Stock Tires in Cold Weather

[vinnie]

Hey I just bought my FJ this past week and I'm itching to go for a ride, but the weather has been pretty bad. This weekend, the weather will be cold, but I want to take the bike down for a trip to northern VA from north east PA. It's significantly warmer by 10 degrees+ there during the day. My main concern is the high for Sunday is 43 and the low is 25 (where I live). So I'll be returning from low 50s to that. 
 
 
How are the stock tires in cold weather? I can't seem to find a rating or range for operating temps. Would the tires be able to give me adequate grip at these low temps? Thanks

[zachd]

I got caught in a freak storm one day while on a group ride. Temps started around 50, and as the ride went on, the rain turned to freezing rain, then hail, then sleet, and finally snow. It dropped down to 28*F. I felt very comfortable on the bike at 40mph on the freeway. Never underestimate the crazy ass weather here in Arizona! haha

[stevesweetz]

I presently ride a CBR500R which also has Dunlop D222 tires as stock. I also live in PA and have ridden it on 40° days after sitting out in sub-freezing nights without it feeling any different for conservative (i.e. speed limit) riding. Obviously, I wouldn't go testing its cornering limits on that day, but I would think it should be fine if you take it easy.
 

[vinnie]

Good to know. Thanks for replies. Do the hand protectors on the FJ offer a decent amount of protection from the cold wind? I do not have heated grips and was wondering how warm my hands would stay with my winter glove on.

[wessie]

Ridden at -5℃ in UK. Tyres okay on salted roads. At that temperature I was using heated grips and bar muffs

[fitrider82]

Hand guards don't do a whole lot. I consistently ride my bike in 30-50 degree weather here in Michigan and it's great as long as you have the right gear.
 

[eeetea]

What muffs Wezzie?  ...I assume you need to take off the standard hand guards (although I used to fit muffs over the BMW hand guards on my GS)
 
I've got a set of nearly new Tucano R361 sitting in my cupboard here.
 
 
To answer the OP - I've found the Dunlops okay at 3 deg C (whatever that is, in old money) despite salt and molasses on the roads, and I live in rural area with mud and potholes.  I mean, I;m not going to try the 0-60 in 2.9secs, but for sensible riding they seem fine.
 
Temps have been up 10 deg C now (it's been a cold March here)  and I've only got the slightest of chicken strips left on the rear.

[eeetea]

Despite many posts to the contrary, my view is they will never be as good as muffs, in fact muffs and heated grips...and a Gaucho ...
 
 

 
anything is possible...no Gaucho for Tracer though :¬(
 
 
 
But as far as hand guards on their own , I think they work as good as most (but don't look as though they should).
 
 
I work with air movement professionally (and CFD modelling) and I can see that the two layers of guards (and the air gap under the screen and the movement around the side panels, are, to some degree designed to produce two different velocities of air movement parallel to each other  - this reduces coander effect (where the fluid (air in this case) will tend to curl inwards, rather than deflected outwards) and turbulence.
 
It is this same as you see on jet aircraft engines to reduce noise (by staged reduction of air velocities between surrounding air and jet plume)
 
 
 
(image from UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
 
JET AEROACOUSTICS LABORATORY)
 
 
 
 
Here's a good illustration for bike screens - same principle on Tracer / FJ-09 hand guards
 
 

(image from  Madstad Engineering)
 
I might add that with a split arrangement, you won't end up with a still air area (this will exist in a pocket with a sealed screen / hand guards) - but with a lot more surrounding turbulence.  Nor will it be quite as nice and idillic as the green arrows show, because there is still a pressure drop and some turbulence - but nowhere near as much as with red.
 
 
 
 

[wessie]

I had an R1150GS so had the full Tucano R319 muffs & gaucho to use with my heated grips when commuting 33 miles each way to Cardiff.
 
On the Tracer I changed the handguards to the KTM ones and use the R319 muffs - simply the best muffs ever. Just got back from touring Germany etc in some very wet weather. I kept lovely, warm, dry hands.
 
I tried the R361 neoprene ones - they will fit *inside* the stock handguards but I did not like them. Not warm enough. Fine for a wet spring in Italy but not a Northern Europe winter.

[eeetea]

I do agree - I had the R319's on my GS - but they went with the bike. The 361 were for my Vespa (and the Gaucho on that was fantastic, the Rad vented underneath it - like being in air Spa bath. Bliss.

[spicymayo]

I've had my FJ for about 2 weeks now, weather has been about 2C to 8C, the tires are alright in the cold, It's not dangerous, but I've noticed the TCS light blinking more on moderate acceleration that I would have expected. However it's probably a combination of new tires and the cold.

[eggman17]

I've had my FJ for about 2 weeks now, weather has been about 2C to 8C, the tires are alright in the cold, It's not dangerous, but I've noticed the TCS light blinking more on moderate acceleration that I would have expected. However it's probably a combination of new tires and the cold.

Thats not slippage spicy thats wheelie control. It should be called TWC. Getting on it or just giving her a little goose in first or second may engage the TC to keep the front end down. I only leave the TC on in wet or damp conditions as it hurts my wheelie for safety factor.

[spicymayo]

I've had my FJ for about 2 weeks now, weather has been about 2C to 8C, the tires are alright in the cold, It's not dangerous, but I've noticed the TCS light blinking more on moderate acceleration that I would have expected. However it's probably a combination of new tires and the cold.

Thats not slippage spicy thats wheelie control. It should be called TWC. Getting on it or just giving her a little goose in first or second may engage the TC to keep the front end down. I only leave the TC on in wet or damp conditions as it hurts my wheelie for safety factor.

In that case, the tires grip pretty well in cold weather. 

[lotuseyes]

I have had the stock tires slip when they are cold (sub 50 F and just started riding for the day). Once they warm up you can lift the front again.