Comments on: How to Get Your Head Around Cold Weather Riding https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/ Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle. Tue, 08 Jul 2014 21:27:36 +0000 hourly 1 By: james john https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-7254 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:01:51 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-7254 In winter season we should try to keep our body warm, safe and dry. There is no problem in car but scooter is open we should be very careful like we should wear helmet, gloves and jacket etc.
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]]> By: irondad https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6077 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:02:24 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6077 Well done. Not only are you a photographic artist but an artistic wordsmith, as well.

I appreciate this comment:

“If you have only one riding style, or if you don’t understand why the possibility of ice requires an adjustment, or if you are adherent to the “I ride the way I want and let the world stay out of my way” style of riding, well perhaps you shouldn’t rush right out in cold weather. Not until you have some time to re-evaluate things a bit.”

As riders we need to be rigidly flexible.

Your motivation is interesting. In my case I’m not much for stopping along the way much. I guess I ride in the cold partly to be stubborn. It’s like I can’t let the elements defeat me. So having an attitude of humility like you write about may rule me out.

In a surprising sign of becoming a bit more mellow as the years go by, I had some intersting thoughts early yesterday morning.

Hours before dawn found me climbing a pass in the Cascade Mountains on Elvira. It was barely above freezing when I departed. Once past the three thousand foot mark the temperature had dropped to 27. There was freezing fog and ice on the road. Thankfully there was some variety as I neared the 4815 foot summit. The freezing fog had changed to a light snowfall.

Here’s the point. A question came into my brain.

Why the heck am I doing this?

Not one of the usual thoughts. Probably ought to spend some time pondering it.

Again, what a great post!

]]> By: Bob Olcott https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6075 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:19:29 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6075 The comment from RIC in Indonesia reminded me of a Vespa kept a few miles from me, that was ridden from Lebanon, NH, to La Paz, Bolivia and back. If anyone has any cold weather guidance about the Pan American Highway, and/or roads through the Andes Mountains, I’d be glad to read them!

]]> By: Bob Olcott https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6074 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:01:15 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6074 I neglected to mention one added factor to remember in Cold weather riding in Northern New England. It actually applies year round, but the problem worsens in cold weather: “Frost Heaves”! I rode out U.S. 4 to Queeche, Vermont this afternoon. The lateral (parallel to the direction of the road)Frost Heaves are a factor in any weather, but moreso, when there’s snow/ice on them. If tires are cold so the “contact patch” of the tire isn’t as large, manuvering in those “paved Ruts” can be a challenge.

]]> By: Bob Olcott https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6073 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:45:54 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6073 Hi Steve,
Thank You for the newest Cold Weather reminder issue. I notice from your photos your trees still have foliage/leaves. During fall in (northern) New England, the phrase:”Watch Out for Wet Leaves” is used by both (4 wheel) motorists and those of us who still venture out on Two wheels. On Halloween morning we got hit with 5-8″ of snow here in the NH/Vermont Upper Valley. That, on top of downed leaves in curves on our “rural” roads that foliage is not cut back away from is one added factor. It’s always good to get your “Cold Weather Reminder” issue, and to read the commentary. The California coastal rider who noted the Marine Fog factor, that’s valid on the East Coast, too! Since you’ve ridden in Maine (on vacation), and probably passed through Coastal New Hampshire to get there, you may be qualified to expound on that theme too! Thanks for the timely reminders!

]]> By: Steve Williams https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6070 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:38:35 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6070 Thomas Keene: I bought a pair of Heidenau K66 LT SnowTex tires last winter for the Vespa. Amazing difference in traction in general and in slush and wet stuff in particular. Not much help on ice and just a bit better on hardpack snow.

But I won’t go without them anymore in the winter. Careful if you get them when you first start to ride. They perform more sluggishly in turns so you need to make some adjustments.

Here are a couple links:

http://www.moto-amore.com/heidenau/new/snowtexnew.html

http://www.moto-amore.com/heidenau/new/snowtexnew.html

]]> By: Steve Williams https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6069 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:32:29 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6069 Dan: You’re right about the topbox adversely affecting the aesthetic quality of the Vespa. I resisted for a long time but finally utility demands forced me to one.

So I pretend it isn’t there in the pictures.

Thanks for the kind words about the blog. I appreciate it.

]]> By: Steve Williams https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6068 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:43:39 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6068 Brady: In Virginia I imagine they believe cold weather is the doing of northern aggressors. That’s why schools close when there’s ice. Just being prepared for attack or something.

]]> By: Steve Williams https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6067 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:42:15 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6067 Orin: I love car heaters. It is as close as I can come to sitting next to a nice hot wood stove. One of my secret pleasures is to blast the heat from the car and just bake.

Can’t get that on the Vespa in winter unless I grasp the muffler…

]]> By: Steve Williams https://scooterinthesticks.com/2011/10/how-to-get-your-head-around-cold/#comment-6066 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:40:53 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=243#comment-6066 RichardM: You are in a whole different world of weather in Alaska. I just assumed you put the BMW away and hooked up the dogs.

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