Riding and weather; who mixes both?

[jeero]

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Just curious to see what the general GTAM concessus is about riding in different weather.

Personally I will ride my bike where I need to go if there's a reason to in most weathers.
Keep in mind that for the moment my bike is my only vehicle. Everyone will judge situations differently if they own a car and a bike.

examples:
1- I want to buy a computer part that's only in stock 30 minutes away, but it's raining. -> I'll wait it out.
2- My friend called and her car broke down and her purse stolen, she needs 50$ for the towing. She lives an hour away and it's raining. -> I'll ride.

 

[kiwi]

I ride when I need to as well,

I'd say 75% of riders are fair weather riders.

 

[MacDoc]

To a degree it depends on time of year. The Burgman carries enough so I've always got gear at hand so 40% Tstorm I'll just ignore and put a jacket on if it gets raining. Severe Tstorms I've been in a couple near tornados to know to get off the road and wait it out.

100% chance of rain ( not showers ) in October planning a 4 day I'll duck ( we had that exact situation planning to go to the Catskills and there was a monster front.
So we went to PA - got wet one day but nothing like we would have going east.

I don't much enjoy rain in traffic but back roads showers are just fine especially on a warm day.
Not fond of rain at night tho after one night realizing I really was invisible in grey and black I'm now highly visible with white helment and bike and dayglo Icon rain jacket.
So less of a concern now.

Cold is okay down to about 4 dry and 8 wet tho new heated grips might take that lower as it was my hands that were the worst.

Short jaunts doesn't matter what it's doing cept snow.....snow riding days on mcycle are 40+ years ago.

 

[jeero]

lol MacDoc, I think snow is one thing I won't really be tempting fate with on a motorcycle. I have heated grips on mine and allowed me to start riding in mid-march.
Your hands are basically your body's radiators. If they are cold, you will feel cold. If they are warm, well you get the point...
Don't pray for cold weather to try out your heathers, but at least you know you have them for when that time unfortunately comes along. :laughing8:
They are good for cold summer nights too like the ones we had a week or so ago due to the constant rain.

 

[Mina]

I've only put on 6500 Klm's since end of March and it's all been leisure riding.
I don't mind riding in cooler temperatures but if it rains, I hop in the car and go where I need to.
I ride my bike to enjoy it and riding in the rain is not enjoyable. (for me anyways)

 

[MacDoc]

Speaking of rain - that's a pretty severe front heading our way - when it's an arc like that ( in red ) look out...might just wait til that passes to hit the Shed for the daily gossip meetup

updates here

http://www.findlocalweather.com/radar_loop_nexrad/toronto_on_ca.html

 

[油井緋色]

It depends, I won't ride in heavy *** rain because I do not have rain gear; though it would give me an excuse to wash the bike <___<

I've rode in light rain before which is fine. Sometimes I ride to school which means laptop in my bag, my bag is not waterproof, so heavy rain = #@$(*&#@$*(&@#

 

[rmemedic]

In the summer, unless I need to tow something or carry something big, I take the bike no matter what.

 

[KJM]

I commute to work a fair distance. My rule is if it is not raining when I leave in the morning I take the bike, whether or not it is calling for rain later does not matter. If I get wet on the way home so be it, just dont like showing up to work like a drenched rat as I have no rain gear.

 

[jeero]

Speaking of rain - that's a pretty severe front heading our way - when it's an arc like that ( in red ) look out...might just wait til that passes to hit the Shed for the daily gossip meetup

Dangit MacDoc! I was planning on going to Forks this evening with a buddy all the way from Niagara.
I guess thanks are in order.

 

[jeero]

I commute to work a fair distance. My rule is if it is not raining when I leave in the morning I take the bike, whether or not it is calling for rain later does not matter. If I get wet on the way home so be it, just dont like showing up to work like a drenched rat as I have no rain gear.

True, cause once you're home you can change clothes and get comfortable again.
That's actually what I've told some people at work when they're all laughing at me cause it's raining.

 

[Andybear13]

Only my first year riding, but I have no problem riding in rain or shine. My motorcycle is my only method of transportation (Yeah, I picked a bike over a car, what of it? ) and I have to ride it no matter the weather to work. Luckily it hasn't rained a lot this summer . It's fairly uncomfortable to get on a wet bike however...

 

[MacDoc]

Positive side tho you will become a very good rider as you are forced out in all weather.
Anyone get wet today?

Toronto seems to have ducked it.
Might head out again tonight.

We seem to be sliding right between two systems

 

[trilea]

I ride to work so rain or shine i ride

 

[tripletrophy]

One of the reasons for the Trophy and Duc is the hard bags. Rain gear is always in them, ready to go in the event of rain. I got caught a couple of time son my first bike without the rain gear, usually after parking the bike at work all day after deciding the forecast looked okay, and I didnèt feel like carrying the gear in the tank bag. I have on occasion gone out of my way to ride in rain, and find with the gear, I keep reasonably dry.

Today I am watching the weather maps to try and time a trip and avoid most of the rain. The radar maps seem more up to date than the hourly forecasts.

 

[tripletrophy]

I decided yesterday to ride up to Orillia, recognizing that the forecast was rain yesterday afternoon and overnight. By today it was supposed to have cleared. After spending this morning reviewing forecasts, I decided to take a chance and head out, hoping to ride down between waves of rain. This dictated a bit of a zig zag route trying to avoid black clouds, but eventually at Alliston I ran out of options, and slipped on the rain gear. That's why it pays to be prepared. Home safely, reasonably dry and had a good ride, despite the rain.

 

[regder]

I have no problems riding in the rain if it means getting to a destination, however for commuting or short trips I'll take the car. Heck, coming back from Deals Gap last Monday it rained for the better part of the day (~1000km), including one unbelieavable storm on the I90 east of Erie.

My boots and gloves are not water proof so even with a rain suit it's not the most fun thing.

 

[Tiggy]

I find this rather interesting..most riders i meet say they dont ride rain and what not, but the outcome of the poll tells otherwise. In the summer my bike is the only thing I ride...rain or shine. Not saying I enjoy riding in the rain but I ride to work everyday rain or no rain. Pretty much as long as the roads are not covered in snow and ice, I will ride. Mind you the conditions play a big role in how I ride, but I pay way too much for insurance to let my bike sleep.

 

[wonderings]

As long the the ground is not ice I ride. My car is off the road for 8 months of the year and is used only for the winter.

I always keep rain gear in my left pannier. Riding in the rain can be very enjoyable when dressed properly. I have not done it in a while, but I used to love throwing on my rain gear and heading out in the raid, touring down country roads. If its thunder and a nice heavy storm, I don't choose to go out riding, but if I have something to do, I do it on the bike, no matter what the weather.

 

[jolomatic]

We're a one-car family, plus my bike.
Basically the car is my wife's vehicle, the bike is mine.
So I'm all-weather when it comes to commuting to work (my rule of thumb is 4deg or warmer, unless ice is still melting).
In the worst of the cold, I become a GO train commuter.
But if it is not necessary, I generally don't take the bike out in the rain, kind of like I usually don't take a walk in the rain, but raingear is there for when it is necessray - don't hate it, just don't love it as much as dry weather riding.
I'll shuttle the kids around on the bike in good weather, but havn't forced them to endure rain on the bike (yet, lol).

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