First Ride 2016

[MotoG5]

Last Saturday it was an insane 75F here in the great plains. After a run of above freezing temps all the snow and ice was off the roads. Rolled out the NTX, dropped in the battery, checked the tires and fired it off. Couple of my riding buddies (both Triumph riders) got together and did a 200 mile three state (NE,MO,IA) loop. Only down side was a heavy wind but out here warm temps in the winter always come with a strong south wind. Nice way to break the ice for a new riding year.

[Trogladyte]

Cool.

But totally alien to me. It must be very different having a"riding season". Obviously here in the UK we have cold weather in the winter, and it can be sub zero, and there is occasional snow. But main routes are salted, so ice is rarely a problem.

I ride all year round, pretty much every day. My Griso is my main means of transport,and is what gets me to work and back every day. I have good cold weather gear, heated grips, and handlebar muffs (Tucano Urbano), and that deals pretty effectively with the temperature.

[drlapo]

57 f and sunny here yesterday
Took the V7 out to test the new voltage regulator.
Bike ran great, it ran better than it ever has!
Then I remembered that this was the first ride with the new hagon shocks. The ride is transformed; no more bouncing around the back roads or standing on the pegs at every seam in the pavement.
So the bike needed a metal fuel filter, new shocks and a voltage regulator in the first two years of ownership.
Could Honda get away with that?

[LowRyter]

weather is crazy down in Okie land.  I don't think we've had but a couple of frosts in the last couple of weeks.  The early elms budded about 10 days ago and those bradford pears (allergy machines) bloomed this weekend.  We've had several 75 degree days and one day in the 80s.

[Guzzistajohn]

I got in about 150 miles yesterday 

[Waltr]

I rode around 200 miles yesterday. Good to get out. I have been wanting to ride down to Maryland and eat at Ricky's rice bowl, but they were closed. Sign said they lost there lease.  I really loved that place, so I stopped by the Royal Bakery in Germantown and picked up pastery to bring to my son-in-law and wife and got to the the first grandbaby.  So I guess I am a Grandpa.
Rode a little today. Forgot how much I love the Norge.

[Pmc]

Trogladyte - you forgot to mention that in rains in the UK. For days and days and days - I believe the record for continuous days of rain is something like 90 days. So often being waterlogged is far more of an issue than being frozen. Oh sorry, I just noticed that you live in the sunny south where it never rains! :)
Glad to hear that you ride your bike all year round, too many bikers only use their bikes on the weekend, stay safe :)

[Trogladyte]

Trogladyte - you forgot to mention that in rains in the UK. For days and days and days - I believe the record for continuous days of rain is something like 90 days. So often being waterlogged is far more of an issue than being frozen. Oh sorry, I just noticed that you live in the sunny south where it never rains! :)
Glad to hear that you ride your bike all year round, too many bikers only use their bikes on the weekend, stay safe :)

London can be wet! But my textile kit deals with it. Took me years to find strides that were genuinely and reliably waterproof. But my KLIM textile strides with Goretex pro-shell are monsoon proof.