Cold Weather Concerns
With the thermometer hovering at 40F and the roads mostly dry, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to ride the motorcycle to drive the moisture from the oil, exercise the battery, and make room for some fresh gasoline. And like so often is the case when I decide to “take a quick ride” to keep the motorcycle in good riding condition, I neglect to weigh all the conditions related to winter motorcycle riding.
For me, what I usually neglect to consider is my physical readiness to ride a motorcycle in cold weather. And for most riders, 40F qualifies as cold.
The first ride of the season is always problematic for me. I get cold easily and regardless of how well I gear up, it’s a shock to my system. And on this day, I made a few estimations of necessary gear that were just wrong. Maybe 5 years ago they would have been right. But not now. Time is taking its toll.
Part of the attraction of winter motorcycle riding for me is the competition that’s created between me and the elements. That competition has pushed me to ride in extremely cold weather, snow, ice, and places I probably should have made other plans.
So that’s often how it starts; a quick ride to accomplish some imagined task, a look at the weather with a self-confident “I’ve got this,” and a hurried donning of gear with little serious evaluation of what’s to come.
Regardless, it was a fine winter day to be out in the world on a motorcycle.
Man vs. Machine
My BMW K75C motorcycle continues to perform flawlessly. It jumps to life instantly in all weathers and shifts and rides with a reliable smoothness. I can’t say the same for myself.
The motorcycle is heavy at 550 pounds. Weight that is situated high on a tall motorcycle. When you ride the K75 a lot it feels light and nimble. When you let a month or more go by without riding, it suddenly becomes heavy again. And it reminds you constantly that you’re neither as strong or nimble as you used to be. Add some additional distraction from the cold and you get the feeling that it’s time to think about a smaller, lighter motorcycle.
It was apparent that I was out of shape physically from a lot of sitting around over the holidays on top of a lot of sitting around before that. And while I made good choices in regard to all the gear, I left home thinking a pair of leather gloves would be enough to keep my hands warm on this naked motorcycle.
Riding slowly along small, winding forest roads the insulated gloves were fine. But much over 40mph and the cold was tormenting my arthritic fingers. After an hour on the road, my hands were aching and doing a good job interfering with other aspects of winter motorcycle riding.
Know Your Limits
I used to think I knew my limits in regard to winter motorcycle riding. I would work them out by trial and error through the season and by the time spring arrived I knew what I could handle.
Simple.
But there was a problem in that thought process. What works on a Vespa GTS outfitted for winter riding isn’t applicable to the BMW motorcycle. And who knew that the human body ages and what I could do last winter doesn’t quite feel the same this time.
It’s hell to get old.
I should have used my Gerbing electric gloves. That would have eliminated the hand suffering completely and allowed me to focus on the ride rather than the cold.
If I only had the electric gloves.
And here’s the rub. Packed in a side case were the gloves, wires, controller, and connector I needed to put the hand saviors into service. But like the kid who walks home from school in a snowstorm without a hat, gloves, or proper jacket, I stubbornly kept riding thinking (irrationally) that my hands would somehow get warm again.
They didn’t. So I stopped to warm them but didn’t want to take the time to put the electric glove stuff together. Sometimes I wonder about myself.
Quod Erat Demonstrandum
After some extended consideration, including some serious thought to trading the K75 for a lighter dual-sport motorcycle, I’ve come to the following conclusions:
- There’s no such thing as a quick ride. Every ride demands attention.
- Cold weather riding requires all the gear. Not most of the gear.
- I continue to be an unreliable arbiter between my impulsive self and my deliberate self.
- Winter motorcycle riding is a pleasurable challenge.
Bring on the cold!
Ah, those sneaky Winter elements…
My tolerance for cold temps seems to have dropped a tad recently, but I blame that in part to COVID-related sloth on my part, and partly on not having had Melody to ride on for a shockingly large part of the year (not even counting my wreck in December). Normally, as I ride continuously from Fall into Winter, I have about a week or so’s rough transition from “mellow” 40-50 degree air to “brittle” air of similar temps, followed by my body adjusting to a certain tolerance. This, of course, was disrupted, first by my intersection crash in May, where I waited months for my dealer to get the essential bits to get Mel on the road again, followed by the coup de grace on December 4th which did Melody in for good (and almost did the same for me). On top of this, add multiple problems dealing with public transportation in lieu of having no means of my own to get around, and you can see where the sloth starts to roll in. For the last few weeks, I’d been feeling especially old, while recuperating from assorted aches and pain from the crash, but this week I’ve felt myself bouncing back, and I’m now taking brisk afternoon walks (with much prodding from Le Wife). The walking is helping me acclimate to the cold a bit better. I’ll try cycling a bit as well. (But not for the next week or so…word has it we’re finally getting significant snowfall, starting tonight.)
On cold-rising preparedness: Today I stopped by my dealer concerning my new ride. I thought I’d be waiting a bit to get hold of it (2022 Vespa GTS SuperTech); turns out there won’t be a wait at all: if you recall, on Modern Vespa I posted a photo of me posing next to an already-sold GTS just like the one I had on order. Turns out the lucky purchaser bought it as a Christmas present to someone obviously special. Apparently, obviously-special person was presented with the bike, and…didn’t like it. Or at least didn’t like the color. So back it went. Dealer called me a few days ago about this, and that if I chose to buy that machine, would make a deal. Naturally, I said “hell, yeah”, and now am just waiting for them to get hold of the extras I want for it, as well as waiting for my insurance payout which will largely pay for all this. Among the list of extras are Koso heated grips: I figured that if I’m doing this completely from scratch again, I’m making this bike a true all-weather fighter, since keeping my hands warm has been the one issue I’d improved on over the last few years, but never quite to my satisfaction. This time, I’m serious.
(Which reminds me: you have heated grips on the Vespa, but not the BMW?)
Obviously, I’ll be reporting how things go with the new ride (named Thelonica), now that I’m zeroing-in on the finer details. (And, yeah, remember to pull out and plug in them gloves, at least on the Beemer.)
I certainly echo your thoughts about COVID-related sloth. I’ve not used the time productively or to better prepare physically and mentally for winter. And my own disjointed transition to the colder weather parallels yours and probably accounts for the more pronounced difficulty. The old adage of practice makes perfect applies to riding in all areas. Weather adjustment being just one.
Sorry that you’re still wrestling with your crash-related injuries. Time and patience are required and there’s no way to rush it I guess. I wish I could more reliably adopt the walking habit that you’re taking on. I keep trying but the cold really puts me off.
Congratulations on the surprising availability of a new ride. Imagine someone giving you a new Vespa and saying you don’t want it. Geez.
Heated grips help but only a bit. Bar muffs do a much better job, especially in sub-freezing temperatures. Muffs and heated grips are luxurious. And when it’s below zero, muffs and electric gloves are the best. Add the apron and you are ready for anything. I’m looking forward to reading more about your adventures with the new machine.
I don’t have heated grips on the BMW. I wasn’t sure how much I would ride it in cold weather. And the electric gloves are adequate for any realistic weather I would ride in. So I’ll probably not make that leap yet.
Thanks for checking in. And good luck with the new ride when you get it!
I wonder… would Amateriat consider a little summer jaunt to State College? If so, I would consider a little summer jaunt to State College as well, and we could introduce our Vespas. It’s ~10 hours for me, and it looks like ~8 hours for Amateriat. Of course that assumes that Covid gets out of the way.
That would be nice. Something to keep in mind should the world change and one like me with a suppressed immune system feels comfortable hanging out with others.
David & Steve: Consider it a not-entirely-remote possibility, assuming of course an easing of out Shared Viral Calamity. Have to make it a weekend overnighter, given he distance, but that’s not a surprise.
Also: Yep, handlebar muffs are already in the picture as well, as I was using them with my (non-armored) Joe Rocket gloves on Melody to reasonable-if-not-quite-ideal effect. I’m betting the Koso grips with the h’bar muffs should do a decent job with non-heated (but still cold-weather insulated) gloves.
We can play a gathering by ear. Hopefully, by warmer weather, we’ll have some idea of what the world is going to look like.
Heated grips and bar muffs are a good combination. I find I can ride with my regular, non-winter leather, gloves down to about 25F with the muffs and grips. Even colder if I don’t mind a little finger chilling. I usually use the electric gloves inside the muffs below 20F. And don’t turn the grips on at all since that would stretch the power output of the Vespa.
For many years I rode year round, winter and summer – as long as there was no snow or ice on the roads. And for those many years I’ve worn a one-piece Aerostich suit with the factory liner, and even down to about 0 degrees F, I was always quite warm. Now like you Steve, I’m much older, and I don’t ride in the winter nearly as much as I used to – but if the roads are dry and it’s anywhere above 10 degrees F, I’m good to go! The only problem I have with winter riding, is that as invisible as motorcycles are generally to cagers – we’re really invisible in the winter as us on the road is the last this that cagers expect in the winter. So if you go winter riding, please assume that they do not see you.
I’ve never ridden the K75 much below 30F so I don’t know my limits. I’m good to 10F with an insulated riding jacket and pants, but the electric gloves out in the wind probably won’t cut it at 10F. I think I would need bar muffs or at least some sort of Bark Buster or something to deflect the wind blast from my hands.
You’re right about becoming more invisible in winter. No one expects to see a motorcycle on those days. I’m extra careful on the scooter and perhaps now with the motorcycle too.
I swear Steve we must b brothers…The details you share I often think man who does that sound like??.Getting older ain’t for sissy’s for sure..Great post again ,weather here in Central Texas changes daily 85° on Christmas ,took photo of me and grandsons wearing shorts and t shirts..21° this morn. Happy trails to all stay safe and warm.
It would be nice to have an 85F day here and there in the winter. Not sure what it would do to the natural flow of things but it would be nice for me!
It was 20F here this morning with blowing snow. Ran the snowblower on the driveway and created a cloud of blowing snow which left me a snow man. Brisk. But I’ve survived and ready for the next cold day!
In Lincolnshire Fenland speak (UK) we call being susceptible to cold as being “nesh”, which I am and use an Enormous front screen summer and winter. Helps a bit, but reinforces the anno domini bit to all and sundry…
(I recently achieved Advanced Motorcyclist status and was the oldest kid on a scooter they had had for years….)
Call me nesh. I think over time, with more miles in the cold, I become less nesh. I’m hoping at least that age has not permanently intervened in my ability to adapt to the weather.
Congratulations on your Advanced Motorcyclist status! Sometimes it’s nice to be the oldest kid around!
Good morning Steve. Someone told me some years ago: “Getting old sucks*”. Better not to ignore the aging process and adjust accordingly I guess.
I agree Karl. No profit in ignoring the aging process.
I once got a bad case of hypothermia on a day long ride (Blue Ridge Pkwy), temp in low 40’s, overcast sky – no radiant heat from the sun. I had electric coat and gloves on the whole time. My skin was very warm, but my core temperature got dangerously low, apparently. I couldn’t talk. Same thing happened on a bicycle ride in the 40’s, similar weather. When I got home and opened the door, the heat from within hit me like a blast furnace. I thought the house was on fire, but it was just normal warmth. Scary. Whatever you you in such conditions, don’t fall asleep or shock your body with a hot bath. Keep the same clothes on, cover with a blanket and gradually warm up.
When you forget the gloves, heated grips are great, and they’re not that hard to install. I have a spare kit hanging in the garage if you want.
So far I’ve not encountered hypothermia but I know how strange it can be. I know someone who got it on a summer day. Their core temp plummeted and the ER was confused to see someone show up on a warm day like that.
Good advice about the warm up process. I’ll keep it in mind should I find myself in a bad situation.
Thanks for the offer of the heated grips. I’ll have to ponder the change for awhile. I’m slow to change!
I read this and truly laughed out loud … “ I continue to be an unreliable arbiter between my impulsive self and my deliberate self “ So funny and, at least in my case, so true. I like too, that the gear was in the saddle bag and yet ignored! To those amongst us who ride, who can honestly say they have not seen this movie? Wonderful morning chuckles. Thanks for the post Steve.
Those competing selves are feisty and really hard to deal with. You would think at our age we would have figured out how to cope. Maybe it’s another reason why marriage is a good idea. Kim is a far better mediator of my behavior than I seem to be!
I wonder what movie I’ll be in next…
Steve I was never really a cold weather rider, so nothing has changed.
My new Vespa doesn’t have heated grips, and I am therefore even less inclined to brave the winter on two wheels.
This morning I got my two-wheeled satisfaction on the P2 level of our condo garage on my Brompton, doing what I call the P2 loop for 32 minutes. I misunderestimate the distance at ~7 kilometres. It’s definitely cool in the garage, but still comfortable, and the pavement is dry, and it’s nicely lit, and at 6:45 a.m. very little traffic.
Of course there is nothing to see, but that’s OK, I listen to jazz on my AirPods. It’s quite Zen. I got an ‘award’ from my new Apple Watch for my cycling.
So it’s all good.
Please continue with your crazy, brave winter adventures. I will follow you virtually, even if I do get a chill in my fingers reading about your stubborn denial of heated gloves within arm’s reach. Don’t do that again. Please. Thank you.
Winter riding is kind of crazy David. Even with dry roads on sunny days. The cold creates a whole new set of risks. I would like to say I began riding in winter with purpose and planning. But the truth is I just enjoyed riding so much that I continued to ride as it got colder. Any expertise I gain came from trial and error. Thankfully, mostly trial without any unfortunate mishaps.
Riding the Brompton enough to earn a reward from the Apple Watch is great. I’m still focused on walking 10 thousand steps a day. It’s become more of a challenge in the cold. Today it was 19F with a wind. Very little walking. Time to head to the treadmill.
I waited a week and a half for Seattle’s melt-off-then, went in search of the last patch of icey slush on a nearby stretch of concrete arterial. I found it! Then, I moved in for a closer look. …at 25mph. First serious down in 30K of riding experience. All the gear…well, the riding jeans and Klim jacket saved my skin…and the temps hovering near 40 were mitigated in this …”quick” errand ride in the neighborhood. At age 63, I will be curious how quickly I can bounce back.
Waiting for my adjuster to make a decision-hoping I can keep the Primavera I have grown to love over the past 5 years. I love winter, year round riding and am fighting impatience. Thanks for your share #werideyearround
Ugh. Sorry to hear of your close inspection of the pavement. It only takes a little icy slush on a turn to create problems. I’ve had a few tire stutters over the years but other than my first ride in snow 15 years ago where I went down at a stop sign at less than 5 miles per hour, I’ve been trouble-free.
Let us know how the healing goes. I know my healing times have changed. Even a little bump or twist sings loudly now.
Year-round riding is satisfying for those of us who do it. But most riders I cross paths with think its crazy. Or worse.
A slight observation Steve. The layout of the brick motor puts all the heavy bits, except for the gas tank, down low. In comparison to a 340 pound Vespa it should feel heavy. My old Kawasaki has a weighty cylinder head under the tank. Now that’s top heavy.
Forty years ago, before all the heated clothing era, I traveled at indecently cold temperatures to ride to work. It wasn’t fun. I had a pair of speedometers fail from the cold. I read how you commuted to work at Penn State in equally indecent cold and snow. It was inspiring but I felt colder reading the entries.
The K75 is strange in how it feels top-heavy. I’ve ridden other motorcycles that are taller and heavier but never one that felt like this motorcycle. I’ve not looked closely at why, or measured anything, but it is different. And you’re right about the weight difference just being what it is.
I’ve been looking at the Honda CRF300L Rally as a possible replacement to the K75. Lighter, and more useful on the thousands of miles of dirt and gravel forest roads that one can explore here. But there is something unique to the experience on the K75. Who knows…
I commuted in some ungodly cold weather. I can’t say I enjoyed it as I would an easy ride in summer, but the challenge satisfied some odd desire in me. It was especially challenging before I got any electrics or really good gear. Riding the LX150 ten miles in sub-zero weather was kind of miserable. But I did it!
winter riding:
a slight case of
brain freeze
That’s it! Brain freeze!!
Steve, I do have recently struggled with adapting to cold conditions where before it had been no big deal. I blame it on recent winters spent in warmer climes and the effects of blood pressure medicine thinning one’s blood!
A recent ride in my sidecar rig briefly reminded me of the fun one can have riding in snow. The dual sport motorcycle I have did not even come to mind when considering that ride, no heated grips and falling on snow just is not my thing these days.
Like you said though, it’s all a matter of preparation, mind over matter and perspective.
I’ve been on heart medications for almost 7 years now so they’ve faded into the background. I didn’t even consider the blood thinners when thinking of the cold. Duh. Of course, they have an effect. Mix that with more years and no wonder the cold is an issue.
I can’t think of any motorcycle I would want to ride in the snow. Especially not the K75. I’ve ridden the Vespa a lot in snow and it is manageable to some degree, but only because there are plenty of low traffic roads here. And those snow riding days are in the past I think
My mind’s perspective now is to stay warm and stay safe!