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coldest temperature will you ride? (in Fahrenheit)

  • above 50

    Votes: 5 7.1%
  • 40-50

    Votes: 30 42.9%
  • 30-40

    Votes: 15 21.4%
  • 20-30

    Votes: 13 18.6%
  • below 20

    Votes: 7 10.0%

the coldest you will ride in?

9K views 51 replies 40 participants last post by  VStarArizona 
#1 ·
some have to put away their rides for months every winter. some will only be prohibited by snow or ice. weather permitting, what is the coldest that you have or will consider riding in?
 
#31 ·
Sometimes I think we only do things so we have something to talk about in our later years. When I bought my bike it was Jan 30th and I had 3000 miles to ride home. Thefirst day from Fresno up the mountain to Barstow was cold but not like the below 0 degree wheather I hit from Nogales to Hermasillo. With the wind chill factored in I would guess it was 5-10 below at 60 mph and no leatherrs. Coldest days of my life. I thought my chest would freeze, but I survived and now I get to tell about it. Thanks for the memory!
 
#32 ·
Hey guys and gals, doing good up here in Maryland, was riding constantly until about 2 weeks ago when all the nasty white crap started coming at us, So now dealing with ice and salt on the roads. Each day has been an adventure or a quick judgment call, the ice frozen streams running down my driveway have kept me alive in my truck for the last few days. But I plan on getting on tomorrow, were supposed to have a heat wave around mid 40's. I have worn my heated gloves whenever below 40, and not regretted it. Been out as low as a 21 degree dry morning, no prior rain to leave me surprises like my oops with black Ice last Feb 12. I still hurt from that one so I guess I'm being a bit more conservative this year. Now last week, we had that giant rain storm come across the country, from the gulf of mexico all the way up into Ny, I made it 30 miles towards home, all dry and happy, then I hit the edge of that storm, with no small drops for warning, I felt like I got hit in the face with a firehose full stream, I couldn't see anything, but a cage driver saved my tail, I maintained my horizon by watching this guys tail lights at about 100 feet, squished my way another 7 miles in the heaviest rain I have ever ridden in, I had water everywhere. Hung up the gear that night, it took two days to dry out, chaps where plastered, gloves, you couldn't get them on, boots soggy, cloths right into the washer. Now I am going to try the rain X on my faceshield on the scorpion 100 half shell helmet, it don't fog, but the rain was heavy enough that I just couldn't see, had to hold left hand up to guard my eyes after putting the shield in the up position. I wear a balaclava on colder than 30's otherwise a neck gator for 35-45. open face all other times. I think heat wave when we are low 40's and up.
Be safe people spring is coming.
 
#35 ·
When I bought my Roadie back in 2010, I rode it home in February, 50 miles in winter weather .. heavy frost in the air, around 20 degrees F. I didn't have winter gloves, so I wore snowmobile mitts instead. The friend who followed me home (with his empty motorcycle trailer) said I hit a few patches of sand and the rear wheel tweaked a bit, but I was cold enough not to notice.

Like many, if the roads are clear, I'm riding as long as the bike will run.
 
#36 ·
I grew up in Northern Minnesota and used to snowmobile in -20 below.
I once drove my Maxim 650 through 200 miles in 30-40.

I'm older and damnit- I moved south! 40- 50 for me. I'll ride a little colder in the AM if the weather will get warm in the PM on the way home.

BacknSaddle
 
#38 ·
This must be the resurrection of the year :)

My coldest ride was in -15C / 5F - in thick fog. That was cold enough that after 8 miles, my glasses had frozen stuck to my cheeks. But I have ridden several winters on ice and through snow.
Playing with my 550 lb Virago, running circles and figure eights, was more hard work than fun, though.

 
#41 ·
Working nightshift, I often ride into work on a warm afternoon, only to have to ride home at 6 am in well below freezing temps... no fun. On my Venture, dressed up with fleece LJ's and gloves and face mask, I can do short rides at freezing (0C or 32F) but for comfortable longer rides I prefer at least 10C or 52F... no point in being miserable out there. Up here in the Northern part of NA, we only have a six month riding season, so we do tend to push it on either end.
 
#44 ·
I see this poll has been closed. But that answer is "it depends". Before covid hit and I became a work from home type I had ridden into work when the temps were upper 20's to low 30's. It was cold and I wasn't comfortable. Bet the return ride home the temps were usually near 20+ degrees warmer.

But that was a 20 minute commute. If I were riding for pleasure and planned to be out all day I'd change my tune to the 50 or above. I've been out on some upper 50's and sunny rides and loved them. Leathered up with a dickie (or whatever you call those pull over things) around my neck and lower face I was toasty warm.
 
#46 ·
i used to be crazier with it... my record was a 26 degree ride to work with snow on the ground when we didn't have a car. doin dumb stuff like that too many times with less-than-adequate gear gave me some frostnip so in recent years i've kept it a little more reasonable just because my hands are really sensitive to the cold now from that. not to mention, the wife hates to ride under 60 degrees, so that's a limiting factor on the weekends. but to and from work, i'll dip into the 40s.
 
#47 ·
same. i continued taking the bike to work when temps were in the 30s one winter a few years back, and one particular morning i didn't realize how cold it was until i got to work and learned it was 26 when i arrived. that's in Austin, TX where we have 100 degree summers every year. my company had me doing work at this warehouse for a few weeks that was shared by another company. on that particular day they were all outside their door (about 5 of them) as i pulled up and parked in front of them. they had all bet each other on whether or not i was going to show up that day on my bike.
 
#49 · (Edited)
The question was "the coldest you will ride in? as opposed to "the coldest you like to ride in?.

I like to ride in 70's to 80's, I will ride in 30's 40's 50's 60's 90's 100's, and have if i had to or felt i had to. When I played the motorcycle Tag game on another forum there were times i would ride in the "cold" late at night just to get a tag, that's how serious we played the game. We kept score, had a published score sheet and if someone came in late in the day with a tag (like at 5pm) I would ride at night to grab it, sometimes in the middle of the night, like 3am!
 
#50 ·
When I played the motorcycle Tag game on another forum there were times i would ride in the "cold" late at night just to get a tag, that's how serious we played the game. We kept score, had a published score sheet and if someone came in late in the day with a tag (like at 5pm) I would ride at night to grab it, sometimes in the middle of the night, like 3am!
don't think i'm familiar with that game. can you post a new thread explaining it?
 
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