Any other winter riders?

[Ion66]

I've owned around 30 bikes in the 34 years I've been riding here in Canada, and I've always been a 12 months a year rider. Less so now that I live in the country, and not the big city, but still get out now and then in the winter. My question is this.... Given that I've had my 08 Breva Sport shut itself down once already, over a battery that seemed pretty good, and would be fine in my Suzuki if it fit, how does a CARC bike fare in cold weather? My big fear is having the bike sit in near freezing, or a bit below temperatures, have the battery voltage drop a wee bit, and leave me stranded. I bought heated grips right after getting the bike, but now, the electrical system on this machine has me too paranoid to fit them, or push my luck on a chilly day. Any cold weather riding experiences anyone can share? It's been in the high 20's and mid 30's celsius here all summer, so mostly like the surface of the sun, but winter (and fall) is coming.   

[Arizona Wayne]

Get a lithium jump starter battery and if you need it you have it.  I got 1 for $34 @ Walmart.  You can put it in a tankbag, etc. and use it repeatedly between recharges as needed.  Now that I have it will probably never need it but I have a maxi-scooter that makes me nervous.   

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I have been a year round rider all my life. 50 motorcycles in my life.  Mid west, Pacific north wet, Idaho, Alaska.  In winter  ride a dirt bike with spiked tires.  A TW 200 with studded tires is nearly unstopable as was my DR 650 with Ural sidecar using studded tires.  Dress warm with insulated rubber boots or Sorels.
 Good mittens are a must.  None of my bikes ever had hand warmers other than to put hands on the engine at stops.
 In my old age I have found the best cure.  I have moved to Hawaii.

[Nic in Western NYS]

I had a Breva 1100 with heated grips.  I had one starting problem but that happened in warm weather.  I rode it through a couple of Massachusetts winters. Never a problem starting when cold, including below freezing.  With the screen I had, it was a great cold weather ride.  Being past my youth, I rode with the heated grips and some neat battery heated gloves - did the trick.

[charlie b]

I would follow Wayne's advice until you are more confident of the bike.

Commuted with my T5 during winters here.  My only issue is I live 2000ft higher than in town, so frequently I'd have ice around home but not in town.  A little frustrating that 1 mile of icy road would keep me from riding.  I went to work at 5:30am so it was dark as well.

Cold.  Heated gloves for me.  I also found that for my 30min commute I could deal with some chill to the bones so did not have to wear as much as I would on a trip.  I did draw the line at 20F.  Anything below that and I took the truck.

For several of those years I had the original alternator on the bike.  With heated gloves and halogen headlight it barely kept up at highway speeds.  In town I'd fast idle it at stoplights and keep the revs up when moving.  Now I have a high output alternator and an LED headlight so charging to spare.

[Ion66]

Having suffered the dreaded "CARC bike that goes blank when you hit the starter", I've been nervous about any drop in battery voltage leaving me stranded. I plan to test it by leaving it out to chill, but it's good to hear that other Breva's and Norge's actually start in the cold.

How is it that 12.4 volts in a warm garage gets you a shut down bike, but a sub-freezing, battery draining cold temperature will still see it start?

[jas67]

I commuted my 2006 Breva 1100 all winter long two winters in a row --- if the roads were not frozen.   I got lucky those two winters that there was probably only 2-3 weeks when the roads were bad enough not to ride.

With overnight and morning temps in the low 20's, and highs in the 30's I ran heated gear + heated grips (if it was 20 or a little lower), and had no problems with charging.

[Bulldog9]

I try to ride my ST bike year round, plug in the trickle charger over night and make sure I have a healthy battery. Usually means changing out battery in the winter on occasion. I have a compact set of jumper cables that I carry in my safety kit just in case.  It's always a crap shoot though, extreme cold or hot can kill a battery at will it seems 

[malik]

Although it rarely gets so cold over here, I run Powerlet heated jacket liner & glove liners and have never had a problem with the battery on either of the V7s or the 1100 Sport, even when I also run the heated grips (Aerostich wrap arounds on the V7 & Oxford Premium Sport on the 1100 Sport). The headlight on the V7C & the 1100 Sport run Eastern Beaver's headlight relays, & both V7's run SSB Lithium batteries. The 1100 Sport runs on the standard Yuasas. On the recent trip on the V7, the liners occasionally ran all day, along with charging the phone or tablet. Never a problem. The jump start kit that I took along was only used for other peoples' bikes. Tip - direct wired heated gloves or liners are the way to go, with heated grips as well for back up. (easier to switch on & off on the run, for those mountain passes & river flats). I wouldn't think that the Breva would have a problem supporting them, as long as its battery is healthy. Riding warm in the freezing cold is delightful.

[Tom]

Get a lithium jump starter battery and if you need it you have it.  I got 1 for $34 @ Walmart.  You can put it in a tankbag, etc. and use it repeatedly between recharges as needed.  Now that I have it will probably never need it but I have a maxi-scooter that makes me nervous.   

This is a good helpful hint.  Low bux for electrical insurance.  I have one that cost more but is good to have.....just in case. 

[slowmover]

Love going out on a clear dry winters day.It breaks up the doldrums of a dreary season and reaffirms life.

[ITSec]

When I lived in Edmonton, I'd ride anytime there was not actual ice on the street - which meant mid-December to mid-March was iffy, but I still got a ride in from time to time. Do all the usual stuff to maintain the battery, do the startus interruptus fix, and buy some nice heated clothing 

[rodekyll]

[Trogladyte]

I ride all year round. The roads in London are salted in sub zero weather, but I need to get across a public car park to reach a main road - I have had to dig a trench in the snow in the past!

With the bike used daily, it starts fine. If I don't use it for a few days, I put the battery on an Optimate.

[Wayne Orwig]

Get a lithium jump starter battery and if you need it you have it.  I got 1 for $34 @ Walmart.  You can put it in a tankbag, etc. and use it repeatedly between recharges as needed.  Now that I have it will probably never need it but I have a maxi-scooter that makes me nervous.   

There is a major flaw in this idea. The lithium batteries don't work in cold temperatures. So leaving it in the tank bag in cold weather may still leave you stranded. But, if you can carry it into the house/work/office, and keep it warm, that would work.
 

[Wayne Orwig]

how does a CARC bike fare in cold weather? My big fear is having the bike sit in near freezing, or a bit below temperatures, have the battery voltage drop a wee bit, and leave me stranded.

I ride year round. Though in the state of Georgia, I wouldn't get what you get in the winters. But I have often left work in the middle of the night when it is near 20F, and the Stelvio has never let me down in 7 years.
If it worries you, put in the 'startus interruptus' upgrade and ride.
 

[sturgeon]

define winter ...

[Toecutter]

Dry (meaning "ice free") roads? Sure. But in the Canuck prairies, not so common.

I've got my jar of pennies, slowly creeping up towards "Ural Patrol/ Gear-up"... it'll be the gamechanger.

[n3303j]

Massachusetts Snow storm. Me on the way home from work. Gave up cars about 10 years ago. 10K miles per year on commute and another 14K miles just because it is fun. Less now that I'm retired.

ADVICE: Dress warm in the winter and have fun. Rinse off the salt often.

[WitchCityGuzzi]

I ride year round. I will ride unless there's risk of black ice (or regular ice for that matter) or forecast for measurable snow.  I use Powerlet/Warm&Safe heated gear and can and have ridden in 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

[Trogladyte]

Oh yeah, I said what I do for the bike.

For me it's

Klim jacket and trousers, with thermal vest and long johns.
Daytona boots - not waterproof, so may get some Sidi Rains for this coming winter.
Oxford hot grips, Tucano Urbano muffs, and summer gloves.
Thermal snood in flip-front lid.

Keeps me comfortable on my daily commute of 45 minutes each way.   

[ccoli]

I run Bridgestone Blizzaks all around on the sidecar rig. Even take it out on the frozen lakes around here.
If you don't want to mount the heated grips, let me know. I need a set for my 1200 sport.

[Ion66]

Is the start fix the one involving the yellow wire? I though about it, but most of the posters who did it, still had the issue reoccur. Is it a fix?

I didn't get a car licence till I was 38. Up till then, it was just bikes all year here in Ontario, Canada. Much easier to do on cheap, 400's and such, while living in Toronto. Much harder to do out in the country. Planning to swap over to my Email 600 Bandit for the winter, but hoping to use the Breva in some chilly weather, if the battery isn't an issue.

[normzone]

I'd really like to participate in this thread, but you guys would not be impressed. Some years it rains here...it can even get into the low forties.

[Wayne Orwig]

Is the start fix the one involving the yellow wire? I though about it, but most of the posters who did it, still had the issue reoccur. Is it a fix?

Sounds like you may want to sell the bike and get a Toyota.

Anyone that has a true 'startus interuptus' issue and applies the proper fix, it fixes the issue.
Anyone that has a burned out headlight and calls it 'startus interruptus' so tries that fix, and can't understand why their headlight is still out, is simply clueless. And yes, I have seen people try to fix things that aren't broken, a LOT, on motorcycles.

[oldbike54]

I'd really like to participate in this thread, but you guys would not be impressed. Some years it rains here...it can even get into the low forties.

 Same here , hard to brag about riding in 30 F , although I have blasted across Montana and Wyoming in some pretty cold temps behind an airhead RT beemer fairing , which is cheating of course  There was the trip across the Dakotas , WI , and MN on an unfaired Triumph when the sleet got ugly . Does that count ?

 Dusty

[Ion66]

Sounds like you may want to sell the bike and get a Toyota.

Anyone that has a true 'startus interuptus' issue and applies the proper fix, it fixes the issue.
Anyone that has a burned out headlight and calls it 'startus interruptus' so tries that fix, and can't understand why their headlight is still out, is simply clueless. And yes, I have seen people try to fix things that aren't broken, a LOT, on motorcycles.

Why would I want to sell my bike and get a Toyota? I've been riding 12 months a year for 34 years. I've ridden in Canadian blizzards, with no sidecar. I've worked in shops, worked in magazines, over a decade of racing as well. Is my questioning of a new bikes ability to not leave me stranded (first bike in 30 bikes to do stuff like this) some sort of indicator that I'm not cut out for riding? Am I missing something?

Oddly enough, I'm 50, but have never owned a car, though I did get my car licence 12 years ago, and do borrow the wifes car! :)

Maybe I'm reading too much into the comment?

At some point I will get ahold of a proper wiring diagram for the Breva, and have a good read through the many threads here and on other forums on the yellow wire fix. I've seen V7 wiring diagrams in some posts, I've seen "The actual pin is different from the one shown, so don't cut the one in the picture!", This ones's a Griso, but the Breva/Norge is probably similar...etc. Until I know exactly what I'm doing (To be honest, this is the first EFI bike I've owned, and has wiring very different from what I'm familiar with) I'm not touching the wiring on the bike.