5 Hot Tips on Riding in the Cold for New Riders

‘Tis the season of merry. As the temperatures drop, a lot of adventure motorcyclists experience the tick to wander off on a new adventure. As majestic as it sounds, riding in cold weather is an unusual situation that calls for your respect as a rider and an understanding of how to handle it safely.

If you’re new to it, it might be even more intimidating for you. Regardless of whether you’re a cold-weather riding enthusiast or someone who’s got caught in such a situation, here are the 5 most important things you need to take care of for riding in the cold.

• Wear a Balaclava

Every experienced all-season rider knows the importance of a balaclava. Those of you just starting out need to get one – it’s cheap, it’s effective and it isn’t just limited to cold weather use. You can use a balaclava to combat the dust and heat on your day-to-day rides as well.

It’s a pretty nifty piece of gear that shields your mouth, nose, and ears from the abrasive highway breeze. Plus, they are super easy to throw in a tank bag or side case. Your neck is one of the most common places for the cold to enter your body, especially because most jackets end at your neck. A balaclava helps seal the gap between the helmet and jacket, making sure you stay warm. If you get stuck in a jam, use a scarf, neck warmer or even a tee shirt wrapped carefully around your neck to seal the gap.

Photo Credit: KLIM

• Close off All Gaps

While a balaclava is one of the easiest ways to close the gap between your jacket and helmet as we just discussed, it’s not the only one. In fact, the whole act of staying warm on a cold ride is to ensure your body retains its warmth and that in turn is ensured by making sure your body isn’t directly exposed to the elements.

There are lots of gaps in our motorcycle gear. There are a few obvious ones: wrists (where the jacket meets the gloves), ankles (where the pant legs meet the boots), lower back (where the jacket meets the pants) and most importantly, your face (when the visor lid is opened). Then, there are a few that aren’t as obvious such as leaky zippers. Almost any zipper can leak air at speed!

Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to close off all these gaps with the help of proper riding gear. For instance, use Gore-Tex (or similar material) lined gear which not only waterproofs your gear but also ensures that the cold windy air stays out. Further, use proper fleece base layers beneath your riding gears tucked inside neatly to ensure you’re closing those gaps. Longer gauntlet style gloves slide over your jacket sleeve and provide a solid seal at the wrists. And finally, keep that helmet lid closed unless you’re desperate to clear a fogged up visor..

• Layer Up

I touched on what to wear in the last point but in all fairness, I think how you wear it does half the job. For example, even if you have the most insulating riding jacket on, but you don’t have a proper base layer to keep your core insulated, chances are you’ll start feeling the drop in temperature sooner rather than later.

I’m a big advocate for layering. The idea is straightforward: you are able to retain more heat with more layers. Work your way out from a nice, snug base layer – preferably a dry fit long sleeve shirt. Over it, a thin fleece liner will do a great job at maintaining your core temperature. Finally, top it up with a third layer (possibly heated) before you put on your jacket.

You can always mix up your layers. See what’s available in the market, try a few layers out and go from there. Generally, I swear by Merino wool – it’s is a fantastic choice, can last longer between washes and absorbs less perspiration and most importantly, doesn’t hold body odor.

• Heated Gear Is the Way to Go

Another essential winter riding tip is to get heated equipment such as gloves, jackets, grips and seats. During lengthy rides, these accessories are particularly helpful for regulating body temperature. Although you can heat just about every part of your body, from feet to hands, a couple areas are particularly important.

The first and foremost is to maintain your body’s core temperature.  When your torso or core temperature drops below around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (~32 degrees Celsius) hypothermia can start to set in. The easiest way to solve this is with a heated vest or jacket. They used to only be powered by the bike’s electrical output, but now there are many battery-powered options which can last 4-8 hours depending on the settings. They don’t have to be motorcycle specific, just find one that’s well made, can be controlled with gloves on and is breathable.

If you don’t or can’t use a heated jacket for some reason, look at down jackets and vests as an alternative. It’s also better to put on your layers inside and let them warm up, before heading outdoors.

Heated grips are second only to core temperature. Our hands do a lot of work in working the motorcycle’s clutch, throttle, front brake and other controls. When hands start to lose feeling or movement, we have huge problems. Battery-powered heated gloves can help with this but can be bulky. I’ve always favorited heated grips which are powered by the bike because it even allows you wear mid-weight gloves on some cold days!  Also, when hands are heated, the blood which circulates to your fingers returns to your core heated as well. When it’s really cold outside, any heat you can add to a part of the body, helps everywhere!

Some bikes, usually larger touring models, now come with heated grips but they can be added to almost any bike. Before you consider adding heated gear, please consider your motorcycle’s power output. Make sure that the heating equipment’s electrical load can be supported by your motorcycle and you should be good.

• Spot Black Ice Conditions Early

When the temperature falls below 32°F (0°C), you’ll likely encounter ice on the roads. This is perhaps the most dangerous situation to ride a motorcycle in. But even if the weather is dry and sunny, and the midday temperature is in the 40s, be aware that in low-lying or shaded regions, you may still come upon remnants of un-melted ice or frost.

Black ice is a thin layer of extremely translucent ice. Because it is so thin, it blends in with the road, making it almost invisible. If you get caught in areas of black ice, keep your handlebar straight, do not brake and slowly take your foot off the throttle to reduce speed.

It is unlikely that you will be able to discern black ice while riding along the road because it is so clear. But to even have a chance of spotting ice on the road, you need to ensure your vision is unobstructed. So, I’d recommend going with an anti-fog Pinlock which helps make sure your visor doesn’t fog up. Also, you just generally want to be aware when icy conditions exist. Some bikes and cars have this function. Also don’t forget bridge will freeze before regular road surfaces!

Riding in the winter can be fun and exhilarating. Anyone can ride in the cold if they don’t mind taking a few precautions. Just be sure you take care of your body and bike, plus be mindful of weather conditions and slow it down until you figure out what situation you’re in.