If the Stark says it: winter is coming. Little by little, we have been changing the days of sun and heat for dark, short and wet days of winter. We don’t want a riding motorcycle in winter so much, but the bikers are stubborn, we like to take it even if it’s a dog day.
So if you are one of those or those who use the motorcycle daily to go to work, we will review the most useful tips when taking the motorcycle when conditions are not, say, ideal. Do you think? Surely we leave something so go ahead, make your contribution in the comments.
Tips for riding motorcycle in winter
Winter, apart from cold and bad weather, means fewer hours of light and less intensity, and that on a good day, because if it is cloudy, it already seems night to noon. The visibility conditions worsen considerably. So, one of the best advice you can give to a biker is that you do see.
Use reflective garments with which the rest of the road users can recognize you from afar. Many times on a motorcycle, we abuse dark clothes because white is very dirty, but if motorists already have trouble seeing the rest of cars, it is best to put it to the egg.
Many garments already include reflective areas, but if we use vests with fluorine colors, the better. Do not do the typical thing to wear one of the Decathlon. It will last a couple of days. Stretch a little and buy a motorcycle, or kill two birds with one stone and catch a jacket that has it integrated. Surely you have also seen that many helmets carry paint of this type. They may seem tacky, but they fulfill their function of maximizing visibility perfectly.
Keep your body warm
Well, this is easier said than done. Especially for those of us who are not boys from the north, to whom the cold does not make a dent, every time we go out on the street when it starts to cool, we become a being the closest thing to a white walker.
Wind, low temperatures, general humidity or rain, ravage quickly in our body. The hands and feet are frozen and the chest loses temperature due to the constant flow of air. Leaving aside the good thing they say is cold to activate circulation, the numbness of the body and limbs poses a risk to driving.
The discomfort makes us distracted that we are less attentive to what is happening around us. When it is necessary to act before an unforeseen event, we do not react with the same speed or with the usual precision in normal conditions. That is why we must pay special attention to the equipment, even more so than in summer and without skimping on the price. After all, this is for our safety.
There are currently many technical garments from almost all manufacturers that are comfortable, warm and breathable: high socks, good tights, an inner shirt, underwear. Well glued to our skin, these garments will help us keep the freezing temperatures and moisture of sweat away from the body while maintaining body heat.
In the intermediate zone, it is also appropriate to wear winter clothes. It is already a matter of the requirements of clothing of the work of their style. But returning to the specific clothing for bikers, thermal winter equipment And waterproof is essential. It doesn’t cost that much if you compare it with the tranquility it offers when facing the rigors of winter.
Start with good gloves. When you see the difference with the traditional ones, you will understand what we are talking about.
Anticipate the environment
Your behavior on the road is also decisive when the rest of the drivers see you, so try to maintain a comfortable safety distance and avoid the dead angles of the surrounding cars. Respect the traffic rules and go with a thousand eyes, even checking the eyes of the other drivers in your rearview mirror.
Do not forget to indicate what your intentions are. Signal every overtaking, every turn, every round of the roundabout with all the anticipation of the world and before proceeding, look. Make sure there is no one in your career. You know, for what some do not drive well and such.
And if you are one of those bikers who go bad even at night with a dark helmet screen, go looking in the closet for the transparent one. Just do not change it because “just use the motorcycle by day” so that a storm causes you to lose all visibility, or an unforeseen delay and return home at night. It is that kind of thing that is better not to miss because if you do, it will be late and the level of safety in your driving will not be the same.
On the other hand, an impeccable magazine status on the screen of your helmet will cause it to be fogless and the rain to spread more effectively. To avoid these two factors, there are products such as pin-lock that can equip many helmets or sprays that prevent fogging for the interior and prevent water from “clinging” to the outside.
Prepare your motorcycle
In addition to conditioning our equipment, our mind and our body to drive in bad weather, it is also very important that we have certain considerations with our saddle. Especially if you live in an area where winter shows more forcefully, it is good that we make some changes to the bike.
As always, the fundamental support point of all motorcycle behavior is the tires, so if you have to change wheels or most of the months, there is a risk of rain, snow or frost. Those sticky sports rubber that you wear without just drawing are not the best option, no.
The new generation of road tires such as the Dunlop RoadSmart or the Michelin Pilot Road 4 has been evolving to offer good performance on wet ground. But what is more important is that their compounds can perform optimally at very low temperatures.
And if you have a sporty one, do not feel ashamed to wear these rubber bands, I assure you that if a good day comes out to make curves at a good pace, you will not be disappointed. Also, they last much longer than some sports tires and if when the good weather arrives you keep them conveniently, you can use them again. Ah! And don’t forget to check the pressures.
We must also check the levels and the state of the fluids of the motorcycle to ensure that the mechanics do not suffer more than the account. A periodic battery check is also almost mandatory if you do not want a good morning not to start because it has collapsed with the cold. A battery in the bedroom is not over, but I recommend a battery tester/charger. You have them for a few euros and you will save them in the long run.
Take a look at the lights and electrical connections and keep the chain clean and greased so that the water does not take more bill from the bill. The rain produces corrosion, but worse is the salt of the road that rapidly deteriorates our precious motorcycle. You can apply some corrosion protection products. She will thank you.
Drive with your skill
In everything we have talked about, there is an implicit thing. It is to use common sense and not another part of the body. Equip yourself, prepare the motorcycle and move safely between traffic require a good dose of rationalism. So, yes, what you need to exercise with greater intensity when winter comes is the brain.
Think of everything and everyone around you. Also, think your driving has to adapt to the state of the road beyond the cold. The low temperatures, the humidity of the asphalt, the possible dirt on the road, the unexpected ice sheets, the salt in the margins. The variables that must be introduced in the equation of riding motorcycle in winter.
And to curl the curl, like your body, the mechanics do not respond the same when the environment changes. The tires do not grip the same at 30º as at 0º of room temperature. The same happens with the brakes or even the lubrication of the engine.
Think and reason, avoid shady areas, avoid painting and always, always, always drive smoothly. You are not going to win any prize for the fastest of winter, so it is better to arrive safely in the spring.
