I pass the winters up here by doing mods and any other maintanence that I can think of. Gets me out in the garage and it also makes me intimately familiar with my bikes mechanically. Plus having them in tip top shape makes it easy to ride worry free when it thaws.

 

+1 in here.

I live in Québec on the east coast up north of maine-NY states and planning to put the bikes on the trailer and head south end January. How far do I have to drive by car before I can park it and finally jump on the bike ? Do I really have to get to Jacksonville, FLO ?

 

Yeah - put my monster away on Saturday. It was a nice day too, but a bit chilly. The timing worked out well - we're getting hammered with snow today, and will be all week.

 

When I lived in Baltimore, I simply waited for the snow plows to do their thing. Wearing a snowmobile suit, I commuted. The crisp air was like nothing else for a hangover.

 

time to spiff up the bike

Ive had a alcohol hangover but never a motorcycle hangover. Maybe thats what folks further south suffer from after all that riding during the summer and thats why they put the bike in the garage for the winter even when its way above freezing.

Winter here in the Pacific Northwest is a crap shoot. We already had several days of snow and ice and the hills around Seattle dont help either. Gave me some time on my 'snowday' from work to give my Monster a good cleaning and polish and clean, lube and inspect the chain.

If "absence makes the heart grow fonder" then getting back on the road for those of you in the northern climes is surely a sweet experience.

Happy Holidays all!

 

I am disappointed. I've actually been looking to see if anyone makes snow tires for bikes. I did find a German company, Reifenwerk Heidenau, that has some, but not in anything like sportbike sizes. I hoped from your thread title that you had found some.

Normally, I live in San Diego, so I just ride every day all year never check the weather forecasts and don't worry about it. If it's a rainy period, I'll just carry some overpants in my bag and put them on if it actually rains.

This year, though, I'm working in Cleveland, OH. I rode out here in May, and expected to be back home well before now, but the project keeps getting extended. Today was the first ride to work in the snow. It was pretty cold, but not unbearable. I did not expect to be entering December here on a bike, but I'll keep going as long as I can.

PhilB

 

Severely cold down here, tonight, mid fifties. Sky as clear as a koi pond. Monster beckons, but why should I break the silence? Don't leave your helmet at your other girlfriend's apartment. Aside from the explanations, brain freeze may be permanent. I'm a perfect example.

 

Here in DC, you can almost always count on a 40 degree day every couple of weeks, even in January and February. As such, the Duc never really hibernates; she just takes long naps between rides. But she's off to the shop today anyway, so...

 

I have an NSX and while I put it away for the winter for the most part, if I see a clear sunny day I take it out because I don't like it to just sit.
I bought a 696 in august and I'm planning on doing the same thing.
Here in Indy today it was 34 degrees and I took it out and had a blast.
As long as the roads are clear I will go out. At least if it's in the 30s. I haven't tried a sub 30 degree day. I wear a Dainese D dry jacket, a couple of shirts, under armor pants under my riding pants and Dainese Jerico gloves.
I just need a balacalava which is coming monday.

 

Here in Illinois, it is a constant internal struggle...Do I winterize the bike by pulling the battery (no quick feat on my M1100S) or do I keep it ready to go in the hope of a stray 45 degree day with clear roads? These last few winters have been rough - snow/salt on roads for three months straight, with no break in the weather. But this year...maybe this winter...just maybe this time around...we will have a mild winter and I'll get the bike out at least once a month...

 

Yesterday.

PhilB

 

Rode 60 miles in 30ºF weather today. I need better gloves; other than that it was fine.

Riding at night when it's snowing is cool. If you put on your highbeam, it looks like you're jumping to Warp Speed.

PhilB

 

I don't drive my Monster (or my YZF) in winter. Mostly cause I don't want the salt to wreak utter havoc on my bikes.

 

Yeah. Up until now, it's been just light flurries and sprinkles, no salt yet. Today was the first day of actual snow with snowplows out and roads full of salt/slush/mud. I got a lift in to work with my roommate, which will probably be the normal practice for a while now.

PhilB

 

I took my final ride this past Saturday; The temperature was hovering just a couple of degrees above freezing. Monday we received the first significant snowfall of the year. The bikes are now in bed for the winter.

It's not really the temperature that is an issue, or even the snow (I have ridden in temperatures as low as -6 Celsius, and we'll have some warm spells during the winter that see temperatures above freezing and dry roads). It's the salt that's a problem. They dump so much salt on the roads up here during the winter that even on a warm day with dry roads you would end up with salt powder all over your bike. Salt is the enemy.