ehh...could be better. (gloves in pic are my uninsulated Olympia's, my favorite)
- Neck Gaitor - Keeps it warm!
- Bates touring boots - I wear wool socks and apply Nikwax a few times during the rainy season.

My hands are what I feel the most every winter. I've been trying to find a deal on some V-Strom handguards to take the bite out of the wind.

I pretty much use what Anderw uses and it works fine on the coldest days. One trick I use before riding on a cold day is start warm. What do I mean by that? Well, get the bike started and warm before putting on your gear. And don't put on your gear until the last moment. If you put it on too soon you will start sweating and that is bad it will make you cold once you start riding. Unless you have a heating thing-a-ma-jig like Suzuki Stevo layers are better then one thick layer. If you get too warm and start sweating..take off a layer if you can and keep it dry for later use. Staying completely dry inside an out is paramount to staying warm. Also, think warm thoughts...if you think you are cold and it is cold it makes even the happiest miserable!

On wet days it is even more important. Keep your core nice and dry. Your feet and hands are the furthest from your heart hence they will get cold first especially when wet. As long as you have a wind breaker outer shell that is water repellent and you hands, feet, and core are dry you will stay warm. Your body looses heat 10 times faster when wet.

Using those simple guidelines as best you can, you can ride on the coldest damp days and stay when.

Scratch has a great idea too, having more then one set of gear is great for riding on successive days. Riding in partially dry or wet gear is just how shall we say "IT SUCKS!"

I find my legs don't get too cold. So my usual kevlars on them. But for the top and hands and head...

Face: Balaclava. If it gets extra cold, a neck warmer - or - a bandanna cowboy style over the balaclava to stop that little extra bit of wind.

Hands: Chillowee gloves http://www.chilhowee.net/motorcycle-gloves/GL-IM008.html no numb fingers in as low as freezing and just above for 30 minutes. My hands were not toasty warm, but they weren't frozen - which I cannot say for my other DriRider Winter Gloves. Theses are alright for wearing as the weather warms up as well.

Jacket: Add the winter lining and the rain lining (to stop the wind getting through), throw on a pullover on top of my workshirt & singlet (work days) or polo and singlet (weekends).

Oddly, I've been riding on days where it Felt warmer to be riding than pulled up having a cuppa to warm up. Probably cause we'd removed some of our warm gear - like helmet and stuff.

Michael

Quote from: 007brendan on October 20, 2010, 11:13:49 AM
So, it's starting to get cold in the SF bay area and I wanted to get some recommendations on two things:

1. Does anyone make any engine, carb, etc. adjustments for riding in cold weather?  I've noticed the engine will crank for an extra second or two before it starts up now, and it hasn't even dipped below 50 yet.  Are there adjustments or techniques for getting a bike to start better in cold weather?

2. Can anyone recommend some good cold weather riding gear.

Umm...grow thicker skin  ...if it is still over 50F, that's not near cold yet...wow, I could only wish for that weather  ...does it go below 30F in the winter there?

It was -4C (25F) this morning...yup, need to dress warmer...but not crazy...no heated anything, just some thermal underwear (long johns) and lined/non-vented gloves.  I have to be careful no to over dress for the morning, since it gets warm in the afternoon...17C (63F)...

Just givin' ya a hard time, it depends on what you are used to...a hot day in the summer here is 28C (82F), so obviously we are not used to the same temps...it just sucks for us in Canada to hear that you get to ride such a long season, when ours is ending in the next week or so...snow coming, usually by Halloween...I am still riding though...

Later.

Quote from: madjak30 on October 21, 2010, 01:03:48 PM
Umm...grow thicker skin  ...if it is still over 50F, that's not near cold yet...wow, I could only wish for that weather  ...does it go below 30F in the winter there?

It think it only goes below freezing a few times during the winter.  The difference here is that there's a whole lot of cold, moist wind (hence all the fog).  Even on relatively warm days, driving through that can make it feel a whole lot colder.  I've ridden in cold weather before, well below freezing, when I went to school in WV, but the only gear I wore back then was a helmet, so when it was cold, I basically just wore the same coat, gloves, etc. that I would have worn if I walked to class.  I have a tourmaster mesh jacket, that is pretty good for warm weather.  It has two zip-in liners for cold weather, but it's pretty bulky and not that comfortable, and because of the mesh, it tends to catch the wind a lot when it's bulked up.

Thanks for all the input.  Looks like there are some pretty good deals on the fieldsheer pants.  I'll probably get a set this weekend.

Also, Madjak, kind of off topic, but your sig says you have an '03 GS, I thought that was the year they didn't make GS's.

Last year I rode my bike in below freezing temperatures and in the last day before I stored it, freezing rain. I found the engine burned a bit more gas than normal. Is that normal or something I should look into? It's likely normal because I haven't had much issues with fuel usage since.

Wow, you guys really dress for cold weather. I live in so cal and the coldest it usually gets here is like 60 degrees. I just have a insulated leather gloves, and an icon redeemer jacket. I never need anything special to keep me warm. Its been raining lately though, unfortunately i don't have the proper rain gear, so i don't ride in the rain yet.

I also ride my 30 mile commute year around, but don't have much to add from what's already been posted. Basically a bigger windshield can help to block the cold air from you, a insulated jacket or one-piece suit.
I wear a Fieldsheer Highland II one-piece suit or a Firstgear Thermo-suit depending on the temperature as the Firstgear suit is a little more wind and waterproof and better insulated. Heated grips help especially when used together with a pair of hippo hands or Oxford Handlebar muffs allowing you to wear summer gloves for a better feel of the controls. A electric jacket liner from Warm & Safe or a vest from widder also helps keep the body core temperatures up.
Tony

Quote from: Paulcet on October 20, 2010, 05:35:20 PM
ohgood recommends a lightbulb under a bike cover as well as a headlight interrupt relay.

Please explain how a headlight interrupt relay is used for cold weather riding.
And a bulb under a bike cover?
I'll assume it is placed under the bike cover for heat while in storage? Yes/No?
Thanks in advance for educating me on this stuff.


And also this. . .

Quote from: madjak30 on October 21, 2010, 01:03:48 PM

...it just sucks for us in Canada to hear that you get to ride such a long season, when ours is ending in the next week or so...snow coming, usually by Halloween...
I am still riding though...

A few of my "scooter brothers" are from Canada.
I have learned that you people love riding small machines through incredibly difficult weather.
Riders in the Great North have my respect on the cold weather riding issue.
Cool beans man!

Quote from: 007brendan on October 21, 2010, 01:56:13 PM
Also, Madjak, kind of off topic, but your sig says you have an '03 GS, I thought that was the year they didn't make GS's.

No, that was the year Suzuki USA didn't bring it in...in Canada we were able to buy the naked bike until 2008 (I think...could have been 2009), and we got the GS500F in 2004 same as you.  It does make it a little wierd to get parts for...I don't know what is different, but I had to replace my clutch cable and it is unique to the year??

Good luck with your "cold weather"...you suck...  

Later.

Hasn't gotten too cold here just yet, but I still plan on just adding layers under my summertime riding gear (Aerostich Darien Light) to get me through the winter. So far it's just been high 30s/low 40s a few mornings and feels great. The next few months though will be teens and 20s in the morning. My plan is to add thermal underwear for my legs - and going to start looking at heated gloves or grips. I've heard nothing but good things about the widder stuff, but it seems they closed up shop two years back. Maybe I'll look into Gerbing's gloves or just heated grips. Pretty sure heated grips and a heated vest would put too much drain on the wee bitty 200W stator....

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on October 21, 2010, 11:20:27 AMI call my Burgman a "Baby Goldwing"

Isn't that a silverwing 

i'd say the Burgman is better than the silverwing though, especially in executive guise 

Oh I forgot..007brendan check the wiki page there are GS Riders reviews of some gear before you buy!