Ug. riding weather needed

I am probably no one's definition of a "real rider" because all I really do on my bike is joy ride. I have been caught in the rain plenty and that's fine, but I prefer nice days and won't joyride in the rain on purpose.

That said, I'm here to express my frustration with Central PA in 2011. We had a very wet and cold spring (on one ride in June the high temp was 57 and it misted almost the entire time). July was brutally hot with extended days of temperatures in the 100s. Then in August, it was back to more torrential rain that ultimately ended up in flooding that ruined Route 87, one of the best roads around here. As it stands, it will be five years before that road is fit to ride on a motorcycle again.

Today, we are about a week into a stalled weather pattern where it rains off and on every day with temperatures in the 60s. This weather pattern is finally supposed to break up for the weekend -- NEXT WEEKEND!

I am bitching like this for one reason -- I think the VFR 800 is an absolute work of art whose form actually enables its function. And I hate getting it wet and dirty if I don't have to.

Stupid weather.

 

Dude, I feel for you. Hang in there and plan one hell of a ride for next weekend.

 

I'm right there with you, man. I hate getting the VFR wet if I don't have to. I would prefer it to be covered when I leave it outside, too. I gotta tell you though, the weather could be WAAAYYY worse. I live in New Orleans (the humidity capital of the US) and since May, it has been over 90F. Only in the last two weeks has it even gotten down under 100F during the day. Mix that with constant torrential downpours that come out of nowhere (literally...they show up from the gulf with no warning) and the weatherman's constant 40% rain possibility EVERY DAY and that makes for some bad riding. Add to that the roads in New Orleans are on par with the ones in Bolivia in terms of overall smoothness and then the ones outside the city are straight as an arrow for 50+ miles before you get to anything...which is nothing.

I am totally considering trading in my "12 month riding season" which is really more like 4 months for my old real "5 month riding season" in New Hampshire. At least in the summer, when it's hot, it's not sticky. I had to buy all new gear down here just to ride in the summer to work and back. New helmet (GMAX...has 11 Air vents that pour air directly on the head), new jacket (mesh with padding), etc...

I feel for you up in PA, though. My brother lives there and the weather every time I have visited in the summer was so pleasant. He told me the same thing you are saying. No nice days all year so far...

Waiting for my weekend down here, too. This one may be the good one!

 

There is a fix for this problem, it is called California.

 

Yo...

TC...

We don't really *want* all these guys out here, do we?

 

I don't think I could ever get my family out of Central PA, so California is safe from me. 8AB, heat like that is as brutal as rain and cold. Thanks for keeping me grounded. Here is a video of Wallis Run Road before the recent flooding. Not me on the Ninja, just something I found. Pay particular attention to the beginning of the ride because, as the pic below shows, that part of the road is GONE forever. The other pic is Route 87 after the flood. Ninja 250 - Wallis Run Road - YouTube

 

I pray for Pennsylvania dudes every night but I watch this local chica for the weather not because she is so accurate but because she has a great rack.

 

Its been the same here in Cinci but 60/ 65* weather is perfect riding temp for me. agat.

 

Here in New Jersey the weather is pretty much as you described in central PA. I belong to 2 motorcycle Meetup groups and, so far this year, almost half of our rides have been canceled, postponed or altered becuse of weather. And yes, it has been raining off and on all week and will continue thru the weekend and well into late next week. Crap!