Year round motorcycling? (Little Rock: home, live, moving to)

[bmarquis]

Hi everyone,

I'm moving to Little Rock from a colder climate where I could only ride my bike ~8 months of the year (at best). We are a one car family but both will have to commute in different directions in Little Rock. I am wondering if I could commute on my cycle year-round or if it gets too icy in the winter months. I looked at the climate and it looks like ~20 days or so get freezing temperatures in January- but I don't know what this is like practically. Are the roads icy during the morning commute or is it primarily kept to the wee hours of the night.

I'm ok with a day here and there during with freezing temps- I could just avoid the freeway on those days.

[Sam I Am]

The ice is sporadic - not all the time. Last winter there was practically nothing - a couple of years ago it was kinda bad.

Little Rock is hilly, no one wants to/needs to drive on the ice - it's nasty ice. Most places of business will either close completely or have delayed openings in inclement weather. The interstates and Hwy. 10 (Cantrell Rd.) and Hwy. 5 (Stagecoach Rd.) are tended to by the Highway Dept. Past that, you're on your own - the city will sand bridges and overpasses some, but for the most part...just don't drive. Car or motorcycle, bike or on foot, it's treacherous. The good news is rarely lasts very long.

[ArkansasSlim]

I agree with everything Sam wrote. I'm not a bike rider but don't think I'd like to be on one on the ice. Here in L.R. the ice is more likely to be in the morning commute, but not always because if a freezing drizzle comes in during the day things get tough. I live off west Chenal Parkway which is a main east/west route and the city usually take pretty good care of it. Our daughter lives a couple blocks from us and drives to east L.R. to work and I don't remember her missing any work because of ice. There have been times though when they were sent home early because of predicted problems. Well, now that I wrote that, I think there have been a few times during the past several years she had been permitted to come in late to avoid the main commute traffic because of ice. Again, I think mornings will be the biggest problem because often you can't see it until you are on it (we call it "black ice") and then it may be too late, even for a 4wheeler. Come on down, and welcome to The Natural State.

[scottfree00]

I rode a Honda shadow for a year and a half a couple years ago. Didn't have a car and just bummed a ride on icy days. We only get that stuff for a week or two. I say its fine but you will need full leathers and good gloves in the winter months.