• Can't post after logging to the forum for the first time... Try Again - If you can't post in the forum, sign out of both the membership site and the forum and log in again. Make sure your COG membership is active and your browser allow cookies. If you still can't post, contact the COG IT guy at IT@Concours.org.
  • IF YOU GET 404 ERROR: This may be due to using a link in a post from prior to the web migration. Content was brought over from the old forum as is, but the links may be in error. If the link contains "cog-online.org" it is an old link and will not work.

Would you ride?

bajakirch

bajakirch

Crotch Rocket
Living in the North, we expect that the bike will be stowed away pretty much from November to March, if not longer. But every now and then, Mother Nature grants us a little reprieve. One winter was mild enough that I was able to get the bike out at least once per month all the way through the dark days.

For the last few days, we've had temps high enough to melt just about all of our snow and ice, and the roads are clear. And the weather's actually getting warmer for the weekend, topping out in the high 40s.

Earlier in the week, when temps were closer to freezing, they dumped literally tons of salt on the roads to keep things from freezing up. We've had a fair bit of rain the last couple of days, but not anything like a good frog-strangler to wash away all the salt.

My bike's sitting in the garage on the charger. This year, unlike most others where I have half the bike disassembled for one maintenance project or another, the bike's sitting there, ready to ride.

Sunday's expected to be a bit drizzly, but I'm tempted to take the bike out for a short ride. With the roads clear of ice and snow, I'm not so concerned about safety. But I am a bit worried about getting a bunch of salt on the bike, then packing it back into the garage for another couple of months, letting the salt eat away at my nearly 20-year-old steel.

Would you ride?

 
Nope. I did one year and the salt really pitted the aluminum under the bike. I washed it thoroughly and put on Boeshield so hopefully that will help. Not worth it.
 
Nope, for different reason.
Roads can be cooler than air, so condensation accumulates. Combine that with salt residue, other crud from several months, and you have a very slimy road. Ask me how I know... Didn't go down, but came awfully close.
Once was enough for me.
 
We had a couple good rains and I'm going out today. I believe all the salt stuff has been washed away. As long as the roads dry up I'm taking her out for a spin. High 40s today, maybe some sun too. Stay away from any puddles.
 
Rode today after a three week hiatus, thanks to a decent rain removing the salt, and the sun finally appearing in the sky to dry the roads out as temps rose into the 60s.  ;D
 
Had a nice ride to Renton WA at a 'balmy' 40 F and no rain until last 1/2 hr and then just a sprinkle .... for a Vintage MX show at Lawless HD. About 100 bikes and not all were MX. Rode the 85 V65 Sabre.
Having grown up in the northern plains I don't live there since HS. Was back for a couple years in early 80's working at 8k ft on construction.
Here I draw the line at snow ice unless it is lingering off the road then maybe. Usta be more daring.
I called the county road department a few years ago about the latest deicer they spray on the roadway. The engineer did not have an answer about the corrosive properties.
 
I'm with Bob; very spur of the moment but I got the bike out for 50 miles yesterday. Have been able to ride at least once a month in every month since March 2014. I don't always show the best judgement when it comes to salt on the road. The rains this week were beneficial. There can be a huge discrepancy between the way the state DOT treats their roads and how the surrounding town crews use their salt so I stick to more heavily traveled roads during this time.
 
Jorge said:
Nope, for different reason.
Roads can be cooler than air, so condensation accumulates. Combine that with salt residue, other crud from several months, and you have a very slimy road. Ask me how I know... Didn't go down, but came awfully close.
Once was enough for me.
Click to expand...

This was my exact experience yesterday, really slippery.....it was great to get out and ride (it was 54deg), but one had to be really careful out there around turns, especially off the major roadways. :(
 
We got out Bajakirch.  There was enough rain here in Northern IL during the week to where I was comfortable all the crap was off the rode.  Glad I did.  We amazingly had no commitments / no rink schedule / no kids at home.  By noon all dried out, my wife and I spent 30 miles to get to a coffee shop 10 miles away.  More direct route home.  Stopped at a restaurant in our little town for drinks (I only had one) then the three block ride home through the neighborhood where we had no kids at home and several hours to ourselves.  ;D  Got in the cage later for a movie and light dinner afterwards.  What a great day! Maybe there was some crap left on the roads, but I didn't notice.  Life is too fleeting and to be lived!  What a great day.  Got to go - off to the rink now....
 
I'm still tempted, but unless the sun comes out and actually dries off the roads, I'll likely keep it in the garage today. As was mentioned by others, damp roads, even when temps are in the 40s, make me a bit squeamish when I know the ground underneath is still frozen.

Also, they dumped A LOT of salt on our roads earlier this week when we had freezing rain. While we've had quite a bit of non-freezing rain since then with no salt re-application, it hasn't been the kind of steady, cleansing rinse I'd prefer.

Unless Mr. Sun pokes his head out for a few hours (something we haven't seen for over a week), I suspect the Connie will continue its winter nap for now.
 
That's where we got lucky on Saturday.  Sun was out by 9 or so.  Roads weren't dry until 12 or so.  We saw mid 50's.  Today is blah, wet, 40s... back on the tender.
 
In a heartbeat.

My son drove me down to Indy yesterday. Had to pick up some moto parts my lawyers had used to recreate accident (headlight bucket and modulator) so I took the time to teach my young driver how to navigate the Interstate.  Sunny and dry mid 50s. God is a funny dude. I have surgery to remove the hardware store from my ankle and he decides to give us a week of dry warm (mid 50s) weather inthe middle of January.

Lots of bikes out round here yesterday.....even the Harley groups were out so you know it was warm....and sunny/dry
 
ConcoursKZ said:
I put 300 miles on my 08 this weekend in Ohio. I ride all year. I take it to the car wash if it gets salty.
Click to expand...

But what about the salt that gets on it between the car wash and home?
 
Sport Rider said:
Get one of these and ride year around.  :))
Click to expand...
I actually rode one of those, my buddy has it in Miami! A magazine described it as "riding a drunken bear, almost impossible to ride in a straight line"; describes the ride to perfection!
 
Sidecar rigs have a "unique" handling component. They turn towards the car upon acceleration and away from the car on braking. It takes some anticipation and practice to get comfortable with one, as Sport Rider will (I'm sure) attest.
 
Ah, all you poor souls in ice territory.


Being in Denver these days, we have short periods where you *can’t* ride - mostly in Jan/Feb. Even then we often have days or a week of rideable weather.


Part of why I can never get the carbs off to Steve...maybe this Feb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top