Winter.. Enough Already!

[FB400]

Ok, so we dodged a few snowstorms in these parts.. but after getting hit with 2 storms within a week I have gone stir crazy. A few shots taken from my work location. Does kinda of look picturesque.

So I took the bike out for a ride today.. hey the 45 degrees and sunny rule applies. Roads where really wet from melting snow and as a new rider I found that unnerving on a winding roads where conditions where dry-then-wet-then dry/wet again.

Just feeling the need to vent.. can't take being indoors anymore.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Does look calendar/postcard-ish!

Be careful out there for other reasons as well. Wet is the least of your problems.

Tire pressure - dramatic daily changes in temps mean unstable tire pressures. Have them filled with nitrogen to reduce the sway in pressures based on temps. Check them OFTEN!!!

Sand and gravel - lots of this on the roads here in the northeast and very dangerous to bikes!

Salt - while not dangerous, it is cancer for your bike. Salt will corrode aluminum in a hurry. Any aluminum part on your bike that doesn't have a coating or a chipped coating will suffer damage very fast.

Cagers - People see snow on the ground. The last thing they expect to see is a motorcycle and they are not looking for them at all. These are dangerous times for us... those first few rides out there.

Black ice - if you happen to get stuck out there and cannot make it home until it starts getting dark out, the melt-off can turn to ice in a hurry when the sun goes down. Temps fall fast! Be careful because often, you don't know it is there until you're already on it.

Hope these tips help you. I'm not trying to scare you, just make you more aware as a new rider. I want you around for many years of riding! :thumbup:

 

[FB400]

FZ-
Thanks for the list of tips. Indeed I am being careful out there. I did notice sand and gravel.. though not too bad. I guess it is the sand and gravel you don't see that should be worrisome. So far only minor occurences where cagers are acting like d'bags although I am expecting this will increase as the weather gets warmer.

 

[Hoshiko]

I haven't even moved my car since the Tuesday before the storm last week, they keep cancelling the alternate side parking regulations.

You mentioned you are a new rider and lived in NYC. You have to go to Montauk when warm. Nice ride and great place.View attachment 25264

View attachment 25265

 

[RJ2112]

FZ-
Thanks for the list of tips. Indeed I am being careful out there. I did notice sand and gravel.. though not too bad. I guess it is the sand and gravel you don't see that should be worrisome. So far only minor occurences where cagers are acting like d'bags although I am expecting this will increase as the weather gets warmer.

Look for black ice where the sun doesn't get to the pavement. Shadows, underpasses, things that look wet are often something else, this time of year....

It's at it's worst when the temps are bouncing above and below freezing. Skim ice that acts like someone waxed the road. Practice travelling in straight lines across suspect spots, with no sudden inputs to the bike. Brakes, throttle, or steering.

 

[chimneydoc]

I live north of Seattle Wa and we are having a very mild winter, I can't remember even if we have had any snow yet. Yesterday and today is sunny and clear with more to come. Lots of bikes out, but it's a bit on the cool side out so I had to use my Gerbing electric jacket liner, I knew it was a hard thing to do but someone had to it.

Doc

 

[stevesnj]

Ahhhhh I just spent over an hour riding today... about 45 F Had the tunes playin... such a nice ride I missed the FZ. :rockon: