Winter/Cold Weather Riding Questions

Hi
took the xj650 out today in 25 Degree weather and now I have a few questions.
1. Visor froze up, any reccomendations?

2. Hands a little cold, not horrible as I was wearing goretex gloves but any reccomendations for actual cold weather gloves?

3. Noticed that the bike backfired a few times when shifting up from high rpms when on the way home this afternoon. Could this be because of this mornings cold ride? Any other ideas why and how to fix?

Thanks
Steve

 

Cold air is more dense than warm air - leading to a lean condition. Strangely enough, lean leads to back firing which still seems counter intuitive to me.

Visor - Some products help with the anti-fog. IF you plan on riding in this weather alot consider a double thickness visor designed for snowmobiles. They have a different crash cert I think, but it's best to be able to see. The helmets themselves are identicle, it's just that some of the visors are made out of a different material... you'd have to check what was available.

Some helmets have breath deflectors - I've had mixed results with these, but certainly a helmet with is better than without.

I switched to Yamaha snow gloves... works well for keeping the heat in and the wind out.

My other suggestion - heated vest. Go to walmart when the heated seats come on sale (should be soon) - you can get them for ~$10. 12v 34w IIRC. Carefully cut the middle so that you can see in - cut the excess material back until you can get your head through. Wear it as a vest under your jacket... cut off the cigarette lighter adapter and replace it with a 2 prong trailer connector (remember to cover the powered side). Bring the tail down to the battery - voila heated seat. Put in a toggle on/off switch and a voltometer to ensure many trouble free toasty miles. Just keep the revs up if you don't already.

Enjoy fall/winter riding - it's some of the best...

Woot.

 

You guys are sure tougher than me!!!!

Even sunny in AZ winter is park the bike time for me, except on really warm sunny days!!

I guess that's why I dont live up north!!

Personally when the visor fogs up that means it's too cold for riding.
and when the fingers confirm this I just sort of park the ol gal.

That way I just keep on enjoying the ride. (thank God I dont have to rely only on a bike)

They dont call this the White Mountains for nothing, it gets down below 0 like -20 or so at times and when it's really hot in the summer it gets up to 105. (but it's a dry heat)
(some consolation haw?)

 

I have a Scorpion helment, and there's nothing I can do to fog the visor. My glasses might get a touch of fog, but it clears pretty quick.

 

This might seem odd but it works. Shaving cream. Don't ask me why or how it works, but it does. I learned of this from an article at the AMAs website. Just put some on your visor and wipe it off and it's good to go for at least a month. FYI, it also works nicely on bathroom mirrors.


Greg

 

Widder makes electric gloves, handle grips, vests, chaps... the whole enchelada. www.widderca.com . I've used snowmobile gloves for years, work just fine out here (nothing below 45 degrees, sorry).

 

Thanks everyone, for you ideas. I am going to try the shaving cream tomorrow. Keep the ideas coming if you have them. Also, I am still looking for a nice WARM set of gloves so if you have tried any and have opinions your help would be very appreciated.
Steve

 

Well, if you like your current gloves, sometimes just blocking the wind will go a long ways towards keeping them comfy.

These overgloves are on my shopping list for when the weather goes cold:

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Aer ... 16447.html

PS you can be XJ Spock for halloween! 8O

 

I believe the shaving cream Idea works because of the Isoprophyl alchohol..(did I spell that right)? It apparently displaces+ evaporates moisture with the invisible film it leaves behind. I use a good pair of thinsulate thermal gloves with rubberized palms and finger pads for good grip on the clutch, break and throttle. They do a great job of insulating my hands and fingers when the temps get down there in the 20s and 30s. Woot is exactly right when it comes to cold air affecting your fuel/air mixture. You adjust your pilot screws and jetting, but come spring time you be readjusting them again. I would leave them alone and just make sure bike is warmed up properly. Alittle dry gas in the tank wont hurt either. Once the bike is warmed up good, find a nice road you can open her up on. Your bike is air cooled so the bike should feel a little livlier once warmed up. Another thing you can do is to keep your bike on half choke for about a mile or so when you take off in the morning, then make sure you of course close the choke and you should see a difference. I know I'll be riding till I see Ice/snow in the road. Wish I could ride year round in arizona!

 

Well, we do have a Winslow AZ. but I don't think you'd like it to live there. Even if the song does make it sound good! It's not!

 

Ive heard of it but never have been.Whats so bad about it Hvnbnd? Winslow Maine is actually a small french derived town, sitting right on the edge of the mighty kennebec river. Great folks, one Mcdonalds, and great breakfast pizza!

 

Winslow Az is in the flattest piece of desolation and abomination I have ever had the pleasure of going thru. It's cold as heck in the winter and windyer than anywhere else in the world (I think)
There is very little natural growth there except grasses which are almost always yellow.
The ground is so much clay that you would have to have have 2 green thumbs and 4 green toes to make things grow there.

Can you tell I don't think much of the place?! and all that standin on the corner cra_, well he was only standing there thinking what the HELL am I doing HERE?

FACT: By the way the Eagles had never been to Winslow Az when they 1st started singing that song!!!

Now really the whole high plains desert thing is really pretty nice to someone out there. I suppose someone from the big city would like it for a while.
Did I mention that the wind sometimes blows in excess of 100 mph here in the spring? and if you dont have lots of trees that means the wind is on the ground, that causes great dust storms.

Now to the credit of all those people who live there.... theres no place like home... thank God!!

 

Winslow Az is in the flattest piece of desolation and abomination I have ever had the pleasure of going thru. It's cold as heck in the winter and windyer than anywhere else in the world (I think)
There is very little natural growth there except grasses which are almost always yellow.
The ground is so much clay that you would have to have have 2 green thumbs and 4 green toes to make things grow there.

Can you tell I don't think much of the place?! and all that standin on the corner cra_, well he was only standing there thinking what the HELL am I doing HERE?

FACT: By the way the Eagles had never been to Winslow Az when they 1st started singing that song!!!

Now really the whole high plains desert thing is really pretty nice to someone out there. I suppose someone from the big city would like it for a while.
Did I mention that the wind sometimes blows in excess of 100 mph here in the spring? and if you dont have lots of trees that means the wind is on the ground, that causes great dust storms.

Now to the credit of all those people who live there.... theres no place like home... thank God!!

 

I've never had any desire to see Winslow, AZ, due to that song. If they were that shocked to see just one female in the town, it doesn't sound like a really happening place...

 

Not sure if any of this works on the visor .... but SCUBA divers either spit in their mask, rub it around, and rinse to keep them from fogging, or they use a few drops of dishwashing soap mixed in a cup of water, rub that around, and rinse. They only have to prevent fog for 45 minutes to an hour though, as their tanks run out of air.

The shaving cream I'd try on an old visor or something - some creams could contain chemicals that would permanently fog the visor from a chemical reaction - remember the old days when you put shaving cream on a car to ruin the paint job?

My visor fogs on my full face helmet, but I open it just a crack, and that prevents it without freezing my entire face. Wonder what would happen if you drilled two small holes, one on either side, down low, out of vision range? Maybe that would let air in to clear fog without freezing your face.

 

I had occasion to have some ride time last night (28 deg f).
You folks are right!!! My bike had so much better performance!!

Trust me my bike like many others on this site idles without a hand on the throttle at a stop sign.
I can also start my bike without a need for a choke (even stone cold), I've never had to use the choke.

I guess I might have to start figuring out some of those anti fog ideas, my 3/4 helmet with face shild was might cold at 65 mph + 20Deg F

JazzMoose, please dont get me wrong I like the song and the Eagles, it's just that there are some places I'd never want to live (or enjoy visiting)
but then never say never, Ya know what I mean.

I am sure I would like to visit Winslow, was it Maine?
Seems like such a cool state, lobster and all.

 

plenty of "lobstah" up here hvnbound! I'll save one for ya

 

I think you guys just need to go out and buy a big can of "Toughen UP"

:lol:

Reminds me, I must go out and buy a new bike jacket with some air vents in it. Starting to cook in my 3mm leather jacket lately. :twisted:

28 f ...........Coincidentaly it was nearly 28 Celcuis here yesterday.


I know, I'm evil rubbing it in and I know I shouldn't................ So I think I better just go for a ride before I get in trouble.

 

He he he, HG, I don't think it is Toughen Up so much as it is Motrin for the aches and pains!

 

I told you I'm a woos (not to be confused with a woot) when it comes to riding in the cold!

Older age has brought on my better sense