whats the worst weather youve had to ride in or just chose to ride in?in high school 2 years back every snowday id ride my bike(not an xs at the time was a moped) to my at-the-time girlfriends house which was 6 miles down a back road the plows literally never touched.im shocked at how well it went in snow.
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worst riding weather?
- Thread starter rickieh
- Start date
tonyc
XS650 Guru
Fog so thick that you could ony see 1/4 of a white divided line in the road.
Rogue21
XS650 Addict
Ive ridden in some below freezing weather (always by choice too 
), but I really hate riding in the rain. Its not the most dangerous, but the most uncomfortable for me.
), but I really hate riding in the rain. Its not the most dangerous, but the most uncomfortable for me.
Ghetto
Bob it!
Got caught in a heavy rain on the way back from Laconia last year. So bad the bike said no and stopped running.
bbillington
blorp a dorp dorp
45° pouring rain and hail coming over the mountains on the PA turnpike mixed in with all the semis to try and protect myself. Eventually gave up trying to get home and spent the night somewhere around New Baltimore.
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
Well, down here in the Sunny South it's when the temperature drops below 65F and the sun ain't shinning (Brrrrrrr...)...
.... But then, we still have the other 364 days to ride.....
(This year...even better...we get the other 365 days to ride!.....
)
.... But then, we still have the other 364 days to ride.....(This year...even better...we get the other 365 days to ride!.....
)
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Oxblood
Steel-Toed Sneakers
I went 9 years without a car in some places I shoulda probably had a car. Back when I was living in Golden, CO I left for work one afternoon and it was a nice 60 degrees outside. By the time I got off work that night we had a full scale blizzard going on. I rode home at less than 5 miles an hour dragging both feet like skis. The best part was golden is a valley with the main road following the bottom and my house was up the side a littlle bit, trying to ride a straight piped bike up a snowy hill at midnight didn't make me many friends.
North Carolina sucked cause although it didn't get cold alot it is the only place I've ever lived where it can be below freezing and raining.
It's 25 outside right now and I'm getting ready to ride for my daily 45 min commute. proper riding gear and a full face helmet was the best motorcycle investment I've ever made.
North Carolina sucked cause although it didn't get cold alot it is the only place I've ever lived where it can be below freezing and raining.
It's 25 outside right now and I'm getting ready to ride for my daily 45 min commute. proper riding gear and a full face helmet was the best motorcycle investment I've ever made.
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
I had a Suzuki DR200 as a daily rider for about 4 months....all winter. It was real cold and raining lightly one evening on my way home. Then it turned to blowing, freezing rain real fast. The sideways rain. I stopped at a stop sign and noticed my clutch lever was iced over, then noticed everything else was that way too. It sucked big time. No traction at all. I had to park my bike and call my brother. I dropped it twice. Of course this was before cell phones, so a nice walk was made to the local quickymart.
On the way home there were cars all over the place. Lots of slow motion slides.
Last week it was really windy here and Delaware has lots of huge, flat fields. I was cruising about 55 and passed a tree line next to a field. I had to lean hardcore to counteract the wind coming across the open field. It was a bit scarey. I was being blown towards the centerline.
On the way home there were cars all over the place. Lots of slow motion slides.
Last week it was really windy here and Delaware has lots of huge, flat fields. I was cruising about 55 and passed a tree line next to a field. I had to lean hardcore to counteract the wind coming across the open field. It was a bit scarey. I was being blown towards the centerline.
cros36
thread killer
my first time on the expressway it was a little over 60 mile stretch, 40 degrees out, drizzling, foggy, night time, and mostly a construction zone. it was about 60 earlier that day, so all i had was a flannel and a hoody, and some shop glasses. defiantly not prepared that day.
Back in the 1970's, 3 of us on our bikes were riding through Vermont. Heavy rain poured down for about 2 hours before we got to a motel. None of us had rain gear
. Needless to say we got soaked!
These days I'm a lot smarter. I have rain coat, rain pants, and rain over boots. Last summer, I went on a 5 day trip in the mountains of British Columbia. Fantastic trip, except that it rained on 3 of the 5 days. I even had hail going over the Kootenay Pass. The good news is I stayed completely dry. I don't leave home without my rain gear these days.
. Needless to say we got soaked!These days I'm a lot smarter. I have rain coat, rain pants, and rain over boots. Last summer, I went on a 5 day trip in the mountains of British Columbia. Fantastic trip, except that it rained on 3 of the 5 days. I even had hail going over the Kootenay Pass. The good news is I stayed completely dry. I don't leave home without my rain gear these days.
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
I just got back from lunch. Had to go to the post office. It is WINDY out boy. 68 degrees and 40 mph gust. Not fun today. I probably look like I'm riding drunk or something. I was all over the place. Seems like the wind is coming from 3 different directions too.
Counter leaning and then adjusting for the drift, lol.
Counter leaning and then adjusting for the drift, lol.
Rode home from a concert about 12 years ago at the Gorge on an FZR600 in Eastern Washington. The wind was incredible heading out over the columbia river, then went from a sunny 75 degrees with wind to a freezing 40 degree's with wind heading over the pass into western washington. By the time I got into the city I was so cramped from the cold (I was NOT prepared) all I could do to warm myself up was stand under a hot shower. It was the worst 3 hour ride ever.
I once left from Dover, De in 12" of snow. Took all day and well into the night to get to Petersburg, Va. Many miles with both feet on the ground. Snow packed on my legs like it packs under the fenders of cars. When I stopped I had to beat the snow off my legs before I could lift a leg over the bike. My gloves froze to the handlebars.
A Maryland State Trooper blocked traffic on the big bridge on US 301 and gave me one shot at getting over the bridge. When I got to the top and started down the other side I realized I was a fool.
Next year I left Greensboro, NC and rode to Mardis-gras (New Orleans, La) in the rain, spent 3 days outside in the rain there because I couldn't find a room then rode to Houston, Tx in the rain. Spent one night in Houston in a cheap motel then rode back to NC-- rained the entire trip.
How I wish I were 22 again...
A Maryland State Trooper blocked traffic on the big bridge on US 301 and gave me one shot at getting over the bridge. When I got to the top and started down the other side I realized I was a fool.
Next year I left Greensboro, NC and rode to Mardis-gras (New Orleans, La) in the rain, spent 3 days outside in the rain there because I couldn't find a room then rode to Houston, Tx in the rain. Spent one night in Houston in a cheap motel then rode back to NC-- rained the entire trip.
How I wish I were 22 again...
jayel
#9 Guru 74 TX650A
1970 January 0° 100 miles on a 58 FLH panhead with a sidecar had windshield, safetybar covers, and a factory lap apron (heat houser setup) snowmobile suit, helmet and really heavy wool liner mittens still was damn cold frost bit fingers
This is going to be a good topic. Having my bike as my only transportation, and before that my preferred transportation, I've ridden in some wild stuff. I've tried to ride in snow, but the bike will not stay up; try to go 1mph and the back will just kick out to the side and keep going and stuff like that. Hopeless.
My scariest ride was probably crossing the confluence of the Mississippi and the Ohio on a real narrow bridge with strong gusts, into Cairo, IL. After I was across I mentioned it to somebody and they said "Oh, it's not deep there - they can't keep it dredged." LOL! I was just hoping a semi wouldn't come facing me.
There is a giant cross there on the KY side, which I'd never heard of and which surprised me. It's to commemorate the sacking of a pioneer fort on the site by Indians.
http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=461&gbv=2&oq=Fort+Jefferson+Memorial+Cross+&aq=f&aqi=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=4641l4641l0l6343l1l1l0l0l0l0l40l40l1l1l0&gs_l=img.3...4641l4641l0l6344l1l1l0l0l0l0l40l40l1l1l0&q=Fort%20Jefferson%20Memorial%20Cross&orq=Fort+Jefferson+Memorial+Cross+
I'd been planning to cross at a ferry, which was closed due to low water. Then the first bridge north of there was out. Finally still further north was the one I crossed.
My scariest ride was probably crossing the confluence of the Mississippi and the Ohio on a real narrow bridge with strong gusts, into Cairo, IL. After I was across I mentioned it to somebody and they said "Oh, it's not deep there - they can't keep it dredged." LOL! I was just hoping a semi wouldn't come facing me.
There is a giant cross there on the KY side, which I'd never heard of and which surprised me. It's to commemorate the sacking of a pioneer fort on the site by Indians.
http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=461&gbv=2&oq=Fort+Jefferson+Memorial+Cross+&aq=f&aqi=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=4641l4641l0l6343l1l1l0l0l0l0l40l40l1l1l0&gs_l=img.3...4641l4641l0l6344l1l1l0l0l0l0l40l40l1l1l0&q=Fort%20Jefferson%20Memorial%20Cross&orq=Fort+Jefferson+Memorial+Cross+
I'd been planning to cross at a ferry, which was closed due to low water. Then the first bridge north of there was out. Finally still further north was the one I crossed.
When I was driving a truck I always hated that bridge. But not nearly as much as I hated the 26 mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel from Hampton to the Eastern Shore. I've seen the winds kick the surf up on that bridge.
crashcourse
XS650 Addict
There was that time I hit a thunderstorm in MT. Raindrops so big it felt like I was playing paintball. Then the hail started. Got past the storm in just a couple miles, but if I hadn't had riding pants, jacket, and full face helmet I'd have been black and blue all over.
"Worst" for me was a few months ago...got caught in heavy chilly rain with no gear (except helmet) and worn tires...had to stay on throttle it was bogging so badly....every corner was a nightmare drift......even dropped the bike at a traffic light because the road was so slick. Fortunately I got home without further incident
