Colder than the South Pole!

Well after a very cold weeks riding to and from my least favourite place in the world, (work.) I learn the temps in the Uk are forecast to drop below the weather reporting station in the Antarctica!!

If ever there has been a time for being grateful for having heated grips then this was that week. The low temperatures and the wind from the east combined with the speed of the bike has caused the wind chill to plummet. I have to admit, and it may be linked to age too, but this is the coldest I have felt on two wheels for many years.

Last night in stead of my usual shower when I arrived home I needed a warm bath to help get some heat into my core. Fingers where tingling with the warmth of getting indoors out of the cold.

The 'Wing' is covered in road salt and dirt but I can't wash it down properly as the water simply freezes within a minute. I do have the majority of the bike coated in FS365 a inhibitor so it should be fine until I get enough courage to brave the cold and give it a good hose down, wash and re cover with inhibitor.

Don't know how you guys in Canada or other cold climes get on, I know a lot of you, due to snow just garage the bike but there is no snow over here just seriously low outside air temperatures.

Happy riding/hiding or whatever your doing!!

How cold is it there? It has been in the 70's here and 50's at night. That cold I would just Hibernate till Spring.

Last weeks ago it was plus 9.5 deg C at 3 am in the morning, quite freakish for the UK in January.

This week it has plummeted to around minus 3 deg C. My commute, (25 miles,) at 6 a.m. I was informed by drivers the outside temp varied between minus 1 deg to minus 4 deg C, add to that the wind chill if travelling at 70 mph and it gets a tad chilly. The temperatures have not risen much during the day.

What was ironic yesterday I was watching 30 mm and .5 cal ordinance causing heath fires during the practice shoots near where I work. If only they had let me get warm by the flames!!!!!!!!

Global warming, my ass. Al Gore can shove it ;-)

Jesse in Atlanta

It is getting cold Waspie isn't?. Unlike yourself, i no longer work, but ride for pleasure only. I was out on Wednesday 80 ml run to the coast near Fleetwood. Lovely sunny day but never above 34f all day. Apart from the bitter wind (which iam sure dropped the temperature even more) a great ride. I recently bought a heated vest that runs off the bike's battery, my back and chest were very warm but hands and feet not so good as i don't have heated grips just handlebar muffs. As long as there is no snow i won't stop riding. I did see a couple of new born lambs in a field, so even the animals are getting confused with this weather

Actually O-L, I have a question about heated clothing, particularly gloves.

The Gerbring web site says there gear is wired to the battery. Do you or anyone on here know if there is a harness or adaptor that allows electrically wired clothing to be powered from the 12 volt socket in the left glove box/storage pocket.

Hey guys,

Been reading a bunch of information on the polar shift that's happening now. Do you think this is what's going on? Or do you think this is a bunch of CRAP! Hard to tell when it's that cold outside. We have had a very warn winter so far in the hartland of the U.S.

I think the Pole has shifted South and come to rest on Flanders - we had more than two inches of snow in an hour or so this afternoon and having set out to drive to Antwerp (an hour away) we had to turn back because the visibility and roads were so bad - it got worse as we drove East.
The motorways are grid-locked now.

DennisB wrote:

Hey guys,

Been reading a bunch of information on the polar shift that's happening now. Do you think this is what's going on? Or do you think this is a bunch of CRAP! Hard to tell when it's that cold outside. We have had a very warn winter so far in the hartland of the U.S.

Dennis, I have been a believer in the 'Global Warming' thing. My theory for years has always been a belief that the magnetic poles are moving away from their positions. This phenomenon occurs every few million years or so and as such will effect the weather. I studied climateology some years back and the earth has some amazing effects that are all subject to certain conditions. If the poles shift then the rotating mass of warm and cold air has to shift with it. The subsequent moving of weather patterns will result in a change in our local weather as we in the UK are seeing over the past few years. Winters are getting later. Summers are shorter and cooler. Globally we are seeing an increase in Tsumani's and other freakish weather effects.

Well that's me done.

Waspie wrote:

The Gerbring web site says there gear is wired to the battery. Do you or anyone on here know if there is a harness or adaptor that allows electrically wired clothing to be powered from the 12 volt socket in the left glove box/storage pocket.

Tourmaster synergy products offer a cigarette lighter adaptor, a bmw power adaptor, and a charge plug adaptor

http://motorcycle.motorcycle-superstore.com/search#w=synergy

Waspie:
I feel your pain. Here in Colorado the temperature in the morning is often -3 C to -7 C. The coldest I have had to ride was -11 C. That was a tad brisk for a 30 minute ride. I hope you have good riding gear. It makes all the difference.

Jesse, thanks for the link, I will follow that up later tonight.

'Scootist' my gear is very good quality, Hein Gericke Master IV. It has been superseded by the Master V now but my suit ticks all the boxes. Gore Tex, Scholer, kevlar stitching blah blah!! The liner is worth its weight in gold. It has a temp gauge built into the jacket to help decide when the time is right to remove the liner after the bad weather.

To date the only time it has let me down was when I didn't seal the front flap allowing rain to penetrate. My fault not the kit's.

Survival is the name of the game. Any one can get cold, the secret is to try and avoid the cold. I failed this week. Hence my interest in heated gloves.

Heated grips are good but the palm is the only part that benefits from the warmth. With gloves the palm and outer part of your hand reap the rewards. That has to be a plus.

Waspie:
Over the Holidays I treated myself to a set of heated grips and a pair of those Scooter Logic gloves that fit over the handle bars and you slip your hands inside them. They only cost $17.00, so I thought what the heck I'll give them a try. The thing is they work really well. So well in fact that I probably will not have the heated grips installed. They are waterproof and keeping the digits dry and out of the direct wind makes one heck of a difference. At this price I could even replace them every year if I had to. Anyone interested in buying a brand new set of heated grips - still in the box??

The Scootist wrote:

Waspie:
Over the Holidays I treated myself to a set of heated grips and a pair of those Scooter Logic gloves that fit over the handle bars and you slip your hands inside them. They only cost $17.00, so I thought what the heck I'll give them a try. =

Scootist I heard some of those mitts will press on the brake levers at high speeds- is this true for the Scooter logic grips?

Jesse

The problem I found with the 'Muffs' as we call them, is that in my experience when traveling at speed they applied pressure to the brake lever making the brake lights illuminate.

I was totally unaware of the lights were on until I was informed by a fellow biker, (in his car ), of the situation. I never felt any untoward sensation via the feel of the bike. However the lights being on permanently I felt was unnecessary and removed them.

Must admit it was nice to ride in the winter wearing summer gloves but all round safety meant the 'Muffs' had to go. I believe MikeO mentioned the same problem on another thread on here in the last few days.

Jesse - you beat me to it. (In fewer words too).

Interesting. I will have to see if that is happening while I ride.

I saw these on ebay and wonder if they might do a better job
http://www.ebay.com/itm/250939686784?var=550060713276&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Jesse

Waspie wrote:

Do you or anyone on here know if there is a harness or adaptor that allows electrically wired clothing to be powered from the 12 volt socket in the left glove box/storage pocket.

Powerlet ( http://www.powerlet.com/products ) has both plugs and cables for of connections.

I do not see a Cigarette to female coax .... but you could use a Cigarette to Powerlet

http://www.powerlet.com/product/cigarette-insert-to-powerlet-socket-metal-adapter-neopreen-cap/1


Then Powerlet to Coax Female
http://www.powerlet.com/product/powerlet-to-coax-female-10-length/246


If you need longer Powerlet Coax Extension http://www.powerlet.com/product/heated-clothing-24-extension-cable/390

Thanks Bill, lots of ideas and help there.

Thanks.

Hmm we had a coldie yesterday 0nly peaked at around 29C with heavy overcast and rain. We have been subject to unusually long spells of around 40 +- and it makes riding very uncomfortable, as well as everything else.

-12ºC in the garden this morning.
I won't be going out on the Silverwing as the snow in the road is frozen.
We live in a cul-de-sac so the gritters don't visit.

Yes, Doug; I had the problem with muffs pressing on the brake-levers.
I have thought about taking the plastic shields off the handguards and seeing if the metal bar holds the muffs away. I tried getting the muffs over the whole set-up but they're not quite big enough.

Strange about the muffs pressing on the lever, as when your hands are inside them they are well away from the levers(well mine always have been). The heated vest i use is wired direct to the battery as i run the cable under the seat, and the connecter and is just in the right position for plugging in.The vest is made by Keis, they also offer heated insoles and either inner or outer gloves, all can be connected to the vest and use the same control switch, Low, Medium or high, I have not gone above medium Yet !!

I think that I have the right idea about riding in the cold -- age minus 20 equals minimum riding temp. In my case that is 54F. Below that, I just don't try it at all.

As I write this, it doesn't much matter what the temp, we have about a foot and a half recently fallen snow. The highly intelligent doofus that drives the snow plow moved all of the snow in the street in front to the curbs. I have about 3 feet or so between my garage and the street. I'll not be going anywhere for several days.

:flower:

joncallihan, working off your formula, and living in North West England I think i would probably ride for two weeks a year! I was out this morning for a short run at 31f, at 12 :30 it started snowing, and is now about a foot deep.

The problem with the muffs only occurs at motorway speeds.

Old Limey wrote:

joncallihan, working off your formula, and living in North West England I think i would probably ride for two weeks a year! I was out this morning for a short run at 31f, at 12 :30 it started snowing, and is now about a foot deep.

And now you know why I live in the high plains. The really big mountains to the west keep most of the snow off us, it will probably be in the upper 40s f this afternoon. Were it not for the mountains, this would be considered desert (about 15" of moisture annually).

Besides which, I have had my fill of riding in the cold. I only recently settled on the age - 20 for the threshold, when I was in my mid 30's it was any temp is ok (down to -18f one morning as I got to work after a 12 mile ride -- I really didn't want to go home that afternoon, but I did).

:flower:

Waspie wrote:

Actually O-L, I have a question about heated clothing, particularly gloves.

The Gerbring web site says there gear is wired to the battery. Do you or anyone on here know if there is a harness or adaptor that allows electrically wired clothing to be powered from the 12 volt socket in the left glove box/storage pocket.

Waspie, Gerbing has a 12 volt adapter on their website. I already had a 12v outlet installed next to the battery, and I got a 12v plug when I got my jacket and gloves in October. The equipment works very well.

The coldest I've ridden in here is 34F (1C) With the leather jacket I have it's not too bad (nice liner and can wear thin sweatshirt underneath) and the windshield helps a lot. (Shadows DON'T come with one) Of course, here since they don't take care of the roads when it snows (doesn't happen much) I end up driving my pickup (F150 4X4) because El Paso drivers don't know how to drive on any road that isn't dry.

You can easily keep the muffs from pressing up against the brake levers.

I fashioned an "L" shaped bracket from some old scrap laying around. The short leg of the "L" is just past the brake levers. The bracket fastens through the handlebar weight screw.

It not only works well in keeping them from pressing up against the brake levers, but leaves the space free to put your fingers over the levers in an emergency.

Chris