Modern Buddy

Woke up this morning and it was 9 degrees yeah 9. Too cold for me to ride unless I want to look like the stay puffed marshmallow man. I most likely wont be able to ride until next spring.

scootergirlnm wrote:Woke up this morning and it was 9 degrees yeah 9. Too cold for me to ride unless I want to look like the stay puffed marshmallow man. I most likely wont be able to ride until next spring.

Wow 9. BTW, this time of year we all look like this in Chicago

Wife just pulled up on her pink Buddy frozen dotted with snow. LOL she called me a wimp for not riding with her.

Wow she is one tough girl, I'm just not that brave...

tough, cute and smart. The snow was way light just some little specks in the air nothing on the ground. She's standing behind me now with her lid wanting me to go with her to the Whole Foods (aka whole pay check) to get stuff for dinner. I guess I'm riding after all..where are my long johns!

9?

Bah.

I've ridden in worse.

Unfortunately though I think it's all catching up to me and I may be winterizing my Stella this weekend. And it's only dropped into the 20's.

I do intend on trying to ride it the day after thanksgiving. Just because I have every year.

9? In New Mexico? I didn't think it got that cold down there!?

I planned to ride in the cold, but I don't enjoy it at all. If it's not enjoyable I'm not going to do it just because I can. lol

It's the elevation. For perspective the highest point in Ohio is Campbell Hill at 1550 ft. The lowest point in New Mexico is Red Bluff Resevoir at 2842 ft. Taos comes in at almost 7k. That's why Colorado is so cold too.

It gets that cold in the highlands of Arizona too, we even have an alpine tundra. It's weird to even think about it.

Central Mexico is a trip to, it's so low in latitude, but because of elevation it stays pretty cool. Mexico City rarely goes above 80. Last time I was there it was October and it had highs of 32.

I feel your pain.

Not literally of course.

sniff sniff....I just put my Buddy to bed for the winter. Put the Stabil in the gas, hooked up the trickle charger, covered her with a sheet and turned out the lights. It was SO SAD!

On more reason to be excited about Spring!

I just can't winterize. Sure we can get some brutal winter weather here, but you never know when that great (no ice or salt on road, over 35 degrees ) day will come.

The cold is not a huge issue for me. I would loosely rank weather problems as follows:
ice -it is just a no go.
extreme wind (ie 25+ MPH)
snow
freezing rain/hail-ouch
rain
cold
extreme heat

scootergirlnm wrote:Woke up this morning and it was 9 degrees yeah 9. Too cold for me to ride unless I want to look like the stay puffed marshmallow man. I most likely wont be able to ride until next spring.

I gave it a shot yesterday, with temps in the mid 30's and windy (wind chill in the low 20's). I did 20 miles and that was enough. Once it hits single digits around here ... I agree ... I'm done until spring.

Rob

Paulette and I rode today - 37 with wind and spitting snow / mist. It was a 10 mile round trip at about 50 bmph.

We geared up - basically long johns, jeans, overpants, coats, hoods, helmets, gloves. It went pretty well. Need to do some more work on gloves and her helmet fog if we go much further.

But it was fun and it served its purpose.

- Don

I have a 2006 Buddy 50, picked it up used a couple weeks ago. In the cold weather it feels rough. like there is a strong vibration felt throughout the bike that just was not there while it was warmer. it does seem to dissapate once Ive been riding for several minutes. I let the bike warm up for nearly 10 min yesterday still did the same thing. So I guess I'm Just asking what are the proper precautions and steps I should be taking to be sure I'm not causing damage to my little 2-stroke?

Lavasoap wrote:I have a 2006 Buddy 50, picked it up used a couple weeks ago. In the cold weather it feels rough. like there is a strong vibration felt throughout the bike that just was not there while it was warmer. it does seem to dissapate once Ive been riding for several minutes. I let the bike warm up for nearly 10 min yesterday still did the same thing. So I guess I'm Just asking what are the proper precautions and steps I should be taking to be sure I'm not causing damage to my little 2-stroke?

How cold was it when you tried to ride? If it was really cold, maybe your tires were semi-frozen and you were riding on a flat spot on the tire until they warmed-up a bit and became round again.

MAN I'm glad I live in so cal. I went surfing on Saturday- it was about 80 degrees.

(I can brag because I pay so freakin much to live here and deal with the smog, crazies, earthquakes, and fires- it all evens out. )

If it's any consolation, it's raining here. I have a plan, though. I will not let it stop me.

I rode to the dealer yesterday afternoon to get my battery tender installed. It was 37, spitting snow. I was frozen even though it's about 12 miles roundtrip. I know I could have made my legs warmer but I don't know what more I could have done for my upper body.

I think I'm done for the year.
BooHoo.

Do you own a heavy riding jacket for summer/winter use? I have one, last spring I didnt, and I died in the cold, but still rode. Now it's cold and I have my jacket, I put the winter liner in and I have 9 problems staying warm, just my neck and hands are cold, I'm still using vented mesh summer gloves with cheap black mittens under them.

I rode to the dealer yesterday afternoon to get my battery tender installed. It was 37, spitting snow. I was frozen even though it's about 12 miles roundtrip. I know I could have made my legs warmer but I don't know what more I could have done for my upper body.

I think I'm done for the year.
BooHoo.

Don't leave your Buddy out there all alone.Layer up,you can do it.

Even with all my gear, it is getting just way too frigid for my liking and I think I am done for now...

By mid-day the weather is do-able, but when I leave at 7am, it is in the single digits and frosty and it's dark and cold when I leave work.

I can't ride just to ride if I am not enjoying it and being comfy...

I'd ride if there was snow on the side of the road, but not WHEN the snow is on the road itself

jfrost2 wrote:I'd ride if there was snow on the side of the road, but not WHEN the snow is on the road itself

Same here and don't you find that WHEN it is snowy, it is warmer out anyway?

I think the friction from snow falling into lower concentrations of atmosphere cause heat to be generated. Especially at such a quick rate, thousands of feet the snow drops, the velocity must cause the flakes to be flaming hot for it to fall from extreme heights. Actually if this was true, it would just be rain....

BuddyLicious wrote:Don't leave your Buddy out there all alone.Layer up,you can do it.

I did layer up. I had on a wool sweater over a t-shirt with a polar fleece vest over it; all this under my riding jacket with liner. Also fleece balaclava. I had silk liner on under my jeans. I could have worn my overpants; I'm sure that would have helped my legs be warmer.

But it wasn't my legs that were the coldest, it was my upper body. No way I could've crammed any more layers on. I could barely move as it was. I suppose there may be smarter ways to do it? Maybe a silk layer under the cotton t-shirt?

chloefpuff wrote:

BuddyLicious wrote:Don't leave your Buddy out there all alone.Layer up,you can do it.

I did layer up. I had on a wool sweater over a t-shirt with a polar fleece vest over it; all this under my riding jacket with liner. Also fleece balaclava. I had silk liner on under my jeans. I could have worn my overpants; I'm sure that would have helped my legs be warmer.

But it wasn't my legs that were the coldest, it was my upper body. No way I could've crammed any more layers on. I could barely move as it was. I suppose there may be smarter ways to do it? Maybe a silk layer under the cotton t-shirt?

wind shield

chloefpuff wrote:

BuddyLicious wrote:Don't leave your Buddy out there all alone.Layer up,you can do it.

I did layer up. I had on a wool sweater over a t-shirt with a polar fleece vest over it; all this under my riding jacket with liner. Also fleece balaclava. I had silk liner on under my jeans. I could have worn my overpants; I'm sure that would have helped my legs be warmer.

But it wasn't my legs that were the coldest, it was my upper body. No way I could've crammed any more layers on. I could barely move as it was. I suppose there may be smarter ways to do it? Maybe a silk layer under the cotton t-shirt?

You might want to try some of the WindShear type products. I have this jacket http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... ISO-8859-1
(Wow, sorry for the long link) ... and Columbia also makes some nice Windproof gear. I also have a WindShear sweater that is outstanding. I've used both the fleece jacket and sweater in all kinds of windy, adverse and cold conditions and they really do keep you warm. Particularly when they are layered.

Rob

chloefpuff wrote: I did layer up. I had on a wool sweater over a t-shirt with a polar fleece vest over it; all this under my riding jacket with liner. Also fleece balaclava. I had silk liner on under my jeans. I could have worn my overpants; I'm sure that would have helped my legs be warmer.

But it wasn't my legs that were the coldest, it was my upper body. No way I could've crammed any more layers on. I could barely move as it was. I suppose there may be smarter ways to do it? Maybe a silk layer under the cotton t-shirt?

Leather. Air doesn't get through it. I usually wear a work blouse, a thin wool cardigan, a fleece jacket and my leather. Fleece neck gaiter. No windshield; I've been plenty comfy and it's been pretty cold here. And I don't like to be cold because, really, I could drive the Fit, listen to NPR or some obscure CD the b/f has downloaded and still get 35mpg. Oh, wait, I would lose my rockstar parking

armacham wrote:wind shield

hahaha

I'll just run right out to my dealer and pick up one

it hasn't gotten TOO bad here in Atlanta . . . the main reason i haven't scooted to work the past few days is because there was forecast of rain, and i haven't gotten that situation figured out yet. hmm, i wonder if the person with the orange Buddy 125 that parks at my work posts here - any Turner employees here? =)

BuddyLicious wrote:Don't leave your Buddy out there all alone.Layer up,you can do it.

love the photo scoots and snow are so cool

It's getting nippy here in Montreal. It hasn't gone below 0 C yet. But I suspect once December rolls around (or the first true snowfall), Kermit shall be put away in my parents' parking garage.

I'm with siobhan. Leather. it works. But you might need to do something about any arm vents. I might tack strips of vinyl (temporarily) into the lining under the zippers.

Drove to school today on my Buddy for the first time in a week. It's been raining every day until now, and is supposed to rain tomorrow and snow on Saturday. Might be the last day for me, folks...

4 words:

Layered, Windproof, Heated Gear

sunshinen wrote:4 words:

Layered, Windproof, Heated Gear

and brandy

chloefpuff wrote: I did layer up. I had on a wool sweater over a t-shirt with a polar fleece vest over it; all this under my riding jacket with liner.

If it has a liner that comes out, this probably isn't the best jacket for winter.

chloefpuff wrote: Also fleece balaclava. I had silk liner on under my jeans. I could have worn my overpants; I'm sure that would have helped my legs be warmer.

But it wasn't my legs that were the coldest, it was my upper body.

At those temps, anywhere that lets heat out of your body is going to affect your entire body. So yeah, covering your legs with something windproof will make a big difference in your overall warmth.

In general, it sounds like what you are missing is the windproofing. Silk and fleece and other layers only help if something else traps the air in around you. Jeans don't. I was assuming you have a full face helmet. But if not, that is the number one thing you need to make this doable. Your head has a way of sucking the warmth from every last corner of your body... in order to protect that valuable thing that helps the rest of your body function.

If you're still not warm enough after windproofing — from head to toe — there's heated gear that plug into the battery. The gloves are heaven. But if your core is cold, go for the vest. =)

kneil67@yahoo.com wrote:

sunshinen wrote:4 words:

Layered, Windproof, Heated Gear

and brandy

for after the ride.

We're expecting temperatures in the 80's today, but I can't ride my scoot because I need to work on my car while at work...boo hoo!

90's here in SoCal today.

pcbikedude wrote:90's here in SoCal today.

Lucky bum. And you have the PCH to ride on, too!

sunshinen wrote:

kneil67@yahoo.com wrote:

sunshinen wrote:4 words:

Layered, Windproof, Heated Gear

and brandy

for after the ride.

of course

sunshinen wrote:

chloefpuff wrote: I did layer up. I had on a wool sweater over a t-shirt with a polar fleece vest over it; all this under my riding jacket with liner.

If it has a liner that comes out, this probably isn't the best jacket for winter.

chloefpuff wrote: Also fleece balaclava. I had silk liner on under my jeans. I could have worn my overpants; I'm sure that would have helped my legs be warmer.

But it wasn't my legs that were the coldest, it was my upper body.

At those temps, anywhere that lets heat out of your body is going to affect your entire body. So yeah, covering your legs with something windproof will make a big difference in your overall warmth.

In general, it sounds like what you are missing is the windproofing. Silk and fleece and other layers only help if something else traps the air in around you. Jeans don't. I was assuming you have a full face helmet. But if not, that is the number one thing you need to make this doable. Your head has a way of sucking the warmth from every last corner of your body... in order to protect that valuable thing that helps the rest of your body function.

If you're still not warm enough after windproofing — from head to toe — there's heated gear that plug into the battery. The gloves are heaven. But if your core is cold, go for the vest. =)

Well, the snow starts tonight and is expected to continue for the next 7 days. The long range forecast for this winter is extra-snowy in a snowy snowbelt (we get lots of lake effect from Lake Michigan). So I think it's moot, for this year at least.

22 degrees when I left for work this morning.

WOOT.

I'm going to start a series on my blog about cold weather scooting and the tricks and tips I've learned.

9? But, its a "dry" 9 isn't it?

pcbikedude wrote:90's here in SoCal today.

We hit 85 here today. Then you go into a store and see Christmas decorations. It all feels so wrong.

Bah. I am done until next spring.

.... And severely depressed.