Bandit loves the cold.

[redbeard]

I've been riding in temps down in the 30's, and my B12 absolutely loves this cold air. It takes a few extra minutes to warm up obviously, but once it's warm, vvrrrrrooooommmmm. If I just tickle the throttle she just about jumps out of her paint as it pulls forward. Now I'm not talking about hammering down, but any twist of the throttle at all the bike is so responsive, and chompin' on the bit for more. Definitely likes 30 degree air temp more than 70, 80, or 90. Too bad my riding time is about over, as weather here in the north country will make riding impossible very soon.

[smooth operator]

I've always liked to try and get out once a month over the winter. It just depends if we get a melt down and clear roads or not. Last yr. I was able to. The year befor the ice and snow stayed with us from the end of Nov.stright through till in April. My bike likes the the dense cold air too, just have to remember the tires are cold,and during a winter chance to ride there is a lot of loose crap on the road.

[redbeard]

You got that right. When we get icy condintions, they sand the streets, then if it warms up enough to thaw and dry up, you have all that sand to deal with. Not to be taken litely.

[rider123]

Also could mean your mixture is slightly rich at hot conditions, cold air makes it leaner and meaner!

[Wooddog]

Yall are right BANDIT loves cold air but the tires dont. I was on my way home from work and the temp was around 40, when the car beside me at the light started reving up his motor, it was to dark to see if it was a young kid or not but probable was.  So I laughed to my self and since it was not any type of sports car I let the light turn green and waited to see what he was going to do. He gased on it, so i gased on the 1200 Bandit expecting the front tire to lift off the ground as it normally does when you gas on it from a stop light, but not when its 40 degress My tire spun for about 30 feet until it heated up enough to grab, of course when it did I blasted the car off the road and he might have got a glimpse of my tail light  as jeted  off into the night.

[vadim]

I don't know if winter riding in the areas where they put salt on the roads is a good idea for the bike...

[chevsuz12]

I don't know if winter riding in the areas where they put salt on the roads is a good idea for the bike...

They are considerably over salted here, and I ride through it too much.  Although I do wash it off as often as I can, I have seen no adverse effects.

[tacoman]

Salt is bad for cars because it gets up into the metal fenders and sits there, causing rust.  The bandit's fenders are mostly plastic so no harm there.  Its a good idea to hose off the bike now and then, especially the nooks & crannies around the metal frame and exhaust where the front wheel kicks up grime.  What's almost got me a couple times in the cold is cruising full speed in the sunny areas and not slowing down in the shadowed curves, black ice likes to hide there!.

[redbeard]

Not much salt used here, mostly sand mixed with fly ash from the power plants in the area. Salt is really only a problem when the roads are wet, and the soupy mixture sticks to your vehicle. Once it's dry it's not much of an issue.

[jared1970]

Here in Iowa they pour salt on the roads by the tons, the roads are perpetually white through the winter due to all the salt. And salt is bad for your bike. Maybe not the body work, but its bad for brakes, bad for chains, bad for sprockets, bad for exhaust pipes, and bad for wheel bearings.

[Arkan Eller]

My B6 did 42k miles through 5 British winters and pretty much everything's rotted away. I hosed it down every evening after driving on salty roads but it just delayed the inevitable.

[Daytona]

What are you folk talkin about? You put a bit of that on your steak @ the out back don't ya! How do you folk pay for all that road seasoning?? Do we all help when we buy a tank in your state? No salting needed till you get well past N. Augusta thank goodness!!

[Desolation Angel]

My B6 did 42k miles through 5 British winters and pretty much everything's rotted away. I hosed it down every evening after driving on salty roads but it just delayed the inevitable.

D@mn!  That makes me sick just hearing it!