My motorcycle trip to Michigan

DavidWhite

DavidWhite

Final Approach
Joined
Apr 19, 2011
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Olympic Peninsula
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DW
Good thing I went on the bike - today would have been a no-fly day in the Mooney. Even my friends flying the airlines got diverted to Grand Rapids and are now driving 3 hours.
 
Have a safe trip. I was in the Traverse City area last weekend and hiked the Sleeping Bear dunes. The weather was nice then so hopefully it will be good for you.
 
DavidWhite said:
Good thing I went on the bike - today would have been a no-fly day in the Mooney. Even my friends flying the airlines got diverted to Grand Rapids and are now driving 3 hours.
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David
Where are you headed in Mi? You know we're in Grand Rapids.
 
Weather is calling for rain / snow in a few days. Might need training wheels for the scooter. ;)
 
Geico266 said:
Weather is calling for rain / snow in a few days. Might need training wheels for the scooter. ;)
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Snow and ice is when you really learn to ride...
 
Gary F said:
Have a safe trip. I was in the Traverse City area last weekend and hiked the Sleeping Bear dunes. The weather was nice then so hopefully it will be good for you.
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That's a wonderful trip. I need to take the kids up there.
 
You're having a better motorcycle trip than I did Labor Day. Oh well, I shouldn't complain, bike's fixed. Glad your Connie is living up to your expectations. Best get out of the North before it cools down too much. Connie's don't like snow one bit.
 
wabower said:
I'd argue that it's when you learn why most people park them, and why you probably should too.
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Depends on the bike. Little dirt bikes with knobby tires can be a ball to ride around in the snow. The Kowalski Connestoga doesn't fit that description even a little bit.

Did it once on my Goldwing. Once.
 
I lived near Fairbanks in the late 70's early 80's and the AF base would tell us when we were allowed to get the bikes out. It never failed that I would get caught out at least once a year with a couple inches of snowfall. Tough to make flat turns in a Kaw 750. I also had a Suzuki 250 Trials Bike. Learned to ride it in the snow. Great experience for the dirt riding.
 
steingar said:
Did it once on my Goldwing. Once.
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I got caught in a snowstorm on the 1500 Wing I once owned. I was night riding across Jeb Stuart highway in SW VA, luckily I came up on an 18 wheeler and was able to ride in his wheel tracks. I was one frozen popsicle when I got to my hotel in Galax.
 
Evidently the definition of fun changes somewhere north of here. My 1500 went to the shed at the first sign of any cold moisture in the air or on the road.


steingar said:
Depends on the bike. Little dirt bikes with knobby tires can be a ball to ride around in the snow. The Kowalski Connestoga doesn't fit that description even a little bit.

Did it once on my Goldwing. Once.
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I think he's gonna be OK. Just stay off the roads in the morning until any frozen moisture melts. It usually warms up by noon and snow is uncommon this time of year.
 
I think any of the weather I saw yesterday would cancel on the bike as well as the plane! We had a tornado warning (warning, not watch) here last night. :eek:
 
wabower said:
I'd argue that it's when you learn why most people park them, and why you probably should too.
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Me thinks you've lost appreciation of the oilfield "get'r done" spirit. I took a Kawasaki 750E up to Jackson Hole in March one year long ago. Jackson to Rock Springs in a blizzard, a sloppy wet spring blizzard. Not many people would do it but it was fine. Gotta be a good rider to survive...and I probably couldn't do it now since the skills do deteriorate.
 
Lucky you, My son left me his HD Nighster to ride while he is in Bahrain. His Suzuki GSX was damaged in shipment there and he is not happy.
 
tmyers said:
I will be riding the hog for at least another month or two
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Yeah, I'll still be riding the Wing until the snow or ice hits. The big windshield allows me to ride in pretty cold wx, though once is gets below freezing I put the bike away. Mostly around town stuff though, if I wanted to do a long ride in temps like that I'd need heated gear.
 
steingar said:
Depends on the bike. Little dirt bikes with knobby tires can be a ball to ride around in the snow.
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I used to ride a 250 Yamaha with knobby tires year round in Michigan (Ann Arbor). Great in the snow - I could travel even when all the cars were getting stuck. Sucks on ice.

Tips:

Follow a bus - they put out a surprising amount of heat.
Grabbing the cylinder head is OK to warm up your fingers, grabbing the exhaust pipe is not.
Temperatures below 0F suck.
Watch out for cars that loose control in the snow.
 
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