This cold snap we're currently experiencing in the western part of the country is making this week's morning AND evening commutes quite brisk in terms of wind chill factors.
I'd written that Monday had been my coldest commute at 6°F with the windchill at 55mph (the fastest I rode my 1996 Ural Sportsman Natasha at) causing me to "enjoy" a windchill factor of -23°F. The ride home was worse, even though the temperature had "soared" to 9°F. You see, I'd left the dang heated grips on all morning and depleted my "spare" battery. I simply must get it wired up so it does not turn on without the engine being on as well! So the ride home was without heated grips. Quite chilly, no frostbite though.
Well, today the temperature was 5°F during the morning commute so it was a windchill of almost -25°F. They're forecasting more cold and snow, with a high of only 10°F. However, I've a recharged spare battery....main battery is at 11volts so I should be good to go in terms of batteries. The only problem was the road spray from the magnesium-chloride covered E-470 toll way which I use during bad weather days. It dries very fast on one's visor, making it difficult to see and even more difficult to see! Had to ride with the visor open the last couple of miles, not bad but must find a way to clean the visor on the move.
Oh yeah, I triple-checked today, the heated grips were definitely off as I covered the motorcycle to keep snow from melting then freezing on the controls.
For those who are curious, Natasha seems to love cold weather. You do have to warm her up for 3-5 minutes though, with chokes on, after she sits in the cold all day. She's a bit "farty" in terms of low key backfiring until she warms up too.
Update: 4:55pm: Left work at 3:oo PM since I've some night work to do from home. The temperature was a balmy 2°F so I've managed to beat my own riding in low temperature record twice in the same day. Figure with the windchill at 50mph, I was riding in -27°F. Again, it was my fingertips that were starting to get chilly by the end of the ride, otherwise, no problems staying warm. Natasha ran great, we even did a couple of donuts in my cul-de-sac in front of my loving wife. I think she smiled.
Update: 07:15AM 09DEC09. Brrrrr. Started off from the house in -7°F, not too bad really since I was not going real fast, 40 mph tops till I got to the E-470 Gartrell Rd Entrance. Then the windchill made itself felt as I ramped up to 60mph. Woof. Shortly before the Peoria Street exit, my visor had frozen enough(bad placement of my balaclava I think, it drove moisture upwards from my mouth) to interfere with vision. Once on the exit, it was visor up the last mile or so to work. Thermometer here says -10°F, so with windchill at max speed during commute, my new low temperature riding record is -47.5! Holy Crap! I am not ashamed to say I am glad that temperatures will rise starting today.....heck, the expected high of 22°F will feel positively balmy!
Update: 07:08 AM 10DEC09. The temperature was 10°F as I left the house, things felt positively balmy as I motored on surface roads to work. The roads were 99% clear and dry so the commute was without incident. The windchill calculator tells me that at 50mph it was a windchill of -16.9, after yesterday, it felt quite alright. A high of 29 today for the commute home, I may have to shed layers. ;)
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