Weird February in SW Missouri.

It's been very cold for quite a long time but today, it hit 75 glorious, wonderful degrees and myself and lots of other riders dusted off their steeds and hit the road!

I did about 80+ miles before I headed back to the house and it was like Nirvana, just country roads, blue skies and bare trees!

I hope your day was as good or better than mine!

Sam

I'm happy for you I know how much more a ride means to you(SW Missouri) this time of year. Enjoy the  weather when you can.

Glad you could get out and ride - here in the Minneapolis [MN] area the temp was 62 degrees but at 5,000 feet - only hit 34 degrees at ground level - big temp inversion. Went to the Progressive Motorcycle show today and purchased some heated gear instead.
Oh yes, be careful - on of our local Minn-Max scooter group was out a couple of weeks ago and managed to avoid the ice but got caught up in some gravel and broke his ankle - probably time for us to hold back the riding for a while!
Rick V

Rick, we fight that sand, gravel and ground up asphalt that the road dept. uses on the roads here and especially in the turns, on bridges and at intersections, stop signs or lights. You have to be very careful until the rains wash the stuff off and the roads are normal again.

Well I'm off to Church! Have a great SONday.

Sam:)

Hey guys, I have 4 ft of snow in my yard and the snow banks along my street are over 7 feet. Three years ago, my early ride was March 12. I don't think it will happen this year. The only bright spot is the Moncton Coliseum Motorcycle Show coming up this Friday-Sunday. I'm hoping to go on Saturday with my riding buddies but wifey is having carpal tunnel surgery on her left wrist tomorrow. I could argue that she is right-handed, therefore, can get by for one day. It's been a long down time and my honeys are across town so I can't even sneak a quick visit. Winter just plain sucks.

I think every one has had a different winter.  We had 30 inches of snow in December and that is unusual.  I is nice now and finally all the snow is gone.  Went for a 200 mile ride yesterday.  Was windy but then we are now coming into that time of year.  Had a 40 mph cross wind yesterday on part of that trip but was good to get out.

It's been very cold here in South-Central Florida this year. Especially now. It's only getting up to the 60's and sometimes lows in the 40's.

Still ride everyday. I used to ride in Iowa when it was in the 30's and had snow still on the ground. And of course I'm used to high winds. But here even wind is rare.

At low 40's I would be riding with a cold grin,but tonight it's calling for  - 43 C. It will be April before I ride again.

I think it will be a long time before I get to ride either of my scooters. We still have about 6 inches left on the ground from the 16" we got a week and a half ago. Not to mention the temps are supposed to be in the low 20's during the day and in the tweens at night. I want to ride but actually right now it's probably a blessing it's too cold to ride because I just had a hernia repaired. I will be all healed up by the time it warms up.

I got my new 2011 Swing back in early Jan. and bought a bunch of mod stuff that I am gearing up to work on and put on my new scoot, here in Michigan we have about 11 inches of snow, negative degree weather and more of this lovely stuff coming, now I know it's still Feb. so I am just chomping at the bit to get mine home and hoping I can do this maybe late march. Have been doing some mod prepping like my mirror turn signals etc...I am spoiled though I really don't like riding in cold weather but I would if I had too. I envy the ones that can ride most of the year, man would I cover a lot of riding ground but instead I have to fit it in a few months and mostly some amount of days..the riding season is almost here and boy am I ready...

I don't think you can find a state that everyone likes. Here in Florida I don't like to ride when the temperature gets below mid 60s. I still ride when it's below 60, I just don't like it as much. In 2013 I only put 17 miles on my car, last year I put over 60 miles on the car because I had company that wouldn't ride one of my scooters. I'll take a hot day over a cold day anytime.
Then there are others that think winter here is perfect and won't even ride during our hot summer months. Think ATGATT.
I'll admit I don't dress as safe during the hottest summer months and feel safer in the colder weather.

Really tough here in Southern Oregon. We did have a few rainy days last month but still waiting for winter to start. Very little freezing weather at all so far. This month has been positive balmy, if it weren't for several days of fog I'd think this was late spring. My roses do.

Another 8 inches today to add to the 3 feet already down !!! It has definitely been a weird February in Maritime Canada. Boston has made the news more often, but we got a lot more snow this winter. 1988 was the last such winter I recall. I don't think I will be riding until well into May. I want this stuff to take its time melting because a fast thaw is bad news for everyone.

As Northerner living in Chattanooga----Scooter/bike works for me about 360 days a year-----locals not.

Coldest Temp----8 or 9F, warms at noon to at least 30's, all ok for bike

My experience with Honda Scooters, they start well to at least minus 20F.

This week whole place shut down----schools, businesses, etc.8 inches of lite snow , early evening, by next noon melting, so riding ok. Danger is these idiots do not know how to drive, wet/slippery or even dry in my opinion.

I use Silverwing when wet, shopping at WalMart(carrying Capacity) If I really had to move in bad conditions, TU250 as motorcycle allows much finer control when the chips are down. Have leased Hyundai Genisis, wife drives , nice car, but 2 and a half ton rear drive pig.----she had not read instruction book---could not get up steep hill to house in snow storm----I was called, walked down--read book---up the hill the car went----all this electronic crap and people don't know how to use=waste of money on my book.

So back to days scooter can be used......in middle of most days here all year.

Note: 60 years of daily riding,I have clothes/helmets/boots for just about any condition. Improvement=next new bike/scooter will have OEM heated grips or I don't buy.

BIG ENEMY--for bikes=road salt. Needs to be flushed off with water. These idiots---even spray the roads with salt brine before there is even any snow/ice. AND it is slippery as hell in certain temps put on dry road. Guess the decision makers have not 2 wheel experience.

John after 60 years of riding i would think you would learn that-----slippery roads------=dangerous-----. The idiots are not pre spraying the roads for----motorcycles--- but for the smart people who drive-----cars= winter. We get it---you risk your---life----but to prove what???
 You win---you are the ultimate biker---now put the bike away til---spring=dry roads= staying alive. Period. Relax---put your feet up---watch TV. Spring will soon be here. Stay alive to ---enjoy and apreciate it. Period. You are giving all bikers a bad rap by your example----the cagers see you (us) as the biggest idiot and hope not to crush you into a street pizza when you lose it on that icy road while riding around them. Period.

As a motorcyclist and tax payer I expect them to consider me/us. Winter riding does wonders for skill improvement and pavement reading. I try to stick to dry pavement, daytime conditions. Below 40F/wet I wait for sun to come up.

When I lived in Europe, the Elephant Rally mid winter was fun to attend on bike----thousands of bikes, of course my MZ sidecar outfit safest, big solo bike lots of work, my Vespa P150E very good in snow.

I am not the ultimate rider but do it. Suggest you get some experience.

Agreed, winter riding in Alaska at Fort Wainright was a test of the rider more than the bike. When a little Yamaha two stroke is your only vehicle you ride it in winter. Same thing in the Arctic village of Kotzebue, I had a 125 Yamaha trail bike that I rode in -30 weather. In real cold conditions the packed snow is like riding on dirt and isn't all that slippery.
My two current bikes are properly equipped, the K1100LT has heated grips and my C650GT has both heated grips and seats. Wonderful. I wish some of the snowmobiles I had in Alaska would have had this great advancement in two wheel riding. The Yamaha 125 should have had them too.

hotwings wrote:

John after 60 years of riding i would think you would learn that-----slippery roads------=dangerous----- <>

While I, for one, appreciate your parody of Mr Grinsel's posts, please give our resident old codger some props. He's put down far more miles than many of us combined, and is just jumping into the broader discussion expressing his experience and opinion. And while I cant hope to match his lifetime miles, I do hope that I'm still riding at his age.

Tim

Understood----just couldn't resist. .

I don't have any gear that will allow me to ride in snow and ice......and have no intention of aquiring any.   I do own a truck with a heater. I also have a recliner, TV and a remote. That's my idea of cold weather equipment. I hope to match Mr. Grinsel's lifetime miles....as soon as I can figure out how to match Mr. Methuselah's years.         Ride on John---you are the man.    

John grinsel= Chuck Norris of the scooter world.