First Ride in the cold on my FJR

[lfmn16]

I just bought my FJR a few weeks ago and today is the first "kind of cold" day I've ridden it. Lessons learned:

•  
  
• 37 degrees is colder than it sounds
  
• I should have hooked up the harness for my electric gloves instead of watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer last weekend.
  
• Electric gloves don't work so good when they aren't hooked up
  
• Kilimanjaro jackets are great
  
• Heated grips are great
  
• Harley boots suck
  
• 54 degrees is nice if the sun is out
  

Actually all of these lessons are pretty obvious!

 

[kolonial72]

•  
  
• 37 degrees is colder than it sounds
  

And you'll be amazed at how much colder 34 degrees is than 37.

 

[Bigbeavk]

Don't forget to open the side panels. They have quarter turn screws so use a dime our a penny to loosen and pull both screws out. Open the panel to the next hole position and put the screws back in and tighten. Keeps the wind off your legs nicely.

 

[Bungie]

And you'll be amazed at how much colder 34 degrees is than 37.

<taps the side of his nose and points at kolonial>

 

[MEM]

•  
  
• 37 degrees is colder than it sounds
  

And you'll be amazed at how much colder 34 degrees is than 37.

Try 29 and 30 degrees. Wet. Without heated gear :cold:

 

[fjrob1300]

p'shaw 37 is still shorts weather up here!! But, I understand how soft you American are.

 

[LagerHead]

I just bought my FJR a few weeks ago and today is the first "kind of cold" day I've ridden it. Lessons learned:

•  
  
• 37 degrees is colder than it sounds
  
• I should have hooked up the harness for my electric gloves instead of watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer last weekend.
  
• Electric gloves don't work so good when they aren't hooked up
  
• Kilimanjaro jackets are great
  
• Heated grips are great
  
• Harley boots suck
  
• 54 degrees is nice if the sun is out
  

Actually all of these lessons are pretty obvious!

I also rode at 37 degrees for the first time this year. At least the first time with proper gear. My experience was different though. I was not cold at all. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking the liner was a bad idea at such a...warm? temperature. Heated grips do rock though. Even with my warm weather gloves I was able to keep the hands warm, though we are only talking about a commute to work of about 30 minutes. Like you I may have to adjust my footwear options. Either thicker socks or different boots. I'm playing this one by toe.

p'shaw 37 is still shorts weather up here!! But, I understand how soft you American are.

Yea yea big talker. We know. And it's uphill both ways in 17 feet of snow everywhere you go. But at least our best beer isn't Labatt.

 

[MEM]

But at least our best beer isn't Labatt.

Yeah, too bad about that.

It sucks to be you

 

[FJR Flyer]

She works pretty well down to 16F. Definitely need some heated gear.

 

[Jim Morrison]

I've been riding in the COLD frozen tundra of Wisconsin for a long time (how long is an Ice age????) With the right gear I've always been warm, and I dont use any heated stuff..

 

[ionbeam]

p'shaw 37 is still shorts weather up here!! But, I understand how soft you American are.

Ya, sez the man from MKS country. At 37 degrees it's still swimming weather. We're talkin' degrees of Fahrenheit here in the land of Miles, Pounds and °F

Rode to work this morning, it was 23° F when I left. Still no snow, ice or sand so it is fine riding weather.

 

[FJReady]

29 degress when I left the house this morning. The balmy sea breezes help moderate temps. Still, I made full use of the heated grips and Widder vest. Nice and toasty 32 mile commute.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I've ridden all day in the 30s...no heated gear etc. If you dress properly, it's fine. I usually stop every 2-3 hours anyway...so you use that time to warm up with some hot chocolate or coffee...then continue on in your journey...

The tricky part is when the precipitation accompanies the cold temps, if it's rain, it penetrates your dry warm envelope more easily, if it's snow, then in the Chicago area that means salt as well...and the riding season ends.

 

[chivvalry]

I flippin' hate winter. I need to move somewhere it is warm year round and soon.

 

[El Toro Joe]

27 degrees for my ride in this morning...people came into work & told me "hey there's frost on yer windshield"

 

[ionbeam]

I flippin' hate winter. I need to move somewhere it is warm year round and soon.

The trick is to find a location where it isn't blazing hot in the summer. One of the most benign states is Hawaii, but unfortunately it becomes a small island very quick.

For quite a while I was lucky enough to be able to have summers in New England and winters in Palm Springs, CA. I just loved floating around in the pool listening to the blizzard reports in NH.

On a scale of: 0 = sucks, can't ride and 10 = perfect; what is your location and how do you rate summer and winter riding? How long is your typical riding season?

Southern NH

Summer = 10

Winter = 0

Season = 7 months, typical; 9 months on a miraculous year

 

[Bungie]

On a scale of: 0 = sucks, can't ride and 10 = perfect; what is your location and how do you rate summer and winter riding? How long is your typical riding season?

Interesting idea for a indepth poll. Throw in roads, road condition, proximity to riding areas, insurance costs, local traffic, employment, cost of living, crime, real estate values and I'll decide where I want to live!

Sudbury, Ont.

Summer = 8

Winter = -10

Season = 6 months

 

[Papa Georgio]

Love cold weather, rode around the big lake the other day and never heard any of those loud HD's and never got stuck behind the tourist.

 

[Burnspot]

Love cold weather, rode around the big lake the other day and never heard any of those loud HD's and never got stuck behind the tourist.

+1 It does certainly screen out the casual weekend warrior and generally draws stares of disbelief from others when they look at you at stop lights.

Apart from a cheap Aerostich warmbib (used only when temps hit the 30's), I have no heated gear and can deal with the cold until it starts touching the upper 30's with just my Stich and a zip up collar fleece pullover underneath (my hands do freeze for the 20 mile commute). On the cheap end, I think some Vstrom grip covers would work great, but my plan is to get the Gerbing jacket liner and glove liners when the money's there.

My favorite cold weather farkle of all time so far is the Pinlock visor on my helmet. With all helmet vents closed and the Vstream up all the way, it can actually stay relatively warm in my X-11 without fogging up.