Blur in Brrrrrrr weathrrrr

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:41 am

Commuted today with the Blur. 14 degrees going, 22 coming home.

Definitely need insulated boots.

Didn't intend to scoot commute today - was looking forward to driving in a nice warm car. But the car wouldn't start - the cold over the weekend had killed the battery.

The Blur started right up. But it ran rough in the cold, I let it idle on the center stand a good 5 minutes before heading out.

It ran a bit pokey and rough. I was worrying about the thick cold oil getting to the cylinders ... but had smoothed out by the time I got to work (10 miles).

All the ladies in the office thought I was a hard core scooterdude ... alright ... they thought I was nuts. But I didn't intend to ride to work today.

A couple of hours after arriving the snow started to fall. I moved the Blur out of the parking lot and into the heated warehouse. Nice. Wish I had a heated warehouse to park the Blur at home.

Snow flurries throughout the day left less than one inch of dry powder snow that never melted. The busy roads were cleared by traffic, the parking lots and side roads were treacherous from the compressed snow, I road like a wuss - no leaning - until I got onto the main roads. Snow and Ice are not my friends.

I stopped at Meijers on the way and bought a portable jumper battery for the car. Bungeed it to the grap bars (still no rear rack).

All went well, I arrived safely. The Blur acquitted itself well in a transportation emergency. Good Blur!

-Mark

blurblaine · Post by **blurblaine** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:43 am

You get 100 winter blur points!

I drove mine from the front garage to my seperate garage in the back yard and all I can say is ... I'm glad that I didn't have to ride any further in the 15 degree weather today.... ouch.

I hate cold!

Now I understand why your name is BlueMark! You are a HCSD
(Hard Core Scooter Dude)

Stay away from that nasty ice.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:11 am

blurblaine,

I rode the 10 miles or so to Metro today so I could get my rear tire repaired (slow leak). I'm pretty sure it was up to 20 degrees by noon when I went. Seth said it would be done in 45 minutes if I wanted to wait, but I whimped out and got into the car with my wife.

I've decided that 20 degrees has got to be my lower limit.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:50 pm

You guys all know about the Cold Weather Challenge, right?

http://360.yahoo.com/coldweatherchallenge

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:24 pm

illnoise wrote:You guys all know about the Cold Weather Challenge, right?

They've already got someone who braved -2. No thanks, 14 degrees was more than cold enough for me. Had a nice ride today in the balmy 40's.

-Mark

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:09 pm

Yeah, I had heard about the CWC.

For a regular commuting ride, 20 degrees is cold enough for me. Cincinnati rairly gets below zero, but I'll watch for it and consider temporary insanity. Who knows?

My siblings have be known to do more ridiculous things than that, just because the opportunity presented itself.

Speeda · Post by **Speeda** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:20 am

Is this considered cold weather? Even through we haven't had the conditions the Midwest has, The BLUR is still enjoying the mild temps here in New England. Can't seem to put it away.....

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:28 am

Don't see any tire tracks around that Blur...

Speeda · Post by **Speeda** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:04 am

Tough crowd.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:35 pm

Speeda,

Well, it looks like it could be cold. It doesn't have to go much below freezing to get that look. What was the temperature?

My Dad lives up in northern VT, right on the Conn. River near St. Johnsbury so I know New England gets it's share of the cold days, much colder than down here on the Mason Dixon line.

You have a better chance in the Cold Weather Challenge than I do.

Did you ride in that snow?

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:58 pm

Note that the CWC has state-by-state honorary mentions, so you can still win your state even if it doesn't get too terribly cold.

Snow is way less likely to fall when it gets below 10Â° or so, so you have that going for you, but of course snow and slush already on the ground turn to ice. Best case is that you get a quick temperature drop without snow on the cold front. If the roads are clear, the temperature isn't *that* hard to deal with, at least for ten miles.

I'm friends with Ryan who runs the contest, and we get in an argument every time we talk about it because I have a complex formula worked out to account for distance and speed (the faster you go, the colder it is) but he argues that the faster you go, the less time you're out in the cold, and it's not about distance, it's about temperature.

Bb.

Speeda · Post by **Speeda** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:45 am

Oh ya, I did ride into work on that snow, and was overly cautious on the way. The secondary roads weren't clear, but the main roads had been sanded and salted by the time i had got to them. Got The Blur up to 25 mph and it handled well and finally up 30 or so. No problems until I got to the parking lot at work, dismounted and stored The Blur, then prompiy fell down after slipping on some ice....... Temp for the ride to work was in the mid 20s.... Ride home was gorgeous, 40 plus and clear sailing.

Speeda · Post by **Speeda** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:30 am

Still ridin'....According to NOAA, at 6am the tempature for the ride into work was at 3 degrees (wind chill -23) At lunch drove 10.1 miles when the tempature got up to 10 (-15). Was disappointed a wee bit due to the double digit reading. Must say that the ride at 6 am was tougher than the one at noon time. The ride home was a blureeze 15 degrees. Didn't ride on the 16th because the roads were in too icy and way to slick to maneuver the Blur at a safe pace....pracitice, pracitice, pracitice

Speeda · Post by **Speeda** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:36 am

oh ya.............. I love this thing. PM ride home.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:59 am

Speeda,

You're either my hero or you're insane, or both I guess.

18F is about the coldest I've ridden (yesterday was close), but much lower than that, and with stuff on the ground, would keep my Buddy in the garage.

You really should shoot for the Cold Weather Challenge. You and Keys could probably duke it out for coldest riding MB member.

Speeda · Post by **Speeda** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:37 pm

Pretty cold.....rode 16 miles...... 1 hoody, 1 sweater, t-shirt, sweatpants, 2 pairs of gloves and socks, balaclava, full face helmet and of course the insulated jacket and pants. Info from NOAA, 8am (start) 0 degree, 9am (end) 1 degree, Scooter didn't want to start, but jumped it anyway, cause I WANTED TO RIDE MY SCOOTER. I love that thing. Faceshield iced upped alittle bit but otherwise it was nice and toasty during the ride.

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 9:38 pm

I rode my Blur last weekend. Enjoying the sunny 35 degree day.

But the scoot has been sitting in the scooterport since then. So I tried to start it up to let it idle for a while. No start. So I tried the kick start - nada.

Clearly it is punishing me for not giving it a heated garage.

-Mark

Modern Buddy

Blur in Brrrrrrr weathrrrr

Blur in Brrrrrrr weathrrrr

1.17.-7

5 degrees ... Brrrrr...