Cold Starts
Looking out the window it appears to be a fine morning to ride. Bright sunshine and no wind. Stepping out onto the deck provides additional information — it’s cold. 49F cold. As the dogs run round the garden I imagine what gear I’ll need. Merlin jacket, neck gaiter, long underwear under my jeans, insulated gloves, and my riding boots. In a few moments I have a plan and it feels warmer already.
Winter is coming. I want to be ready. Ready to ride.
Feeding the Beast
The Vespa GTS scooter is my winter beast though with fewer teeth than it once had. The lap apron is in a landfill somewhere after the air bladders sprung too many leaks to repair. And I no longer run winter tires. But it still is the best choice for really cold weather riding.
The fuel light was on so the opportunity to fill the tank with fresh premium fuel was a welcome prospect. I don’t want old fuel in the tank and I don’t want to use fuel stabilizer unless I absolutely have to. In past years I’ve been able to go through a tank of fuel every month through the winter. We’ll see what the future brings this year since there are two additional machines to ride.
Cold Ride, Warm Heart
This is why I ride. To see and experience places in the world. It’s not the feeling of flying (though that’s nice) or even the mental cleansing that occurs while riding (also nice), but rather it is the satisfaction I get seeing what is around the next bend in the road. The next scent of autumn leaves. Or even the chill of cold air on my face when I raise the visor.
Put everything together and riding is a powerful experience. A drug I reach for over and over without adverse effects. Wandering through the mountains on little dirt roads was as satisfying an experience as I could possibly dream.
It warms my heart to ride on a cold day. And that’s good because winter is coming.
Indeed, the best weather protection I’ve ever experienced among the multitude of moto’s I’ve owned over 60 years of riding was my wife’s Bergman scooter. That apron in front and tall windshield provided a near dead wind experience behind, even without a leg cover. I rode it all the way to Florida and back one Winter in 40 degree weather with snow on the ground from here to the bottom of Virginia. Yes, your scooter is an excellent choice for Winter riding.
The secret to being comfortable riding in cold weather is keeping the cold air well away from your skin. That is either accomplished by some very heavy clothing barriers, or wind barriers installed on the scooter or motorcycle. Scooters have some built in protection. And an apron and muffs and you can do a lot of cold weather riding comfortably. As long as your style sense isn’t insulted!
Hey Steve,
I love the emotions and your personal feelings towards a scooter ride..I wonder if these kids that hop on a scooter get that or does that therapy only happen to seniors like us ???
Thanks for the posts ,photos and thoughts for these many years .I think I found your site in 2012 …Winter does bring new to riding challenges for sure ,mostly for me to wear more clothes.
I wonder the same things. The under-20 people I talk to seem frantic and distracted by life and the world. I’m not sure if that’s typical or not. But I can say that the relaxed sense I get from riding came later in life, as I neared 50. I sure wish it would have happened earlier.
The right clothes helps. I recently bought a Merlin Hixon II leather jacket to have a windproof jacket to wear between cool summer days and the freezing cold winter ones. So far it has been great. And I now look like a stylish old man to boot!
And yet. This Thursday the temperature here in Dutchess County, NY will approach 80F. I know what I’ll do with a few bikes that day.
Warmer weather coming this way as well. I’ll enjoy a few more warm rides.