Safe & Enjoyable Cold Weather Motorcycle Riding

Changing Seasons, Changing Gears 

We all know about changing gears on the bike. Up is “up”, and down is “down.” How about that riding skill called changing gears between your ears? Autumn is a great time for riding. Temperatures are moderate and, in many parts of the land, beautiful color tours await. But the change in seasons also brings some different riding conditions that may require some mental gear changes.

Wildlife

As the leaves change and the die-off of summer vegetation occurs, deer, found virtually everywhere in North America, begin to change their feeding habits and move about more. Likewise, it’s their breeding season and is accompanied by an increasing frenzy of activity. In the autumn, in many states, this is compounded by the fact of their being spooked by hunters. The end result is more movement, more activity, and a greater threat to you as a motorcyclist. Change gears and give more thought to the possibility of deer on the road - especially less traveled two-laners and during the post-dawn and pre-sunset hours. The same applies to areas where our even bigger antlered friends (Antelope, Elk, Moose) wander. Cover the brake and give increased heed to those “deer crossing” signs.

Reduced Daylight

Not only are the forest critters in the road more active around dawn and dusk but dawn is arriving later, and dusk much earlier. If you are a year round rider or commuter, chances are increasing that you will be riding in darkness. You may want to make sure that your motorcycle gear (and bike) is up to the challenge. Is your bike’s charging system performing correctly? Are all your lights working? Maybe it’s time to think again about that auxiliary lighting you’ve been looking at all Summer. Do your riding jacket or pants have reflective strips or panels? If not, why? Time to upgrade perhaps? You’ve been riding all year with sunglasses. What about your nighttime vision? Is the prescription for your glasses or contact lenses up to date?

Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface

We all know this sign or its cousin “Icy Conditions.” We’ve all scoffed at it throughout the warm weather riding season. Now it’s time to take serious heed. Especially in late afternoon, or early evening, as air temperatures fall toward the freezing mark, the ground can and does retain a great deal of warmth. But bridges and overpasses, completely surrounded by the chilled air, may not. The absolute worst is in light drizzle with temperatures hovering right around 32 degrees. The roadway may be simply wet. Bridges can be something far more challenging. And steel open grate bridges are the worst. It may be time to just go home! Also keep in mind that during the early morning hours underpasses can be treacherous when the sun warms the countryside but the underpass remains in the shade and overnight icing fails to melt. Caution is advised.

Focus on the Cold

When the temperature dips, we all feel it. Typically at 60mph you can add a 20 degree windchill to the ambient air temperature while riding. That means that you can go from comfy to cold in a hurry. Cold hands, feet or other parts or the body are just as bad as a poorly fitting piece of gear - they cause discomfort which leads to a loss of focus. Wearing the appropriate base layers, mid layers, shell and potentially heated gear will greatly improve your chances for riding fun and safety. Also, take into account elevation changes on longer rides and make an extra effort to check the forecast in the cooler temp ranges as a little rain can produce much more extreme riding conditions quickly, than similar conditions at more reasonable temps.

Wet Leaves

Ice isn’t the only slip and fall hazard. All those beautiful fall colors - the photogenic oranges, reds, and browns that cover the landscape eventually fall to the ground as winter begins to exert its hold. As often as not the leaves fall en mass as a rainstorm drives them from the trees and directly into your roadway! And wet leaves can be as slippery as ice! How do we protect ourselves? With the same methodologies we use to avoid nasty surprises like loose gravel or decreasing radius corners. Remember that it’s always heads up looking as far as possible into the turns and continue to practice what the Motorcycle Safety Foundation calls late apex cornering. You are less likely to run wide, have better visibility into the corner, and there is more margin for error if you simply practice braking a bit earlier, doing all your turning before the apex, and smoothly accelerating after the apex.

Riding into the autumn and into early winter brings some new challenges but they are all manageable if we just mentally change gears and adapt. Do so and you’ll enjoy another great season of motorcycling and you can always beef up your cold weather riding gear as well. Here’s hoping that everyone gets through the fall season without having to take evasive action on freezing or wet leaves to avoid a deer at sunset. Ride safe!

-Jack Broomall

Jack Broomall is a lifelong motorcyclist. His motorcycle adventures have taken him across the North American continent several times, to Alaska, the Alps, the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. He is a member of the Iron Butt Association and also owns several motorcycle Land Speed Records set at the Bonneville Salt Flats where he is a member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club. He has been known to do occasional restorations of his favorite bikes from the 1970s and enjoys track days as well.


Take a look at Bell Helmets, an Alpinestars jacket and a Dainese jacket for great winter riding choices. Also, don't miss RevZilla's Cold Weather Riding Gear guide for a multitude of choices for every riding style for winter.

Selecting Winter Motorcycle Gloves - Nows The Time.

Labor Day has come and gone, here in the Northern tier the leaves are starting to change, and the resident weather gurus at RevZilla World Headquarters say that much cooler weather is definitely on the way. Time to dredge out those winter gloves you packed away last spring. And if they’re in the same sad shape as mine, then you may want to think about a new pair. OK, so you’re going to shop for new gloves. What should you look for? How do you decide? Like those five fingers on your (cold) hand, there are 5 things to consider when purchasing of winter gloves.

Warmth:
The main issue is keeping your pinkies warm. No? Make sure you pick a glove with insulation appropriate to your own winter riding conditions – winter to those of us here in the North is an entirely different animal than to you in Texas. And the commuter who only rides for an hour at a time has different needs that a touring rider who is out there for 500+ mile days! The thinnest and most efficient insulation materials today are synthetics with brand names like Thinsulate, Exkin, Thermolite. Look closely for all over insulation - the glove backs, the palms and even between the fingers. Gauntlet style gloves cover the gap between your glove and jacket at the wrist and keep those icy winds out. That's a good thing!

"Wet" is a given. (At least in our part of the world.)

Water resistance:
Here in the Northeast it’s been about the wettest year on record. In 2011, if you didn’t ride in the wet then you just didn’t ride much at all. Now that rain is going to get a lot colder and maybe even morph into (don’t say it!) s**w! Keeping your hands dry also keeps them warm. While inspecting winter gloves you will find several approaches to water-proofing. Textile gloves will sometimes utilize a water resistant outer like nylon and/or an inner waterproof-breathable membrane like Gore-Tex or Hipora which is both impermeable to water but breathable. The "breathability" factor allows you to sweat without getting eventually clammy and uncomfortable. Waterproof and breathable inner layers are also the strategy employed by most leather glove makers since leather outer shells are generally not waterproof by themselves. Whatever you prefer--leather or textile--you’re going to want to make sure they’re water tight as you head into the less desirable weather.

Dexterity:
You’ve still got to control your bike. Remember what your MSF Instructor told you about a “light touch” on the controls. You want to make sure your new winter gloves afford you the necessary dexterity. Gloves need to be tight enough so as to not move around on your hand but loose enough to prevent constriction and the resultant numbness or pain. Take a close look at the fingers – too tight? Too loose? Too long or short? Heavier/thicker gloves may be a bit warmer but can you effectively modulate the brakes with one or two fingers? Also, remember that some leather gloves, unlike their textile counterparts, may require a “break-in.” And just one last thing to think about if you are tempted by those “lobster claw” or mitten type gloves that leave you looking like a cartoon character. Can you still effectively operate the controls and switch gear on your bike? When trying on gloves you may want to throw a leg over a bike and grab the handlebars for a test. As the glove gets thicker, pay special attention to the the crook between you thumb and index finger. How's that turn signal working for ya?

Durability:
You don’t want to buy another set of winter gloves anytime soon, do you? Carefully check out candidates for features like double stitching and use of premium materials. Is there reinforcement in that heavily abused area between the thumb and index finger? How about the high wear areas of the palm of the glove or the edge of the cuff where you would pull the glove on and off?

Safety & Protection:
Winter riding may actually place an increased emphasis on safety features because there are just that many more riding conditions waiting to catch you. Think wet leaves or icy patches. Do the gloves that you are evaluating have protection over the knuckles? How about a cinching strap to retain the glove in the event of a “rider down?” We all know that leather may have abrasion and impact resistance slightly better than many textiles, especially in the heavier thicknesses. Of course reinforcement materials like Kevlar may provide many of the same benefits. Winter also brings along with it fewer hours of daylight. Gonna ride in the dark? Extra points to those gloves with reflective panels.Other things to think about are palm, pinky and mid-digital hard parts. It may seem overkill at times and add some cost, but the right level of protection in the midst of a get-off will make you a believer in that extra investment you made.

Cold. Wet. Dark. Winter's not for sissy riders. But with the correct gear, including the right gloves, it can be very rideable. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of winter gloves in the marketplace but by using these five evaluation criteria you can narrow the playing field a great deal. Make a selection that works for you and get out there and ride. Oh yes, with regard to color and style? You're on your own on that. Good luck.

Ride safe and don't forget to use RevZilla's 2011 Cold Weather Gear Guides to see our picks for the best available options this Fall riding season. Cold Weather Gear Guides

-Jack Broomall

Jack Broomall is a lifelong motorcyclist. His motorcycle adventures have taken him across the North American continent several times, to Alaska, the Alps, the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. He is a member of the Iron Butt Association and also owns several motorcycle Land Speed Records set at the Bonneville Salt Flats where he is a member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club. He has been known to do occasional restorations of his favorite bikes from the 1970s and enjoys track days as well.