Is it ok to ride in winter?

Question

im new to riding and i have a little 250cc sport bike. i got it to save money on gas an its my only means of transportation. is it perfectly ok to ride a motorcycle in the winter? i am going to school and want to make sure i can rely on my bike to get me there. what should i be aware of? any advice? thanks

Answer 1

If its snowing or you have a gut feeling that will snow dont do it, i got caught up in the snow, i made it home, but i looked like a popsicle. Dress in layers, the most important parts to protect are hands and feet, try to shift when you dont feel your feet... Im assuming you will wear a helmet and a good jacket with boots, wear boots that the outsole wont slip easily over the snow. And if it gets so cold and it will be if you will ride for more than 20 minutes, stop, and put your hands on the engine, so they get a little warm, make sure your gloves wont melt when you do this.

Go at your own pace, all those cagers can wait. And finally, if theres snow, and you cant avoid it, ride very slow and get ready to put both feet on the ground if you feel you will fall to either side so you can stabilize yourself, dont try to stop the bike with your feet, dont brake hard, dont accelerate hard, and dont panic!

Answer 2

Of course! I ride all year round, lots of us do.

Things to look out for depend on where you are in the world.

In the UK, cold wind and ice are the biggest bummers. It's amazing how quickly the wind chill can freeze your hands and face on a bike. Obviously beware of slippy roads.

Give your bike a thorough clean and service before and after Winter, the grit they put on the roads mixed with water isn't good for bikes.

Get some seriously warm clothes, long johns etc, good winter gloves, balaclava etc. If you're doing long journeys you might want to get some handlebar muffs. You can't underestimate how cold you're going to get.

Answer 3

sure, i have a buddy with a ural.... it's 2wd and has a side car and even has reverse.... he's never even been stuck in the snow

Answer 4

Sure it is. Before I changed jobs I used to commute every day into London on a bike. The only thing that would stop me was snow and ice.

You do have to give some consideration to your local winter climate, though. If you get lots of snow and freezing conditions as a matter of course the safest option might be to lay the bike up until Spring. Your safety must be your paramount concern. Hitting a patch of ice on a bend will see you straight to the scene of the crash, so set a limit and stick to it.

However, if you decide that you want to go for it you will need to make sure that you are properly kitted up. Winter road conditions can be treacherous, but many bikers underestimate the physiological effect of the cold. Not only will you get reduced blood-flow to your hands which can make operating the controls tricky, but it will also sap your concentration. There is no way around being cold on a bike, but you need to make sure you wear lots of layers to preserve as much of your body heat as you can.

If your local authorities put down road salt, you will need to wash it off regularly. I used to wash mine weekly in the winter and made sure to get right underneath too.

Answer 5

No, not really. Especially for someone new to riding.

If you don't get snow, you'll be ok. Temps below 35F will cause ice on the roads.

There's lots I could say, both for and against.

I do what I do, and don't recommend it to others.

It can be, and most times is, Dangerous. It is also fun.

The words used to describe my riding in winter: Crazy, nuts, stupid, idiot..... the list goes on, without a nice one.

If you feel a need to experience risk and take your life in your own hands, ride in a blizzard.

Answer 6

If your tuff enough.

Answer 7

Depends on if there is snow and ice.  Two thing I want nothing to do with on a motorcycle.