After the snow...etc. Forty degrees is great, been waiting to get out on the bike. That is why they make the cold weather gear......I put my leathers on and go, need to get out

 

Why worry about other folks and what they're thinking or doing?Ride for your self.I ride all I can and I do have all the gear I need for most rides and all my leather is Harley leather.I've tried other leathers but I've learned that you get what you pay for.Harley sales some damn fine leather. I'll admit it's pricey but it's good stuff.

 

To the original poster:
What do I think of the guy who takes off on his bike as soon as the snow clears?!?! You live in Indiana right? You should know. I'm from Minnesota. I dreaded that first snowfall, and hated every flake after that, why? Cuz I couldnt ride. It was like someone cut off one of my limbs, My bike would stay in my cousins barn or friends heated garage till that day. That glorious wonderful better than Christmas day, day, when that snow cleared enough to take the first ride of the season. Sometimes a little layering of cloth was in order, yeah, but I was riding again. I WAS RIDING AGAIN!! And after all those months, all those horrible cage riding months I was back on Betty-Jean! And wanna know something else? I didnt care WHO SAW ME!! I'm sorry if I am not your kind of 'true rider?'. Since I also ride during the scary dark night time too! And I just bought some brand new "Harley leathers" since my 30 year old "Harley leathers" kinda wore out. I now live in warmer climes and part of me misses that first ride rush. But I guess some guys just dont get how you can ache for your ride time. Actually look forward to the ride to work, or the ride home, or just to ride. Anytime, night or day for that matter. Any way I'll try to stay out of you and your 'true riding' way. Guess I'll have to ride through Indiana at night.

 

I've never been disappointed in anything I bought from Harley. Well maybe the price. I don't ride locally if the weather is bad but I like to tour and so I ride then in whatever weather exists. I have ridden in rain, snow, sleet, wind, heat and cold. Was not always fun but I have never spent a day in a motel waiting for the weather to improve. I like Harley leathers and Ts. To each his own. Also, riding in inclement weather usually makes for good, exagerated war stories over a few cool ones.

 

I have a friend with a Wide Glide ... bought it NEW, immediately spent a few grand on all factory extras. It was his 1st bike ever, picked it up the day he passed the AMA safe rider course. Nothing but a BRAND NEW Harley would do because this guys is all into image. Always wears designer clothes, drinks the hip drinks, does what ever's in fashion ... you know the type. He wears jackets that say HARLEY, helmet made by HARLEY and when he wears no helmet he wears a Harley dew rag. He's an upwardly moble person who follows the trends to be cool.

Some people will take their bikes out as soon as the snow is gone because they don't want to be accused as being a POSER. (And some because they can't wait to get back on their bikes!) There's another thread in the forum about posers and such and one guy said a Biker lives the biker life style 24/7/365 and all others are motorcyclists, not bikers. Maybe your pal agrees with this opinion? For me ... guess I'm a motorcyclist. I don't take my bike out if riding it makes me freeze or get drinched. I don't need to prove anything to anyone but myself. Granted like most honest people ... I want others to think I'm "cool" but i'm not willing to freeze my butt off to prove it. Again ... that's me ... it's already been established I'm not a "biker," I'm a motorcyclist ... and proud to be one.

BTW my friend with the Wide glide ended up UNDER a fire truck ladder truck after having his new bike for 5 weeks. He was an idiot and tried passing the firetruck on the right. The truck veared to the left to take a sharp right turn and he drove right into and under the trucks rear wheels. By the grace of god he only ended up with some bad road rash and of course his ride was all f'd up. Because it was new and insured they rebuilt it to new specs ... but he had no bike for the whole riding season and HOPEFULLY learnt a lesson. Then again maybe he didn't ... still rides on the highway way over the limit with no helmet in NH, because riding with a helmet wouldn't be cool! [8D]

 

My bike came out of storage on March 31 and was riding the same day, with a helmet on ( by my choice). With the proper gear on I can handle a little chill in the air. Last fall I rode my bike into work almost every night. If I am around town 40 to 50 degrees with the sun out isn't that bad( i used to rack up the miles on the Ski-Doo during the winter up in Nash stream and Clarksville NH). I don't like riding on real windy days but if I have to I do. Rain I have don't like it but it is new england. And my leathers I own is HD leather good quaility, however I find that the women's jackets are cut a little short and it leaves my lower back exposed alittle bit ( every now and people can see my undies[:@]). On colder day's I have to make sure my shirt is tucked in. I love to ride my little sportster I just can't wait for the real nice new england summer weather for riding.

 

Well i live in Hudson NH and work in Chelmsford ... third shift. This rain is KILLING me!!!! My god! I have rain gear but it just isn't fun riding in heavy non-stop rain. Can't WAIT for a little dry weather!!!

 

I bought a 06 Harley Davidson Low Rider 0 miles on the odometer. I got it in September. I have wanted one since the first Super Glide came out. It has close to 3000 miles on the odometer now. I ride when I want to. Rain, wind, cold. I am smart enough to stay off the streets when there is snow and ice. I learned that lesson in the 60's on a Honda 350. My first Harley was a used Sportster, 1974.

I own a Harley Davidson leather jacket. The dang thing weighs almost 20 lbs. It has zipper vents in the front and back, and a removable liner. It looks good and feels good. I love the smell of leather. And it keeps me dry and warm. I own a cheap bomber jacket that I wear but it doesn't hold a candle to the HD. I also have a Dale Jarret nylon I wear on warm days to keep the wind off. I also have a Marine Corps Camo jacket that I wear. Get the point.

I bought my chaps at a pawn shop. Saw some leather jackets hanging and joked about where's the chaps. Dang if he didn't have some. They are not Harley but I couldn't afford them, not after I had just bought my Low Rider. These will do till I save enough to get the ones I want.

I personally don't care what other people think. I ride because I enjoy it. I use it as therapy. I buy the Harley Davidson leathers because they are a heavy weight product that will last a lifetime.

A guy got lost in the woods. He walked for a while and came across a Hillbilly with a jug and a shotgun. The Hillbilly handed him the jug and pointed the shotgun at him and said "Drink". The guy took a swig and it liked to have ripped the top of his head off. He gagged, and coughed, and fell to his knees, his eyes watered. Once he got his composure the guy stood up. The Hillbilly handed him the shotgun and said. " Now point the gun at me and make me take a drink."

If you don't like Harley clothing for some reason, don't buy them. Nobody is holding a gun to your head.

As for the women that ride. Frickin Fantastic. I'll ride beside one anytime. I got a cousin in Florida that can give most guys a run for their money. She is trying to talk me into riding down one summer. I'm thinking about it. So BikerGirl40. Go for it. don't let them give you any crap.

Got to go. It's 3am and I am planning to ride tomorrow.

 

I ride as often as I can. I just love it. I live in the SE corner of PA. If we get snow, as soon as the salt is off the road, I am back on it. I do not think of myself as either a biker or a motorcyclist ~ just a guy who loves to ride, and is fortunate enough to have a wife and friends who feel the same way. I average a little over 1,000 miles per month. 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year.

The way I look at it, I bought a bike (2 actually) not a garage ornament.

I ride in the heat, the cold, the wind and the rain. No, I don't particularly care for cold, wet rain.....but, what the hell....free bike wash.

Last summer, my wife and I got caught in torrential downpours in the middle of the alleghney national forest. Put on the rain gear and rode another 5 hours.

This past March, three of us headed to NC and did the tail of the dragon. Hit 12 hours of 50 degree rain.

Both trips were a blast, despite one day of rain.

I own a fair amount of riding gear, some Harley, some not. Best investment i ever made was getting the better half heated gear (not harley). That way, she actually wants to be on her scoot when no sane person would want to ride.

I do like to shop on the discount rack. I picked up an FXRG Heavy body armor jacket for under $200.00

I like to "collect" t-shirts from dealerships ~ again, not as a fashion statement, more as momentos of places that I have been. I don't spend $40 for a t-shirt. Discount rack works just fine for me.

I really don't care what people ride, or what they wear ~ only that they ride and ride well.

just my $0.02

 

I left my house this morning the temp was 21 deg. F I used to ride at that temp all the time. I forgot that I always had heated grips. My fingers got real cold this morning. I have a set of heated gloves but was waiting to get a heated vest next year to hook them up. I ride when it is cold because I like to ride. My record cold ride was 30 miles at -13 deg F. That was when I was young I don’t think I will be doing that again.
George


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