Commuter Riders, I salute you

[Garandman]

If you rode to work today, I salute you.

39 degree wind-driven (31 gusting to 44) rain, wet leaves, and snow in Central MA.

We rode yesterday. It was around 30 early AM warming up to almost 50. Really not bad with heated jacket and hand grips, and some guys rode without any heaters.

But today - pass - I took the cah.

[Jim]

i passed a sport looking Harley on 93-N this morning. dont they know that Harley's don't like the cold or wet?

[Sheppo]

i passed a sport looking Harley on 93-N this morning. dont they know that Harley's don't like the cold or wet?

ummm twoshits... I'm still commuting, you?
( I will admit today is my day off and I am happy not to be out riding today )

[Jim]

ummm twoshits... I'm still commuting, you?

nope, my knee is still too sore to ride. i took my bike off the road last week

[Phalanx]

I was commuting solidly up until the beginning of last week. Not having proper rain gear is putting a damper on that. I can usually deal with the cold as long as I layer-up properly... but I cant come to work soaking wet.

[OC_R6]

The lack of rain gear on my part prevents me from commuting in shitty weather like this. I did however ride in 34 degree's without heaters... Fingers got a tad bit chilly.

[breakdirt916]

do the guys that are still commuting, feel cold?

if you have heated gear, doesn't wind still penetrate through the zippers and under the helmet?

and no worries of cold pavement keeping the tire temps and traction down?

[Rossco]

do the guys that are still commuting, feel cold?

if you have heated gear, doesn't wind still penetrate through the zippers and under the helmet?

and no worries of cold pavement keeping the tire temps and traction down?

Yes, I feel cold, but just my fingers and toes. No I personally don't use heated gear, not with my bikes output. Balaclavas, layers, and proper jackets (the ones with the velcro closure over the zips) help with the windchill.

I do get a lot of funny looks when I go into a store wearing my Tourmaster textile riding gear. People will say, "you must be cold, at least you're wearing a snowmobile suit"

[Garandman]

do the guys that are still commuting, feel cold?

if you have heated gear, doesn't wind still penetrate through the zippers and under the helmet?

and no worries of cold pavement keeping the tire temps and traction down?

I have a windshield, hand guards, heated grips, a Gerbing jacket, and a one piece riding suit (Olympia).


It doesn't really feel cold to me until the temps get down below mid-20's, and even then just adding a layer to my legs can make up for that. Personally I consider 30's rain to be far worse.

You can't really hang it out much while commuting, at least out of Boston. Again I worry about rain more than cold. That's why I swapped my DL650 for one with ABS, and switched to Metzeler Tourances, which seem to be better in rain than the stock Trail Wings.

[Phalanx]

I swear Ive seen you riding around, Garandman. The luggage cases look really familiar.

As for being cold... I rode yesterday (roughly 41 degrees and windy) and the only things that got cold were my fingers and toes... but I know exacly why.

I still havent gotten myself a set of 'winter' gloves. Im still using my vented summer ones. Also, my long socks were in the laundry, so I was wearing short socks which dont help my feet to stay warm.

I was wearing a pair of sweatpants underneath my jeans, I had a thermal long-sleeve shirt below a regular long-sleeve t-shirt and then my jacket. My jacket has a thermal lining and keeps air out of the zipper by having a second offset zipper underneath it.

[BostonBusa]

I ride untill the snow falls and they start putting down sand. no heated gear just layers and leather work for me. The bikes days are numbered now then an oil change and a resting place for the winter

[Sheppo]

I don't do heated gear either or a windscreen. I layer up with leather, fleece, and good gloves. Insulated work boots do the trick for my legs and when it gets really cold I will put snowboarding pants on over my leather. So until the snow fly's you can still see me on the road. IF it's a cold enough day and the roads are reasonably dry I do ride year round. I don't like dark rainy cold nights in the fall where I can't see leaves tho.

[mojobreakfast]

About 30 minutes ago I saw a guy on a red sport bike cruise past the Swampscott train station, where I was waiting to pick up my wife. Dark, cold and pouring rain. What a trooper!

[Garandman]

I swear Ive seen you riding around, Garandman. The luggage cases look really familiar.

As for being cold... I rode yesterday (roughly 41 degrees and windy) and the only things that got cold were my fingers and toes... but I know exacly why.

I still havent gotten myself a set of 'winter' gloves. Im still using my vented summer ones. Also, my long socks were in the laundry, so I was wearing short socks which dont help my feet to stay warm.//

A hi-viz Olympia suit is hard to miss....


For cold/wet conditions, I bought a pair of Scott snowmobile gloves at Moto Market. They aren't too thick to grab the handlebars. They were about $70.

For just wet, I bought the Aerostich Triple digit rain covers. The old BMW gauntleted rubber gloves I had were discontinued.

[Rossco]

For cold/wet conditions, I bought a pair of Scott snowmobile gloves at Moto Market. They aren't too thick to grab the handlebars. They were about $70.

How good is the crash protection of those gloves?

[Garandman]

How good is the crash protection of those gloves?

I've not tested them but they are pretty substantial. Similar to these but have a little armor on back.

[Phalanx]

I am now 100% sure Ive seen you riding around. Youre right that suit is impossible to miss, lol

[Mike Qube]

I dont have any heated gear, just layers. I wear UnderArmor glove liners that work pretty well. Last year I rode until past Xmas almost daily. After that there wasn't a full week that went by that I didn't ride at least once, then I was back to almost everyday at the beginning of March. I didn't really do anything to get the bike ready for winter either, I put Stabil in it once and that was it.

[khuygie88]

I've been riding- no heated gear or anything, just a few layers. My gloves are Scott USA skiing gloves with a great inner layer, plus when I'm on the Big Red Pig I have hand guards! Today was great, actually.

[NobodySpecific]

It's been around 32 when leaving my house, and even though I only have a 4 mile commute I still wear my heated vest. It just makes the ride so enjoyable. My heated grips barely come up to temperature by the time I'm at work, though I still try and use them as well.

[whynot]

I just added handlebar mitts to my KZ, got 'em at MotoMarket, they look kinda dorky but work great, essentially mitts over your gloves and the ends of the bars, and they seal up the glove/jacket interface really well.

[schleppy]

I just ordered these:
Amazon.com: Black Handlebar Mitts for Snowmobiles, Motorcycles or ATV's: Automotive: Reviews, Prices & more

If I can rock those ugly things + my summer gloves and heated grips, I'll be a happy camper. My hands are really the only part of me that gets cold on the FZ.

[mojobreakfast]

Rode in today, pretty nice out, anyone else? I know a guy that has those handlebar mitts and he swears by them. He'd ride in to work in the middle of January on the coldest days.

[NobodySpecific]

Rode in today, pretty nice out, anyone else? I know a guy that has those handlebar mitts and he swears by them. He'd ride in to work in the middle of January on the coldest days.

26 degrees when I rode in, but it's supposed to hit 50 today so the ride home should still be nice. My hands were a bit cold, but mostly because I grabbed the glove liners that had been sitting in my car all night, so they were nice and frozen.

[schleppy]

Rode in today with a mix of summer/winter gear, knowing it would be warmer this afternoon. It was kind of chilly, but the half fairing on the FZ does a pretty damn good job of protecting the important bits.