Can You Ride a Motorcycle in Winter?
As summer winds down and we begin gearing up for the fall and winter months, you may be wondering what will become of your motorcycle hobby during the period of colder weather.
Many people choose to store away their motorcycles from October to March and only ride in pleasant weather conditions. However, you can ride your bike in the winter if you prepare appropriately.
Read on to learn the answer to “Can you ride a motorcycle in winter?” and everything you need to know about motorcycle riding in the winter.
Is It Safe to Ride a Motorcycle in the Winter?
In many U.S. states, the winter brings unique weather conditions ranging from snow and ice to dry, freezing winds. Riding in these weather conditions requires different tires, equipment, gear, and skills compared to cruising on a warm, sunny day.
You’ll also need to wear the proper clothing to stay warm on your motorcycle while riding in the winter. Your limbs can become stiff in the cold weather, which may hinder your reaction times and mobility on your bike.
As a result, while riding your motorcycle in the winter can be just as safe as riding in the summer months, you’ll need to make a few changes to your bike and your riding habits in preparation.
Essential Winter Riding Gear
Before you can safely ride your bike in the winter, you’ll need to gather essential winter riding gear. You may already have some of these items on hand, and others you will need to purchase.
Standing or walking outside in freezing temperatures is uncomfortable enough. However, riding your bike at upwards of 55 miles per hour without any external shields or heated protection can become dangerously cold. Without the proper riding gear, you risk hypothermia and frostbite from the cold air while riding your motorcycle in the winter.
We recommend wearing thermal-insulated clothing beneath water-resistant, wind-breaking outer layers. You can find insulated jackets designed specifically for winter motorcycle riding. These jackets have extra insulation around the arms and wrists, ensuring mobility in these areas. However, they’re also breathable, preventing you from overheating.
You should also consider how you will protect your head, face, and neck while riding in cold temperatures. We recommend a full-face helmet and a neck gaiter that reaches slightly below the top of your jacket.
Once you gather all the gear you plan to wear on your winter ride, try it on and take a quick lap around the block. If any of your clothing feels too restrictive, you may want to swap it out for a more breathable alternative.
Winterizing Your Motorcycle
If you’re planning to ride your motorcycle in the winter, you’ll need to complete a few maintenance tasks to prepare it to operate well in cold weather.
First, make sure you have fresh antifreeze in your cooling system. This fluid will help prevent your engine from freezing while riding in cold temperatures.
Next, you should ensure that your tires have adequate traction for icy, snowy roads. If your motorcycle already has all-season tires, these should provide enough grip and braking power to ride in the snow. However, if you plan to ride frequently during the winter months and expect to encounter icy, slippery conditions, we recommend swapping your tires for winter tires, which provide even better traction in snow and ice.
Finally, if you’re planning any long-distance motorcycle trips this winter, you may want to invest in a heated seat and heated handlebars. These features can help you stay warm and comfortable while riding in frigid temperatures. They can also assist your mobility to ensure that you can control your bike adequately while riding in the cold.
Riding in Snow and Ice
Even if you swap your regular tires for winter tires, you must take extra safety measures while riding your motorcycle in slippery, snowy conditions.
Thankfully, motorcycles can maneuver through snow and ice a little more easily than passenger vehicles. However, you can take a few steps to stay safe and prevent accidents while riding in slippery conditions:
- Check weather conditions before you set out to know what you’re up against.
- Leave plenty of distance between your bike and the vehicle in front of you to ensure adequate braking space.
- Avoid trailing trucks and buses, as they produce wind blasts when pushing through cold air.
- Avoid leaning too severely when turning.
- Give yourself extra time to reach your destination.
- When sliding, angle your body away from the slide while you regain control.
When to Not Ride Your Motorcycle in the Winter
If you’re considering riding your motorcycle in wintery conditions, this old adage holds true: just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Even if you’ve taken every possible precaution, riding your motorcycle in the winter will be more challenging than riding in the summer months. Your safety should be your number one concern when riding, and if taking a winter motorcycle ride would compromise your safety, it may not be worth it.
Here are a few instances in which you may not want to ride your motorcycle in the winter:
- You have less than a year of experience riding a motorcycle.
- It is actively snowing.
- The roads you plan to ride on will be heavy with traffic.
- The snowplows have not cleared the streets in your area yet.
- You don’t feel confident navigating in slick or icy conditions.
- You don’t have the proper gear or tires.
Additionally, there’s nothing wrong with simply keeping your motorcycle in the garage all winter. Many motorcyclists restrict their hobbies to the most pleasant months of the year — April through September — and spend the colder months focusing on other hobbies and activities.
In the following chapters, we’ll discuss the ways you can prepare your bike for storage during the winter months. Now that you know the answer to “Can you ride a motorcycle in the winter?” you can begin preparing for your cold-weather riding habits. If you ever become an accident victim, our Law Tigers team can help. Contact us today at 888-863-7216 to schedule your free consultation with a motorcycle accident lawyer.
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