The winter months...what do you do?

[beyond]

I love riding too much to worry about the weather.
Don't much like riding in the rain cos your cornering speed suffers somewhat, but it's time to shove the liner back in your jacket and go for it anyway.

We don't really get weather like Europe with snow and ice and crap on the roads all the time, thank goodness.

Way down South can get miserable but Aucklands pretty good on the whole. Might be lucky to see half a dozen frosts a year.

[Insanity_rules]

Welly crew a bit soft, a little rain hurt them? thought you would be used to crap weather down there, I ride all year round.

Hey man, the Welly crew rock the party the hardest and Uncle B is my guru. Cold shitty weather is more common in Wellington than losing the rugby is for Auckland LOL

Gonna use the time to start customising and servicing the mighty VTZ of doom

[Waylander]

Separates the bikers from the posers does winter. The Warehouse sell waterproof jackets and leggings. Bikes have headlamps. Next excuse.

That plastic shit from the Warehouse is just that, plastic shit. If the heat from the engine doesn't melt it then the wind will rip it apart. Best to just get some proper rain gear or harden up and do without.

It's only water and half the guys on this site could do with a cold shower 90% of the time anyway.

[Paul in NZ]

Wull... The Triumph's engine is nearly back together... The kind engineering man is pegging the timing side mains because they have (in the past) turned in the housing and.. (well you lot don't care so) I scored a NEW woring loom... woo hoo! I have had new tyres fitted but need to shim up the front brake shoes (don't care why do you so ditto)

The Guzzi needs the engine hauling out for another go at that fecking leak and it has a leaking fork seal ever since I stuck on the Tarozzi fork brace (work of the devil) so that needs fixing too!

Feck! I'm behind on my stories I write for MGNOC

Bummer, I promised Ray I scan a few more pictures from the achives.

In short..... I always have freaking heaps of bike stuff to do... Rain or fine

[SwanTiger]

I will be riding throughout the winter months regardless of the weather. I enjoy riding too much to stow the bike away in the garage.

As Ixion mentioned, anyone who doesn't ride during this time in my opinion isn't exactly a true rider, just another poser.

[Jantar]

Way down South can get miserable but Aucklands pretty good on the whole. Might be lucky to see half a dozen frosts a year.

We've got a light frost forecast for the morning down here. I might just have to leave for work 30 seconds earlier than usual.

[rfc85]

[QUOTE=Insanity_rules] Cold shitty weather is more common in Wellington than losing the rugby is to Auckland LOL

fuc ,an't that the truth-rock on the "canes"

[sunhuntin]

Separates the bikers from the posers does winter. The Warehouse sell waterproof jackets and leggings. Bikes have headlamps. Next excuse.

i doubt warehouse ones are waterproof somehow! even my leather leggings leak!

i ride year round....just means i might not get to work dry and may look like ive pissed my pants due to a wet seat [no sheltered parking at work] but then i work at bp....im gonna get wet anyways.

the wind we've had lately has made life interesting....near got blown into the next lane the other night....and almost got blown over sitting at the lights. rain aint much fun to ride in with an open face, but i got face coverings for that.

fyi...the tops of computers work well for drying gloves/socks to an almost perfect point so they arent so yuck to put back on.

only real adjustment i make for winter is make sure the headlights on and i dont go overly fast in town when its wet...usually about 45k. slow down earlier than normal and brake in a straight line to prepare for a corner. generally wear more clothing on the bike as well. saw a cheap set of kiddies reflective strips the other night at warehouse....might go pick them up...feel weird in the black after work and figure i could use some more noticible gear.

[pritch]

so in the winter months what do you do to pass the time away till riding season comes round again?

Can't speak for everyone but I plan on riding until it gets warm again. Winter is the time you ride with the linings *in* the suit. When summer comes you take the linings out again. Not too complicated...

After having spent over six hours on the bike today (Western and Central North Island) I can advise that the linings will be going back in the trousers tomorrow...

[Ixion]

In fact, the Warehouse waterproofs are quite good. Get a size several sizes larger than you would normally wear to go over jackets and ensure that legs , arms etc are long enough.

They are waterproof , don't last forever, but I figure even if I only get one season out of them , well , for $9 , I'm not complaining. In fact one pair of trousers is now coming into its third winter and still usable.

The only problem is they don't breath, so they get clammy on long rides.

I wear cordura in winter so the waterproofs are for heavy rain use only.

Gloves , nothing you can do, waterproof ones delay the water getting in, but take ages to dry. Two pair helps.

Boots, no such thing as waterproof boots, but GAITERS from the friendly Army surplus shop opposite the billboard of the chick with the huge tits, make a big difference.

[Goblin]

This winter, as every other, the spunky long-jons, woolly socks & singlets and the trusty balaclava come out of the bottom drawer. Wear the right gear and cold just isn't a problem. Road conditions change too but you just ride accordingly.

There's always the Cold Kiwi for good ride and get together and of course The Brass down south(I'll get there one day! ). A few of us are lucky enough to be doing the JM SH tuition day in the middle of bloody winter . Possibly a KB rally in the near future and the Cold Duck. So much to do:spudflip:

[inlinefour]

Seems mother nature has decided summer is truly over....so in the winter months what do you do to pass the time away till riding season comes round again?

I surf the net a lot more, watch plenty of motoracing and rugby. Pull the bike apart and do those barstard maintenance jobs you can't be buggered doing during summer.
Plan next years rides (going to do them this time)
Smoke, drink and other undesirable stuff

Riding season whats that? You clearly need a DRZ or something similar and some good wet weather gear...

[Timber020]

Winter means a plastic bag for the radar detector, wax on the boots and a calm hand on the throttle

[sels1]

Yeah its fun getting all the cold weather gear on and getting out and battling the elements. This year I have the luxury of heated grips so its not too bad when the gloves start to leak. But there is nothing like being out riding on a crisp winters day. Who's going to the Cold Duck Rally?

[sAsLEX]

Boots, no such thing as waterproof boots, but GAITERS from the friendly Army surplus shop opposite the billboard of the chick with the huge tits, make a big difference.

cept for John Bull cadet model which they no longer make the barstards, Heaps of nugget and you could cross a river without getting wet feet.

What Ixion meant to say is , they dont make water proof motorcycle boots