Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2024 Edition)

PrivatePilot

Ironus Butticus
Staff member
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Yep, that time of year again for the annual "Who's still riding" thread.

I haven't been out in a week or so, but up until our big temperature shift last week it was still quite enjoyable. But definitely noticed a huge drop off in bikes in the last 7 days, with a brief blip last Friday for those who had the day off, and haven't yet put their bikes away with elaborate storage procedures like some choose to do.

Anyhow, I'm seriously contemplating an Iron Butt Association saddlesore 1000 ride this coming Friday to cap off the riding season (unofficially, at least) as well as to commemorate my IBA mentor and riding buddy who passed away on his own big IBA ride last October while circumnavigating Australia. It seems like it might be a fitting end to the season, and the IBA has a special certificate in his name as well that I'm aiming to earn. I wanted to do it last year but with my head injury and post concussion nightmare there was no way I could have done it (as many here know it wrecked pretty much all of last summer, and has crimped this one to an extent even), so I'm working with some people at the IBA to try to get an exception to allow me to ride it now. It'll be my first really big test on endurance riding since before the head injury, so we'll see how it goes. Either way I think I'll do the ride and if it ends up being a plain vanilla IBA1000 without the special certificate, so be it - I'll write his name on it and it'll be in his memory either way.

Anyhow, I am still absolutely loving the new bike, as I said in another thread here, my one and only regret about buying it...is not buying it years ago.


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So, I know that probably most of us here will still be out there as of the time of this post at least, but let's do the fall and winter routine here and share each ride as the "typical" season comes to a close.
 
As for me - I rode about 150km on Saturday in the Barrie/Oro area in the evening after spending the day with my wife and kids.

I was mostly interested to see if the WindJammer helmet skirt I bought would reduce wind noise. I couldn't tell much of a difference, except that it made putting on and taking off my helmet a hell of a lot harder. Took it off.

Today I went dirt biking with my son for several hours near Craighurst. A little chilly especially since I forgot my gloves at home. Battery wouldn't start one of our bikes when we got there so taught my son how to bump start it using a hill. Turned out to be a beautiful day.
 
For those of you who ride in cooler temps - do you use any special tires?
Or do the regular summer tires suffice?
I ride the same tires.......
Not the season for lean angle.
I went off roading last year when the front just hopped through a corner and put me in a ditch because of me being stupid and thinking I had the same grip as in the warmer weather. Got the heart pounding.
Unless you are riding something like a supercorasa which only works when really hot. Just be aware that summer is over.
 
My season is effectively coming to a close. Maybe one or two more rides and that's that.

No time in b/w everything else.

I envy all of those here that have the time to give to this hobby...and those in the photo tag thread...I still can't figure out where you have the time.

Send some of that extra time my way.
 
For those of you who ride in cooler temps - do you use any special tires?
Or do the regular summer tires suffice?

Nah, regular rubber. Ride to conditions always.


Meh, I get this every year. For those of us who ride all year round it’s always going to be “too soon”. Reality is most riders have already packed away their bikes, some of the hard core crowd aside.

Plus, having this thread to banter in beats the usual endless flow of political threads that inevitably happen as soon as things slow down here.
 
n IBA ride is a dream of mine. What IBA ride is this that you need special permission to ride in this case?

It was an Iron Butt Association special memorial ride that was only certified for people who rode a minimum 1000 mile trip to get to his funeral. He was extremely active, respected, and insanely decorated in the LDR community, so he had a lot of the IBA crowd come out to his service from across the continent and even a few from Australia I believe.

Unfortunately living only 10 minutes away and not being in the greatest of medical shape last year additionally, it didn’t happen at the time, hence why I’m trying for it now a year and about after his passing. He was such an awesome guy in every respect and I know he’d love the thought of an IBA ride in his memory.

His wife reached out after seeing my post on FB of my intentions and offered me some of his ashes to come along with me on the ride. I’m honored and I know he’d have loved that, even though a Saddlesore 1000 would have been the equivalent of a short coffee ride for him. 😉
 
Who wouldn't still be riding? It's beautiful out, and this is Canada. If you don't ride in 10 degrees do you even like motorcycling in this country?!

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Only did a few rides yesterday because I couldn't run as many errands as I wanted (places closed for Thanksgiving). Did manage to get enough seat time in to do some before and after tests on my newly de-resonator'd exhaust on the F750GS and play with a new to me 360 camera though.
 
Who wouldn't still be riding? It's beautiful out, and this is Canada. If you don't ride in 10 degrees do you even like motorcycling in this country?!

Insurance statistics (and the odometers on plenty of old motorcycles) shows that across Canada the average number of kilometres per year per motorcyclist is about 1000.

Remember that’s an average, so for all of us who ride 10, 20, 30,000+km a season there are the majority who ride a few hundred to reach those statistical averages. There are lots who haven’t even pulled their bike out of their garage in years.

GTAM aside, the overwhelming majority of riders are fair-weather perfect conditions types who ride to the nearest Tim Hortons and back home again. I know it’s a bit of a stereotype, however it is actually reality for many.
 
My season is effectively coming to a close. Maybe one or two more rides and that's that.

No time in b/w everything else.

I envy all of those here that have the time to give to this hobby...and those in the photo tag thread...I still can't figure out where you have the time.

Send some of that extra time my way.
When the kids grow up and move out, you get some time on the weekends. But I'd gladly give up that time to have them young again. I drown this out of my mind by riding.
 
Bought a fresh bottle of ACF50. I'll wash the Ural good and slather it down this weekend maybe.
I've had a bottle sitting here for months was even up on classifieds. Lol
 
Insurance statistics (and the odometers on plenty of old motorcycles) shows that across Canada the average number of kilometres per year per motorcyclist is about 1000.

Remember that’s an average, so for all of us who ride 10, 20, 30,000+km a season there are the majority who ride a few hundred to reach those statistical averages. There are lots who haven’t even pulled their bike out of their garage in years.

GTAM aside, the overwhelming majority of riders are fair-weather perfect conditions types who ride to the nearest Tim Hortons and back home again. I know it’s a bit of a stereotype, however it is actually reality for many.
So true. 2 weekends ago lots of riders. On Saturday I saw 2 (both Harleys, give them credit), on Sunday I didn't see any.
 
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