Are you still riding?

I'm not sure what everyone else is seeing weather-wise but it's beautiful in Southern Ontario.
Did a good long group ride yesterday and rode the sidecar Seca to work today.

 

It was 75F or so in Minneapolis yesterday. Took one last spin and parked the XJ750RK. All bikes now resting comfortably for the winter.

 

Unfortunately this year I have not rode the bike once this season. I did not make it to the swap meet in Paris or Milton. Between work and family health issues this will be the first season is have missed since I have had the bike. My heart drops every time a bike goes by the house.

 

Rode Saturday, was nice. Might ride today to a store that is at some distance to conserve gas. It is 70 F right now. The airhead is semi put away with good gas and on a maintainer but the X still roars!

 

My 8-year old son and I took a nice ride through the less populated areas of Palm Beach County, FL yesterday (Sunday, 10/23). It was about 80 °F, sunny and only a slight breeze blowing. The iguanas were out sunning themselves so my son kept occupied by counting them. He had an attention span of about 40 miles.

 

Florida? you don't count, you're expected to ride all year, ya I'm jealous.

 

Weather has been beautiful out here in Victoria BC, too. Went for a nice ride yesterday.
Last night we had the first rain since July - very unusual for us here on the rain coast. Just a bit, and today it is sunny again and about 15C.

 

Nice ride today, just back now.

 

Did a short ride on my new tires/bearings yesterday to shake things out. Was hoping to get a longer ride in (around Chicago - gorgeous weekend), but my friend flaked on me. Commuted the 25 miles each way today (was a touch cooler and VERY windy), and will continue to do so until the roads get/stay icy. I never 'winterize' the bikes, but occasionally throw a battery tender on and maybe splash in some Seafoam for longer snowy stints.

 

Yes been trying to get the last rides in anytime the weather is about 50. The roads here in Wisconsin are damp from the temp change and the leaves make for interesting riding. Had the Sabre V65 out for 120 miles last weekend. I hope to get her out this week as well.

 

Currently out for my daily coffee, it's overcast and 7°C (3°C with the windchill). Not good on my hands/fingers that are overly sensitive to the colder temps due to freezing them on the bike 20some years ago.

Sault Ste Marie Canada

 

A buddy (VTX 1800) and I went out for probably his last ride of the season tonight. Was about 45 degrees. Stopped by his friend's shop:

 

We're still touching 70 this week around Chicago and I got a ride in yesterday and will today. Rain and logistics had me in the truck Monday and Tuesday. Rain again tomorrow and next week looks to be in the 30s. We'll see how that goes.

 

It's a "balmy" 21°C/70°F and mostly sunny here today, so am out on Luna.

This is absolutely gorgeous weather for early November in my area (Sault Ste Marie ON, Canada)

 

Mid 60's here in New York today. Forecast to be like this till Sunday.

 

A beautiful day in NC. I got Gus the 1984 Moto Guzzi together and out for about 40 miles. His first road miles in about 5 years.

 

Put about 120 on the V65 Sabre yesterday. Very windy during the ride. It was still really nice. Went around Petenwell Lake here in Wisconsin and then back home. Nice to see the lake, it has been yrs sense I was there. Big swells and waves coming ashore, good trip and very nice roads.

We are very close to Rut for whitetail deer, only so a few so that was good. I do think that was the last ride of the season, but still hoping. it was 65 during the ride.

 

Of course put my bike away a couple of weeks ago thinking the weather would be turning cold of course just the opposite. But now it is turning cold . So now will wait till spring.

 

I've thought of you this last week.

 

Sadly, after all of my tough talk, I've been thwarted by either rain, too much salt for my liking, or family logistics and haven't ridden in a couple weeks. Might be time for some Seafoam in the gas, just in case.

 

Yeah, I am thinking of pulling the head for the winter and lapping the valves/seats but I need to buy a leak down tester first to make sure I need to do it.

 

For years I use a mix of 50/50 mix of Stabil and Marvel Mystery oil . The oil keeps rust in the tank and I use this year around.

 

I can not believe it I saw a guy out on a bike this morning! It was 3° . He was on a Honda goldwing probably had heaters everywhere including a nut warmer. Hats off to him.

 

The cold never bothered me just wear more layers. Black ice is the problem and the XJ getting corroded by road salt.

 

Ya once they start to treat the roads here in Wisconsin I am done. Even in the spring I will not take out my road bikes until a really good heavy rain clears the roads of some of that salt, sand and all the other traction helping stuff.

My on/off bike I will run most of the yr if I feel like it, but still, with black ice, snow or just slippery roads, if you go down, you should have known better.

 

I'm good as long as it's 40° or above. Other than one cold snap, it's been pretty mild here in Ohio. Looks like some sun and 46° tomorrow afternoon so I'll probably try to get out then.

 

Temps up to 45° yesterday afternoon, so I took the Seca out for a spin around the block, about 40 miles. Forecast calling for about the same temperatures today, so it's the CB550's turn. I'm already dreaming of spring and trips to the twisty roads in southern Ohio.....

 

not today.........

 

Not here either.... Not too cold to wrench though! Going through the carbs on the 74 CB550 and doing the front brakes on the 82 Seca Turbo.

 

Brrrrrr

 

Had any more snow @hogfiddles ? News is full of people coming to grief out on the roads...

 

No, roads are dry but salt-powder coated. I don’t ride in that..... the aluminium doesn’t like it. 50 degrees today so a lot of melting, only a few inches remaining, with plenty of bare spots, too.

 

Very nice 60+ temps today so put about 100 miles on the xj650lj. The bike is now starting and running very well. It almost hurts me to put miles on this bike because it only has 6807 miles after today's 100 mile ride. I didn't buy this bike for a collection though, I'm a rider not a collector.

 

Was 2 on Christmas, 65 today and washed the truck in a tee shirt.

 

Show-off...

 

I’d love to have snow like that, grew up in Michigan and now we’re just outside the snow belt. I miss it

 

You mean you really miss this crap?

 

Hahaha, well not THAT much.

 

Friday the 30th, there was a guy in Sparta WI that was riding a metric sports bike....no way, as hogfiddlers said, not with salt and sand on the road. I might take the KLR out but now one of the fast nice road bikes.

Happy New yr to all.

 

The fortnight prior to xmas or so I was stuck in the house as the ice on the roads made a trip to the shops too dicey.
I was watching the food levels in the freezer and store cupboards drop and damn near had to eat the carpets and boil my boots.
Luckily, there was a break in the weather and the roads thawed out, so I was able to get into the major shops and stock up for a month.
First time in ten years of Two Wheels Only I've been caught out like that, because I used to shop weekly and always had a month's worth of tinned and packeted goods in store, at a minimum.
Not be caught out like that again, it wasn't nice.
Otoh, time has taken its toll and I'm seriously contemplating a small 4-wheel runabout just for winter use.

 

I honestly don't know about riding on ice and snow covered roads . I'm a fair weather rider 50 degrees is about my lowest limit . Here the roads get salted and tore up from plowing , wait for spring and rains to wash the salt off the roads .

 

Several days of rain have washed our roads salt free, but I did notice a few areas of sand & grit on some of the county roads when I had the 74 CB 550 out yesterday. Last spring I installed Dunlop Trailmax tires on the bike and they are phenomenal. I had my doubts about their wet weather usability, but they offer lots of grip wet or dry. Computer aided motorcycle tire design never ceases to amaze me.

 

Was a cloudy and wet 55° degrees today, but I run some Ohio backroads for a total of 68 miles. Sorry no photos, thought about getting a shot at the State park, but my fingers were pretty cold and didn't stop to get off for a photo.

Completely re did the front brakes on the turbo and while not up to today's standards, they are now working great for a 40 year old bike. The master cylinder was really gunked up with lots of brake fluid crystals, the calipers not too bad. Just used organic pads. Hoping today's ride was enough to get the brakes all squared away. As it was wet & cold, I was easy on the new front brakes, no hard stops.

 

I rode today! It was on my Honda CT 70 up and down the drive several times.

 

@BallAquatics can you let me know which tyres you have on your bike?

 

The tires on the 1974 CB550 shown above are Dunlop Trailmax Mission - https://revzilla.com/motorcycle/dunlop-trailmax-mission-tires
The tires on the 2012 NC700X are Michelin Road 5 - https://revzilla.com/motorcycle/michelin-road-5-tires
The tires on the 2011 CBR250R are Michelin Pilot Street Radial - https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/michelin-pilot-street-radial-tires?sku_id=938253
The tires on the 1982 XJ650LJ are Kenda K657 Challenger - https://revzilla.com/motorcycle/kenda-k657-challenger-tires

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks @BallAquatics it will.

 

Still riding? Yep, a couple of mates and I did around 300 miles round trip yesterday to Fair Bluff, NC to check out a stash of true barn find m/c parts. Turned out to be almost all Suzuki stuff. I didn't see any XJ or even Yamaha bits or parts. A disassembled but likely nearly complete Suzuki 650L with 109 miles on the odometer.

 

High of 65F today. Had bike out for a very short ride in the neighborhood during lunch (working from home)