who's still riding? (in toronto)

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Had to take the TTC this morning. It makes me want to walk. I hope there's a few sporadic winter riding days. I don't care about the cold - just snow and ice. The roads themselves in downtown toronto didn't look that bad. I wonder if they would have been fine to ride.

Almost willing to risk injury overt the ttc at this point.
 
roark007 said:
Had to take the TTC this morning. It makes me want to walk. I hope there's a few sporadic winter riding days. I don't care about the cold - just snow and ice. The roads themselves in downtown toronto didn't look that bad. I wonder if they would have been fine to ride.

Almost willing to risk injury overt the ttc at this point.
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The roads seemed fine to me this morning. I did a combination of the Gardiner/Lakeshore. I don't like sitting in traffic with my grips turned up to 3. I'm always worried about charging the battery since I spend so much time at idle.
 
Other than the salt and the fact that it was pretty cold today, it wasn't so bad. Would be nice if I had heated gloves...
 
How's the traction with -7C?
 
Emefef said:
The roads seemed fine to me this morning. I did a combination of the Gardiner/Lakeshore. I don't like sitting in traffic with my grips turned up to 3. I'm always worried about charging the battery since I spend so much time at idle.
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I used to regularly flatten the battery on my KLR when running grips, hi-beams and heated jacket, so when I upgraded the stator ring and regulator rectifier, I spent $20 bucks on something like this off of ebay to monitor the battery:

http://sparkbright.co.uk/products/product_monsoon8.html

product_image_monsoon8.jpg


I just installed one on my Versys for the same reason. Piece of mind while riding.
 
Rotten_Ronnie said:
I used to regularly flatten the battery on my KLR when running grips, hi-beams and heated jacket, so when I upgraded the stator ring and regulator rectifier, I spent $20 bucks on something like this off of ebay to monitor the battery:

http://sparkbright.co.uk/products/product_monsoon8.html

product_image_monsoon8.jpg


I just installed one on my Versys for the same reason. Piece of mind while riding.
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Hmmm. I've been thinking about a voltmeter, but that might be enough - and better looking.
 
nikiter said:
How's the traction with -7C?
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Riding at the speed limit and slowing for turns, it's fine. I've never reached the limits during quick stops in the cold, and I'm not trying to drag my knees either.
 
honestly, i love riding and have heated gears. But when I see the roads like that, I frankly prefer ttc than to ride.... thats why i am taking ttc now
 
JustinRR said:
honestly, i love riding and have heated gears. But when I see the roads like that, I frankly prefer ttc than to ride.... thats why i am taking ttc now
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So much salt, it's crazy. Gotta for sure wash the bike after every ride like that.
 
nikiter said:
How's the traction with -7C?
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I rode the bike to storage yesterday in -5C. Parka over my leathers and some long johns and I was fine. However finger tips began to sting after 30 mins (not heated - just winter riding gloves)...

But the issue is traction and corosion as you pointed out.

I was riding with bald supercorsas and even in rain mode the TC was kicking in all over the place. The riding style becomes a very upright gentle accelleration and deceleration affair. Everything is ginger. The salt or grit in some areas also is essentially gravel. The one good side of those temps and salt is that ice tends to stand out as black against a white road.


Emergency braking becomes very compromised so essentially one is riding around like a ginger car in terms speed and acceleration.

All advantages of the bike become neutralized (except for free parking).

I find traction to be that of less than a summer rain.

E-bikes are still killing it out there though! Oh and Urals!
 
awyala said:
E-bikes are still killing it out there though! Oh and Urals!
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Don't forget the odd 125's!

The roads weren't too bad today but the heavy layer of salt everywhere inclines me to put her into storage (after a quick wash).

It's too bad because I remember past seasons when riding into mid December was doable.
 
The amount of salt out there is ridiculous. On my street this weekend was a long glittering trail of white powder as if Sandro drove by or something. Outside the towers there is so much white crystal it is as if they attempted to replicate a snowfall, except with salt.

What's dumb is, salt doesn't work past a certain temperature of cold and isn't needed if there is no precipitation.

Guess the price went down or something.
 
Sunspark said:
The amount of salt out there is ridiculous. On my street this weekend was a long glittering trail of white powder as if Sandro drove by or something. Outside the towers there is so much white crystal it is as if they attempted to replicate a snowfall, except with salt.

What's dumb is, salt doesn't work past a certain temperature of cold and isn't needed if there is no precipitation.

Guess the price went down or something.
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Or people suing, when they skid saying there wasn't enough road maint, (SALT). Plus let's not forget it is no longer MTO or city crews doing the salting but contractors who buy the salt and then bill the gov't so there is an incentive to use more..lol Hell I had to sweep my parking lot doorway due to the large amount of slat dumped by the contractor.
 
rode my bike into work this morning. don't know why everyone is crying on here trying to justify why they are not riding due to salt. salt doesnt bother me.
 
Saw a cruiser parked at the stone cottage on Kingston rd. Tonight.. Icy ride home..

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
 
I am. White cruiser with apes. I'm warm with my tshirt, PJ jacket, leather vest, long johns and jeans. Snowmobile gloves and 1 layer socks, that's good enough for me. Did it for 1 hour ride and I was fine. Never used heated gear.
 
Matthew.Tremayne said:
It's no where near safe or sane to be riding in this snowy weather unless you're a serious rider like our friend from Port Perry with the 80K on his 2012. DDean, be careful man. This isn't noob friendly weather at all. Save it for spring. For now, sit on it and make "vroom, vroom" noises! :P lol
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I wasn't seriously pleased wit hm yride home from work Saturday!


Around Markham Rd, Highway 407 turned to Ice. I got off the highway at Donald Cousen and tried to work my way back to Port Perry via back roads. Most of the roads were ice under the snow and my bike fell down a couple of times (front tire sliding = bike lays down.) I was going to park it at a safe spot and called for help from home. The help took too long so I went down a back road to Brock Rd and it turned out by then Brock had been Salted and was passable. I think it took me about three hours to get home with what normally takes 50 min to an hour. It was pretty stupid to try it but at work it was clear and dry although if I had winter tires it probably wouldn't have been a big deal.

Today was the first day since March that I took my car to work. The weather is talking about possible heavy snow late this afternoon in the area east of Toronto. I bet it misses us but I wasn't going to take the chance.

..Tom
 
Sometimes its good just to have CAA. I would have just gotten a tow back. That is my plan if i ever get stuck in bad weather.

I live in downtown Toronto and commute nearby on my bike, and havent had an issue.


V-Tom said:
I wasn't seriously pleased wit hm yride home from work Saturday!


Around Markham Rd, Highway 407 turned to Ice. I got off the highway at Donald Cousen and tried to work my way back to Port Perry via back roads. Most of the roads were ice under the snow and my bike fell down a couple of times (front tire sliding = bike lays down.) I was going to park it at a safe spot and called for help from home. The help took too long so I went down a back road to Brock Rd and it turned out by then Brock had been Salted and was passable. I think it took me about three hours to get home with what normally takes 50 min to an hour. It was pretty stupid to try it but at work it was clear and dry although if I had winter tires it probably wouldn't have been a big deal.

Today was the first day since March that I took my car to work. The weather is talking about possible heavy snow late this afternoon in the area east of Toronto. I bet it misses us but I wasn't going to take the chance.

..Tom
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