Are sport bike riders wimps?

[sebastian1000]

Yes....Sportbike riders are ALL AFRAID to come out in the cold because they are ALL WIMPS.

I am sure it doesn't have anything to do with lack of wind protection......or lack of proper traction, or the leaves that are building up, or the dew, etc etc etc. Yup.....it is definately because they are all afraid and wimps. Spot on.

Now allow me to give an equally thought out statement. All cruiser people are afraid to ride a real bike with real horsepower and speed capabilities. They are all wimps because they ride underpowered, relatively slow, overweight shiny machine barca-loungers with massive wind protection, because the wind scares them. I am spot-on right?

*unsubscribed*

[Charlie Gary]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

HMMM, good question wendy. Most of the sportbikers have gone for awhile here. I think you need a lot more gear to ride in the cold on a sport bike. There isn't any protection from the wind, like there is on...let's say a Nomad.

But I don't think they are "wimps". That's just why everyone should have two bikes(or more).

I wish the Mrs would "let" me have a sport bike. "They are only used for one thing, and that's dangerous...yada,yada,yada" I'm trying to "sell" her on a new C14. We'll see.

Your a gun guy, right? Sport bikes are like guns- perfectly safe, inanimate objects that can be used with intelligence, or not. Sell her on the high-performance safety of great brakes and handling characteristics. Leave out the high power part until she's on the back and you have to quickly accelerate away from a hazard.

[636rider]

a sportbike is for carving up the roads leaning it over and high speeds. Who wants to do that on cold tires.

[JTpaintball70]

Originally Posted by 636rider

a sportbike is for carving up the roads leaning it over and high speeds. Who wants to do that on cold tires.

There are ways to ride hard even in the cold, trust me. It just takes more conscious effort to warm the tires

[636rider]

Originally Posted by JTpaintball70

There are ways to ride hard even in the cold, trust me. It just takes more conscious effort to warm the tires

You don't know what your talking about. On cold day your tires are never going to get up to full temp. EVER!! I run race tires you think I want to put them out on the street in 30, 40, maybe even 50 degree weather.

[Sepist]

I'm riding through the winter this year. I don't have much of a cold gear, hell, didn't even install my heated grips yesterday but I still will go out in the cold, ride last night in 22 degrees and this morning to work in 33

My thumb was stiff when I got to work though, I guess I should pick up a pair of non ventilated gloves.

[NCDave]

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".

My son definitely isn't! He's been riding the 650 to work at the airport every day. He doesn't get off work until about 10:30, and at that time of night, it's been pretty chilly around here. Yesterday he was asking if there are heated grips available for the 650!

[ervins]

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".

Because trying to lean on a twisty road at speeds most people do not attempt, on a "cold" day is a recipe for disaster. The twisties I go to are in wooded areas which leaves some condensation on the ground (as a result of Bay Area fog and condensation), coupled with the cold, which not only effect the ground (traction) but also effect your tires (tractionj) is just not how to roll. Especially on a sportbike that has tons of torque in the rear...I should know I have slid my rear tire quite a few times going pretty darn fast on a very tight turn, on a morning dew'd road, with temperatures considered "cold" in the bay area (60 degrees). Thrilling but not fun. Riding at a leisurely pace is nothing compared to riding at a "fast" pace...Heck, I didn't even mention the difficulty of the road in the equation. Afraid is not the word...It is careful since the speeds you maybe talking about on these cold days are considered by others to be "slow".

[08Concours14]

I guess I am a wimp. I ride everyday and the other day was draggin' knee on my ZX14 at 35 degrees with a leaf covered road. With some warm gear on.....it ain't nuthin' but a thang'. Re: the sport bike vs. cruiser bike danger level........of the bike wrecks in my area, 1 out of 10 are sportbikes and 9 out of 10 of the cruiser bike wrecks are fatalities because they just won't wear gear. I am amazed at the 40 mph cruiser crashes wear a smacked knoggin kills them and sportbike guys go down at 80+ and just walk away. There are some lessons to be learned here. Now the young people riding sport bikes with no gear and haulin arse'.........I make no excuses for that.

[Ninja_Wendy]

Man this thread grew like a weed since I posted it last night. Ha ha. I was a little cold riding but 55 is really not so bad that I thought it would keep people home. I probably wouldn't ride much below 40 (except for short runs) but I get cold easily. I just thought it was funny that there were NO sport bikes out and it was only 55. I always wear my gear so I enjoy colder more than hotter. The only thing I didn't like was my winter gloves that I bought, they are way too bulky and I couldn't feel my controls. So I had to pull over and change into my light leather gloves that left my hands a little chilly. Maybe I need a BMW with heated grips

[JTpaintball70]

Wendy, just to let you know, they make universal grip heating kits. I've had to look them up for customers at work. If you go to your dealer, they're in Tucker rocky

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by alec

Also when you own a subaru impreza, it's more fun to drive that then a bike in the cold.

Not to diss your ride, it sounds like you like it, but that is the last vehicle that I will EVER own again. In the reg model (Imprezza), I couldn't make it my hill in the winter(a chevette used to make it), in the 1st RS, I came off of a side street, at 10mph, and slid accross the street slamming it sideways into the curb, this one also went through 2 transmissions (one before/one after), and the 2nd RS, sounded like a lawn mower after a year and the heat shields on the cats were always rattling. Now we have a Limited Edition Legacy, and it's heat sheilds are rattling.It's only 2yrs old. They have just gone way down hill since they stopped making them 4WD G wagons. Which I had an 80's model that was bulletproof. Now THAT, was a real rally car. Boy it loved the whooppydoos! Plus, they are built for Asians, not full size Americans. I can't stand a car I can't wear a baseball cap in without leaning my seat all the way back.

You can super charge a poop sandwich, but it's still a poop sandwich.

Originally Posted by Charlie Gary

Your a gun guy, right? Sport bikes are like guns- perfectly safe, inanimate objects that can be used with intelligence, or not. Sell her on the high-performance safety of great brakes and handling characteristics. Leave out the high power part until she's on the back and you have to quickly accelerate away from a hazard.

I can hear my wife now, "I hear a noise downstairs, go get the Ninja!". Hey wait, that kinda sounds like it would work...

[ervins]

Originally Posted by 08Concours14

I guess I am a wimp. I ride everyday and the other day was draggin' knee on my ZX14 at 35 degrees with a leaf covered road. With some warm gear on.....it ain't nuthin' but a thang'. Re: the sport bike vs. cruiser bike danger level........of the bike wrecks in my area, 1 out of 10 are sportbikes and 9 out of 10 of the cruiser bike wrecks are fatalities because they just won't wear gear. I am amazed at the 40 mph cruiser crashes wear a smacked knoggin kills them and sportbike guys go down at 80+ and just walk away. There are some lessons to be learned here. Now the young people riding sport bikes with no gear and haulin arse'.........I make no excuses for that.

Amen...Wear gear people.

[Ninja_Wendy]

Originally Posted by JTpaintball70

Wendy, just to let you know, they make universal grip heating kits. I've had to look them up for customers at work. If you go to your dealer, they're in Tucker rocky

Ok, now where is my excuse to buy a new bike?

I didn't realize that though. I think I will look into getting some.

Luckily 30 degrees is about the coldest it gets here, it does get a little colder and sometimes there is black ice. It is actually going to be 77 on Wednesday. It will jump between 30 and 50 through January and then it will be a little nippier in February and March but it's almost year round riding. I used to want to move back up north and then I remembered how cold it gets and how much snow there is.

[chamois]

I've been trying to eke out as much riding time as I can this month on my ninja 250, but the motorcycle itself doesn't seem to like the cold (30's). It tends to just up and stall on me when in neutral and cold.

On the comments about sport bike tires not doing well in the cold, is there a winter tire I could put on my ninja 250?

[JTpaintball70]

Originally Posted by chamois

I've been trying to eke out as much riding time as I can this month on my ninja 250, but the motorcycle itself doesn't seem to like the cold (30's). It tends to just up and stall on me when in neutral and cold.

On the comments about sport bike tires not doing well in the cold, is there a winter tire I could put on my ninja 250?

Sport touring tires work better than true sport tires

[JTpaintball70]

Originally Posted by 636rider

You don't know what your talking about. On cold day your tires are never going to get up to full temp. EVER!! I run race tires you think I want to put them out on the street in 30, 40, maybe even 50 degree weather.

Yay for you. You use race tires. I guess that must make you an instant expert.

Part of what I said comes from my experience on my old 500R, although that was sport touring tires.
The other comes from the riding I've been doing on my 650R. I use Sportec M3's and have ridden down below freezing, and ridden hard. I have yet to have any problems. Part of that is I do my best to keep the tires up to temp. You can do that by weaving in your lane some, which helps. Hard braking also helps

[NCDave]

Originally Posted by Ninja_Wendy

Ok, now where is my excuse to buy a new bike?

I didn't realize that though. I think I will look into getting some.

Luckily 30 degrees is about the coldest it gets here, it does get a little colder and sometimes there is black ice. It is actually going to be 77 on Wednesday. It will jump between 30 and 50 through January and then it will be a little nippier in February and March but it's almost year round riding. I used to want to move back up north and then I remembered how cold it gets and how much snow there is.

Wendy, just keep riding and having fun like I do. I don't think I ride anywhere near the extremes of my tires or my bike that would warrent major concern.

and by the way....the picture of you is WAY hot! I just love a woman in leather!

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by JTpaintball70

Wendy, just to let you know, they make universal grip heating kits. I've had to look them up for customers at work. If you go to your dealer, they're in Tucker rocky

Are those the ones that go into your handle bars? If so, any idea if they'll work with Kury's ISO grips? I've seen some on-line, but I can't seem to find them now (that it's cold).

I had some other ones (grips) on m last bike, but they looked gaff. They looked kind of like 4wheeler or snowmobile type.

Sportbike guys:

This isn't about cruiser vs sport. There are pro's and con's on both sides. Let's play nice...

[JTpaintball70]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

Are those the ones that go into your handle bars? If so, any idea if they'll work with Kury's ISO grips? I've seen some on-line, but I can't seem to find them now (that it's cold).

I had some other ones (grips) on m last bike, but they looked gaff. They looked kind of like 4wheeler or snowmobile type.

Sportbike guys:

This isn't about cruiser vs sport. There are pro's and con's on both sides. Let's play nice...

They are actually ones that essentially stick the the handlebars and the grips go back over them... I don't know if they'll work with ISO grips... never seen it or had anyone ask