Abstract
This paper explores differences in the temperature and precipitation in which individuals were found to ride within a large naturalistic riding data set. The data included in this analysis describe approximately 363,000 miles of riding by 98 participants. Trips include travel in over 40 states, as individuals rode for both transportation and pleasure. GPS location data from the motorcycles, combined with historic weather information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration databases, permitted the investigation of gender, motorcycle type, and installation locations, and their relationship to observed weather conditions during rides. Analyses showed motorcyclists prefer to ride in temperatures between 48°F and 82°F and under dry conditions when possible. If one lives in an area that experiences those temperatures year-round, then it can be expected that trips will continue year-round. If a rider lives in an area with distinctive seasons, those months where the temperature stays within that average range will contain the most rides.
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