Winter biking

[BirchesBiker]

Does anyone travel/commute year round on a motorcycle? I just wonder what people do in the really cold conditions to make sure the bike doesn't slip etc and how to cope with the cold. I just bought myself a sub zero factor 2 mid layer thermal yesterday and it should be delivered later this week. Apparently most people involved in winter sports use these and its advised not to wear both the trousers and top together at the one time due to overheating so I'm assuming they work great but I will let you know.

For those of you who are fans of Baron Von Grumble I suggest you watch this video to see the weather conditions that he is prepared to face. Will blow your mind. A GSXR in snow lol surely not!

 

[mckeown]

When I was in my teens I thought nothing of flying about the snowy back roads on my scrambler but now I haven't been out on the bike properly in weeks since the temps dropped.

 

[BirchesBiker]

What bike do you have? I have set myself a goal for next year to make sure I take bike to work everyday between the 1st April and the 1st November because when I don't make use of it and the cold weather comes I instantly regret not using it more and cannot wait to get back out again!

 

[mckeown]

Just a cbf600, first bike. It will do me for a year until I find my feet! I've MOT on Saturday and I am bricking it about it being too cold lol

 

[BirchesBiker]

They are decent. I thought about one of them a few years back. test rode one and was ready to buy and then changed my mind and got a gsxr 600. Both great bikes and 600f is probably first choice if your going to do any touring.

 

[mckeown]

Next bike will be a tiger 800 if all goes according to plan next year and I have a bit more road sense

 

[Debaser]

Your extremities and core are most vulnerable when it comes to wind-chill. I guess it depends how far you are going each day. If its only a few miles you might get away without anything too specific. If its 20 mile or so then you would have to think about extra kit.

I would recommend a pair of heated grips combined with a pair of hand-guards to keep your hands toasty

As for your core there are plenty of heated vests on the market now

Feet? Again heated socks are available

 

[Dave..]

I commuted for 2 years on a bike many years ago, when everyone wore leather jackets and there were no cordura suits - fking cold.
The only thing that was any good was a 1 piece oversuit with a few layers under it and gauntlets for gloves. My feet were always freezing, you guys have it easy now with heated grips and suits.

 

[BirchesBiker]

Very good - yes a tiger 800 is a good bike. U planning on doing some touring on it? have you test ridden one. I have the bmw f800st - heated grips as standard. I travel 30 plus miles to and from work so I need to wrap up warm. It's either bike or train for me and the bike is a no brainer in the warm weather.

 

[Apis]

I don't ride if it's icy but I do ride in the winter. A big fairing and screen make it a lot easier. I'm amazed how good my ST1300 is for staying warm in winter, plus there's a lot of heat comes back off the engine.
A pair of latex gloves under your normal winter gloves makes a difference. Have your boots and gloves warm before you put them on.
Thermals next to your skin. Polyester with merino wool is good. The merino is warm and stops the BO smell you get with most polyester thermals. Helly Hansen ones are brilliant.
Stuff a newspaper down the front of your jacket in the morning, then you can just bin it if you don't need it on the way home.

 

[genman]

I rode year round for 6 years whilst i worked nightshift...didnt own a car .
4 years on a Hayabusa and 2 on a GSXR 1K.... Sports Touring tyres and moderate 2nd hand winter kit from Spada /Richa etc and goretex etc gloves and boots...balaclava was a must ..no heated grips etc at the time( but would highly recommend them now )...didn't care if it snowed as i'd no choice....luckily it was most A roads that were treated etc...hardest part was road spray and that muck they call grit sticking to the visor....i used tear offs when the weather required regular gritting.
Pre heat all your clothing just to give you time to adapt ...if your kit gets wet on the way to work be sure to dry it out before the return trip...if thats not possible buy oversized waterproofs to fit over your winter kit as youll never forget the first time you wear wet kit in winter.
Be careful if riding in snow as it can get lodged almost anywhere and if cold enough it freezes in place...got around my GSXR steering damper on one trip and that wasn't a fun experience when i came to a roundabout with no steering.

 

[Apis]

Fair play to you @genman, I've no idea how anyone rides a sportsbike (or any bike for that matter) in snow. I tried it once and fell off before I got the thing 5 yards out of the garage. I'd even struggle on a pushbike.

 

[mikey]

Rode a Hornet 600 through the bad winter in 2011, only mode of transport. Bloody horrendous. Going down snow covered roads at 3 mph with both feet down for stability and a queue of traffic behind, frozen to the core after even short journeys dressed like the Michelin man, unable to see with visor either covered in spray or eyes streaming out of head when visor cracked open for ventilation. The worst thing was the pain in my hands defrosting them under a warm tap after doing Lurgan to Armagh twice a week. Only came off once at 15mph or so trying to drift the bike down my estate so lucky enough lol. I'm not offended when I'm called a fair weather biker now, I'd rather be warm in a car than ever doing that again. Took all the fun out of biking for me for a good while.

 

[genman]

Fair play to you @genman, I've no idea how anyone rides a sportsbike (or any bike for that matter) in snow. I tried it once and fell off before I got the thing 5 yards out of the garage. I'd even struggle on a pushbike.

Oddly the hayabusa was a doddle to use...low seat long wheelbase and sheer weight matched to a really smooth throttle.
Simply avoid any use of the front brake if there's snow around...gearbox and back brake to control things.
Tried a Aprilia Pegaso and came off twice at walking pace...too tall for me under those conditions and too light..any rut of snow just chucked the front of the bike away from me.
Would I do it all again....probably not...those 2 offs alone took weeks to recover from...footpeg ripped through my kit on the 2nd off and if not for the armour in my boot I'd have broken my ankle...bruising alone was bad enough.
Even with buying mostly 2nd hand kit it cost around £700 in extras each winter.
Visors get destroyed..bike needed parts replaced each year regardless of acf50 etc.
Kit needed replaced...touring tyres and so on.
Get a loan..buy a cheap car and park the bike up.

 

[fabiostar]

the honda is parked for a winter clean up but iv just got the divvie ready for winter so unless its snow i use it year round. touring screen fitted, bar heaters, and i big set of ugly barr muffs and its great even when its baltic. iv also stuck reflective tape over the front and a pair of extra led lights to help the sleeping cage drivers see me in the mornings. just wash the bike every sat morning and lash wd40 over everything and so far still not a single rust spot on the wee bike and its 1994 so going well.
i actually get a perverted pleasure from winter riding.

 

[ilovequo]

Boy went past me in jeans on a Blade yesterday am...
3 Degrees - Must have two wooden legs!

 

[BirchesBiker]

Now that is just mental

 

[Debaser]

There definitely is no enjoyment in riding at this time of year
I mate of mine was a bike courier once and he said he knew it was time to give up when the inside of his visor started freezing up one day on the M2 lol
As Terry says, buy a cheap runaround to do you over the Winter, then you could probably sell it on again come the Spring without losing much on it

 

[genman]

Boy went past me in jeans on a Blade yesterday am...
3 Degrees - Must have two wooden legs!

I think i've seen the same fella...he gets a move on as well...looks to also wear trainers.
He went past me one damp morning on my commute to work and had the rear drifting on a roundabout exit...lots of skill but not sure about his common sense.

 

[Evoarrow]

I commute and got minus 5 during the week. Stick to the bus routes on country roads, usually gritted. No point farting around thinking riding on ice is experience, you will drop the bike. Motorway speed is cold on your fingers even with heated grips. Watch your rear in thick fog. And use acf 50 on the bike. Pin lock visor helps steaming up. Low sun internal visor helps.
And decent tyres.

Just my experience and not trying to teach anyone how to suck eggs.

 

[DriftnSlide]

I was a courier for 5 years in the late 80,s early 90's, on a TZR 250/Gpz900/EXUP and a Gsxr. My advice is try stuff on before you buy it, the most expensive winter kit isn't always the best.
Winter gloves take a bit of getting used to, but worth it.................. and an old tip that I still use, is a sheet of newspaper down the front if your jacket.

 

[Chris666]

Rode a number of bad winters when I commuted and swapped from Fazer/GSXF/Nighthawk to a DRZ400 (Single, easy worked on) Ended up wearing thermal running gear from decathlon and the likes under my textiles (I wore Spada the last time I had a bike)

Feet and hands were a lottery and still are now I've taken up cycling.

 

[BirchesBiker]

Thankfully its been a mild winter and I am back to commuting by bike once again. Can't tell you how good it felt being to work in 30 minutes less time and it will be the same this evening. Also got myself a thermal mid layer by sub zero - I cannot tell you how warm I felt this morning. Great purchase.