Commuting in Winter?

[djcat]

Hello,

I would like to see your view on winter commuting on a two wheeler. I have the option of the PCX and a Honda Varadero 1000. I usually commute on the M4 to London on the Varadero, however for one week I used the scooter, taking the country lanes which took me half an hour longer each way. I was blown of my feet when I saw how little I spent in fuel that time, so I am considering getting up earlier just to use the PCX!

However, I never commuted on a bike in the winter. I know people who do it, I did ride myself once in -5 degrees C; but it was a nice sunny winter day - having to rely on it for going to work every day is a different matter.

Then there is the matter of which bike to use.

If I use the Varadero, I will need to invest in heated grips, as tyres and wind protection are already up to the job. However its a heavy beast to handle when going through city traffic (especially with winter gloves), plus I get around 47 mpg (imperial) compared to over 100 mpg (of course, imperial) of the scooter. It can be quite demanding to go slowly on it.

If I use the PCX, I will also need heated grips or muffs and change the tyres as I can't stand the original IRCs in cold weather. I can't use motorways, however I will save shedloads of money and filter through traffic with ease instead of struggling with the big bike.

Alternative c) would be storing both bikes and using the car (no, I don't take the train - I don't like getting other people's germs and be ripped off at the same time as I will be late anyway). That would happen in case I can't be bothered to get heavily geared up for 20 minutes every morning and before I leave for work or I think its to much of a hazard.

What would you do? Any winter commuting experienced member on here? Thanks for your input.

[gn2]

I commute by scooter in the winter unless there is snow or ice on the road.
Winter preparation for me is to zip the thermal liner into my suit.
The IRC tyres on the PCX are fine in winter.
Heated grips are a waste of time and muffs are for puffs
Why not sell the Varadero and the PCX and get a maxi-scooter?

[you you]

How do you know the ircs are bad in cold weather if you've never used them through winter. They are perfectly fine

Heated grips are great.

[siplumb]

Bought my pcx125 nearly 2 years ago and have commuted in every day since then to 'sunny' Manchester including 5am starts and 11pm finishes. Wimped out one day when we had a bit of snow and I'd only been on two wheels for a month so thought it safer to take the car... I don't have anything extra added to the pcx, like heated grips etc all as delivered by Honda. I bought a fairly budget set of spada clothing which have winter linings you can zip in and out and bought a fairly decent set of gloves. I keep a thin balaclava style layer in my back pack for the very cold mornings but haven't regretted it once since. Yes it does take a few minutes to kit up each end of the commute but if I can do it waking up at 4 am (like tomorrow....) then anyone can.. You just need to come to terms with it.. Every time I cruise past a line of cars at the lights it makes it worthwhile... Just clicked over the 10,000 miles mark and loved each and every one of them.. (Ok there was one particularly horrible rainy morning but this summer has more than made up for it!)

[djcat]

Thanks for your replies. I am very tempted to use the PCX for commuting, despite its inability to go on rush hour M4 traffic (I do take the Motorway with it at times but rush hour is too much for it).

I do not have any issues with grip when I ride the scooter usually, but whenever the weather gets colder sooner or later I have a moment on roundabouts with the front sliding away (no, there wasn't any oil). Had this twice, once last year (didn't use it for going to work then) and another time today. Always in around 10 degrees C weather! Don't ask me why that happens to me and be happy you never had that, I just want to get rid of the IRCs now as I don't trust them any more.

But, as said, I am still considering it for my 38 miles journey to work. Did any of you ever have problems with grip on cold/icy roads with your bikes?

[djcat]

I commute by scooter in the winter unless there is snow or ice on the road.
Winter preparation for me is to zip the thermal liner into my suit.
The IRC tyres on the PCX are fine in winter.
Heated grips are a waste of time and muffs are for puffs
Why not sell the Varadero and the PCX and get a maxi-scooter?

I did consider that but my Varadero got some cosmetic issues at the moment. It is fine mechanically, but I don't want to sell it below value. I don't want to trade in the PCX below value either, considering it got less than 1400 miles on the clock now but the dealer doesn't want to give me the fair value. I don't have an issue with having two bikes either so I am keeping both.

[siplumb]

It's the manhole covers you need to watch when it's slippy....

[gn2]

If the front slipped on a roundabout you was going too fast for the road conditions.

[djcat]

If the front slipped on a roundabout you was going too fast for the road conditions.

I was at walking pace gingerly going around with close to no lean whatsoever today as it was rainy. The one slip a year ago I was a little faster but it was dry. I never had any other bike slipping its front tyre in a turn, just the back either when changing gears downwards too quickly on the approach or when accelerating on dirt and on wet road markings.

I lost the front once when braking my (long gone) Suzuki Bandit approaching a red light; but that was cause I hit oil.

[sendler2112]

My commute is just over an hour on the PCX. Morning temps are often below 40F even a couple times in July this year. I have a full set of Venture heated liners so I can ride in comfort with temps as low as 20'sF. The rear tire will step out slightly on occasion but I have never felt the front get loose.

[gn2]

I was at walking pace gingerly going around with close to no lean whatsoever today as it was rainy.

Sounds like diesel.
Roundabouts are famous for it.

[DAB]

Leaf fall and rain=slippy roads

[Warlock]

I'm glad this post came up. My right hand healed enough so I can ride, in Wisconsin were under a frost advisory tonight and I'm planning on riding to work tomorrow, about a 38 mile round trip I'm layering up so warmth will be a minimal issue except for my hands I have pair of very warm underarmor gloves that are supposedly wind resistant but even on 45 degree plus mornings my hands get cold with the wind. I'm trying to figure out either hand guards or make my own hand shields for my gloves.
Any suggestions? Or recommendations? For the US market?

My PCX is bone stock, and I'm cautiously curious on how the tires will handle if there is frost on the road I do pass through a roundabout early in the ride so I don't know how warm the tires we'll be. I'll write back tomorrow after work and everyone ride safely.....

[you you]

I was at walking pace gingerly going around with close to no lean whatsoever today as it was rainy.

Sounds like diesel.
Roundabouts are famous for it.

Always watch out for the nearest roundabout to a petrol station

[djcat]

Diesel, oil, wet and leaves certainly make the roads more slippery. Went to work in London on the PCX today on the A4 just after Reading and from Slough all the way to Paddington I could follow a trail of oil drips that turned into a continuous, greasy, rainbow coloured oil coating on the A40. Unbelievable that such things happen, I hope that in any other city/town they close the road and wash it as its an enormous hazard.

Still, with any other bike, when hitting a little patch of dirt or some oil, it didn't loose the front. Today AGAIN, on a roundabout in Maidenhead, I felt the front go and I do watch for all that stuff.

I was very pleased to see though that my little modification of the standard weights to Dr. Pulley sliders did in fact increase acceleration and top speed whilst lowering constant travel RPM, in line with recent long term test of a German scooter magazine. They took a PCX apart after 25K Km, of which 7k with 13g Dr Pulley sliders. Their conclusion: As good as new! Will be put together and used as usual. This (together with todays 70mph on the speedo experience) encouraged me to re-consider the PCX for my own daily use going to London every day.

I will however do some modifications on it, as I do not think standard brakes and tyres are up to the job - especially under adverse grip conditions. I will change the brake pads to EBC ones and the tyres to proper winter ones, probably some larger rubber like 120 for the rear and 100 or 110 for the front.

I tried muffs once and wasn't happy at all with them. They did touch the brake levers when turning! I will either get heated grips or hand guards, at the moment I am using Dainese water proof winter gloves, a Weise waterproof biking jean, a made to measure, waterproof Kangaroo jacket and a visor cat. That should do to get me through the winter, plus maybe some positioning lights for the mirrors so people hopefully see a bike coming through when filtering. Pity the PCX doesn't have ABS, otherwise with the mods it would be next to perfect for the winter at least in theory.

As said, its my first winter use of a bike. From the answers I got more people on here do it safely so I will do my best to stay safe. Thank you all, will keep you posted.

[maddiedog]

I have a Tucano Urbano cover to keep my legs warm, and a the huge Givi windscreen. Both help a whole lot to keep me warm.

I don't commute much on my PCX anymore, most of my commute is highway and my Honda Fit gets 40-45mpg. I could take backroads, but that adds at least 20 minutes of commuting.


Be really careful riding in the winter. I ride year round, even below freezing. I've only laid down a bike once on-road, and that was entirely due to ice. The situation was completely unavoidable, the entire road was a sheet of ice and the 600lb Honda PC800 I was riding was way too heavy for me to hold up as I slid sideways across the roadway. I was uninjured (other than my pride) mainly because I saw the car in front of me completely lose control on the ice and managed to slow to almost a stop before I hit the icy downhill.

[Warlock]

I did my 1st trip in sub 40 degree temps, it was 34degrees this morning when I left, I checked the air pressure in my tires and adjusted as needed. It was COLD my fingers were very cold but the 150 took it in stride, my rear view mirrors fogged up often but I had a small towel with me. Will put rain x anti fog tonight. The tires handled well and over all it was a regular but cold ride. My helmet is a bell revolver and the wind coming from the seals from the flip up section was pushing very cold air in my eyes the flip up sun visor helped some but not an enjoyable experience. I'm driving from now on if it's colder than 40. Just my personal taste.

[Los82]

I feel ya Warlock. I don't really ride much under 45º. Been starting to get pretty cool here. May be putting the girls away soon.

[sendler2112]

wind coming from the seals from the flip up section was pushing very cold air in my eyes

Good equipment costs a fortune. In another thread I tallied up the cost of all the riding gear I just took off to keep me warm and dry and be able to see and was shocked to realize it is about $1700.

[hatari]

yes i will deffo be getting some new "winter" flip flops for riding the PCX in Thailand over the coming months......

Thinking of getting some "cooling grips" to cool the hands down as you ride (has a small refridgeration unit under the seat also the grips can also be detached and put into drinks, thus saving a fortune on ice - sort of "win win")