knobbyfeet

So, long story short my employer just cut my pay in half without warning and laid off a bunch of other people. May have to let my truck and some other stuff go but can afford to keep my bike. So, thinking of trying to ride year round till I can get a beater car, may have to try riding thru the winter to commute for work.

We don't get much snow round here, so thinking that I could pull this off providing that I get grip warmers and some good cold gear. If it does snow, I'll just take my wife to work and use her car those days.

Has anyone else done this?

Coyotte78

I never have attempted it, hopefully never will. I have met several people that do though. One sugestion beyond heated grips, heated gear.

ConradM

I was riding in feb when I got my bike... with enough layers on I did fine. Only thing that sucked was my hands going numb.

Vegasrider

Join the club.

I just moved to Boise back in March and I intend to ride year round. I haven't owned a car of truck in almost ten years. I have heated gear so I should be warm. Just worried about black ice. I bought an Enduro for the really bad days when it snows. I'm thinking of getting my tires studded.

By the way, I've bought several of my heated gear apparel and accessories from Cycle Gear.

Sealpt

I have been riding year round for years. December and january can be pretty tough. Mostly because of the ice and snow. The cold isn't so fun either.

Mikey

Snow isn't as big of a deal as black ice is around the valley. We get those daytime rain/snow storms that don't melt off completely and forms the ice at night and early morning. Good luck and I hope you can pull it off, but if it were me I would buy a $500 dollar car.

FatBoy

Honestly I have been riding year round for some time. I ride from downtown to overland and eagle mostly on the freeway… I haven’t had any bad crashes except in the summer so… best thing you can do is go slow stay back and take turns very slow if it’s cold or wet even if you think your safe. Get some damn good gloves aka heated because anything else, even with heated grips sucks at 10* plus wind factor… a heated vest is a must or you will be wearing too many layers to move. The less is best, unless you want to dress for 20 min and same at work… make sure to cover everything like your neck and what not cuz if it’s not covered you’re going to hurt and risk crashing. I have ridden in snow, ice and rain and not crashed cuz I take my time and expect everyone around me to drive like a moron… normal….. If you have a question hit me up anytime by txt

knobbyfeet

I have to choose between my 2008 Tacoma with a $310.00 payment plus insurance or my 2012 Suzuki DR-Z400S with a $96.00 per month payment (0 % finance) and the insurance is paid up for the next year already.

I love this bike, a true Dual sport. It's running pretty low gears right now (52T rear) but can still do 65 mph when needed, and there isn't a trail that I can't take it on. Iv'e also put some money and work into it and have made it my own. Can take it on the streets for work and jump ditches and blast thru creeks on the weekend. And, DRZ's are known for lasting a long time.

I like the Tacoma too, but hate big payments. I think I'm gonna take some pics and post it on Craigslist this week. Great truck, only 36,000 miles, which is nothing on a Tacoma. I can probably find a beater car for the winter. I like to take my bikes apart in the winter and lube the heck out of em, check specs, get it ready for the next year.

And heck, with the truck gone, maybe I'll be able to afford my dream street bike?

Mikey

Now that sounds like a plan, gettin a beater car savin a few bucks and coming back strong next spring. And I also spend most of winter tearing apart bikes for upgrades and maintenance.