Cold Weather Riding
When the weather changes, you’ll need to change your motorcycle riding accordingly. The cold weather will affect your body, the roads, and your motorcycle. To stay safe on the road, you’ll need to proactively make adjustments. Lucky for you we created the following guide to safe cold weather riding. If you have any questions or need any motorcycle maintenance before your next ride, come on over and visit MOMS Foxboro. We proudly serve those in Foxboro and Brockton, Massachusetts.
Your Attire
What you wear in the cold weather is important. It’s not just about keeping you warm for comfort’s sake (though that does have value of course). Getting cold can impair your ability to safely ride your motorcycle. The cold makes it hard to focus and your shivering hands struggle to manipulate the controls. Stay warm to stay safe.
You’ll want to wear plenty of layers (as this keeps you warmer than one massive coat). The base layer should be thin thermal underwear (note that synthetic materials will give the best insulation when wet). The second layer should be warmer material (such as fleece or wool) to trap the heat in. The outer layer can be your normal riding jacket and pants. If you usually wear leather, you may want to consider a more breathable fabric.
Certain accessories can also help you stay warm. A full-face helmet with anti-fogging characteristics works best. A neck guard can keep you surprisingly warm. Water resistant gloves can seal with your jacket to guard against water intrusion. Waterproof boots will keep your feet warm.
Care for Your Tires
The dipping temperature can alter your motorcycle tires’ air pressure. For every ten degrees drop in temperature, you can tend to see about one or two pounds of air pressure lost. Use a tire pressure gauge to measure your tires before you hit the road (and adjust the pressure levels as needed).
You can use friction to help warm up cold tires. All you need to do is quickly accelerate and decelerate (just make sure you do this in a no-traffic, controlled area of course!) Look for a vacant parking lot or empty residential road to do this step.
Your Body
Never forget that riding a motorcycle is an athletic activity! Your body needs to be prepared for the high heat and that starts with enough fuel – aka food. Eat a large meal before you hit the road. It’ll keep your metabolism running and keep your body temperature at a good level. It’s also important to drink plenty of water. Riding a motorcycle can dehydrate you (and, in turn, make you feel fatigued). Stay sharp by staying hydrated.
Road Conditions
Cold weather often brings compromised road conditions, namely a loss of traction. This can happen because of snow and ice on the road, as well as the substances sprinkled on the road to deal with those hazards. You’ll need to adapt by taking everything slower – lane changing, braking, accelerating, and turning. Be on the constant lookout for hazards (such as black ice) and leave plenty of space between you and other cars.
We hope you found this guide helpful! For all your motorcycle needs, visit MOMS Foxboro. We offer a range of new and used motorcycles for sale for all budgets. Look into our financing options to help get your dream vehicle home sooner. If your ride isn’t running like it used to, check out our parts replacement and service option. Our expert staff can fix your motorcycle right up! We proudly serve those in Foxboro, Brockton, Milford, and Norwood, Massachusetts as well as Pawtucket, Rhode Island.