[DClark]

I was riding through WY last month when it was 36 and pouring rain. I forgot to waterproof the suit, it eventually soaked through, I was super cold and despite gloves and electric grip warmers, hands were cold. That was a long10 hour drive.
Otherwise, at home, I'll ride in below freezing weather, even single digits. The tires feel like rocks, but the only thing that will keep me off the road is either snow or large amounts of sand that they pour on the roads during snow storms- it can take them weeks to get the street sweepers out to clean that crap up.

[mmiltonp]

I was riding through WY last month when it was 36 and pouring rain. I forgot to waterproof the suit, it eventually soaked through, I was super cold and despite gloves and electric grip warmers, hands were cold. That was a long10 hour drive.
Otherwise, at home, I'll ride in below freezing weather, even single digits. The tires feel like rocks, but the only thing that will keep me off the road is either snow or large amounts of sand that they pour on the roads during snow storms- it can take them weeks to get the street sweepers out to clean that crap up.

wow! hardcore by choice or necessity?

[MinnKat600]

November 1st - 41 this morning when I left home. Coldest I have ridden is 28 degrees. It get's a little harry at below freezing in commuter traffic "Minneapolis, MN" due to frozen exhaust on the roads. Any place there could have been water you have to worry about ice. Morning commutes are dark and hardly anybody is looking out for a bike. Good gloves are priceless; otherwise the tips of my fingers freeze. Good neck protection is a must otherwise you will feel the windburn. Remember plastic is expensive and keep the wheels down.

[jeffer949]

Coldest Ive ridden is 18F. my gear consists of first gear kathmando pants, home made heated jacket liner, cortech jacket, first gear tpg gloves with first gear heated liners. A*'s ridge boots. and I have first gear heat trollers for my heated gear. Also where a pharo balaclava from Schampa. I have heated grips but in really cold weather they just leave the back of your hand frozen and palm sweaty. I also have a home made spoiler screen that goes on my standard windshield. I can ride for hours at sub 20deg and be completely comftorable. I leave my bike in the garage during july and aug. I ride all winter as long as there isnt ice on the road. I can get warm but I cant cool off in 110deg weather!!!

[rexazz2]

would heated grips put to much of a drain on a Kats electrical system?

had them on my 04 750 without issue

I installed them before ever riding my Bandit in the spring

[DClark]

wow! hardcore by choice or necessity?

Necessity. I talked about this in another thread. I did a two week long trip on my Concours 14, had perfect weather, warm or hot, dry, just great. The last event of my trip was opening night of the Great American Beer Festival (unlimited 1oz samples from over 500 brewers from the country!). I left the next day, bit hungover and the weather slammed me.
I was actually still able to maintain 80mph cruising speed, slowed down to 60 mph when approaching Wendover, NV only because my tank was running low.
When you ride for 2 weeks, it is hard to pack everything you want. I packed a couple of those Tide laundry pods to wash my stuff in Denver. I wish I would have water proof my cordura touring pants and brought along a pair of sweat pants to wear between my jeans and the touring pants. Actually, I am looking into getting a pair of silk pajama bottoms to wear under my jeans. Like they say, layers is the key.
When I ride in single digits, I wear three face masks (aka- rape mask!).

[markskater]

I had a cruiser and a standard and I hated riding in the wind on both. I don't even notice that much on my kat. I can ride year round too in southern Indiana unless it snows. To keep warm I wear a baklava under my helmet to keep my neck warm. For gloves, I wear my army cold weather mittens. They have three fingers enclosed and a separate thumb and trigger finger. They also come halfway up my forearm. Ashamed there aren't more of us in one location to do cruises. Oh yes, and I even have bad circulation and am 48 years old and can take it.

[92xjunker]

Well, it's still 90"s here. looks like it'll stick around till turkey day. Then it will be in the mid/high 70's till may/june. Then I park it in july, tooooooo hot.

[MinnKat600]

17 degree's on the thermometer at home in Andover Minnesota. My car sitting in the driveway had a thick layer of frost on the windshield. Good gloves, a vest, scarf, snow pants and off to work I went. It sure is dark out at 6:00 A.M. on a Friday. Sunday day light savings time is over. My wife thinks I am nuts. She said she is waiting for a phone call asking if this Jim sickle frozen on the road is hers. Back to work another day older. It is now 28 degrees in Minneapolis at 7:08 A.M. Heat wave.

[mmiltonp]

Ha Ha, you guys are inspitrational ; )

It was 35 this morning and I did it again, not bad, tried some other gloves, they were a little better... Hope to go shopping for some this weekend. and a guy at work gave me something in a spray bottle for fogging issues, I put it on the shield this morn and no fogging all the way to work, 20 miles! I loved having the shield all the way down and no sub degree wind blowing right on my face.

[rockat]

Anyone find heated gloves for less than $150??? I been looking here and there for a couple months. Is that basically the lower limit on pricing?

[scottynoface]

Anyone find heated gloves for less than $150??? I been looking here and there for a couple months. Is that basically the lower limit on pricing?

Pretty close. Cortech gloves can be had for a little over 100 but are usually odd sizes.

[rockat]

That stinks

[PepeBouchard]

I'll ride in the low 30's. nice thing here is most winter days start in the 30s but work their way up to a nice ride home....I must admit my hands get cold, even with good gloves. I am going to have to break down and get some heated ones.

+1 the tires never really warm up.
+1 WATCH OUT for ice!

[Slofuze]

You brave souls. The only thing I'll ride under 55 is a woman.