Are sport bike riders wimps?

[PlayboyPenguin]

...but it wasn't the cold. I was suited up well enough to deal with that. It was the wind. We get some powerful winds out here in the Columbia Gorge. After about an hour of riding I decided to put my tail between my legs and head home. While I was going south across the Glen Jackson bridge I had to lean like I was performing a sharp left turn the entire stretch just to stay upright and moving in a straight line.

[lilredridingliz]

It has been 35-40 degrees in the mornings here, warming up to about 50 during the day, and there have been plenty of sport bikes, and people on sport touring bikes in the last week. I prefer to ride in the middle of the day, when it's warmer out, mainly because I have been fighting a cold for a month, and I hate being cold. If I am cold in the morning, I generally don't warm up. That sucks!

I have no problem riding mid-day, or in the fog or drizzle when necessary to get home.

[Kevorkian]

Rode today and it was okay when the sun was out, but when it started going down it got a bit nippy. 38-42 degrees ish. No heated gloves on that ride but did okay. And it was fun as hell!!!!!!!!!

[taro]

I'll ride through the winter on my ex500 provided the streets aren't frozen and there is less than a 50% chance of precip (as per my agreement with my wife). So far the coldest I've ridden in is 19 degrees F. My commute is about 40 miles and about 40 minutes. I'm okay for about the first 30 minutes, but the last ten minutes can get uncomfortable. Someday, I might get some heated gear, but I've got doubts about whether my bike's alternator can handle it.

[JimmyD]

Taro: The ex will handle light modifications. Say a set of heated grips or gloves. If its newer I might go as far as a vest and gloves, if the vest was low enough wattage (I think yours is an 03 or 04 so the wiring would be in pretty good shape).

I ran a 100 watt headlight and grips on my vulcan 500 and didn't have any battery burnup problems. Some other guys had full highway lights and gear on their vulcans too. It's the same engine so I dont see why the ex couldn't handle it.

[MR.S7]

Originally Posted by Ninja_Wendy

The last few weekends I have gone out riding, it's been around 65-70 degrees out and I've seen a ton of sport bikes out (just riding for 30-45 minutes). Well it was 55 degrees today and hubby and I were out for over 2 hours and not a sport bike rider in sight. Saw 3 or 4 guys on cruisers. My hubby and I were wondering if the other sport bike riders were afraid to come out in the "cold".

jeje yes Sportbike riders r wimps
cruiser riders r oldies wanna still feel B@d @ss
enduro riders are pre marriage guyz wanna spend last days as teenagers..

i mean c´moooonn..

i would say sportbike riders are smart. who wannafreeze outside just to show your still b@d@ss. . . m m i already answered that.

[Averitteg]

Originally Posted by MR.S7

jeje yes Sportbike riders r wimps
cruiser riders r oldies wanna still feel B@d @ss
enduro riders are pre marriage guyz wanna spend last days as teenagers..

i mean c´moooonn..

i would say sportbike riders are smart. who wannafreeze outside just to show your still b@d@ss. . . m m i already answered that.

hmm...I'm a sportbike rider and I will ride no matter what the temp is...depending on the roads...mostly because I love to ride...Now I just need a girl to ride along with me in the cold...

[taro]

Jimmy, thanks for the info. I'm hoping to postpone any purchases as long as I can endure things because I'm cheap. My latest thought is either replacing my levers with carbon fiber or plastic ones or to see if I can get some neoprene covers for them. It feels like most of the cold is coming from the levers despite the fact that their protected from the wind with the handlebar sock type things.

[JimmyD]

Try "contracting" your grip on the bars as you ride. Grip, then let go, then grip. You can also get those microwaveable handwarmers, they last usually 20 minutes or so if you slip them into your gloves right before you head out the door. I just put mine up for the season and that 2 hour ride home is something else