l live in Michigan, not sure how many people know what that entails, but it could be dry and nice one day, rainy snow on the others.Basically l guess l just need to know how a motorcycle would do with rain or snow.
If a bike was my main transport, would l have to get something else to get me through the winter?

horrible. wheres the four wheel drive? a truck defiantly

Well l live 75 miles South of the Macinaw Bridge, and l know for a fact that you will want another form of transportation.

Come time for snow to fly you will want the warmth of a heater.

As far as rain, bring along your rainsuit

Yeah a bike wo not do during a Michigan winter.

it would be a good idea to have an alternative transport, just for the fact that if its snowing hard and you cant see all too well then a car would be better to have than a bike. after a snow then just ride with extreme caution. overall clear day = ride with caution snowy rainy day = take a car. l like to think of my self as an experienced bike rider and l do just fine in the PA snow.

bad

maybe it will do ok in the rain but in the snow you will slide .very bad

Rain and Cold wo not bother the bike as much as You but Snow and Ice are to be avoided on 2 wheels if at all possible.

l suppose if you can handle the cold, go for it as long as the roads are clear. l would not chance riding on snow or ice tho.

Back when l took my MSF class, l had an instructor who said he rides year round (in Chicago). He said the only thing that keeps him off the road is snow and ice.

You could get a cheap but reliable car for those snowy / icy days as backup.

come on. l ride through the saskatchewan winter. and yes, l miss some days of riding, it usually tallies up to about 6 weeks lost by the time l can call it full time 2 wheelin again

slush and ice are the problem, snow is pretty easy to ride in. but you do not know where there is ice under it

put on some ice racing tires and you will do fine. No, Seriously. Try to ride a bicycle on the snow and ice then multiply the difficulty several times over.

you can ride on dry pavement, you can even go through some snow

but hit a patch of glare or 'black' ice?

you're going down, no mater how good a rider you think you are, and the true good rider didnt ride that day

You will definitely need something in the Winter. Try a bus pass. otherwise, One or both of these things will happen: 1. you're going to freeze your a$$ off or 2. You're going to bust your a$$.

Fine in rain, as long as you go slower and are smoooooth with the controls, but forget about riding in snow.

with one exception:

A guy l work with has an older BMW R80 dual sport bike with studded tires, and he still rides that in the snow.

But he is kind of a freak.

Snow? Well you could get traction - maybe with the right kind of bike but regardless the braking is absolutely very bad.

Michigan, they clear the roads just fine, it starts to melt and the road gets wet.then night sets in and it simply does not matter what you drive on black ice..

for ch***t sake snow is snow if you can not ride in it then dont ride a bike yes its hard you use more observation &common sense it makes you ache all over but its the challenge seen 4 x 4 stuck but got through on my bike, rain its just water,

A motorcycle is fine in the rain as long as u adjust ur riding style.
As to winter, no way. Unless u like crashing.
l have visited Michigan many times in all seasons. It is hard to drive at times with a properly equipped car. Come on, this is a no brainer. l knew of only one guy during my many years of riding that rode year round. Equipped a motorcycle with a third wheel ala a sidecar. Still did not look like fun. Nor did it look safe. l watched his bike kinda moving at an angle due to snow dragging on the third wheel.
Buy a car & mount a set of winter tires. l have used Bridgestone Blizzaks for years. Saved me from several accidents.

get a 4wd truck dude..motorcycles just do not cut it.period
though ya could fit a bike with tires for snow surface,those of like off road ones only that snow tires have metal pegs stickin out to have more grip.still its not a good idea to ride a motorcycle in winter conditions.

l would say do not use a motorcycle as your main mode of transportation, because then you would die, almost certainly.

Motorcycles should head south to Daytona Bike Week for the winter !

No way you could just have a motorcycle and no other form of transportation in those conditions. A motorcycle should never be ridden in the snow and ice. Rain is bad enough.