Sub 50 Degree Commute - Florida

Mattb

Guest
This morning was my first sub 50 degree commute on my NT.

Commute distance: 27 Miles
Max Speed: 70 MPH

Here's my current "cold weather" gear:

  • Sedici Veneto Pants
  • Cortech Jacket (all liners)
  • Aerostich Vegan 3-Season Gloves
  • Riding Boots
  • HJC Full Face Helmet

Everything was toasty except for my finger tips and my face. With the optional deflectors in place and a Cee Bailey +4 I could easily handle a 39 degree commute.

Colder than that - forget it - I'm a Florida rider, after all. :)
 
Update: Just ordered a Cee Bailey +2 - that'll do just fine - no need for the +4.
 
It has been up around the freezing mark for the past couple of days. I have been riding to work---only a couple of miles. The only thing to watch for are frozen spots--would be interesting.
 
Sailariel said:
It has been up around the freezing mark for the past couple of days. I have been riding to work---only a couple of miles. The only thing to watch for are frozen spots--would be interesting.
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Once the temps drop to 40, my bike's going on a trickle charge. Maybe next year, with upgraded gear, I'll venture to ride below the 40's.
 
I spent most of my life in Chicago. Moved to the south to get away from the cold. I'm proud to state that my blood has thinned to the point where I too call sub 50 temps "COLD"
 
Gee, don't you miss "seasons?" I spent most of my early life within a day's drive (didn't ride then) of the Gulf Coast. And I have to admit that 30F with typical coastal humididty is colder than 15-20F is here with 15-20% humidity. I think the coldest I've ever been was on the night before Christmas Eve of 1975 when I was inspecting drill collars on a dark, dank foggy location. Temperature must have been about 32 or slightly warmer because the fog wasn't freezing on the steel. I didn't think I'd ever warm up.
 
Ah, Florida! It was 30 the morning before last and I couldn't find one of my winter gloves and didn't feel motivated to put on my Hot Hands... paid for it. Only a 12 mi commute but ouch! Got motivated and found my missing glove. Toasty today. Don't need the heated grips or vest until 25 degrees. Love the changing seasons and don't mind the cold. Life is good.
 
Phil Tarman said:
Gee, don't you miss "seasons?"
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We still have seasons, they just aren't the same as up north.

November 30th - January 20th is Fall
January 20th - February 10th is Winter
February 10th-June 1st is Spring
June 1st - November 30th is Hurricane Season

All dates are approx of course.

We also have a little known dual season, 2 weeks every April and 2 weeks every September. Those periods are Love Bug Season.
 
maxweljames said:
We also have a little known dual season, 2 weeks every April and 2 weeks every September. Those periods are Love Bug Season.
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I lived in Florida in the mid-50s and remembered Love Bug Season being longer than that up in the panhandle.
 
Phil Tarman said:
I lived in Florida in the mid-50s and remembered Love Bug Season being longer than that up in the panhandle.
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It varies year to year lately. This year we got off light in the fall, only about a week. 2009 and 2010 were both nasty spring and fall, lasted about a month each round.
 
Here at the other end of I-95 I find that the Honda wind deflectors, Olympia Wind-Tex gloves, and heated grips enable me ride in temperatures that you would rarely if ever see in Florida.
 
vzshadow said:
Here at the other end of I-95 I find that the Honda wind deflectors, Olympia Wind-Tex gloves, and heated grips enable me ride in temperatures that you would rarely if ever see in Florida.
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With the windshield and the risers, I've hit my spending budget for the month. Deflectors are at the top of my list next month.
 
Well, regardless of what John says, my experience with the wind deflectors is that they work very well. I've ridden 50-60 miles in light rain without my gloves getting more than a few drops of rain on the backs. My hands stayed comfortable (even the backs) while riding up to the Eisenhower Tunnel and over Vail Pass on I-70 couple of weeks ago. The temperature at the tunnel was 21F; on Vail Pass, 23F. On my Concours, even with their heated grips on high, I would have had to put on my winter gloves to keep my hands warm. The deflectors deflect. At least in my opinion.
 
The weather here is quite crazy. I rode to work in 31F and came home at 1:00PM at 50F. Viking delivered my new super fancy snow blower with power steering, heated grips, and Halogen headlights.

I am in my driveway checking out all the controls--power steering and such wondering why people in cars were slowing down--I mean I was not out in the street. Then it came to me. Here it is 50F and there is this clown running a bright orange snow blower wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sandals. I guess they must have thought that I was a couple fries short of a Happy Meal.

It is a great snow blower now that I tried out all the controls.
 
I have to agree with Phil for me the deflectors were a major improvement on the air flow across my hands and arms. It was 32 when I rode to work this afternoon its supposed to get down to 10 tonight , I"m sure I will appreciate them when I go home at midnight. jim
 
Chucksklrst said:
Phil need a up close picture of the wind deflectors on the NT.
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Here you go, Chuck. My theory is that they work like slots on an airplane wing, and energize the flow around the running lights so that the airflow behind the deflector kicks the airflow around the whole bike out farther than your hands.
 
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