Winter Riding

[supervfr]

Who here has experience riding through the winter?

Any advice?

[KC-10 FE]

I ride year round. There is no bad weather, only bad clothing. Mind you, I don't ride when it is actively snowing or if there is ice. Aside from that, the only real difference is you need to make sure you let your tires warm up.

KC-10 FE out...

[drewl]

I rode all winter last year, and the temps here have gotten down into the 20s already.
I do not ride when it is wet or icy.
Layers are your friend. A neck gator has been my best investment for cold weather so far.

[bbwong]

I guess that means I need more gear! Anything lower than 40 and the bike stays in the garage. Since I usually don't have time to ride on the weekends, I'm going through withdrawal...

[derstuka]

I would NOT advise riding year round thru Michigan. I should know, I grew up there. Sure, there will be days when you can easily, but for the most part, you WILL fall down, over and over.

[two4one]

If you're going to ride in the winter consistently, don't waste your time fighting with layers, etc, get heated gear! The tires aren't going to heat up at all in the winter, keep that in mind. Be smooth, nothing dramatic in your turning or braking and all is well. Riding in the winter and/or rain is actually a great training tool. If you can handle those conditions, you can handle anything.

[supervfr]

a few years ago i would agree. however for the last number of years it has snowed like 3 times. the winters have been quite weak from what they used to be when i was young

[Molsan]

Be warm.

layers or heated gear and really really good gloves or heated grips.
When you get cold your reactions become slower.

As mentioned even on a dry road it may feel slippery because your tires do not warm up. So no traction. so be slow be smooth.

Watch for shade as ice can lay there.

learned from personal experiance.... if you can see your reflection in the road..don't ride..

[woody77]

Originally Posted by supervfr

a few years ago i would agree. however for the last number of years it has snowed like 3 times. the winters have been quite weak from what they used to be when i was young

Also having grown up in Michigan, you've got more to worry about from ice (especially black ice) then you have from snow.

If it's still going below freezing, especially if thawing during the day and freezing at night, it's going to be pretty dangerous in the mornings and evenings.

Also, the salt is going to just destroy your bike.

[Knife]

I made a commitment to myself to commute on my VFR every day throughout this winter, regardless of the temperature, except those days, if any, when the roads are snow or ice covered.

I will be honest and report back if I renege on this pledge.

[vfrchick]

I have LOTS of winter riding experience. Rode to work every day years ago, and now that I have the VFR, I ride to work every day again. Of course that was in northern CA where the worst we got in the winter was rain, and now Vegas, where it practially never rains and I've only seen snow twice... We are just hitting prime riding season now.

However, I am very familiar with the issues of temperature. Definitely don't mess around. Where a thin shirt (to keep the heat close to your skin), heated jacket liner, then jacket over that. If it's really windy or you still find yourself being cold, put a heavy polar fleece shirt over the heated jacket liner to keep the heat in. I've ridden in 30 degrees with just thin shirt, heated jacket liner and leather jacket and been nice and toasty.

We definitely lose functionality when we are cold. The body draws blood in from all the extremeties, including the brain, to keep the core warm... so if you keep your core warm, your hands, feet and brain will be warm and you will comfortable and able to process information and react quickly. Heated gear is an investment worth making and one I would do over and over again if needed.

Get the temperature control too. I have done days where I start out in 100+ degrees, the ride in 30 degrees for a few hours, then back out to 90s and 100s. The temp control allows me to stay on the bike and adjust my temp without stopping to take off layers and put on layers. Heated gear with the temp control is just such a beautiful thing!!

[supervfr]

The cold im not so worried about. the most i usually wear during the winter is a fleace hood. obviously with the wind ill need more. I also enjoy sitting in a tree for 4 to 6 hours from night to day. I bundle up a bit more for that. Plus im only 15 minutes from work.

Its the roads that I am worried about. I know how ice gets around here.

[34468 Randy]

If it is at or below freezing, it is clear, and there is no wind, you can just about guarantee there will be frost or ice on the road. I have commmuted year round for the past two years about 100 miles round trip. Only days I do not ride is when there is a high likelyhood of frost, or snow. I have the gear for the rain and if it is cloudy or windy, I ride well below freezing ( as low as -9C. For those of you in the US, 0C. is freezing).

A note of interest here. I have Gearing Heated gear and it is just great. But on the really cold days, a cheap rubber rain suit does a great job suplimenting the heat gear by trapping the heat inside.