Trust your bike ?

[nomadrider1600]

Last weekend I rode to Vermont to visit my brother. I only see him a couple of times a year and the 150 mile ride (each way) is great. The ride is though the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.

Well there was a big storm coming though and everyone was telling me stay home. Nope, went anyway.
Had a great ride up and a great visit. 4:00 comes and I was leaving. Again everyone is telling me spend the night, look at the weather radar. Blah , blah, blah :-)

After many years of riding in bad storms (rain and a few times snow) I trust my bike. My Guardian Angel sometimes has to work overtime, and I just trust my bike. Sometimes it is a nice ride in a warm summer rain.

So, am I alone on this?

[jestephens]

Two pieces of my Grandpa's advice come to mind here:

1. "Weather should never stop you, just slow you down"

2. "When you feel you're in complete control, sell your bike, that's when people get hurt."

Glad you had a safe trip, and a couple new stories to tell!

[Old Bear]

I ride in pretty much anything other than ice or snow on the road, or below around 35 degrees. In Tennessee that is most of the year!

[ponch]

Rain is one thing, lightning another.

[Monkeyman]

Originally Posted by Old Bear

I ride in pretty much anything other than ice or snow on the road, or below around 35 degrees. In Tennessee that is most of the year!

There's got to be a dislike button around here somewhere.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by Old Bear

I ride in pretty much anything other than ice or snow on the road, or below around 35 degrees. In Tennessee that is most of the year!

It is? I thought it gets pretty warm there in the summer.

[Loafer]

Where in Vt. is your brother? How was the trip overall?

[ringadingh]

I'll ride in almost anything, usually if I'm caught in it. Ive ridden in everything from a tornado that went by a few hundred yards away,to snow.

[dmyers]

My Dad told me about a ride he took coming home from Kansas during WWII
He as coming home for christmas and road from Wichita to Springfield in a blizzard. Said it took 14 hours and had to ride most of the way with both feet on the ground like outriggers.
He realy wanted to be home for Christmas

[nomadrider1600]

Originally Posted by Loafer

Where in Vt. is your brother? How was the trip overall?

He is about 15 miles south of Burlington VT. Right on Lake Champlain.

The ride up there was great. Had a great day goofing around. We went to a local range and shot a bunch of paper bad guys with our Glocks.

The ride back was a lot of wind and rain. Riding around tree branches. I went straight into the storm and came out the other side. The second half of the return trip was not that bad.

Like the wide bars on my 2005 Nomad. Feels like I have good control. Summer rain really can be fun to ride in, but the wind made it suck. Or should I say that it blew :)

[coacha]

I'll ride in rain but not lightening. If you ask dabull, he would say I'm crazy for some of the storms I have ridden in. Lowest temp I've started a ride in is 16 here in sunny Florida.

[audiogooroo]

Originally Posted by coacha

I'll ride in rain but not lightening. If you ask dabull, he would say I'm crazy for some of the storms I have ridden in. Lowest temp I've started a ride in is 16 here in sunny Florida.

Dang Ron! 16 is cold here in the Rockies, but it's just wrong in Florida!

[Old Bear]

Originally Posted by ponch

It is? I thought it gets pretty warm there in the summer.

Quite warm, but I still ride. Once it hits mid-nineties I have to shed the jacket and ride with a long sleeve shirt (keeps the sun off my delicate arms!). A little sweat hasn't killed me yet!

[bouson]

When I was younger I rode year round and didn't own a car, but about 2 months of a 4 year span.
The worst I rode in:

1. Snow storm that came in while at work. It was 12 inches deep and the temperature, including chill factor was 60 below 0 Fahrenheit setting still. I rode about 5 miles home.

2. Hail storm with pea sized hail. Had about 2 blocks to cover.

3. Rain storm 3 years ago that flooded the streets in spots, almost to the bottom of the air filter on my 900 Vulcan Classic. Rode 12 miles.

My rule now is if I'm out on the bike I'll ride home. If I'm at home and it's wet weather or too cold for just leathers I drive my car. There are some exceptions, if I have to take the bike, I can and will, I have the proper clothing for riding all day in all weather conditions.

[coacha]

Originally Posted by audiogooroo

Dang Ron! 16 is cold here in the Rockies, but it's just wrong in Florida!

The morning of that ride, I ran into one of our custodians at the gas station while I was filling up. She looked at me and said I was plum crazy for riding in that. It did warm up to a balmy 38 that day, lol.

I have a heated jacket liner and probably will be adding some heated gloves or liners for cold days like that. We don't get a bunch, but dang, I don't want to quit riding when it is cold and clear. No snow riding yet.