DO's & DONT'S for Riding in Snow & Ice

[jarl]

knobbies will help a bit in snow and slush, but really won't help with ice- you need spiked tyres for that. Mind, if you don't mind going down the road with the bike, then any old dirtbike would do, I hear DR350's are very nice

[Wee Jack]

Just wandering if there is a DO's & DON'T list for riding on snow/ice road conditions since not overly confident on slippery roads at 7am in the morning when half asleep since Tourance tyres are great in the dry but found can give you a sideways drift on corners which is a tad un-nerving on very cold mornings.

Unless you have a death wish, my advice would be never ride a motorcycle (any motorcycle) on the road, in sheet ice or lying snow , it's just not worth the risk. It does not matter if you have nobbly tyres or not, if there is zero friction you are going down with any slight change of direction.

In those conditions - I take the bus - there !! I said it - I don't give a damm if it's not considered the "purist" bikers option. I would rather be traveling on the bus than UNDER it !!!

Y'all take care out there y'hear !!

[Tony Varadero]

Unless you have a death wish, my advice would be never ride a motorcycle (any motorcycle) on the road, in sheet ice or lying snow , it's just not worth the risk. It does not matter if you have nobbly tyres or not, if there is zero friction you are going down with any slight change of direction.

In those conditions - I take the bus - there !! I said it - I don't give a damm if it's not considered the "purist" bikers option. I would rather be traveling on the bus than UNDER it !!!

Y'all take care out there y'hear !!

I second this 100% have travelled by tubbe for a week now and although it's fecking boring it just is not worth taking chances with this weather. I am not skillfull, courageous or stupid enough to take teh vara out....my hat off to anyone who doees venture out but I stick ot public transports...

[StumpyFingers]

I use public transport mostly in this weather to reduce the amount of crude that gets on the bike.
I urge all of you to use public transport in this weather. It will give me a job to do.

[Grendel]

Southampton was covered in black ice. There I was all kitted up in my winter riding gear expecting to take the bike today took one step out of front door and almost ended up on my arse. So had to take the car in again today since couldn’t even get near the garage to get the bike due to the whole area around the flats being covered in black ice. Took 5 minutes wheel spinning up the hill to get to the top of the road then another 40 minutes to make a 3 mile journey to work at 15mph as a top speed.
The joys of Rwd and mid-engine and summer tyres are great fun in the ice

[StumpyFingers]

Remember the main thing about this weather is to stay indoors unless you absolutely must venture out.

[BobA]

A perfect thread for me to arrive home to!

DO stay in bed!

DON'T get on your bike!

They're my first thoughts, but I would add I've ridden in snow a few times, so my advice would probably be as many other have written.

Wake up and guage how cold and slippery it is, and work out if it's better to get the bus that day.

If you decide to ride, get a few layers on COMFORTABLY, ensure your visor is clean, bike is sound, then start it and let it warm up a bit.

Ride your first few hundred metres in alert mode, and feel (through your butt, legs and arms) if it's slippery. Check the brakes aren't snatchy BEFORE you need to apply them.

Think again, before you get too far down the road "would the bus be a better idea?"

If you continue riding, treat everything gently, brakes, throttle, leaning, and look as far ahead as safely possible, as the 4 wheeled numptys will of course be driving icebergs on wheels peering through a small hole they scratched into the windscreen with a CD case.

If you see ice/snow avoid braking if possible, keep a straight course, eye'ing the road ahead for the best line. If the road is slippery try and stay on the crown of the road and avoid getting onto steep cambers. Beware inclines at all costs (I very nearly came a cropper on a BIG one) and remember if you struggle up, you may not be able to stop on the way down!!

I'll be posting another short thread later about one of the biggest bike riding knobs I've ever seen, today!!! (if he's still alive, I hope he reads it!)


Good Luck, stay safe



Bob

[Sharribee]

I love riding my bike and I do ride it all year round. In the past 5 years (apart from injury and surgery meaning I couldn't get it off the side stand) I have only left the bike at home on 3 days because of bad weather

So my tips:

1. Slow down, make sure that you have enough space between you and other vehicles to stop, and skid and even fall off if you need to, that means keeping an eye behind as well, if the car / lorry behind is too close pull over and let them past, if you slip you don't want them rolling over your head

2. Slow down, on corners. The more rubber you have in contact with the tarmac the better balanced and more grip your going to have, so make the corner as straight as possible, so you don't have to lean as much, if you can't do that then slow right down into the corner so you have less of a lean

3. Slow down, anticipate and look at the road ahead. Give your time to take evasive action without having to make sudden movements, so that slippery drain cover you should spot with plenty of time to decide what to do, if you can't do that your going to fast. You want to avoid any sudden movements, turns, braking anything that is going to affect the stability of the bike is not good so look ahead and plan your manoeuvres

4. Make sure your boots have decent grip on them, the only trouble I've had this year is when stopped and putting feet down, my boots are really worn so don't grip, that means put it down on slippery ground or grit they slip, this means your not stable at traffic lights

5. Proper kit, if your cold and miserable your not concentrating on the nutters around you and the road conditions, invest in decent gloves, heated grips and handlebar muffs. Wear enough layers and good warm bike kit so your not cold, good socks and boots, I have suffered with my feet this year because my boots are old and have holes in, everything else is just peachy

6. Take each day as it comes, if you look out of the window and you feel that the weather is just too bad to take the bike go with your gut instinct, it's not a competition and there are no prizes for riding outside your comfort zone, yes I am proud to be an all weather biker but I'm not prepared to risk life and limb to prove it. 2 days ago I looked out of the window and thought the roads looked icy, I plodded over to the garage and fell on my arse 3 times trying to get to the bike, made the decision that that days was not a good day to ride. Today, still cold with ice on the ground but drive although snowy wasn't icey and walked up and down the road outside with no falling over so today I took the bike

7. If your unlucky enough to feel the bike start to slide, relax, don't fight it and try to keep it stable, if you faff about trying to recover your going to destabilise your bike and you will fall off. You may still fall off but that's just part of riding in this weather


Oh and did I mention slow down

[AlanH]

DO Use a small bike (I had lots of fun in the snow as a courier on a 1976 CB125S that cost me £20).
DO Wear Motocross boots and armour.
DO Fall off little and often and not all in one massive off

DON'T panic!

[Steve T]

-10 degrees yesterday morning and I still took the bike! Today, after more snow last night followed by rain this morning, the white stuff was turning into the sh1tty stuff I hate - I Still considered it OK to take the bike!

Does that make me bad or mad?

I take all the above comments & suggests as read, but it's the riders choice based on their skill, confidence & competence!

In January of this year, when we had more snow than we have now, I did turn round (literally - did 2 x 360 degree spins in 25m on the road outside the house) and put the scooter back into the garage. The snow had turned to slush then frozen, so any directional control was down to where the ruts were headed!

Just my ramblings.

Steve T