Are sport bike riders wimps?

[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".

[evmo]

Not me!

[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.

[PlayboyPenguin]

I get out there in bad weather some but not like I used to do. I agree that everyone should have two bikes. I sure wish I could right now...but it took 12 yrs for me to get permission to buy just one new one.
I kinf of compromised with the Versys. It is sporty enough that the sport riders accept you and comfortable enough to ride with the cruisers.

I really do want a 1600 Mean Streak and will hopefully get one next summer.

I do not realythink of my self as a cruiser rider, or a sports rider, or anything. I am just rider of anything ith to wheels.

[Ishmael]

Not me!
I go out all day on the coldest winter day here.
It gets right down to about 70 F !!!

[Frenchy]

All the way DOWN to 70F!!! WOW. That's got to be rough. LOL

It's 25F here right now. Problem is the oil gets so sluggish in the cold. you can blow your engine waiting for it to "warm up".

[PlayboyPenguin]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

t's 25F here right now. Problem is the oil gets so sluggish in the cold. you can blow your engine waiting for it to "warm up".

That is why i keep mine in a heated garage and start it before pulling it out into the driveway.

[Saki.Girl]

lol not if you live in oregon casue 55 is warm right now i will say i am only good till about 32 out then it is to cold for me

[Thmastr]

very interesting question which im sure will continue to fuel this interesting thread!

I do not own a car. I have been riding for 2 years and that alsmo means 2 winters. I have ridden to work as long as the temperature was above 32F.. I have been quite comfortable while doing so you just need to have the right gear to keep you both safe and warm.

Unfortunately many people get into the sport to go fast, which means they will try to spend as little as possible in gear, but as much as they can on the fastest machine available to them.

Also now that it is winter sportbikes cannot be ridden nearly as hard as they can in the summer cause there just isnt as much traction. So many people are much more selctive when it comes to going out on their bikes.

[PlayboyPenguin]

Originally Posted by Saki.Girl

lol not if you live in oregon casue 55 is warm right now i will say i am only good till about 32 out then it is to cold for me

It is 46f here in vancouver right now and I am on the fence about going for a ride today.

[ReticentZ]

It's great here in San Antonio to ride year round. I have to put the liner back in my Astar jacket and wear two shirts instead of one but thats about it. That and switch to JR winter gloves instead of my Astar leather gloves.

I was in Columbus Ohio for an extended weekend last week. I loved it, so much so that I'm starting to look for work up there and move March of 2008. Kind of weird that in four days I only saw 7 bikes on the road and it was not what I would think is cold weather.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by PlayboyPenguin

That is why i keep mine in a heated garage and start it before pulling it out into the driveway.

I wish I had a garage. I keep my bike in the driveway durring the "season", and in my enclosed trailer in the winter. Next house will have a garage bigger than the house...

[bennice]

I typically ride until it's around 35 degrees or so. But I agree - there haven't been many sporties out around here on days less than 65-70 degrees.

[Ridge Rider]

I saw the lead post and wanted to come over and confess that I was a wimp, but then discovered it was about heat. I'm pretty much cold all the time, so riding around in the cold isn't much of a problem. But there surely is a lot of wind on these little Ninjas. And the place I ordered my winter coat and gloves from last Oct. 14th still hasn't shipped them. Is there a thread to report unresponsive dealers? My Visa has long since been charged. Wade

[love2ride]

Around here people dont ride when it gets cold, have to put gear on, who wants to where gear? Very few cruisers out, but no sportbikes. I commute on my bike so Im always out riding.

[ninja636billy]

I ride in 40 deg weather. =p

I dunno how all of your sportbikes are, but I do not have much wind protection. And crusiers prob have more wind protection then our bikes, so that is prob one reason why they are out more. Also, we all know crusier riders are so much more badass then anyone else, which is why they are always out there and dont wave to anyone or even turn their necks to look. I mean, what do they need to turn their neck for, of course everyone sees them. =p


Haha, of course that doesnt apply to everyone with a crusier, but it seems that about 90% of the crusier riders here have that attitude.

[Ninja Noob]

I think the guys on cruisers just own and wear more gear. Most of the guys on cruisers you see wear leather jackets, most of the times to just go along with the image. Most sport bikers i see ride around in t-shirts. I myself dont own a warm motorcycle jacket either. Plus there is a big difference between carving up the back roads going 80 and bobbing around town at 40.

[SixFiveOh]

Wind chill factor on a sportbike is WAY higher than a cruiser (at least the way I ride mine). That said, I usually go for a ride as long as the temps are at least 50 degrees. Much colder than that and my hands freeze.

[Freakinout]

Not me... I ride well into freezing temps (mornings), sometimes my butt is frozen, but its okay by me.

[alec]

I put my bike away more then a month ago. No I'm not a wimp and the only reason I did it was becuase last year I dropped my bike the day before it snowed...plus I'd rather wash it and do an oil change and all that stuff while it's still warm. Now this is Canada so our air is a little colder so last month it hit 5 degrees...there's been a couple of days where it's been 14 but I don't really want to pull it out of winter storage to ride it 1 day.

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