Winter Hacks

[kgm]

Afternoon all,

So what with everyone whinging about the trappings of the currently shit weather I figured there's got to be a fair proportion of the forum still riding regularly through the winter.

Who all runs a winter hack? What have you got?
How tatty is yours and do you care?

I acquired my CG125 for hack purposes (£400, rather rusty) however I stripped it to get the frame powder coated to add some life and ended up getting carried away and doing a full rebuild. Now it looks nice. It was my first bike, reacquired, so I've become a little attached to it and now feel guilty exposing it to all the crud. It went from fairly clean to absolutely manky, everywhere, in the space of half an hour during Thursday's snowy ride. I'm beginning to think I have some sort of OCD when it comes to rust as no matter the bike I can't seem to help but renew things when it's becoming tatty. I'd love to let a bike go rat but I don't think I have it in me

[Azoth]

If you powder-coated your frame, you probably wet-and-dried and wire-brushed your engine cases. If you didn't clear-coat them with lacquer after that, they'll be splotchy in no time, in this weather with salt splashing up from the road. I know this because that's happened to me, and I'll be ratting some exposed aluminium this coming week.
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Safety in numbers

[Pete.]

In winter I ride my summer hack. Ride it in winter too
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Bloggsy]

My hack is a 2007 Yamaha MT_03 and the only clean thing on it is the front mudguard which I've just replaced
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If It Aint broke Don't Fix It

[kgm]

[TallPaul_S]

2001 CB400 with 40+k miles on the clock.

It usually looks like this:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/752/30912111093_60214286e1_c.jpghttps://c1.staticflickr.com/1/352/31606385411_dd81f86789_c.jpg

Gave it a wash over xmas and it was clean for all of a few days, looked as dirty as the above pics after a week of commuting, I do 200ish miles a week.

I'll hopefully be replacing it come summer for a 700 Honda Transalp, it'll be on over 50k miles by then. it's done well for 2 years of commuting, but I want something with some weather protection.
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00 Honda VFR800 | 09 Aprilia Tuono Factory
CBT 06/03/2014 | Mod 1 and Mod 2 passed 15/10/2014

[Copycat73]

[Pete.]

I was looking at a 66 plate Yam yesterday that looks like a 10 yr old hack. The chain was red rusty and the whole bike covered in filth and salt. I can understand the dirt but why would you spend 7 grand or whatever on a new bike then skimp on a 5 quid tin of lube?
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[ADSrox0r]

Winter hack is a 1995 Aprilia Pegaso 650. Nice grunty thumper. Although it is in bits right now till I can be arsed to track down why it's running like a pig.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[TallPaul_S]

[NutsyUk]

Umm i dont think ill ever afford a (enter season here) hack... And just end up keeping one bike. Sure I could spend 400 500 600 quid on a cheapie bike for the cold months. But I would have to have insurance for two bikes. And thats the shitter for me.

My insurance is too high as it is on my shitty 125.
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Yamaha FZ8/Fazer800 (split headlight one) 2014, gingerly getting used to the massive increase in HP and not killing myself in the process! That was easy to get used to.
Kawasaki ER6F 2007 650 Gonna sell as a project bike!
Lexmoto XTR S 125 Sold!

[WD Forte]

[Teflon-Mike]

Around April, I have to get an MOT. This 'may', and that's a very tentative 'may' beg I actually wash the thing. At that point my 'winter hack' becomes my summer hack. When the roads get chitty enough it's dirty enough to merit the title... probably about the middle of May... it's back to being my winter hack!

The more revealing question, I think, I was pondering the other morning.... whether you have an all year hack, or a seasonal one, do you de-frost the saddle before you ride it?
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[andys675]

winter hack is a kia picanto leant to me by work, would love another bike for the winter but can't find what I want (fazer) for the pennies I have to spend , I really miss my old gen 1, it was one of those bikes you could thrash mercilessly and it handled, and the tank range was great
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[ZX-7R]

Use mine year round as it was cheapish and old so not really worth worrying about too much.In an ideal world i would have a garage to keep a decent bike and maybe have a hack or car for shit weather.

Still looks okay though after the 2 winters (including this current one) i have been using it.
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Current Bike - 2000 ZX-7R

[Azoth]

[Beehive Bedlam]

I ride my mechanical horse all year round.

[Commuter_Tim]

[Bloggsy]

[Evil Hans]

I use the same hack all year round.

Except when it's icy - then I borrow the Missus's 125 because it's easier to pick up than the Blandit.

Don't tell her I said that. I told her it's because the Bandit won't start when it's sub-zero.
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Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[Rogerborg]

I don't have summer and winter bikes.

I tend to take the BMW when it's wet and windy, because it's very stable and easy to ride lazily with minimal input.

Ninja when I'm feeling caddish and want to press on a bit.

Enfield when I'm feeling jolly - it works best as a lazy sunny day bike, courteously waving saucily dressed fillies across the road, that sort of thing.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[TallPaul_S]

My Tuono has been tucked away since the first lot of salt went down on the road, it won't be out again until spring. I'll do the odd sunny Friday commute on it, but my CB400 is my main commuting bike.

It's nice to have something that's not always covered in crap that is easy to keep clean, the tuono is in mint condition and I aim to keep it that way while doing 5-6k miles over summer.
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00 Honda VFR800 | 09 Aprilia Tuono Factory
CBT 06/03/2014 | Mod 1 and Mod 2 passed 15/10/2014

[Teflon-Mike]

[P.]

Didn't know you bagged a Tuono. good call.

Me, Peugeot diesel. Best winter hack.

[stevo as b4]

OP made me smile, by making his hack bike too mint to use. I've done it too in the past.

Once my 125 is sorted out for summer, I've got an old off road bike that I've had a while that will be rebuilt on the cheap as my winter/off roader/hack machine.

Trouble is I'm not in any rush to do it, and my interest and excitement for this year as well as any spare cash is focused on getting my old Coupe back on the road and looking as nice as I can make it, and running better too.