Who's still riding? Fall & Winter 2022 (& 2023!) edition!

[V-Tom]

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Nice. I've filled up 4x since the new year so I'd say I'm somewhere between 600 km and 800 km, all between Etobicoke, Vaughan, North York, and downtown proper. Just daily riding for errands, picking up take-out, etc.

Means I've saved about $140-$190 in fuel vs taking my 5.4 liter v8 cage.

Always nice when we can rationalize something we are going to do anyway!

I saw another bike today. A large cruiser (I think a Harley) heading north on HWY 45 north of Cobourg/

I'm now at about 2,500 km this year so far. Any riding this time of year is a bonus!

..Tom

 

[WestBrantKid]

Always nice when we can rationalize something we are going to do anyway!

I saw another bike today. A large cruiser (I think a Harley) heading north on HWY 45 north of Cobourg/

I'm now at about 2,500 km this year so far. Any riding this time of year is a bonus!

..Tom

So, you're doing a lot of riding! 2,500kms since the new year?
I just did a rough calculation, 70kms/day commute, averaging 4 days a week, puts me somewhere around 1750kms.

 

[V-Tom]

So, you're doing a lot of riding! 2,500kms since the new year?
I just did a rough calculation, 70kms/day commute, averaging 4 days a week, puts me somewhere around 1750kms.

I do ride a lot. I rode 61,085 km in 2022.

The nerd in me records it all.

..Tom

 

[Hardwrkr13]

Correct. The average motorcyclist and snow mobiler are built different.

In the few years I've bought a handful of ten year old motorcycles with 4,000 km or less... Fairweather riders galore in Toronto.

Knowing many who ride both (including myself) I disagree with that statement.

 

[adri]

Went out today for a first run for 2023! With that balmy weather we had it was almost like spring weather! I was expecting to see the roads filled with motorcycles, but I didn't see a single rider. @adri where were you!

Just a little scoot around the block as far as HWY 7 and looped back home. Bike is running ok, but need to do a proper once over for the before the season really starts.

View attachment 59573

Probably between Eglinton and St. Clair. Glad you got out!
Keep that chrome clean, get a winter beater bike! lol

 

[adri]

Knowing many who ride both (including myself) I disagree with that statement.

I'll differ to your knowledge. Born and raised in Toronto and I don't know a single person from Toronto who rides snowmobiles, but I know hundreds of motorcyclists from Toronto, and all of the snowmobilers I know are from outside of the city.

Huh, so maybe they are different after all.

 

[adri]

Always nice when we can rationalize something we are going to do anyway!

lmao. This has been me all week, asking the missus if I should get a V6 second car so I can "save gas" by not taking the V8 pickup truck

 

[adri]

Howdy all. Yesterday I drove 750 km to look at a beautiful dang-near-mint Z900RS with 7k km. Seller had one of the original 70s Kawi Z1s in his garage too. Pretty cool to see the two in the same time/place.

Naturally in between paying the man and taking it back home I took it for a ten minute ride. It's crazy that for less than $1000 more than a used Royal Enfield, you can get twice the bike with a used Kawasaki. Money well spent. Although, kind of heart broken to be selling the Bonneville

 

[Lightcycle]

Howdy all. Yesterday I drove 750 km to look at a beautiful dang-near-mint Z900RS with 7k km. Seller had one of the original 70s Kawi Z1s in his garage too. Pretty cool to see the two in the same time/place.

Naturally in between paying the man and taking it back home I took it for a ten minute ride. It's crazy that for less than $1000 more than a used Royal Enfield, you can get twice the bike with a used Kawasaki. Money well spent. Although, kind of heart broken to be selling the Bonneville

Nice ride, congrats!

Should be a great riding season!

 

[mimico_polak]

Beautiful bike @adri congrats!

 

[sburns]

Saw a couple of bike while I was out and about in the car. Good to see.
Also seeing the melt that is happening, getting closer.

 

[Evoex]

Saw a couple of bike while I was out and about in the car. Good to see.
Also seeing the melt that is happening, getting closer.

Looks at weather report for tomorrow night.

Nah!

 

[adri]

Saw a couple of bike while I was out and about in the car. Good to see.
Also seeing the melt that is happening, getting closer.

Did you tell them it was too dangerous to be out too?

I'll take winter riding in Toronto over summer riding through Brampton or Markham any day lol.

Still out risking the dangers people keep telling me about. Went to pick up my dog's prescription tonight and then some Pho on the way back home. Keeping my eyes open for sburns so he can point them out to me. Seems no one has seen him though.

 

[Hammertime]

Sunday turned out to be a really nice day for a ride. Rode around for about two hours. +7 degrees and roads were either dry or a little wet from melting snow.

 

[V-Tom]

Sunday turned out to be a really nice day for a ride. Rode around for about two hours. +7 degrees and roads were either dry or a little wet from melting snow.

I couldn't ride Sunday as I was picking up my daughter at the airport and spending a bit of time with her. Today's weather radar on the apps said afternoon snow but none appeared so I went for alittle ride today. Not much, maybe about 150 km but it was nice to get out since my last riding was Feb 20th.

I'm at a bit over 2,600 km for 2023 so far.

..Tom

 

[nobbie48]

Motorcycle specific hazards:

I was in the cage the other day on the 401 thinking it was relatively mild, just around the freezing point. The roads were dry so it wouldn't be a shock to see a die hard on a bike. Then I hit a patch of ice and snow that got blown off a semi.

No problem in the cage but......

 

[PrivatePilot]

The roads were dry so it wouldn't be a shock to see a die hard on a bike. Then I hit a patch of ice and snow that got blown off a semi.

This is why, with very few exceptions over the years, my cutoff for off season riding is about 5 degrees and sunny, with a few days the same before that to basically eliminate the ice issues.

That, and just keeping a very, very healthy distance from any vehicle from which crap may fall/fly off - that includes a lot of vehicles in the summer months as well. Anytime I see a boat trailer going down the road in front of me I ride like a tube or waterski is going to fly out at any second. I don't follow close. And I pass quickly.

 

[V-Tom]

I rode in to work today. -6⁰c when I left home. Roads from Port Perry to Vaughan were fine. Any icy spots were visible far in advance it you aren't tailgating.

Not doe everyone but I enjoyed the ride and am looking forward to my ride home.

..Tom

 

[WestBrantKid]

I planned to commute to work on the bike today, but while dropping the kids off beforehand I spotted 3 out 4 iced puddles on the road. That changed my mind.
Up to this point, cold hasn't been a problem, until about a week ago. The ice melt followed by freezing morning starts are making the risk too high for me. I don't want to be too focused on road watching for ice, and worry that a distraction could be the end of me. Tomorrow I think the roads will be okay. I know Friday they won't.

 

[V-Tom]

I planned to commute to work on the bike today, but while dropping the kids off beforehand I spotted 3 out 4 iced puddles on the road. That changed my mind.
Up to this point, cold hasn't been a problem, until about a week ago. The ice melt followed by freezing morning starts are making the risk too high for me. I don't want to be too focused on road watching for ice, and worry that a distraction could be the end of me. Tomorrow I think the roads will be okay. I know Friday they won't.

You pretty much have to expect ice to occur in days like this. Snow melts and the melt goes on the road. It freezes overnight and makes the ice.

You certainly have to pay attention to the roads and where the snow will melt and what parts of the roads will stay in shade and may stay icy.

If you are riding an have no choice but to go over a short spot (a few feet?) Of ice stay steady with no acceleration braking or turning.

..Tom

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