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Our Top 4 Winter Riding Tips

Posted by Daphne on 23rd Nov 2021

Our Top 4 Winter Riding Tips

While we’d all love some flying reindeer to get from A to B, as mere mortals we have to consider road driving in the wintertime and make sure we’re at the top of our game while winding down those chilly highways. Here are some winter driving tips for the discerning motorcyclist so you can stay safe on the road.

Tip 1 – Wrap Up, Baby

Keeping warm isn’t just for comfort, it’s essential for being able to concentrate on the road. So how do you do that? Simple. Get yourself insulated, get yourself wind-proofed and stay as dry as possible at all times.

You can insulate by building your layers up. A good set of base layers can never steer you wrong. They allow your skin to breathe while wicking away moisture. This helps your sweat to evaporate rather than turning into cold dampness.

Gore Tex is fantastic for windproofing and waterproofing so make sure you have the right gear. Wind chill is a real danger which dramatically lowers an ambient temperature of 0°C to -6°C if you’re travelling at 20mph. And when you’re travelling faster than that the temperature really starts to drop off!

Tip 2 – Slow and Steady wins the Race

Part of the fun of motorcycle riding is to push boundaries but in cold weather that leeway is always shorter, so make sure you’re taking calm and considered manoeuvres. Accelerate carefully, improve your braking distances and be careful of strong winds. The trick to bike riding in winter is to always increase your visibility to others and the space around you.

Tip 3 – Cold Tyres, Less Traction

Maybe you need that first coffee or tea of the day to wake you up and get you started. Your motorcycle tyres are a lot like you in a way. They aren’t in perfect riding condition from stop and require warming up. You can do this by slowly accelerating and braking – rapid braking will warm them up faster but be careful while you do it. Also make a note; while your tyres warm up as you ride, any stop will allow them to rapidly cool down so don’t take it for granted.

If you live in a particularly cold area, we suggest fitting some winter tyres for the season for optimal traction and road handling. It’ll make your rides easier and more enjoyable, which is

what we all want in the end, right? Remember, your tyres are one of the most important parts of your bike so you should always get the best ones for you.

Tip 4 – Maintain your Motorbike

Even though it’s great for defrosting roads, salt isn’t the best thing for your bike, so cleaning it regularly will help prevent corrosion. Prevention can also help you keep on top of this so using a protective lubricant and anti-corrosion spray isn’t a bad idea.

As we’re all about tyres we’d also like to take a moment to remind you to check your tyre pressure regularly. Tyre pressure can effect how grippy your motorcycle tyres are so make it routine.

If you’d like some help on finding the best motorcycle winter tyre for you our team is happy to help you. You can call us on 020 3887 2338 or use our contact form.

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