A guide to winter motorcycle riding (in seriously cold conditions)

[lavrentyuk]

Been back from the Dragon Rally a few days now, this year it was warm but wet. Pretty much everybody got a bit of a soaking. Thank goodness for heated grips and muffs I say !

The 'little' MZ coped well despite carrying myself and 17 year old son with equipment to North Wales and back.

We didn't take the Lavuu style Polish tent, or the new British army canvas one, being persuaded to take a fast erecting Slumit of a friends instead. Being able to put a tent up fast in the rain counts for something. As with many tents however the problem of unzipping the porch and letting the rain in was annoying. Lots using the 'adventure tarp' set up this year to avoid this.

Pretty much every sort of bike imaginable was represented, though I would say old BMW airheads led the field together with their Soviet/Russian equivalents.

 

[ged]

... I'll just say DONT put sticky race tyres on as they never get enough heat in them and are a nightmare when its cold and wet,save em for summer, and smear a bit of fairy liquid on the inside of your visor...

You never want race tyres on the road, they'll never get up to temperature legally. Washng up liquid is no substitute for a decent (yes, preferably pinlock) anti-mist insert but it's good for backup and I usually have a tiny bottle in my camping kit.

Furniture polish on the outside of the visor will help keep the road film off to some extent.

I treat my heated jacket as a luxury item. I can survive without it but it's great to have it. If the battery's in good shape it should keep you toasty while you make a meal at the services if you can park next to a bench or something but make sure there's going to be enough juice left to start the bike!

Did somebody say two-strokes were easier to start under some conditions? No two-stoke I ever had could have been described that way. If it doesn't usually start at the first push of the button there's something worng with the bike or your technique.

Never tried the snowball idea, I think it's crackers.

 

[mudgutz]

You never want race tyres on the road, they'll never get up to temperature legally.

Iv used part worn race tyre's for years Ged and so have most my riding mate's. Im not talking full race slicks but the stuff the production boys and girls use. Normally pick a set up for around £60-£80 depending on how many laps they have done and believe me you don't have to ride like a tw#t to get them working so long as the air temp isn't too low to begin with. Give a set a go in the summer if you get chance mate, they are great but don't like motorways much lol.

 

[Andy BB]

You never want race tyres on the road, they'll never get up to temperature legally. Washng up liquid is no substitute for a decent (yes, preferably pinlock) anti-mist insert but it's good for backup and I usually have a tiny bottle in my camping kit.

Furniture polish on the outside of the visor will help keep the road film off to some extent.

I treat my heated jacket as a luxury item. I can survive without it but it's great to have it. If the battery's in good shape it should keep you toasty while you make a meal at the services if you can park next to a bench or something but make sure there's going to be enough juice left to start the bike!

Did somebody say two-strokes were easier to start under some conditions? No two-stoke I ever had could have been described that way. If it doesn't usually start at the first push of the button there's something worng with the bike or your technique.

Never tried the snowball idea, I think it's crackers.

On my MZ in the winter - back in the 70s - I never needed to put my stove under the sump to thin out the oil there - unlike the posh BMWs! Always used to crack me up, seeing a field of the most expensive and "best touring bikes going", being cooked like a rally stew in the morning