Fall weather

[Colin]

Finally, after two weeks of rain/sleet/snow the weather here doesn't suck this week.
I put on a set of GenMar risers and took the Strom out on the highway yesterday. Sure felt good.
The forecast looks good enough to ride to work all week. Eee haw! :D

[gbart951]

Lucky you :!: Out here in Ontario we're still having constant rain, sleet, snow, freezing rain, etc, with some of it all happening on the same day. :cry: I managed a short ride on Saturday in between everything but it wasn't enough. NEED more riding.... :wink:

And as I post this the sun pokes it's head out of a cloud............... :evil:

[Colin]

I rode in to work this AM. It was brrr. When I got to work it was 0 but felt a lot colder. It looks cold out there as I prepare for the ride home but it will be a lot warmer than thei morning I'm sure.
The "good" weather may be short lived since the forecast was changed from sunny and 10 back to more of the same damn rain/snow/cold for the weekend. :cry:

[rcacs]

Was a balmy +5 today here in southern MB. Went for a 150km scoot. Last year, October was beautiful and went riding pretty much every day. This yr it has been very cold, light snow.

Cheers!

[Colin]

Ya. Its also +5 (41F)here right now and actually felt warmer riding in to work today than it did yesterday.
When I bought my V-Strom last June I was looking forward to weather like we had last Fall. I could have ridden pretty much up until Xmas last year. This year the Summer was wonderful but the Fall weather kinda sucks.

[rcacs]

twas a smouldering +11 today here. Went for a real nice 325km ride. Wont be long tho, and the Wee will be put away for another longggggg MB winter.

cheers

[WeThereYet]

Sucks being here on Vancouver Island. Still having to cut the lawn, which of course takes up time I could be riding or golfing. :lol: :wink:

[Throttlehound]

Alright, alright, rub it in! :( It's been rainy and cold most of October in Ontario so it's really cut down the riding time. There was a little sun after work last night, so I went out for about 90 minutes on some twisties near home. The temperature was 1 Celsius and the wind was really starting to penetrate through the layers by the time I got home, but, hey, I got my fix! :D

[Heavy]

...some twisties near home...

????? Near your home? Where?

[V-Tom]

I'd like to know where those twities are near Maple as well!

It was -4 when I left home in Mt. Albert this morning. A bit on the cold side but when I got to work 50 minutes later it had warmed up (in Woodbridge) to about +2. It been raining on and off this afternoon.. good chance I'll geta bit damp on the way home but I am pretty sure I won't get any riding in on the weekend.

..Tom

[Throttlehound]

Well OK, it’s not the 507 or the Calabogie, I admit. But if you go fast enough (100-120 kph) it sort of feels like twisties (medium to fast sweepers?). It’s the 17th sideroad running west from Hwy 27 over to Airport Road, north of Nobleton. This road used to be much more fun than it is today since about 3 years ago they installed stop signs at most of the intersections for the east-west traffic where there were never any before. :( You used to be able to go all the way from Hwy 27 to Hwy 50 with only one stop as I recall. Now you have to stop (or at least slow down :wink: ) at every intersection. For a little extra variety, when I get to Airport Road, I go north and pick up Patterson Sideroad coming back east to Hwy 50. Then I go south to Old Church, east over to Mt. Wolfe, south to 17th Sideroad again and back to Hwy 27. I can do this run in about 75 minutes from home if I hurry and it makes a fun after-dinner run. :D

Kudos to you Tom for continuing to commute in this lousy cold weather!

[Heavy]

Kudos to you Tom for continuing to commute in this lousy cold weather!

Hey, what about us guys that don't have alternate transportation? No kudos to us? My wife and I share a car. She works various shifts at the local hospital. When I put my Strom away in the fall my way of getting around, for the most part, is 2 feet and a heartbeat. Trust me, I ride as long as is prudent.

[The Shepherd]

I get to commute to work tonight, it was one wild, white knuckle drive home in the car last night from Vaughn to Barrie with no windshield wipers. Damn motor or linkage is shot.

I'll be wearing the raingear and sweaters today, just hope it doesn't start raining by by 2am ride back to Barrie.

Fall riding.......until my little street turns into a skating rink the Strom stays outside of the bike cover.

[Heavy]

Ian,

Be careful on your way home tonight, they're talking snow.

[The Shepherd]

Yeah I seen that now, I guess I'll be taking the car again. At least with snow it goes up and over the windshield.

[V-Tom]

I pretty much knew I was going to ride in the rain on the way home. My daughter got her G2 license Weds and had a PD day Friday. My wife was out of town so I thought I would give her my car for the day.

It was pouring on the way home. I didn't get wet and apart from my face getting cold (I had the visor up a bit to stop fogging [any good suggestions for anti fog?]) I was comfy enough. One part that was't fun was when I opened up the throttle a bit while doing about 90 kph in traffic. The rear wheel started spinning, the bike went sideways a bit and I put my foot down to save it. I recovered fine but I am sure I won't be opening up the throttle again in that kind of situation.

I sell Porsches for a living and am very familiar with how Z-rated tires essentially become hockey pucks below about +5 celcius. What happens with Bike tires? Do they get real hard in colder weather? Are there softer compounds or snow tires that are good for cold weather riding or do the bike tires work reasonably well in the cold?

..Tom

[Throttlehound]

Kudos to you Tom for continuing to commute in this lousy cold weather!

Hey, what about us guys that don't have alternate transportation? No kudos to us? My wife and I share a car. She works various shifts at the local hospital. When I put my Strom away in the fall my way of getting around, for the most part, is 2 feet and a heartbeat. Trust me, I ride as long as is prudent.

No slight intended Heavy, just a personal comment specifically to Tom as new V-Strommer. Kudos to anyone willing to ride in rain and cold whether by choice or necessity. I have good gear that works in rain and cold so I can ride up to December usually. I'm reluctant to ride once the salt trucks are out in earnest though. Here's hoping for Indian summer in mid-November !!

[Throttlehound]

It was pouring on the way home. I didn't get wet and apart from my face getting cold (I had the visor up a bit to stop fogging [any good suggestions for anti fog?]) I was comfy enough. One part that was't fun was when I opened up the throttle a bit while doing about 90 kph in traffic. The rear wheel started spinning, the bike went sideways a bit and I put my foot down to save it. I recovered fine but I am sure I won't be opening up the throttle again in that kind of situation.

..Tom

I tried the tip of using Pledge on my visor that some guys here say works but I wasn't impressed. I too just crack the visor open a little to clear the fog.

Strange about your tire spinning when you only "opened the throttle a bit...". My guess is that there was something slippery on the road at that point. I've always found the traction to be quite good in the rain with either my cruiser or the V-Strom. I just ride somewhat more conservatively.

[V-Tom]

I tried the tip of using Pledge on my visor that some guys here say works but I wasn't impressed. I too just crack the visor open a little to clear the fog.

Strange about your tire spinning when you only "opened the throttle a bit...". My guess is that there was something slippery on the road at that point. I've always found the traction to be quite good in the rain with either my cruiser or the V-Strom. I just ride somewhat more conservatively.

My "opened the throttle a bit...". was probably close to full throttle... I was kind of making fun of myself but should have put quotes on it. The sideways part was very real and if I had not have put a foot down quickly I suspect I would have dumped it. I also have found traction to be very good in the wet so you are probably right that there might have been something on the road. If not, then perhaps the close to freezing temp might have had an effect as well.

Either way I'll be more careful..

..Tom

[Night_Wolf]

17th Sideroad got all the traffic stops after a friend of mine was seriously injured when a cage ran a stop sign :evil: She had a right of way and was going the speed limit according to two other friends who were riding with her (you met Styles & the Captain) Still a good road, but not as nice as it once was

Well OK, it’s not the 507 or the Calabogie, I admit. But if you go fast enough (100-120 kph) it sort of feels like twisties (medium to fast sweepers?). It’s the 17th sideroad running west from Hwy 27 over to Airport Road, north of Nobleton. This road used to be much more fun than it is today since about 3 years ago they installed stop signs at most of the intersections for the east-west traffic where there were never any before. :( You used to be able to go all the way from Hwy 27 to Hwy 50 with only one stop as I recall. Now you have to stop (or at least slow down :wink: ) at every intersection. For a little extra variety, when I get to Airport Road, I go north and pick up Patterson Sideroad coming back east to Hwy 50. Then I go south to Old Church, east over to Mt. Wolfe, south to 17th Sideroad again and back to Hwy 27. I can do this run in about 75 minutes from home if I hurry and it makes a fun after-dinner run. :D

Kudos to you Tom for continuing to commute in this lousy cold weather!

[Night_Wolf]

17th Sideroad got all the traffic stops after a friend of mine was seriously injured when a cage ran a stop sign :evil: She had a right of way and was going the speed limit according to two other friends who were riding with her (you met Styles & the Captain) Still a good road, but not as nice as it once was

Well OK, it’s not the 507 or the Calabogie, I admit. But if you go fast enough (100-120 kph) it sort of feels like twisties (medium to fast sweepers?). It’s the 17th sideroad running west from Hwy 27 over to Airport Road, north of Nobleton. This road used to be much more fun than it is today since about 3 years ago they installed stop signs at most of the intersections for the east-west traffic where there were never any before. :( You used to be able to go all the way from Hwy 27 to Hwy 50 with only one stop as I recall. Now you have to stop (or at least slow down :wink: ) at every intersection. For a little extra variety, when I get to Airport Road, I go north and pick up Patterson Sideroad coming back east to Hwy 50. Then I go south to Old Church, east over to Mt. Wolfe, south to 17th Sideroad again and back to Hwy 27. I can do this run in about 75 minutes from home if I hurry and it makes a fun after-dinner run. :D

Kudos to you Tom for continuing to commute in this lousy cold weather!

[rcacs]

ugh

riding season has come to a screaching halt here in southern MB, 15 cm of snow today.

and to think....actually went for a short ride yesterday

;(

cheers!

[Heavy]

13ºC today and beautiful. I managed to sneak out of the office for an hour this afternoon. Felt good to be Strommin'.

[Colin]

I think I am finally resigned to the fact that winter is here to stay:( The ground is frozen, the snow keeps coming and the forcast is more of the same.To top it off I got an email from Canada Customs saying that my order from California Sport Touring is finally on its way from Vancouver. About three months late. Just in time for my winter projects.... :rolleyes:
But the good news is:D The deer hunting here is fantastic right now!!

[rcacs]

Yup, finally time to take the key outta the Wee's ignition. Over the winter she will recieve new chain/sprockets, adjust the valves, new rubber fore and aft, and lots of luving talk and carressing.

Also time to map out our next adventure, to take place next June. Depart southern MB, up to Yellowknife, then over to Whitehorse, to Inuvik, on to Fairbanks, down to Vancouver and then, back home.

My goal is a minimum of 40,000kms next summer.

Cheers!

[larolco]

Ahhhh, beautiful sunshine in Vancouver today. Think I'll suds the bike up and take it for a spin to dry it off.

Apparantly it's the last ray of sunshine for the rest of the year.

What do you wet-weather riders wear to keep dry?

I ride about 2 hours a day, back and forth to work, and my Joe Rocket gear isn't keeping the wet out anymore.

[rcacs]

Oops, not so fast there....

Had the Wee all tucked away for winter, but the temp was a balmy +7 here today, so went for a real nice 300km ride with my Vulcan riding buddy.

You just never know eh?

Last year I was able to ride on 16 November, so who knows?

Cheers!

[rcacs]

Captains log, November 22......twas an incredible +12c today here in MB, ventured out for a 575km ride today. Calling for snow storm tomorrow.

Cheers!