How long is the riding season where you live?
03-19-2009 | 01:11 PM
#33
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From: Massachusetts
RE: "don't move to Oregon"
Have to say Oregon from the Mount Hood area down to Crater Lake was pretty nice. The coast was really nice but I remember the trucks were a bit aggressive in their version of lane splitting.
As for coastal Massachusetts, early April to mid/late October. The shoulder seasons have lots of sand or wet leaves but you're usually glad for the warmer weather so you don't care. BTW, we send the Massholes to NH so we can have a better ride near home (JK).
Have to say Oregon from the Mount Hood area down to Crater Lake was pretty nice. The coast was really nice but I remember the trucks were a bit aggressive in their version of lane splitting.
As for coastal Massachusetts, early April to mid/late October. The shoulder seasons have lots of sand or wet leaves but you're usually glad for the warmer weather so you don't care. BTW, we send the Massholes to NH so we can have a better ride near home (JK).
03-24-2009 | 07:45 PM
#34
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From: Lunenburg, MA
Central Coaster, it is gorgeous here, but you gotta be able to bend with the seasons. If you ski, it covers you from Dec. - March. April is the slap and tickle season in central new england - nice day 50 degrees, followed by 3 or 4 of cold rain, wind, sleet, etc. I think the worst part of the April - Oct. season is the salt and gravel left on the roads and the frost heave holes that are so prevalent in Spring. REALLY GOTTA BE ON YOUR TOES!! Your ski underwear will help. Riding mid-Nov to March is masochistic and suicidal. As a rule, as long as you're in rural New England, the riding is great. Hence the suckiness of southeastern NH and suburban Boston. Maine is also huge and offers some amazing roads, terrain and a very long and dramatic coastline to ride. Give me a shout if you come this wasy and we'll ride up route 100 in VT!
03-24-2009 | 08:04 PM
#36
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From: Mississippi
I was stationed in San Diego and there's no better weather for riding. I currently live in Mississippi.....you can ride year round, if you don't mind wet cold winters. Best people who respect riders I've found......The UK!!!
Grew up near the St. Lawrence river in Northern NY......hope you like 30 below. LOL
Grew up near the St. Lawrence river in Northern NY......hope you like 30 below. LOL
03-27-2009 | 08:15 AM
#37
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From: Jupiter, Florida
South Florida. (West Palm Beach area). Everyone thinks Fla is a year round riding state. But in the dead of the summer, it's so damn hot that it's tought to ride. That is if you're going to have proper gear on. Of course I see plenty of shorts, tank tops and even flip-flops on some of the crazies here. (helmet attached to the back, interferes with the spiked hair and cool sunglasses). Anyway, the heat and the afternoon thunder storms make it a PIA, at least for me.
That said, this mornings ride to work was perfect for a lite jacket, a cool 68 with this afternoons ride home in the high 70's. We had a great winter,(at least for Fl.). Lots of cool and even cold days (Thanks Al Gore), that I even had to break out the heavy jacket. After reading many of the threads, I'll never complain.
That said, this mornings ride to work was perfect for a lite jacket, a cool 68 with this afternoons ride home in the high 70's. We had a great winter,(at least for Fl.). Lots of cool and even cold days (Thanks Al Gore), that I even had to break out the heavy jacket. After reading many of the threads, I'll never complain.
03-27-2009 | 09:08 AM
#38
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From: San Diego, CA
I was on my way to go skiing at Stowe in VT on Saturday and saw a Superhawk rider and another rider pass me by. It was about 30F. Brave souls out there! I was just sightseeing in a borrowed car, but had to wave anyways.
03-27-2009 | 09:16 AM
#39
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From: greeley, co
West Tennessee has weird weather. It can be 65 degrees any month of the year. and the next day it might rain, snow, sleet, or be 20 degrees. Usually you can ride between March to November. Through in some sparatic days in the off months too.
03-29-2009 | 09:44 PM
#40
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Australia, specifically Western Australia (time to make you jealous) is a true 24/7 52 weeks a year riding state. Temperatures in summer can peak at 118-120 (but your looking at 4-5 days that hot the whole summer) but on average probably come in around 95-100. Humidity is very low which is nice, winter gets to 65-70 on average, and probably rains 20-30 days a year total rarely one after the other.
Riding in rain here is fun.
Riding in rain here is fun.
03-29-2009 | 10:43 PM
#41
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From: Rapid City, SD
South Dakota
mid-March through Halloween, but there'll be random 50-60 degree days during the winter occasionally to get the bike out and brave the gravel everywhere. I ride year round unless there is snow sticking to the roads, but that means a lot of 10-30 degree mornings. Below 10, I can't make it to work (<2 mi) without getting cold, and I feel bad for the bike since it never warms up or gets a proper ride.
mid-March through Halloween, but there'll be random 50-60 degree days during the winter occasionally to get the bike out and brave the gravel everywhere. I ride year round unless there is snow sticking to the roads, but that means a lot of 10-30 degree mornings. Below 10, I can't make it to work (<2 mi) without getting cold, and I feel bad for the bike since it never warms up or gets a proper ride.
03-31-2009 | 06:45 PM
#42
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From: northern virginia
northern va...here you are lucky to get april to end of october...all i can say is i miss south texas...for 2 years i only had a honda shadow 600..and i can count the times i couldnt ride on my two hands...
04-19-2009 | 01:55 PM
#43
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Arizona-season lasts 365 days a year. It gets a bit hot in the summer sitting at a stop light but once you get moving you forget about the heat.
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04-19-2009 | 03:32 PM
#44
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I have to disagree about Virginia. I rode year round in the blue ridge mountains which are a little colder than northern Virginia - as long as there wasn't snow on the road, then I was on the bike. That's partly a lifestyle thing though - I don't own a car and I don't intend to. Good gear makes a huge difference. I had an armored mesh breathable jacket for summer and a 1.5mm armored leather jacket for all the other seasons. It was kind of fun to be the only rider on the road from November to March, but then see all the other riders come out in April wearing denim jackets and sneakers. Gear extends your riding season!
I moved to Chicago this past November. There is supposedly a very strong motorcycle culture here in the summers, largely because riding is torture for at least 6 months of the year. I parked my superhawk in November and JUST revived her yesterday.
If you want beautiful terrain and warm enough weather to ride in for most of the year, Appalachia is a good bet. Western North Carolina (Deal's Gap anyone?) and western Virginia in particular - anywhere in the Blue Ridge or Smokey Mountains, really. West Virginia, the actual state, probably has great riding too.
So: Virginia, year round with good gear. Illinois, April to November.
I moved to Chicago this past November. There is supposedly a very strong motorcycle culture here in the summers, largely because riding is torture for at least 6 months of the year. I parked my superhawk in November and JUST revived her yesterday.
If you want beautiful terrain and warm enough weather to ride in for most of the year, Appalachia is a good bet. Western North Carolina (Deal's Gap anyone?) and western Virginia in particular - anywhere in the Blue Ridge or Smokey Mountains, really. West Virginia, the actual state, probably has great riding too.
So: Virginia, year round with good gear. Illinois, April to November.
05-04-2009 | 06:41 PM
#47
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From: Glasgow Bonnie Scotland
I ride all year 365 days and it,s not the cold,rain or snow that does my head in it,s the salt on the roads.This means that for about 4 months of the year after a long day at work when you get home you have GOT to spend another 30 mins washing your bike or it turns to a pile of scrap before your eyes.So i say whatever the weather get out there and enjoy your only here once.
05-04-2009 | 06:42 PM
#48
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From: San Diego, CA
05-04-2009 | 06:59 PM
#49
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From: Fredericksburg, VA
I ride year round in VA. Might have a few days off for snow every year, but with the right gear and a strong will to ride its possible. I don't ride nearly as much between December and March but I'm able to keep the gas fresh.
05-04-2009 | 09:08 PM
#50
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From: Big Island, HI
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