I'm new here and unsure I'm posting in the proper place... I live in cambridge just over the river from boston. My vfr is my main ride now (bought it aug. 13), and I don't have a car and selling my other bike. What preparations do you take for winter operations? I understand the ice will make some days impossible. How many of you ride in the winter? I've alreaady invested in winter gear. I'm also curious as to the tools you choose to carry on. Besides the toolkit, I've been carrying a mini voltmeter (likely just to tell me my battery is screwed) and an extra 12V cell (not a moto battery but of similar size, i use them with small robots and have cranked my vfr off it before). Although this is my first chain bike I've had to do all maintainence myself, I'm debating replacing the chain/sprockets now vs march(already have the chain, sprockets, speedohealer). The bike has about 19k on it and the chain is at the end of the guide given on the chain guard (no tight spots, but rust on some plates). Should I replace now or wait until spring to prevent the winter salt/sand from destroying a new chain? Thanks in advance
I can't answer the chain questions. I haven't had much experience over time with them but I can tell you my chain is in the same shape as yours and I'm going to be replacing it soon. A broken chain is bad news going down the road. I dont do much riding in the winter but I imagine that I will be doing more this year, especially if we get the mild and dry winter they are predicting. I don't really carry any tools with me but I don't stray far from home either... I've got plenty of friends wherever I am heading and if something comes up I will be giving them a call. One of the best things you can do is keep your bike on a battery tender of some sort. Winter can play hell on a battery and even worse on one that doesn't used much. This will help lengthen the life of your battery and should give you some piece of mind. Good tires are a MUST for the winter. While you can get by on questionable tires that are nearing the end of their life during the summer, they are even more important when the road surface is less than favorable.
The bitterness Bring Pill with you if you could please.I would consider it a personal favor.:thumbsup:
When I ride in the cold winter months I like to have a faithful companion riding pillion :biggrin: Regards, Rollin
I've been riding winter for three years now but granted, we are very wet and little snow. If there is any chance of snow, or if the temperatures are below freezing, its clear and calm, then leave the bike at home. That is when you get ground frost or what is commonly referred to here as black ice. Not worth the risk. I wouldn't worry a hell of a lot about the salt on the chain. You should be keeping the chain lubed well enough that salt would never be an issue. Salt, as I am sure you already know, can play havoc on other parts of the bike. Keep it clean. All the rain and highway driving I do here is sufficient to keep this at bay for me. A battery tender should not be required if you are using the bike almost daily. Tenders are to keep idle batteries charged. Yours should be kept charged with use. If you find this is not the case, then you should be looking deeper as to why. Maybe time for a new battery. Mine is original on an 2006 with 82K km (51K miles). You say you have the gear. I presume heated gear. You would be surprised how effective a cheap rain jacket is in keeping the heat from this heated gear, inside near to you body. A wise investment if you don't already have a rain suit. Enjoy. I don't mind riding in the rain and cold at all. I have the geara too. Naturally riding in the nice weather trumps the monsoons we get but none the less, i like to ride. Oh....BTW...welcome. I would rather have a bottle a front of me than a frontal labotomy
Like Randy said, I wouldn't sweat the chain right now. Sounds like it needs to be replaced soon, but if you're not riding a lot over the winter I'd keep it lubed and wait 'til spring to replace it. If you're riding regularly you won't need the battery tender. Even if you can't ride for more than a week at a time, just fire up the bike once a week and let it idle for 5-10 min. Try to keep the bike clean, wiping it down often to remove the salt and grit it picks up on the road daily. Oh, and congrats on your VFR and welcome to VFRW!
i get rain tires, or a tire that can handle the cold, just about every street tire is made to ride in above freezing temps, so keep that in mind when ur rolling into ur first turn and ur tires are -5 degs.
come to think of it, dude, is this ur first winter in boston? there is gunna be like feet of snow. i would seriously consider parking the bike from mid December to early march, and taking the T because when it snows, it might be 4-5 days before the roads are actually clear to the tar. you are gunna freeze ur cookies off. using a snow shovel to clear off ur bike, then ride it doesn't really sound like a good idea, haha
LOL so you want to ride in the winter. clean the rust off the chain and use it for the winter it will be toast by the end of the season anyway. I used to run an old RZ-350 back in the day in the winter, I got a set of super soft slicks and cut rain groves in them that worked great and I even ran ice screws for a bit, what a blast but they did not stay in the tire long LOL ( really good for when the plows pack down the snow but will not work on VFR due to the weight ) With the tire selection today I would go w/ rain tires link below. Avon AV49 / AV50 SP Pro Xtreme Tires - Chaparral Motorsports Dunlop Racing Tire Catalog top link IMO seem to be the better of the 2 but look online there are a few more companies making them now and the ones w/ a more knobby tire of tread would be best. just be careful. hope the info helps and welcome to the madness, keep an eye on the links below for some of our get togethers maybe you can join us sometime. http://vfrworld.com/forums/usa-north-east/16197-any-gen-vfrs-northern-ct-central-mass-area.html http://vfrworld.com/forums/usa-north-east/23696-mt-greylock-adams-mass-meet-greeet.html http://vfrworld.com/forums/usa-north-east/26564-looks-like-riding-season-comming-close.html http://vfrworld.com/forums/usa-north-east/26564-looks-like-riding-season-comming-close.html I also have a few links to cheap bike mods if you want.
I am in NYC and ride year round. I have been riding year round for over 5 years now and do not own or drive a car. In the winter I ride a lot to Philly, Boston, Balt, Va and various areas in Pa. It is always good to have some tools with you, but I always make sure I have a tire repair kit, small flashlight, plastic ties, hand warmer packs, spare headlight, finger squegee and a spare rectifier relay (also always carry some napkins or paper towels). Also, get some good tires - I have used Bridgestones, Avon, Metzlers and Dunlop tires, and have found the Dunlop Roadsmart tires to be the best for me in the winter months - I like the Avon and Pirelli tires in the warmer months and on the track. I am looking at the Pirelli Angel ST tyres. Get Layered in colder temps. Layering will keep you insulated and warm. Start with a light base layer that's breathable - microfiber is a good choice. Your base layer should trap warm air next to your skin and wick away sweat. Make sure your top layer is made of tough, windproof material, such as leather or nylon. Be sure layering clothing hasn't restricted the movement you need to ride safely. Trap Body Heat. Keeping your hands and head warm is crucial - most body heat escapes there. To seal the gap between jacket and gloves, invest in gauntlet-style gloves. Good gloves are a must but are a problem if they are too bulky. Consider wearing a silk or microfiber layer under your gloves as well. In addition, invest in a neck warmer or balaclava to prevent cold air from entering your helmet. Visor fogging can cause hazardous visibility problems during cold weather. Wear a half-mask inside your helmet over a wind-proof balaclava. This combo allows your breath to escape without causing condensation inside the visor. I also like the Respro mask for fogging - some fogging can lead to your helmet visor icing over which is not good especially at night. Longer trips often require additional protection, such as electric vests and gloves. These accessories use your bike's electrical system to provide heat. A vest, electric or regular, is essential to keeping the torso warm. A warm torso prevents frostbite by allowing the heart to focus on pumping blood to the hands and feet. Or, spring for the heated grip option available on many touring bikes. Definately consider heated grips of electric gloves, especially when it is windy, rainy and at night when the temps really drop. Hypothermia is insidious. If you ignore early symptoms, like uncontrolled shivering and numb fingers or toes, slow reaction times or fuzzy thinking, you could get into trouble, fast. Wind chill adds to the danger, so make sure you Make sure your insurance policy allows for year-round riding. Many insurance premiums for motorcycles are based on an annual term that already takes into consideration the variances in use throughout the year. Accordingly, a discount for limited use off-season is already reflected in your annual costs. However, if your policy requires your bike be laid up during certain months, you may not be as protected as you think.
I paid my insurance for the year, so I'm covered there. Yeah that would suck if something happened and i wasn't covered. The previous owner, who rode year-round too, installed oxford heated grips, and I've bought a new set of winter gloves too. I've got decent boots, leather jacket, and balaclava. Better pants for longer rides will have come later as I'm low on funds and will have to layer where I can. I bought new gloves and better boots because I don't want anything so thick or layered that I lose too much feel of the shifter clutch or throttle. Thanks for mentioning the finger squeegee and tire repair kit. Adding little things like that seem like they would save a lot of trouble for little cost. Why the spare headlight? Do they fail often? That reminds me I should buy spare fuses for longer trips too. As for tires, the previous owner installed new ones about a month before I bought the bike to pass inspection (and a new muffler). I'll look them up later today to check their wet and temperature rating. Thanks for bringing this up, guys!
Sounds like you are serious and ready. I would only add the obvious statements. In the winter the road is ovbiously cold and the chill factor add to that. The day when the sun is up and there is traffic warming up the road is the best time and the highway is generally populated which keeps the road warm. The VFR is a good weight bike with a good suspension, good wind protection and brakes - the winter wind and slippery roads are a challange but can be done with a VFR (I have a Yamaha YZF 600R that is a great bike and fun but not a good winter ride - it is a carburated bike and it takes a while to warm up and the brakes need to be warmed up, also the bike is light and the rear is too light for me in the winter on slippery roads with heavy wind), sometimes I use my old Suzuki Intruder in the winter - most crusiers have worked well for me in the winter. On populated streets braking is the most important part of riding in the winter. Black ice is an issue but any icy spots with water is even worse (when braking in the winter ease up on the brakes whenever you hit metal ie manholes and the such). Definately ride car tire tracks and be ready for cars to do sudden stops and drivers who lose control of their cars. Be safe and stay in touch. I am going to Philly this weekend for the MC show - I still need a few things. Finally as far as apparel consider getting some leather overpants and some knee and shin under clothing armour. Lots of options with apparel. An example I may wear long johns and jeans with leather overpants - I can stay warm light that. Also make sure your jacket has a full sleeve lining - makes a big difference.
Gerbings makes a full line of cold weather electric gear. I would stay away from the fnacy controller though. I bought one. It works but I would not spend that money again. The simple on off switch works well and easy to use.
