What level of poor weather stops you?

[Ribenapigeon]

So I had to concede defeat today in the face of 70mph gusts and torrential rain. After getting hurled around in the wind and swallowing gobfulls of rain I battled my way home. So I'm wondering at what point do others give up?

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Depends on the destination. If I'm homeward bound, it'll need to be deep snow, golf ball hail or wind that stops me from keeping to my side of the road.
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[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Just back in and decided that 60mph gusts make for interesting riding.

Below 10C and the muffs go on.
0C and I stay in.

It's not often I need to brave the weather but sometimes you gotta be places.

Like the Shagman said, if I'm heading home then it'll take severe conditions to stop me.
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[stinkwheel]

Been out in pretty much anything the UK can throw at you.

I've been physically stopped from going somewhere by snow and ice before. That depends on how deep the snow is and what bike I'm on.

Wouldn't always go out in it, it would depend what I was doing.

Gusting wind is probably the most unpleasant but I've never actually spoken to anyone who came off their motorbike because of wind.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[esullivan]

Significant snow and ice on my road is about the only thing that will get me back on the tube. I live on a bit of a hill and on a side street that rarely gets salted or cleared in the winter, so I often get stopped for a week or so at a time because of this. Most of the roads in London will be clear and bone dry, but I can't get my bike out of the drive and round the first corner without a high risk of dropping it.

Wind doesn't stop me any longer. I took a course a couple of years ago, on a windy, gusty day, where they did a very good job of convincing me that bikes are hardly affected at all by the wind. We were riding at 30-40mph down a runway while standing up on the pegs and are arms held out to the side (like we were trying to take off). The bikes went straight and true, no matter which way the wind was blowing. (They do tilt into the wind, though, which was disconcerting while standing up...) It took a lot more practice, but I'm pretty good now at barely touching the bars in high winds and gripping with my knees and have had no trouble.

Lashing rain in the wintertime (i.e., in the dark) sucks and I do not claim to enjoy it. The visibility is terrible and the drivers seem to get worse. But it is still *slightly* better than the tube. I have a 20 minute walk to the station and don't wear my gear when taking public transport, so end up wetter.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[Pigeon]

Depends. Time of day, destination, bike and weather all change things.

eg on my 125 30-40mph winds provided much hilarity, 50+ and I would not go out unless had to.
But -7c for 30mins and the floods we had a while back (not up to exhaust height though) were a doddle where many other cars failed.

My bigger bikes handle wind with ease, but I crap it if it snows before heading home because more weight and much more expense potentially.

My 200kg SV in particular with clipons, a wide tank and zero crash protection would potentially drive my leg/knee into the ground during a lowside.
I did manage to lowside my 125 while staying completely in the seat and hanging onto the bars, so it can happen that you don't leave the bike or the bike doesn't leave you. One second I was upright, the next it was on it's side sliding down the road. My leg was saved by wide footpegs, wide bars and a skinny tank.

Oh, and heat. I made an attempt to go to the beach (3hr ride) in 37c weather and gave up after 10mins, turned round and came back. I think that's the only time I've gone out and come back.

[Ribenapigeon]

Wind and rain were the biggest factor today as I was getting moved sideways towards oncoming traffic. I dont fear being blown over its the getting blown sideways thats the scary thing. If it was dry I would probably have stayed out. Would be nice to have some dog of a bike as a winter hack though. Something fully adapted to taking a slide down the road or could even be left behind without too much of a cost if it got nicked.

[NJD]

High winds, such as todays.

Looking outside the window tells me that coughing up the bus fare for a commute for one day is a far better idea than attempting to take the tiddler out in that, I have limits and common sense.

[pepperami]

Had the use of an old Honda XL 250 many moons back, thick snow,rain, wind, hail, minus temperatures never stopped that old bus
The only thing that got the better of me was black ice.

Mind you it was only used in town and the suburbs, I never did any long trips on it.

These days I choose not to ride in snow, but if I need to be somewhere with the bike, not much will stop me.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[chickenstrip]

If there's a tiny, fluffy little cloud way over in the corner of an otherwise clear, blue sky, in the far, far distance, I won't even consider lifting up a corner of the bike's cover for a second



I don't think skies have corners
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[thepuma]

Only snow really...or bad ice on the road.
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YBR125 (SOLD) - CBR250R(SOLD) - CBR650F(SOLD) Current - Street Triple
765 RS

[Ribenapigeon]

[chickenstrip]

[pdg]

Too much sun stops me going out on the bike.

Makes me uncomfortably hot and might fade my pristine paintwork.

Other than that, flooding if it's over 2' deep might be a challenge or possibly over a foot of snow. Either of those, I'll take the car.
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Any and all advice given should not be followed - if you have to ask it means you don't know so get a man in to do it for you.

[Ribenapigeon]

So what's the ultimate shit-weather bike? Budget hack and money no object versions?

[Northern Monkey]

If it's a bit cold, or drizzling, I'll take the car
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Fisty: after polishing the tank with the glistenng beads of sweat from my full hot scrotum, I filled the headrace bearings with 10cc of my manmilk

[kawakid]

I used to always try and go on the bike, this is even with me living in Halifax, which is very hilly and some years gets significant snow. I've seen drifts over 6' high.

For some years I made it on the bike.

But then I stopped going out in the snow and ice when I dropped it. The front just felt like it was in the air and down I went.

What's more weird, i'm not 19 with no car and no money,I'm a middle age bloke who't not skint and owns a car which has winter tyres. I even have the winter tyres that get the best raiting on some of the German sites.

I'm just a bit of a dxck tbh.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Enduro Numpty]

Only use the bike for "fun" riding. I did the all year round, any weather thing when I was younger but not any more. I keep at least one bike legal all year but taking it out when the weathers obviously going to be shite isn't an option. That said, if I plan a trip outwith the worst of winter weather and the weather gets bad it doesn't stop me.

[MCN]

A66 over the Back Bone of Eng-eland one fine day on route to Glasgow airport for a flight. There was a 'A66 Closed to high-sided vehicles' warning.
It was so facking windy at the border sign I could no longer ride due to the cross wind. But couldn't turn back as I had no time to 'go around' via A1 norf.

There were little gaps in the gusts so I used the holes in the wind to make slow progress. It was the stretch at the top so I was out the zone soon enough.
The wind was so strong it had blown some poor cnut's caravan over and caused a massive tail back.

Apart from wind, deep snow. But with proper tyres snow isn't even a show stopper.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[pepperami]

[TheSmiler]

Hmm I'll tell you when or if I ever meet it, went pillion with marmalade from salisbury to norwich about 2 months ago. Then rode back on my new bike in 80mph winds torrential rain and part of it in pitch black to bristol.

By the time I'd got home I felt really happy hadn't had that much fun in ages. Nothing like danger to make you feel alive. Heck I was around cribbs causeway (shopping centre) filtering, quite funny the look on the faces when you filter down the middle and you are riding through a puddle.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
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[Beehive Bedlam]

Is this a dick measuring thread? Because if it is I will win.

[WindyMiller]

I found freezing fog was the worst - it formed a layer of ice on my visor I couldnt see through, so I had to flip the visor up. At this point a layer of ice started to form on my face. Stopping and scraping the ice off worked for a very short time, but with the cold visor it reformed very swiftly. I would avoid this again if possible.

~40 mph wind gusts are fine, 70+ mph cause a bit more tricky. Suddenly finding yourself slide 2 feet closer to the central reservation on the M4 is somewhat buttock clenching, so I tend to avoid that.

I recently got some Keis heated gloves - so far this year weather hasn't been too cold, but there was one monday morning at -2C, when I had to turn the heat down as my fingers were too hot
I've ridden at -1 quite a few times before and it's usually OK. I'd draw the line at -10C though.

My commute is only 45-50 minutes each way though - long enough to get a bit cold and wet, but not usually too bad. I'd think twice about a longer trip in the same conditions.
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YBR125 SV650S Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Islander]

High winds, snow and ice are the things that'll make me pick the car over the bike every time. Why be uncomfortable or take risks? My car has winter tyres and will get me through in comfort every time.

I've done my time with only a bike for transport and ridden through all conditions out of necessity.

Oh and this will make me choose the car every time.

https://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc158/lone_stranger_album/_MG_7576_zpsvehiwxkz.jpg

[Groove]

If I can see a cloud that looks a bit off white and it's under 14 degrees.

I can not use my bike for work (company car full of parts and tools) so it's only use is pleasure. 2k miles this year
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|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk