Washington Hey you NorthWet (west) guys...any of you...

[Nathanael]

...commute to work on a street bike/dual sport? All year long? Rain or shine?

If nobody does, anyone know of someone that does?

Is it feasible here in the winter (apart from snow of course) if you're all decked out in full rain riding gear and you're not using freeways?

[Tom S]

I did it all of one winter, when I had no car. A long time ago. The key was having a place at work to hang rain gear and change out of boots. Rain-ex on the full face helmet shield helped a lot.

[off road rider]

Did it for years. commuting from Kent to Dt Seattle. Harley in the summer, BMW in the winter.. The car pool lane is the way to go..Not to mention pitching it sideways in the rain...I kind of miss that.. sometimes... on second thought.. No I dont..The commute that is..

[Fat Tony]

I have a friend who is a motorcycle cop. He works on the other side of Portland from where we live (30 miles of highway to get to work) and rides everyday rain or shine. Then he stays out in it all day long. The key is good gear.

[Woods_Rider]

Get yourself an electric jacket liner. Worth its wieght in gold in the winter.

And be sure to get the reostat temp adjuster othewise you'll be switching between roasting and freezing constantly.

And be careful.

[Nathanael]

So it sounds doable then?! This is great news!

[shrubitup]

My commute is a short 7 mile country road to the ferry terminal and then a few blocks downtown. I do it rain or shine all year. Being a dirt biker foremost I thought a dual sport was the way to go. However, they suck butt in the braking department and don't pass slow cars very well.?

Since my speed is less than 50 mph I don't get cold but I wear a water resistant one-piece suit and some underlayers too.

I'd proly avoid commuting too much if I lived on the central Puget Sound side. Too many cars.

[radsdad]

I did Kirkland to Olympia for a winter. It's a character builder. There will be days you wished you drove.

[katoom525sx]

My biggest thing is gloves. A good pair of pants and coat are eazy to find. But a little harder to find a good pair of gloves. Heated grips and hand garuds would be a good Idea for a DS or a SM.

[schrode]

i did it for a little over a year. like others said good gear makes all the difference. don't put on new tires until you can run them on dry pavement for the first ride. amazing how greasy they are when new on wet pavement.

[CodeMonkee]

Sure, a lot of people do it - except when it snows or there is ice, which there was none this year on the wetside - at least not in the lowlands.

But I don't do it. I am totally a fair weather rider. Part of that is the fact that when I was a kid the only way I could get around was on a bicycle, and I grew to hate being rained on, and being cold. The other part is that I do have a car, and I ride bikes for the fun, not for commuting.

[Slackkinhard]

I ride rain, sleet, hail or snow. The mailman has nothing on me. I ride this...

[Nathanael]

My commute is a short 7 mile country road to the ferry terminal and then a few blocks downtown. I do it rain or shine all year. Being a dirt biker foremost I thought a dual sport was the way to go. However, they suck butt in the braking department and don't pass slow cars very well.?

Since my speed is less than 50 mph I don't get cold but I wear a water resistant one-piece suit and some underlayers too.

I'd proly avoid commuting too much if I lived on the central Puget Sound side. Too many cars.

That's what I'm looking at - a 4 mile ride to the Southworth Ferry, then a 10 mile ride to Southcenter (which has many possible routes).

[shrubitup]

That's what I'm looking at - a 4 mile ride to the Southworth Ferry, then a 10 mile ride to Southcenter (which has many possible routes).

You will immensely enjoy the preferential ferry load/off load and all the time saved.

[FISM]

2 years now from Key peninsula to Southworth ferry to Boeing field and Everett on my FZ1 and a old H-D springer (only on dry days) . It could be done on a dual-sport no problem. I have Gerbing heated jacket and gloves, could not do it without them. I got caught in a pretty heavy snow near downtown Seattle, not good, but I stay nice and toasty with the heated gear. Ride away!

[MX813]

I ride rain, sleet, hail or snow. The mailman has nothing on me. I ride this...

I like the custom latte holder behind the fairing!

[shrubitup]

I ride rain, sleet, hail or snow. The mailman has nothing on me. I ride this...

It's got an 8 track cassette player that blasts Purple Rain at each stop light.

[josmoloco]

That's what I'm looking at - a 4 mile ride to the Southworth Ferry, then a 10 mile ride to Southcenter (which has many possible routes).

You live in Port Orchard too?

[Alex 400]

My commute is a short 7 mile country road to the ferry terminal and then a few blocks downtown. I do it rain or shine all year. Being a dirt biker foremost I thought a dual sport was the way to go. However, they suck butt in the braking department and don't pass slow cars very well.?

Since my speed is less than 50 mph I don't get cold but I wear a water resistant one-piece suit and some underlayers too.

I'd proly avoid commuting too much if I lived on the central Puget Sound side. Too many cars.

What kind of dual sport do you ride? I have been thinking of getting a dual sport at some point when i am in college because Ellensburg is a small enough town that it would be easy to get anywhere and still be able to ride up in the woods.

[Slackkinhard]

I like the custom latte holder behind the fairing!

That's exactly right!

It's got an 8 track cassette player that blasts Purple Rain at each stop light.?

More like James Taylor....I've seen fire and I've seen rain...