Last ride of the season

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Vito43

Finally made it
Location
Illinois, USA
Two days ago I got out for a nice ride, and I think that it may have been the last ride for the season. Temps are down to the 40's, so while I certainly could ride, I find its just not much fun when it gets colder than about 55 degrees. Of course after a few months of winter, a 50 degree Spring day seems perfect for a ride after the bike has been sitting in the garage for a few months, but right now I think its time for being put away. The one good thing about not riding for the winter months is that when Spring arrives it is even more special to get out again on a motorcycle. Those first few rides always remind me of when I first started riding motorcycles. So today I will add the Stabil, make sure the Battery Tender is hooked up properly, stuff a rag in the exhaust, leave a few mothballs on the seat, and put the cover over the bike and let it sleep in the garage until Spring.
 
fatal

fatal

Well travelled
Location
Lancashire UK
55 deg F (12cent) is almost a summers day here😄
We're now getting a few cooler days some around 7 or 8 deg C, with the rain to go with it. I try to get out if there's a lull in the rain, but as soon as the frosts come and the salt/gritting wagons hit the road I'll lay my bikes up. Maybe a couple of weeks left at the most.
I used to ride all year but as I've got older the cold weather has started to deter me.
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

Well travelled
Location
Woodstock, NY
We all may be surprised. I spent three days cleaning and polishing my Interceptor, including the invisible nooks and crannies at the bottom of the bike. Added fuel stabilizer. Knew that it was better to just polish the crank cases over winter and leave it parked. Started to make headway on all the tasks on the house exterior I neglected over the summer but still supposed to finish before the cold. Looked longingly at my machine on the dry days but didn't weaken. Until today. At 1pm it was 43 degrees and I put on thermal underwear and went out for coffee. 90 miles later it was 4.14 pm and my hands were finally too cold to do anything but pull in the drive. But it was well worth it. And tho it is slated to snow, perhaps I will get another dry day before it is really cold. Then I will clean my bike again. The good news is I only flew into three bugs.
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

Well travelled
Location
Woodstock, NY
Ric said:
That's why I like living in OZ. Virtually all year round riding, except for the month of July where I live, Minus 8's overnite, with at the most 8 C days, just for that month, then back at it.
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After a lifetime away, I can see the upside to Oz. But even when I thought about moving back, Launnie was the first choice so I may not have enjoyed winter riding anymore than I do here. And my first ride this year was mid Feb I believe, so I will get in the odd day if I am lucky. Of course, last winter was mild and any snow melted away before the next drop. We shall see. Today was good though. Now I've sat by the hearth for a while, I am wanting to go again.
 
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Vito43

Finally made it
Location
Illinois, USA
I lived in El Paso a long, long time ago, back in the late 1960's. The world was different then, and I never hesitated to travel into Mexico. Mostly it was just to Juarez right at the border, but sometimes it was deep into Chihuahua State (once we visited the former home of Pancho Villa and was given a tour by his widow). If I lived there today I doubt that I would cross into Mexico for any reason at all, especially on a motorcycle. But as winter approaches where I live, I do fondly remember the pleasure of spending winter where there was no ice and snow.
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

Well travelled
Location
Woodstock, NY
Ric said:
So are you ever coming back?
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Unlikely and even less likely as time goes on. But I watch those vlogs of riding from Sydney south and the Great Ocean Rd and the Fleurieu Peninsula and the guy who rode a Himi the whole way round and it all looks good to me. I found the Enfield rental place in Adelaide for when the day comes. If I do not have animals and I can still deal with the plane ride sitting in cattle for a day and a half, I can see doing three months a year for several years. I still have a lot of mates.
 
George S.

George S.

Well travelled
Location
Northern New Jersey
I guess I shouldn't be, but I'm a bit surprised it's gotten below normal temps here for the past couple of weeks, and seems to be staying low. Yesterday, a surprising 53 and sunny so I got out. Only for about 25 minutes, and still 3 cagers tried to kill me. It seems to be getting worse out there folks.

I'm OK with riding if it's 45 in the afternoon, but mornings when I leave for work it's only around 31, so that's a no go.
So yesterday the Meteor got the Stabil, the battery tender, and the dust cover in the garage just in case winter is here. If there's a warm spell of course I can still take it out.
 
A

Alan F.

Well travelled
Location
North of Boston, MA
I'm trying to get one more ride in before I put my Interceptor up for the winter, I'll pull the battery and stash it in a safe place indoors where I'll see it every day. I have 3 more personal days to take this year so getting out during the warm part of the day shouldn't be a problem.

I recommend the RE handguards, the ones that mount on the bar ends, for cool weather riding.
I've mounted barkbusters on my bike and haven't had cold hands since.
 
RTD

RTD

Well travelled
Location
Baltimore
I’ve whined here before about wanting to leave the mid-Atlantic for Arizona (where we lived until 20+ years ago), ride all year, etc, and it’s finally coming to pass. Next month.

So the meteor will NOT be getting the stabilizer & trickle this time, and never will again. If all goes to plan, Xmas will be spent meteor-ing down rt.83 somewhere below Tucson. Used to love the cold but something snapped around age 53. No more!

Perhaps not Oz, but AZ. Close enough...
 
RTD

RTD

Well travelled
Location
Baltimore
...and while I wait out the last month before that move, the winter cold seems slow to arrive here: A nice 56° F in Baltimore, so a random zoom through the rubbish-strewn waterfront industrial zones is required... pavement is terrible but traffic is light. And always a photo-op.

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ChampRoyal

ChampRoyal

Well travelled
Location
North Essex
Temp's have dropped into the minus here so the gritters have been spreading crystallised corrosion with joyful abundance & I have taken the opportunity to uncover the SuperCub for transport and start cleaning up the M350.

wifes face today when she got back from work to find the exhaust system on the kitchen table being polished as it's too cold to spend more than an hour lying on the floor outside :oops:
 
RTD

RTD

Well travelled
Location
Baltimore
Meatball’s last ride on the east coast (USA) is done. Bikes are on transport to the desert Southwest, and the driveway is ... empty.... So it was perfect that Baltimore was hit by incredibly dense fog for a few days, making quite an eventful final ride.

But still, there’s always a photo.


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2LZ

2LZ

Well travelled
Location
Volcano, CA
Brrrrr...... Used to ride thick fog going to high school and home. Back then, we wore "cords". The ice would fill up the ridges in the fabric. When I'd get to school and get off the bike, the ice ridges would jump off when I straightened my legs. It's amazing what didn't effect us in our youth. Thought nothing of it.
 
Dabrakeman

Dabrakeman

Well travelled
Location
Michigan, USA
2LZ said:
Brrrrr...... Used to ride thick fog going to high school and home. Back then, we wore "cords". The ice would fill up the ridges in the fabric. When I'd get to school and get off the bike, the ice ridges would jump off when I straightened my legs. It's amazing what didn't effect us in our youth. Thought nothing of it.
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It's the jumping off and straightening the legs in that situation that is the biggest problem now.
 
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