2Wheeltips

We have signed up for a service called "Aardvark" where people can post questions to random knowledgeable people and get answers. Of course we signed up to receive motorcycle-related questions. Here is the lastest one:

"If you're on a motorcycle and getting cold, is it better to slow down and be in the cold for longer, or speed up a little (within safe limits) and accept the increased wind chill factor? That is, does the increased wind chill offset the reduced travel time by being disproportionately cold?"

I already answered it, but would like to know what those on 2wheeltips have to say about this. Respond in the comments section when you get a chance.

Tony

After 2 weeks of nasty weather in the northeast, we finally got a dry "warm" day. It was 49F.....still a bit cold but much better than snow, ice and 19F days had over the past few days.
So....I decided to take the bike out for a quick spin.  It was fun getting out but I notice a few things that I want to share here about winter riding:

Cold Tires & Cold Roads
It took quite a few miles, almost 10 miles, for the tires to warm up to the point where I felt comfortable dipping the bike quickly through curves.  I could feel the bike sliding around even on the mildest of curves and lane changes. At times it felt like I was riding on a wet road. Advice......take it nice and slow!!

Exposed Skin & Not Enough Clothing
Since it was "warm" I figured I could get away with wearing jeans and not riding pants. The wind was flapping under my pants and against my skin. Halfway through the ride, I got cold and figured I would just put on my riding pants and that would solve it. Wrong!! Once I got cold, I stayed cold. It got unbearable and I had to stop at a friends house to warm up. Advice.....once you get cold you are done. If you over dress, you can always take some off.

Riding on days when it's cold in the morning and cool during the days can be a little uncomfortable if you are not properly dressed.

Most riders park their bikes when the temperature dips into the 50's but you can continue to ride without  spending hundreds of dollars for a bulky winter riding suit.

An easy and inexpensive way to keep warm is to buy silk liners. You can get silk socks, pants, shirts, gloves and caps that you can wear under your regular clothing. They are super thin and will trap enough heat to keep you warm on those chilly afternoon rides.

For colder days you may want to go with thermal liners. They do tend to be a bit more bulky but are much cheaper than a full blown riding suit.

You don't have to go out and buy liners from an expensive motorcycle store or catalog. They are available in your local department store and online and work just as well.

Once the temperature gets close to the 40's you will need to get a winter riding suit and perhaps heated grips. Not many people ride when the temperature gets down in the 30's, but if you plan on doing year round riding, a heated suit is a must.

Like people who belong to the Polar Bear Club that swims in the ocean during cold winter months, there are bikers who join their local “Polar Bear” riding club and ride their bikes year round.

First of all, you need to understand that the temperature does not have to be terribly cold for the riding conditions to be uncomfortably cold.  Remember, there is always a wind chill factor when riding a motorcycle.  So, if it is 50 degrees out and you might enjoy a brisk walk in the park, you might find a ride on your motorcycle to be very chilling and uncomfortable.

Secondly, you need to realize is that this is not something that is done without special gear and a body that can handle the extra stress.

Finally, and perhaps, most importantly, you need to realize that riding in the cold may NEVER be for you!  You have to be honest with yourself...if you are not comfortable in cold weather, then riding in colder months can be dangerous.  It uses much more energy for your body to keep warm in colder weather; you are burning far more calories than if you were riding in warm weather.  As a result, you will get tired more quickly and you will need to stop more frequently to allow yourself to rest and warm up.  Also, as your body gets chilled, your reflexes slow down.  If your reflexes are slowed down while you are riding, this can prevent you from responding as quickly as needed in many situations.  To counter this, some people who ride in cold weather will wear electrically warmed riding suits.  These are suits that have electrical heating wires throughout them (kind of like an electric blanket!).  The gloves plug into the jacket which plugs into the pants which, in some cases, plug into the socks...and all are plugged into an outlet on your bike and your bike battery provides the power to produce the heat.  There are also some heated suits that run on batteries and do not need to be wired to your bike.  Some year round riders also put heated grips on their bikes.  Heated grips help keep your hands warm when riding.

For some people who don’t necessarily ride in the coldest of months, heated grips and several layers of clothing under their regular riding gear may be enough to allow them to enjoy riding on some cooler fall and early spring days.  Just remember, though, this is a personal preference!  And no one can make the decision about cold weather riding for you!  Remember that gear for cold weather is only one aspect of riding; you also have to account for the road conditions in cold weather.  What might have just been a damp road surface during warm months can, during colder months, be black ice....and handling slippery road conditions on a bike is not a skill that new riders have.  So, before deciding to head out on your bike in colder weather, consider all aspects of what you are going to encounter.