01/10/12

Winter Riding:

Yes, I am one of those crazy fools that you see smilin' my arse off as I go buzzing through through the snow on my bike...

In the early days in college I did it on a Yamaha 400 with kick start and knobbies and more guts than knowledge. 

These days I have a fairly nice sidecar rig that allows me to be out riding when all truly sane folks are staying home, even those with enclosed vehicles!  

Based on at least 20 years of riding year-round in the "rust-belt", I have come up with the following list of "helpful hints" about how to do it more easily, more enjoyably, and with minimum damage to your machine from the elements (read: road salt)

Quick word about choosing what to wear in the cold: Slightly loose fitting wind/waterproof gear is your friend in the cold! Air space = insulation.

Tight garments compress the insulating loft out of the inner layers, and set you up for direct conduction of heat/cold through the outer layers. Tight clothing can also limit blood flow to the extremities, cutting off another vital supply of warmth to them. What works well, fits well in the summer may not be the right choice for winter riding.

To be truly comfortable riding longer distances/time in sub-freezing weather, you WILL begin to resemble the Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man...

Deal with it...

Part I - The bike:

1) Fork Gaiters! Get them, use them, love them. They protect not only the expensive fork tubes from grit/corrosives/etc, but also the seals, preventing a mid-winter maintenance chore. Yes, you CAN install gaiters on a RT/RS and still use the stock fairing boots. But they need to be aftermarket boots with thinner top rings, contact me for info.

2) Shock covers. Same idea as the fork gaiters. They keep the sliding surfaces free of nasty stuff, and the paint on the springs. "Dirt-Skinz", and others sell neoprene and/or nylon covers that wrap around the entire shock/spring unit and seal with a full-length strip of Velcro. They flex with the movement of the shock unit and completely seal out the ick.

3) Silicone protective spray. I use this several times during the season to coat the bare aluminum parts of the engine, transmission, final drive, hubs, etc. Also works on bright metal and painted surfaces to provide a slick protective coating against the elements. It does eventually wear/wash off, so reapply occasionally after rinsing down the bike. Helps fight off the white blotch disease...

4) Handlebar covers. Also known as "Hippo Hands", they provide an additional layer of insulation, as well as a dead air space around your riding gloves, eliminating the wind-chill effect. They allow you to wear thinner gloves for good feel of the controls, while still staying warm.

5) Heated Grips. (or heated gloves) In combination with the handlebar covers you can ride in ridiculously cold temps with warm fingers!

6) Dual Sport Tires. Softer for better warm-up & stickier compounds for better dry traction. Wide tread grooves clear snow out more easily. Also suitable for studding where legal to do so. Using low-profile carbide studs in a conservative pattern they do not negatively affect dry traction. In icy conditions (especially if you drop pressure a few psi for more in contact) they make a world of difference!

7) ODYSSEY Drycell batteries. For the big battery tray Airheads use #PC925L. Spill-proof (in case you do take a spill), MilSpec vibration resistance in any mounting orientation, 380 cold cranking amps, 52 minutes reserve capacity at steady 300 watt load (means it will run the bike for over an hour with no alternator output), capable of recovering from deep discharge, very low self-discharge rate. What more could you ask for from your battery?

8) Synthetic Oils throughout at the beginning of the season. Great protection, Better cold flow, potentially longer change intervals. Put fresh oils & a filter in everywhere at the beginning of winter, regardless of your maintenance schedule. That way you don't need to be doing an oil change when it is 10-below...

9) For BMW Airhead riders: A Valeo starter for your Airhead. This one may be controversial, but I have found that the permanent magnets for the field (rather than the wound field in the Bosch unit), and the planetary gear drive for torque multiplication yields faster cranking rpms and significantly less stress/drain on the battery. Result, more battery energy for the coils/sparkplugs and faster/surer starting.  The later Valeo starters are very reliable with no magnet delamination issues.  Your battery will thank you.

Part II - Your Gear:

10) Sheepskin seat cover/pad. Excellent insulation from the cold of the seat, warms the instant you sit down. Buy one big enough to wrap up around the sides and even overhang a bit if you have a sculpted seat to maximize coverage/protection. Your butt will thank you...

11) Polar fleece middle layers. This stuff is amazing at how much insulating effect it gives with very little bulk. Also continues to insulate even if you get a little damp exerting yourself and then sit down on the bike to ride.

12) A quality wind/waterproof ONE-PIECE riding suit that fits just a touch more loosely than you think it should. I personally prefer the AeroStitch Roadcrafter which I have been using 1997. In fact I just ordered a new one this fall in their "Hi-Viz" color (because of shrinkage in the original one, honest!). A one-piece suit eliminates a very large potential air/heat leak area, and provides a continuous envelope of air against your body.

13) Neoprene socks over the top of a wicking sock. Short of heated socks, the best combination I have found.

14) Solid, full-face helmet with visor defogging vent. Flip-up helmets are nice, but I have not found a single brand/model which will completely seal wind out. You may not notice it riding in the summer, but believe me, when it gets to 25-F you WILL notice even the tiniest air leak. The Scorpion helmet which I currently use has a winter kit which includes a breath deflector box and comes with an effect anti-fog coating on the shield.  Combined, these work very well down to some really low temps.  Down into the single digits I install their 12-volt heated visor and I can run all day with actual warmth on my face!!!

15) If you can't afford a new helmet get yourself either a "Pinlock" or "Fog City" face shield liner. They just work...  Add in a generic nose shield/breath guard to keep your moist exhaled air away from your glasses and visor and you should be OK down to pretty low temps.

16) If you wear eyeglasses or have a visor that won't work with a Pinlock or Fog City liner use "The Purple Stuff" cleaner/antifog product.  I clean my glasses with The Purple Stuff before every winter ride to help keep them from fogging/frosting up and it really does make a difference.  www.purplestuff.com

17) "Halo" neoprene helmet collar. Stretches over bottom edge of helmet (I added extra Velcro to mine for high speed stability) and has a 6-8 inch contoured collar that extends down to seal air/wind out from around your neck. Also very effective when riding in all-day downpours! Has wide 'halo' of retro-reflective where it stretches around helmet for added conspicuosity to other traffic.

18) Wind/waterproof gloves. My current personal preference is the "Tundra" model from "Ironclad Gloves". They are sold through Fastenal, and many quality hardware stores who cater to the professional contractor. I was turned on to them by my cousin who lives north of Anchorage. He says that all the snowmobilers up there use this glove for the combination of warmth, and dexterity.

19) Goretex riding boots. Wind/waterproof, make sure that they are no pressure areas when wearing your winter socks. Squeezing the feet restricts blood flow, meaning cold numb feet. Bad...

Please email me if you have any comments, suggestions or new ideas.

Thanks!