I would love a few 67F days to ride Ken. It was 18F yesterday morning. I went to breakfast with a friend and he was shocked I arrived in the car. In the past, I would not have blinked at riding at that temperature. Now I can’t imagine it. Yet. Time will tell.

I’ll try and post some things that don’t reveal the temperature so you can imagine a comfortable ride!

Nothing as compelling to me as an empty cafe. When I walk in there during the day it’s packed. I just turn around and move on.

I’ve been lucky with the Gerbing gloves. No connecting wire issues but I did have a failure with the heating wires in the gloves themselves. Gerbing stood by their warranty and sent me a new pair. That was nice.

I agree with you about the need to block the wind to keep hands warm. The Tucano Urbano bar muffs are excellent at that. With the heated grips inside light gloves work for all but the coldest days. And if I have the heated gloves on things can really get hot when the wind isn’t sucking away the heat.

On the Vespa the controls are simple and I can see everything because the controls remain outside of the muffs. It would be a different story on the BMW. Another reason I may not try to ride in really cold weather.

Once I get all the gear laid out and ready I can get put together in about five minutes. Still, it seems unbearably long at times. It’s been pretty cold this week. And some snow in the air. I think the ice won’t be far off now.

Well, let’s say my cold weather riding at the moment with the BMW is experimental. Not sure how much enthusiasm I have yet. In past years I didn’t seem to break stride riding as the weather got colder. This year I sense a wall. Will likely take more time to adapt or come around mentally. Where I used to get up, feel it’s cold, and say to myself, “I’m going for a ride.” Now it seems the morning conversation is, “I’m going to turn up the furnace.”

No salt or brine yet. Probably won’t subject the BMW to that. The Vespa has been punished with the stuff from the start so that won’t change. I’ll put the bar muffs on and the apron and will be ready for winter. And will likely put the snow tires on as well.

I like the heated grips on the Vespa but they aren’t much help when the temperature drops below freezing. The bar muffs are magic though. At 20F with them and the heated grips I can ride all day with my thin, summer leather gloves. One toasty body part and winter evaporates.

Your R bike does have classic lines. And perhaps has the classic edge because it’s older. I’ll give you that.

I don’t like the wires on the electric gloves either but will put up with them to stay warm. If any part of me gets cold the ride begins to suck. I’m surprised how often I’m able to ride most of the day sometimes with temperatures in the teens and not get cold. But that was the past. Not sure my body is as cold tolerant anymore.

84F. I’ll take if for a few days. Yesterday morning it was 18F here. I’m not ready for that.

I need to get to Saint’s Cafe more often!

It sounds as if your life is pretty busy right now. Riding, photo shoots, writing. Also much fun. Glad the ride across the Verazzano Bridge was uneventful. That bridge and the Golden Gate are the ones I hear most about from scooter riders. And then usually something dramatic just short of being blown off into the water.

Always nice to meet a fellow MV alum. I’ve had the pleasure a few times. Good people though I’m not sure if it’s the forum, Vespa or both!

Night rides. I fear my aging eyes have robbed me of the desire to ride at night. A high speed run from Philly to your home would seem an ordeal. I suppose I can see alright but I don’t feel I can peer into the darkness as well for those groups of deer waiting to cause trouble…

I’m good with the BMW to the freezing mark with the gear I have. Will just have to pull out the heavier gloves. Before I invest in Hippo Hands or some other wind buster I’ll have to think hard if I’ll retire the bike for the winter or not.

I have a lot of opinions on cold weather riding, as you may expect. The Gerbing heated gloves are nice though the wiring is fragile. Not the thin heating wires but the connecting wires. Wind blocking items such as Hippo Hands work well especially when paired with a heat source. Heated grips keep the palms warm but not the back of your hands. Heated gloves keep the back of your hand warm but without something to block the wind, that heat is quickly lost. But at only freezing, the Hippo Hands, or something similar to block the wind, is enough even with summer gloves. Or use the Gerbing gloves. There were times I would use the Gerbing gloves and the Aerostitch rain over gloves. That combination works pretty well especially if there is moisture involved. Add heated grips and you’re fine down to about 0°F. Add the heated gloves and you’ll have toasty warm hands well below that point.

The heated grips and the Hippo Hands have the advantage of no additional gear is needed though the Hippo Hands do make it impossible to see the controls.