How cold can you go?

    My previous motorcycle (Honda Goldwing), I rode in as low as 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Today was the morning after we had a few inches fall for the first time this winter in Columbus, Ohio, I was anxious to get her out and see how the SS would operate. On the ride home from work the day it snowed, I observed the condition of the roads and highways looking for any run off of melted snow entering the road from where the snow plows piled it up. I knew it would get down to a low of 6 degrees that night and I wanted to make sure the road conditions were good for the adventure.


    So with just heated gloves and my typical base layer top and bottoms combined with weatherproof jacket and pants, waterproof insulated riding boots.... I was on my way for a 35 minute commute each way at 500 am in 7 degree F temperature. I was actually overdressed and ended up leaving my face shield up the entire way to work. It felt the same to me today as it does in 25 degree weather. No issues and no frozen body part upon arrival at work. I did however have several cars pull up next to me and snap a picture on their phones. I'm sure my SS will be on several Facebook/Instagram posts this morning with the caption "Look at this crazy bastard"!!


    I don't drive very fast and always use common sense. I take the necessary precautions and drive accordingly. I have the Grand Touring model, so the top and the tall windscreen helps tremendously!! I go to work at 500 am, so the low temp is what I normally look at each day and the condition of the road. If it's wet, I'm driving...... but if the roads are dry, not sure how low a temp would keep me out of this thing. When I bought her, I knew she was going to be a daily driver.


    Be safe and God bless!

    Good going!

    I've been out as low as 15 degrees F, but it is rare for us to get much colder than that in Arkansas. I don't think low temperatures are a problem... as long as you have good riding gear and drive with caution.


    Happy to go on a winter ride with you anytime! 🤠

    The smarter you get, the funnier I am.

    I rode the 1975 Goldwing to work every day year round. Between 13 to 15 degrees the throttle cable would freeze up. If the throttle was not froze up in the mornings I road it to work. But you had to be careful because it just might freeze up going down the road, so I had to always be ready in case it happened.

    30,s is coldest I have had to deal with. Doesn’t get much colder here but with the right clothing I can’t see why it would be a problem if it did. We don’t get snow or ice so the roads stay good even when it does get cold



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    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    Coldest on motorcycle was 28. Haven't been that cold yet in the SS. But the cold doesn't bother me (remember: layers!) but if it's even the slightest chance of rain, I pass on the SS. Even the couple times I've been caught in the rain, it's sure hit that seat pucker power. The SS gets squirrelly real fast in the rain.

    Quote from chavey2

    Coldest on motorcycle was 28. Haven't been that cold yet in the SS. But the cold doesn't bother me (remember: layers!) but if it's even the slightest chance of rain, I pass on the SS. Even the couple times I've been caught in the rain, it's sure hit that seat pucker power. The SS gets squirrelly real fast in the rain.

    Yup. The SS is not fun in the rain. I had the right front tire plow into a huge pool of standing water during a rain storm at about 50 MPH. Things got really exciting really fast. I needed a change shorts after that...

    Quote from Doc&Ruby

    Good going!

    I've been out as low as 15 degrees F, but it is rare for us to get much colder than that in Arkansas. I don't think low temperatures are a problem... as long as you have good riding gear and drive with caution.


    Happy to go on a winter ride with you anytime! 🤠

    Sounds good! When I left this morning, I thought I would get a call from the wife once she left for work and noticed the Sling was not in the garage, asking me if I was crazy...... but that call never came, so I guess that's her way of saying she's ok with it! That's the key tho..... driving with caution and having the proper gear. My coworkers arrive at work and say you must be crazy. I tell them it's more than what meets the eye. I tell them that they don't see me when I get to work. I go straight into my office with helmet on and all my gear on. I get into the office and strip down and come out like Clark Kent ready for business :-) Although the SS provides a larger footprint than a motorcycle, which makes it more visible, we still have to drive with caution.

    Be safe and God bless!

    Quote from SZurlo

    Yup. The SS is not fun in the rain. I had the right front tire plow into a huge pool of standing water during a rain storm at about 50 MPH. Things got really exciting really fast. I needed a change shorts after that...

    I checked today's forecast yesterday and it said a high of 40 degrees and sunny, so I knew I was taking the SS to work. When I woke up at 430 am, I saw they were calling for a 40% chance of snow at 500 am to 600 am but still a high of 40 degrees and sunny at 400 pm for the drive home. I never got dressed so fast in my life. I was trying to get out and on the road to work before the flakes started to fall. Made the 30 mile commute and not a single flake of snow!

    Be safe and God bless!

    Anything below 60 and I’m in the truck. You all can have the cold weather. I don’t enjoy it and I want to ride when I’m comfortable. I ride all winter in Florida.



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    I don't mind riding in the cold, but the stock tires do. Living off a busy road with blind curves on either side of my driveway I have to accelerate fairly quickly. When it's below freezing my back tire spins through 3rd gear. It's not fun when trying to get out of the way of a truck.

    Road conditions and safety are more the concern with us rather than fixating on the temperature. One of the first things we did with the Grasshopper was to get rid of those Kenda tires and replace them with a reputable all-season tire. There is nothing that compares with a nice brisk ride under sunshine filled blue skies after Mother has decorated the landscape with newly fallen snow! :thumbsup:


    (Unfortunately, that many times means that those roads have been layered with newly applied gravel! :( )


    Bill

    Quote from WingShot

    Anything below 60 and I’m in the truck. You all can have the cold weather. I don’t enjoy it and I want to ride when I’m comfortable. I ride all winter in Florida.



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    this raises another interesting "cold" question - - I am sure with proper clothing we can all ride in very cold weather, but I am curious to know at what point temperature wise do you consider it cold enough to where you need to put any thought into clothing? at what temperature is it too cold for you to ride in shorts and a T shirt?


    I rode into work this morning in shorts and a short sleeve shirt and it was 59 - 60 and with the wind at 50 mph I can say that is about the cutoff for me - any colder and I would at least want a light weight jacket


    so at what temp do you start thinking about about the clothing?

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    Quote from Edward Neal

    this raises another interesting "cold" question - - I am sure with proper clothing we can all ride in very cold weather, but I am curious to know at what point temperature wise do you consider it cold enough to where you need to put any thought into clothing? at what temperature is it too cold for you to ride in shorts and a T shirt?


    I rode into work this morning in shorts and a short sleeve shirt and it was 59 - 60 and with the wind at 50 mph I can say that is about the cutoff for me - any colder and I would at least want a light weight jacket


    so at what temp do you start thinking about about the clothing?

    I start thinking about clothing when the temps get below 70. Humid environments are lots different from the dry desert - if the air is damp and you lose the sun, you can become chilled in a hurry! I tend to think in layers - things that I can take off - our dig out of the cubby behind the seat and put on!

    The smarter you get, the funnier I am.

    Quote from Doc&Ruby

    I start thinking about clothing when the temps get below 70. Humid environments are lots different from the dry desert - if the air is damp and you lose the sun, you can become chilled in a hurry! I tend to think in layers - things that I can take off - our dig out of the cubby behind the seat and put on!

    Yup. I rode up to the Greenville, SC area Monday to visit DDMWorks. Temps in the high 60s on the way up. Had a leather jacket, full face helmet and thin leather gloves. Perfectly comfortable. The trip back was another story. Once the sun went down and the temp fell into the middle 50's, it was pretty chilly. An hour of that at 75-80 MPH and I was pretty damn cold when I got home.