Motorcyclists experience more risk when riding during winter.
- Freezing Temperatures and harsh conditions
- Completly different riding
- Motorcycle preparation
1) Freezing Temperatures and harsh coonditions
Slippery surface. Snow, Ice, or just wet ain’t perfect for good grip and tight corners.
2) Completly different riding
Warming up your tires for better grip will be hard. Which means you have to be a lot more caution and forward-looking.
Your biggest enemy is sweat. Make sure you choose the right clothing and keep the sweat off you. tavss got it on point.
3) Motorcycle preparation
Wanna make sure your motorcycle is ready for the harsh condition. You wanna be prepared for the worst.
You wanna use the right type of tires. Big point for safety! Or you gonna have 0 grip.
Also not every motorcycle is built for such cold and wet conditions. Starting the bike while stored outside can be hard.
Why do people not ride motorcycles in winter?
It is a different riding than during summer. Riding during the winter comes with harsher conditions. Require more gear to keep you warm and you need to prepare your bike.
Should I stop riding a motorcycle in winter? (and as a newbie?)
You should not start riding during winter, especially during rainy or snowy days. You also wanna might a temperature below 0. BUT yes you can ride during winter. Just start in small circles around your block and make sure you goit the right gear.
Stay away from the snow. Motorcycles are not designed for snow, they are might for a try and grippy roads.
During summer and temp above 0 °C you can ride during the rain. The streets aren’t always try and you should learn how your bike deals with wet surfaces.
Sunshine doesn’t always mean good conditions. You wanna keep an eye on the roads and temperatures. The road could be slippery even though the sun is out.
How cold is too cold for motorcycle riding?
The magic number is 0°C or 32°F which is below freezing and that’s not a coincidence. The biggest “enemy” for riding your motorcycle in the winter is ice.
You always gonna meet people say: It’s never to cold to ride!
Well, they are basically right. Your gear is the key. But still, I would avoid icy and snowy roads because they can get slippery very fast and unpredictable.
Things you should consider before riding in the winter
- Windproof gear can be a game-changer
- Look for heated gear
- close / cover each hole
- heated grips
- Tires
I took my bike (Dirt bike) many times for a spin during the winter times, even when the ground was frozen. For me, the biggest enemy was keeping my fingers warm. And when it got really cold I had to make sure to park on the top of a hill because she didn’t like to start as soon as she cooled off. And she will cool off really fast below zero!
If you like to ride during the winter months go for it! Start with small steps and start with a short trip around your block. Make sure you wear the right gear. You ain’t gonna be happy with your summer equipment.