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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rotten Ralph on August 12, 2016, 09:44:19 PM
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Past the three quarter century mark now and I have lost the desire to ride in 90F weather and 30F weather. Any of you elderly Guzzi guys (other than Lannis and Kev) experienced this? Or am I just turning into the old curmudgeon my wife says that I am?
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Same here Ralph , and I'm just a pup at 62 . If ain't fun I'm out .
Dusty
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I have grown tired of high humidity stuff. Well, I no longer ask the wife to go with me in that weather at least. I'm sure that some of it is me, but it is like the humidity has gone up more than the temperature. 95F at 90% humidity just sucks.
Like last weekend at the Blue Ridge rally. Sunday morning, 75F for a few hours on the parkway was nice. But as we headed south, the temperature rose to 90F, and the humidity stayed the same, which was very high from the rains on Saturday. Yuck.
I still do year round, even when it is under 20F, but I have had an electric vest for 20 years too.
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I don't get up in the morning saying "Yay! Snow! I'm going for a ride!" But if it happens along the way it's just part of the deal. I think the only think I REALLY don't want to ride in is another t-storm. They used to be fun but now they're not.
But we all should ride in our comfort zones, be it speed, weather, or whatever.
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Snow can be cool , as long as the roads are clear , rain , well , I've been wet several times , haven't melted yet , but cloud to ground lightening freaks me out . Heat simply makes me sick any more , hardly even go out in it unlike 20 years ago .
Dusty
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I'm 67, and I rarely ride in the 90's temps. I also avoid anything below 60. I like comfortable, 70-75 is perfect.
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While on the road you have to suck it up (as long as it's safe) but for day rides, coffee runs - meh, I'll take the truck if it's too hot or wet. Or leave early enough to avoid excess heat, cold or wet (cold is a bit easier to deal with now that I have electrics).
Rain especially. I put in all day rain rides when I lived in Minnesota. I figure I've paid my dues and don't have to prove anything anymore. Besides; you are supposed to enjoy your hobbies, not endure them.
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I don't mind cold and wet, but I wilt in heat. Passed out exercising in 100F weather once, so I won't go near the motorcycles if over 90F.
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I hear ya Ralph. Personally, I'd rather plug in and ride in cold temps as opposed to cooking in the heat. And I'm still a quarter century behind you. My air cooled Guzzi feels the same way.
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Still one of my favorite sensations on a motorcycle-riding as the evening cools a bit, short sleeves-lovely.
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OH! the good old days! I'm there too. That summer early evening ride and getting that exhilarating cool temps in the dips was sweet, but these days..Man this aging sucks in so many ways!,.. By sundown I am usually physically done, my night vision isn't the best. OH, the good old days! The heat? Nope, Never liked the heat. When I rode EVERY day in my twenties, like others have said, it was just part of the everyday experience, but now, I'll admit it,..I'm a Spring, Fall rider,..if I even ride at all!.. OH! the good old days!
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Any of you elderly Guzzi guys (other than Lannis and Kev) experienced this?
That's not very nice on a couple of levels ..... :huh: :embarassed: :angry: :embarrassed:
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I hate the heat. Not that fond of tents either.
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That's not very nice on a couple of levels ..... :huh: :embarassed: :angry: :embarrassed:
:wink: :grin:
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At 62 heat is bad. Windy too.Love the cooler temps.I've figured 39F is my limit.
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Ralph, I can't say I ever liked riding in temperatures under 30F, but I did it to get to class when I commuted to the University of MD. Same with over 90, unless the humidity is low.
Now I'm 58. I took a package to the Post Office a week or two ago when the temperature was something over 90, and rode the Mille. I figured after I dropped it off I'd take a long route home, the length determined by how hot I felt. It was a pleasant ride, but I made it fairly short, because I could tell I was getting hotter and hotter as I rode.
I do ride my bicycle 20 miles a day, and lately there's really no time of day when I don't lose a lot of water in that hour. Maybe that means I get somewhat adapted to the heat.
So I'm not convinced age is really what's driving your preferences. Maybe it's just experience. Like why I don't drink 8 or 10 beers on a Friday night like I sometimes did when I was in my 20s. I can still do it, but I've had enough of the side effects. :)
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Still don't own a cage by choice so I do ride year round.
Last winter saw many mid 20's morning & had to push ice off the seat, summers here are very hot & humid so I do prefer cold weather riding.
Don't care for the heavy thunderstorms we get & I'm pretty sure that not too long ago I caught the tail end of a twister because I have never had wind that came at me from 3 different directions & could move a 900lb Victory sideways. My Vic is the bike of choice for lousy weather riding it has a full fairing, barn door windshield & hard lowers with vents & heated hand grips & seat. Very comfortable & stable ride.
I'm in my mid 60's
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Maybe it's just experience. Like why I don't drink 8 or 10 beers on a Friday night like I sometimes did when I was in my 20s. I can still do it, but I've had enough of the side effects. :)
The side effects have grown acute and onerous with the years. I love my beer, but the sugar rush keeps me awake and pissing all night long. The liver, kidneys and prostate just ain't what they used to be. On the other hand, wine is fine. I'm developing a new palate.
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Ralph, I can't say I ever liked riding in temperatures under 30F, but I did it to get to class when I commuted to the University of MD. Same with over 90, unless the humidity is low.
Now I'm 58. I took a package to the Post Office a week or two ago when the temperature was something over 90, and rode the Mille. I figured after I dropped it off I'd take a long route home, the length determined by how hot I felt. It was a pleasant ride, but I made it fairly short, because I could tell I was getting hotter and hotter as I rode.
I do ride my bicycle 20 miles a day, and lately there's really no time of day when I don't lose a lot of water in that hour. Maybe that means I get somewhat adapted to the heat.
So I'm not convinced age is really what's driving your preferences. Maybe it's just experience. Like why I don't drink 8 or 10 beers on a Friday night like I sometimes did when I was in my 20s. I can still do it, but I've had enough of the side effects. :)
Jim, I taught a course called Biology of Aging and people do physiologically get less tolerant of heat and cold as they age. Obviously it varies quite a bit among individuals. End result is age AND experience are likely what's driving me to be a fair weather wimp. :grin:
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Jim, I taught a course called Biology of Aging and people do physiologically get less tolerant of heat and cold as they age. Obviously it varies quite a bit among individuals. End result is age AND experience are likely what's driving me to be a fair weather wimp. :grin:
It's possible I'm just in denial. I'll keep denying that I'm having any symptoms of aging until it makes me look too foolish to do so. Like the way the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail kept denying he was hurt, even after his arms and legs were cut off.
On the other hand, wine is fine. I'm developing a new palate.
That's a new one on me... wine being easier on the body than beer. I guess before I doubt that, I need to start drinking more wine. This is science, after all!
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At 74 myself and I will ride in both high heat and cold if I have to, but if I am getting ready to leave home and either one is present I will wait a day (or a week) before starting out.
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StuCorpe, do you ever run across Rick Brett up there in Traverse City?
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My range goes a little higher than yours, but I'm much the same. I was a year-round rider for many years and have done several long stretches where motorcycles were my only transportation. I rode in single digit temperatures and on days when the real temperature in traffic, in the sun, and over asphalt was at least 120 and probably a good bit higher than that, but no more. Down to about freezing is still acceptable and I don't have any problem with the 90s, but when it starts hitting triple digits, I'm done. Riding ceases to be fun for me when it's that hot.
Which, I might add, is why I'm sitting in front of the computer typing this response instead of out riding.
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When I used to commute on the T, on hot days I could stuff coldpaks inside my mesh jacket. I can still do that, and suck on a Camelbak, but that only works for the first hour. If the wind is hotter than normal body temp, the breeze doesn't cool you -- it just sucks out the sweat while raising your fever. Not healthy.
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I am 72 and still ride year round. Always have, always will. Yes, I have lived in Alaska, and the Pacific north wet, and the Midwest, those are the reasons I now live where I live. Many of those years, I didn't have a car or truck, so riding year round wasn't a choice. Putting spiked tires on was. Now days I haven't seen a day colder than the 50s or hotter than 100 for 6 years. And damn few of those 100s. probable less than 10 of them in six years. Even in the 90s, it aint too bad because there is usually the trade wind blowing off the ocean. Living on a rock has its' advantages. Cost of living ain't one of them.
BTW I am coaching a fellow soon to be septugenarian in fastening my old Ural side car onto his Eldo.
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I turned 70 this year and noticed that my temperature (and humidity) limits have changed a lot over the 55+ years of riding. My minimums are 60F and max is about 95F since retiring to the high humidity Southeast. I'm sure that my military service related health issues have a role in what I can tolerate, but I'll keep riding as long as I feel able. I do remember back in the early '60s riding my Cushman Super Eagle to school in the Ohio winters when it was below 32F and thought little about the temp's...even without the high-tech winter riding gear we have available today. Aaahhh, those were the days!
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I had a 25 mile commute to work at five a.m. Used to be if it was below 40, i'd take the truck, then it became 45.... Then 50..... Then we bought a house ten miles from work.....back to 40......when I hit fifty again...well, probly retire.....
This was my winter bike..til I got the Goose.......notice the hard water.......brrr... ...
(http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii224/stripah/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-02/53788122-060A-41F6-9191-B543D45F688C.jpg) (http://s265.photobucket.com/user/stripah/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-02/53788122-060A-41F6-9191-B543D45F688C.jpg.html)
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For a bunch of, ah, slightly middle ageish dudes (68 here), we seem to be doing all right. Everybody has their own preferences, and local conditions vary, but it's good to hear the willingness of most to keep the faith most of the time. Myself, I've generally avoided riding below 32 F to avoid the likelihood of ice, but otherwise I ride year round. An experience with triple digit heat in the Nevada desert last year had me leery of those temps, but it's not really an issue of anything but comfort around here. So, 30 - 90 F I ride if I feel like it; if not, I don't.
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Today, while we waited for the weather to cool, I pulled out the vacuum gauges and rebalanced the carbs, turning the mixture screws about an eighth of a rotation in opposite directions. At 6:30 the sun went behind clouds over the mountains to the west, and the air temp fell to about 75F. We rode 45 minutes up into the foothills on Colorado Route 7, and had the road to ourselves except for a few motorcyclists hurrying down-valley as we ascended. At about 7000 feet, the air at 7:15 felt like 65F. Delightful. Home in the twilight at 8pm.
And yes, I swear the engine felt smoother, the exhaust burble more liquid.
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Meh.. buncha wimps.. :evil:
:popcorn:
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Ralph,
Some of us as we got older finally got some sense and realized we don't have to prove how macho we are by riding in extreme weather. Yes, I've been in a tent with the sweat running off you before passing outat 2 and waking up in a oven at 4.
Call me a sissy. Say I got to squat to pee. I don't care, but now I'm going to a motel when it is still in the mid 80's with high humidity at 9 PM. Beaver, fortunately has sense and knows when it is time to stop.
Enjoy the ride when you want to ride.
Tex
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49 years old, here.
Heat and Humidity aren't any fun, anymore. I just don't ride much if the dew point is over 70 and if the temps are over 90.
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ooohhhhh......the weather turned nice this weekend! Keeping it though the week.
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I still commute on 2 wheels. I take a 4 wheeler if it's gonna rain, or be above 95 or below about 40. But then , it's only about 18 miles. Riding for fun? I much prefer spring/fall temperatures. Yesterday was nice. 80s. Nice day for a little Bonneville adventure.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/ePmHov/Rolling_OKIE_hills.jpg) (http://ibb.co/ePmHov)
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Bikes
That is a nice looking 1100. I had two of those before I bought the Guzzi. a STANDARD AN A BAGGER.
I once rode down to Chet's shop in 23 degree weather an I had so much clothing on he had to help me off the bike.
I still have parts for them as well. The 1100 is for sure a cold weather bike.
Gary
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Boy, at a toddler's age of just 47, I can't take the heat during just about any reason to be outside. As someone else described, I just wilt, even when fluids and electrolytes are kept in check. Hot and humid weather just saps all my energy, physically and mentally.
I used to love winter, until I bought my first motorcycle in 2005. "Come on, Nature, this howling snow storm with -30 windchills is all you have?" Now, MN's winter cold is tolerable, just add another fleece, but I curse every inch of snow that falls because that means one day deeper into spring before I ride.
Yes, I seem to be a fair weather rider. But that is when it's most enjoyable. In "bad" riding weather, I do something else.
Steve.
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Well, at 63 I can finally say I don't commute anymore. When I did it was 30mi each way and only ice or below 20F temps would keep me from riding the bike. Over 100F in stop and go traffic was not pleasant. Feeling the heat rising from the hot asphalt and the other cars and trucks was brutal.
When on trips I also manage to ride in below freezing or over 100F temps.
I don't like higher temps as much, but, the line is at 90 or 95. Probably because I grew up in Phx and live in the desert.
Cold I still don't mind near freezing. I don't like below freezing just because of the chance of ice on the roads. If I am going for a longer ride I don't mind bundling up and plugging in my heated gloves :)
If it is just a ride to the local store I really don't want to bundle up so temp limits are a bit different.
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You are not alone. I don't feel the need to be Joe tough guy, I'm approaching the three quarter mark myself. If it's going to hurt or make me wish I hadn't done it I'm not going to do it.
Dean
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If it is just a ride to the local store I really don't want to bundle up so temp limits are a bit different.
Sometimes it's not the comfort level, it's the hassle.
My imagination and experience has improved over the years, so I no longer ride in light shoes and a Tshirt and no gloves.
Went out to run some errands yesterday and get the Stelvio inspected. It was 95 degrees and HUMID! Put on my jacket, earplugs, helmet, and gloves and rode off.
Pulled up to the bike shop, took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all. After the inspection, I put on the jacket, put in the earplugs, put on the helmet, and put on the gloves.
Stopped at a store to look for some "Iron-Out" stain remover. Took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all. After not finding any Iron-Out, I put on the jacket, put in the earplugs, put on the helmet, and put on the gloves, and went looking in the next store.
Took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all. After not finding any in that store either, I put on the jacket, put in the earplugs, put on the helmet, and put on the gloves.
Decided to stop at a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant. Took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all. Got two shrimp rolls and an order of steamed dumplings, ate them, went back to the bike. I put on the jacket, put in the earplugs, put on the helmet, and put on the gloves.
Rode to another store for the Iron-Out. Took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all. I DID find them in this store, and I put on the jacket, put in the earplugs, put on the helmet, and put on the gloves.
Had a little package to mail at the PO. Took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all. Mailed my package, then I put on the jacket, put in the earplugs, put on the helmet, and put on the gloves and rode home, where I took off the gloves, took off the helmet, took out the earplugs, took off the jacket, and stashed them all in the garage.
As you can see (if you've made it this far), it just doesn't make any sense at all to ride a motorcycle for this kind of trip. By the time you're done, it takes 2 minutes to struggle into the sweat-soaked leather-and-Kevlar gloves.
I also don't ride if: We're going somewhere nice and Fay doesn't want her hair messed up. Or if we're taking the dog. Or if we're taking the grandkids. Or if there's something to haul out or back. Or if there's a lightning storm going on when we leave.
Some people actually ride THROUGH all that stuff, though ... ! I ride through most of it but there's a line ...
Lannis
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Once again, Lannis hits it spot on. ATGATT is a pain in the butt running errands in hot weather.
For a couple of decades, when I supported dogs, I felt guilt-stricken leaving them behind. A lot of short motorcycle rides were sacrificed for the sake of leading the pack around town.
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When I do errands on the bike I only take off helmet and gloves. If I am wearing earplugs I leave them in, especially since no one cares to talk to me anyway :) If I am wearing a jacket I leave it on, even if the temps are above 90.
I have also been known to go for a short distance to the market without helmet, jacket or gloves.
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Bingo! Gear on, gear off - I hate repeating myself so I'll take the pickup. :D
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That's why the goddess made nosepickers.