https://i.postimg.cc/wxbqNDG4/there-there.jpg
Itching to ride.
Sent from my SGH-M919V using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
Itching to ride.
Sent from my SGH-M919V using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
Hang in there, winter's almost done.
- Thread starter D-J
- Start date
You jinxed it!!! Lol
Morrissey
Well-known member
You can hope, prey, bargain all you want. The fact is there is still basically 7-8 weeks of winter left. If you live in the GTA and don't mind risking black ice in the corners or have the ability to wash the salt off your bike after every ride, there may be SOME riding to be had in March, but realistically riding season doesn't start until April. I'm currently laid up with a few cracked ribs from a slip and fall so I'm in no rush for the good weather to get here, I'd just be watching from the sidelines anyway.
What I usually do (and encourage others to do) is rather than try and eek out that first ride super early in the season when the roads are questionable and the temps are in low to mid single digits is to get other spring jobs done first. Get the patio furniture out, clean up any crap around your place left over by winter, organize your garage, tackle a few items on your honey-do list first thing and forget about the bike. That way, when we've had a few rains and the roads are clean and the temps are say 10c+ you've got a bunch of those other jobs done and you can enjoy going for that first ride.
What I usually do (and encourage others to do) is rather than try and eek out that first ride super early in the season when the roads are questionable and the temps are in low to mid single digits is to get other spring jobs done first. Get the patio furniture out, clean up any crap around your place left over by winter, organize your garage, tackle a few items on your honey-do list first thing and forget about the bike. That way, when we've had a few rains and the roads are clean and the temps are say 10c+ you've got a bunch of those other jobs done and you can enjoy going for that first ride.
roadrash
Well-known member
Whoops, there's something I was supposed to fix over the off-season, I better get on that
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I tap my maples in March, and start my riding season in April. Last year I got the bikes out during that nice March spell and forgot I was boiling off my syrup. Bad mistake -- 20l of syrup makes about 50' of fire, a lot of smoke, and a sizeable blob of black sponge toffee.
Trials
Well-known member
best time to tap off is when the snow just starts to melt around the roots of the trees on the south facing slopes.Worst thing ever is when you go to check the fire in the morning and there are 4 racoons taking a bath in your boil pan :|
Worst thing ever is when you go to check the fire in the morning and there are 4 racoons taking a bath in your boil pan :|
My brother made a few batches of syrup. He quit in disgust when the cauldron got a hole in it and drained everything out. He never bothered again. For the amount of time/effort and wood required we were better off buying some nice amber anyway.
Damn I didn't get he message that there is 7-8 weeks of winter left!
Monday is my day off. I felt like going for a little ride in the afternoon. I hopped on my bike around 2pm in Port Perry and went up 57 through Caesarea to hwy 35. Then Mt Horab rd to 7. Followed 7 for a while and went straight at Fowler's Corners. Went up to Bridgenorth and decided to continue to Lakefield. Still felt like riding so over to 28 and down 28 to hwy 7. Hadn't been along 7 for a while so rode out to Madoc. Thought I would grab a coffee in Madoc but figured that could wait a bit so followed hwy 62 down to Belleville. Stopped at a McD's for their $1 coffee. Then along hwy 2 to Brighton. Decided head up to Campbellford. Then along CR35 to CR25 and up to Hastings. A little turn around in Hastings and followed hwy45 (I grew up in the Roseneath Area.) By this time is was getting later so decided just to follow CR9 (Ganaraska Rd) to Bewdley,. was going to stop and take a picture at Rhinos (for a friend that sledded their Saturday eve) but figured since it was dark there wasn't much point. Just headed to 35, up 35 to CR20 (which goes past the Mosport Area) over to 57 and across Shirley Rd to Simcoe St and home to Port Perry. While I was mainly cruising and didn't go on any backroads (because of ice etc) it still was nice to get out for a bit.
I ended up doing just short of 400 km by the time I got home.
Hope you get better soon!
..Tom
Damn I didn't get he message that there is 7-8 weeks of winter left!
Monday is my day off. I felt like going for a little ride in the afternoon. I hopped on my bike around 2pm in Port Perry and went up 57 through Caesarea to hwy 35. Then Mt Horab rd to 7. Followed 7 for a while and went straight at Fowler's Corners. Went up to Bridgenorth and decided to continue to Lakefield. Still felt like riding so over to 28 and down 28 to hwy 7. Hadn't been along 7 for a while so rode out to Madoc. Thought I would grab a coffee in Madoc but figured that could wait a bit so followed hwy 62 down to Belleville. Stopped at a McD's for their $1 coffee. Then along hwy 2 to Brighton. Decided head up to Campbellford. Then along CR35 to CR25 and up to Hastings. A little turn around in Hastings and followed hwy45 (I grew up in the Roseneath Area.) By this time is was getting later so decided just to follow CR9 (Ganaraska Rd) to Bewdley,. was going to stop and take a picture at Rhinos (for a friend that sledded their Saturday eve) but figured since it was dark there wasn't much point. Just headed to 35, up 35 to CR20 (which goes past the Mosport Area) over to 57 and across Shirley Rd to Simcoe St and home to Port Perry. While I was mainly cruising and didn't go on any backroads (because of ice etc) it still was nice to get out for a bit.
I ended up doing just short of 400 km by the time I got home.
Hope you get better soon!
..Tom
As long as you're safe and enjoy it. There's still an inch or two of ice at the bottom of my driveway, and lots of salt everywhere else, so I'll be waiting patiently.
Say it with me "patient", "patient", arrrrrrrgh!!!!!
Morrissey
Well-known member
Damn I didn't get he message that there is 7-8 weeks of winter left! While I was mainly cruising and didn't go on any backroads (because of ice etc) it still was nice to get out for a bit. I ended up doing just short of 400 km by the time I got home.
Monday was a nice day, I went and stood out on the driveway just to feel the sun and the 6c temps on my face but I was too sore to even try and chop a channel through the ice at the bottom of my driveway so the water could drain out to the sewer. A day later and it was all frozen over again and now there is a layer of ice on everything from the weird rain/ice we had yesterday.
Besides, you ride a Vstrom. They look better when they're a little crusty anyways!
Trials
Well-known member
I hear the fast ones are more fun on open water anyway
mine are too slow they would sink like a chevy :|
Riceburner
Well-known member
I gave up my sled ages ago cause the winters down here just weren't.
I hear the fast ones are more fun on open water anyway
mine are too slow they would sink like a chevy :|
A friends fast sled on water is ridiculous. Hooks up, lifts the skis about 8" and accelerates like a banshee. The old fast sled (540 twin), squats down with your heels getting wet but will stay up. It's much less confidence inspiring, but practicing what they can and cant do is important.
Still have mine. Sitting in garage, hasn't run in a decade or more.
I got out of sledding because finding snow was getting harder. Finding roads for the bikes is never an issue, however.
I travelled an hour north to a vintage sled show and ended up displaying my SnoRunners (yeah the slow ones...) on grass.
