[pittburgman]

Well, hate to say, riding season in good ol Pennsylvania has pretty much come to an end.

Hopefully, spring comes fast here... As for now, all the bikes are put away...😢😢😢

More things coming over the winter!

 

[SemBurg]

At least they have a nice safe clean winter home.

 

[JRoss]

Feb will be here in no time

 

[rjs987]

What's all this talk of "Bikes all put away...?"

Was 65F this morning here, and expecting over 73F for a high. Same tomorrow except the addition of a little rain... all day.
But then the season reveals itself with the next 2 weeks with lows around 20F and highs around 34-29F.

That just means it's time to put on my Kemimoto handlebar muffs and zip in the inner liners of my jacket rather than simply wear them like a sweater under it when needed. AND THEN continue to go for a ride on occasion as I have been doing since my last camping trip. No, I won't be camping but that doesn't mean I won't be riding.

 

[Charbroil]

I’m still riding up in NH. Been good riding lately.
Been wearing my snowmobile outfit for the cold nights. I’ll run till they salt the roads.

 

[mikeyMarine]

putting away is for lawn mowers

 

[SemBurg]

What's all this talk of "Bikes all put away...?"

Was 65F this morning here, and expecting over 73F for a high. Same tomorrow except the addition of a little rain... all day.
But then the season reveals itself with the next 2 weeks with lows around 20F and highs around 34-29F.

That just means it's time to put on my Kemimoto handlebar muffs and zip in the inner liners of my jacket rather than simply wear them like a sweater under it when needed. AND THEN continue to go for a ride on occasion as I have been doing since my last camping trip. No, I won't be camping but that doesn't mean I won't be riding.
View attachment 102221 View attachment 102222

When where those pictures taken, last year? Surely Michigan has not had snow yet?

 

[SemBurg]

I’m still riding up in NH. Been good riding lately.
Been wearing my snowmobile outfit for the cold nights. I’ll run till they salt the roads.

One thing I do not miss about New Hampster...salt and sand on the roads. Salt eats vehicles and sand is dangerous and always in the bends. Sand took me down as a youngster in Meredith near Lake Winnipesaukee riding my KZ1000, valuable experience I was fortunate to walk away from.

 

[rjs987]

When where those pictures taken, last year? Surely Michigan has not had snow yet?

Yes, last season. The one at the reservoir was in early January 2022 and the pic with the Lincoln Highway bridge was end of February 2022. Both in IOWA.
NW Iowa has already had a few inches of snow, but that didn't last long. And next week there are a few chances for overnight snow here at home. Soon enough.

 

[Charbroil]

One thing I do not miss about New Hampster...salt and sand on the roads. Salt eats vehicles and sand is dangerous and always in the bends. Sand took me down as a youngster in Meredith near Lake Winnipesaukee riding my KZ1000, valuable experience I was fortunate to walk away from.

Right up the road from me…
Yeah, Every year they put more and more salt down.
Salt truck drivers love salting season, as they’re allowed pretty much unlimited overtime pay to lay it down. They even lay it down thick in advance now.. the day before. Towns like it. They use last year’s salt budget plus a percentage more each year. They don’t want anyone to be able to complain of an accident be caused by a slippery road. When I was younger people were expected to drive slow and carefully during winter. Not anymore.
Soon as I catch wind of them loading the trucks, I call it a season with the motorcycle.

 

[rjs987]

This morning it rained as prophesied and the temp was still up. Made it to 68 F by 11 am and is now below 50 F and on the way down to 23 F by morning, though the rain has stopped for a little while. Won't see temps above 40 for the next 2 weeks! I put the bar muffs on this afternoon and plan to run out to pickup some free breakfast at Wendy's around 6:30-7 am.

 

[Steve_YYZ]

Well I got out yesterday (November 10th) here in Niagara Falls Ontario and it hit a high of 20.6C (69F) which was great. However that looks like it might have been the last really warm fall day to ride. Forecast is for only highs of 6C (42F) for the next two weeks at least. Time to bring out the Gerbing heated jacket liner and dial in some warmth! My limiting factor is when they start putting salt down on the roads. Then it's hibernation time as I don't want that crap on the bike.

 

[SemBurg]

Right up the road from me…
Yeah, Every year they put more and more salt down.
Salt truck drivers love salting season, as they’re allowed pretty much unlimited overtime pay to lay it down. They even lay it down thick in advance now.. the day before. Towns like it. They use last year’s salt budget plus a percentage more each year. They don’t want anyone to be able to complain of an accident be caused by a slippery road. When I was younger people were expected to drive slow and carefully during winter. Not anymore.
Soon as I catch wind of them loading the trucks, I call it a season with the motorcycle.

My Father was a Gilford Selectman, he banned salt. If you know how to drive on the packed snow, it's safer. The salt melts the snow, makes a mess and freezes at night when the Temps drop, turning to black ice. No 4wd in the world is any good on ice. Many loved the fact that he did that, just as many or more did not. I grew up on the south end of Lake Winnipesaukee. Some of the best hiking, boating and motorcycling I've experienced, and I've lived on the east coast, west coast, Alaska and Bahamas. I only miss New Hamptser and Washington State. Both have changed in those 30 years, I'm sure.

 

[s-steel]

@rjs987

I remember your post a while back and they were out of stock. how much did you pay then? do you have pics on the Kemimoto handlebar muffs ? also, after some time using them, what are things you like less?

my worry of the flex/movement of the back area behind the brake handle that will not allow me to brake properly when I grab it. I have the oxford ones and they are absolutely ****
cheers

 

[Bigmc]

Well living in the SW peninsula of the UK we are blessed with the gulf stream that keeps temperatures reasonably mild in the winter so we never have to put our bikes away, but personally I wouldn’t ride in snow ( rare ) or icy conditions ( common sense ) but we do get the odd blast of extreme winter conditions now and then.
But up North in the UK it’s a different story as the North of Scotland is basically in line with Norway.
My Burgman 650 Executive came from Wigan which is quite far up North from me and the evidence of heavy road salting was quite clear when I removed the FD cover:

 

[Bluestrom13]

But up North in the UK it’s a different story

Yeh - " It's grim up north".

(Says the man from Yorkshire).
---------------------------------------

wouldn’t ride in snow ( rare ) or icy conditions ( common sense )

Like this. (link)

 

[rjs987]

@rjs987

I remember your post a while back and they were out of stock. how much did you pay then? do you have pics on the Kemimoto handlebar muffs ? also, after some time using them, what are things you like less?

my worry of the flex/movement of the back area behind the brake handle that will not allow me to brake properly when I grab it. I have the oxford ones and they are absolutely ****
cheers

I paid less than $45 shipped to my door. Ordered at end of January, arrived early February.
These do not have any issues with flexing around the brake levers. They have a stiff rubber shield just in front of the brake levers that prevents any issues with that. I have no issues with my normal 2 finger braking (or 4 fingers since I did test that also but normally only use 2 fingers on each lever). I've tried the floppy muffs that have no support in any part of them and they required a third hand to get my hands into them and would flop back on the levers and controls and would even flex in between the levers and the grips. The Kemimoto muffs don't have any problem with any of that. These are stiff enough that they hold their shape really well and cannot flex into the space between the levers and grips at all. The inner part of the muffs from the control clusters in toward the center is somewhat flexible. But the outer part from the controls out to the outer ends is very stiff and the rubber front shield is VERY stiff. I still really like them and am glad I went with these.

I looked back on the original thread I posted about these muffs and noticed you ask about them in that thread. I included pictures of them on the AK 550 in the first post of that thread.
Go here to see:
Kemimoto handlebar mitts

 

[s-steel]

yes, I remember your post. they were out of stock then. it really needs to be stiff like you say. those soft ones are not worthwhile to invest in.

now I remember my worry. when at speed, the wind pushing on the muffs which winds up pushing the muffs up against the brake handle slightly pressing on the handle, lightly activating the pads.
I was thinking ill modify it a bit to keep it pushed forward. maybe add some strap between both to hold them taught, or maybe a small metal bar. ill see.

thanks for the help buddy. cheers

 

[Charbroil]

My Father was a Gilford Selectman, he banned salt. If you know how to drive on the packed snow, it's safer. The salt melts the snow, makes a mess and freezes at night when the Temps drop, turning to black ice. No 4wd in the world is any good on ice. Many loved the fact that he did that, just as many or more did not. I grew up on the south end of Lake Winnipesaukee. Some of the best hiking, boating and motorcycling I've experienced, and I've lived on the east coast, west coast, Alaska and Bahamas. I only miss New Hamptser and Washington State. Both have changed in those 30 years, I'm sure.

Gilford uses salt just like every other town. They just minimize or eliminate the use on a certain few roads that are directly next to the lake. Standard practice for towns with that situation or a road abutting a drinking water supply lake or pond.
They used to use it sparingly, and only when temperatures were in the range of freezing rain events. The road conditions were much better in my opinion. Now l unfortunately, the standard practice is to plow the snow and immediately lay a layer of nasty salt and dirt, irregardless of the coming days weather. Sometimes they even spread it before a predicted snow event. Boggles the mind. I’m surprised how many roadside trees stay alive.
Of course when spring rains come and wash the roads clean again, it’s time to get the bike out, and enjoy the twisty, hilly country backroads that NH offers.

 

[Charbroil]

Looks like next Wednesday might be a season ending salt event for me … maybe, maybe not..