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Posted by sirrix on October 29, 2007, 11:52 am
The weather is now getting cold in Boston, and I was wondering about
riding in freezing temperatures. I don't plan on putting my bike in
storage until the snow gets heavy, but this is my first cold winter
riding season.
Do I need to take steps to prepare the bike for winter even though I
will still be using it? I would hate for something to freeze because I
didn't use it for a couple of days, or even overnight.
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Posted by smn on October 29, 2007, 1:12 pm
> The weather is now getting cold in Boston, and I was wondering about
> riding in freezing temperatures. I don't plan on putting my bike in
> storage until the snow gets heavy, but this is my first cold winter
> riding season.
>
> Do I need to take steps to prepare the bike for winter even though I
> will still be using it? I would hate for something to freeze because I
> didn't use it for a couple of days, or even overnight.
I used something called STP water remover when it was warm and wet
starting in October but I think it is also good so fuel lines do not freeze
overnight. I put fuel stabilizer in too since I was going to store it for
six months and it ran just fine when I reversed my decision, but that is
just for preserving octane level after months of sitting. do not need it if
you are not going too store it for sure. Better safe than sorry would be my
motto. I do not plan to go out if there could be black ice. That might
amount to only 1-3 weeks of no riding.
It will be my first time for 25 years riding in the cold so it is much
like the first time for me too. I waxed the body too with turtle wax and
I would think that would be good if you ride also this winter. Aluminum
engine parts do not need it cause it does not rust.
Get something warm to sit on like imitation sheep skin cushion. My
tires are already knobby so I think are ideal for the winter snow. it is a
dual sport is why. do not know if people change tires for winter like car
drivers might. Costs alot to be doing that twice a year though.
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Posted by J. Clarke on October 29, 2007, 3:02 pm
sirrix wrote:
> The weather is now getting cold in Boston, and I was wondering about
> riding in freezing temperatures. I don't plan on putting my bike in
> storage until the snow gets heavy, but this is my first cold winter
> riding season.
>
> Do I need to take steps to prepare the bike for winter even though I
> will still be using it? I would hate for something to freeze because
> I
> didn't use it for a couple of days, or even overnight.
The temperatures per se aren't much of a problem for the bike, as long
as it has antifreeze in the cooling system (if it's liquid cooled).
There may be issues with starting it--batteries lose capacity and oil
thickens with decreasing temperature. If you aren't going to be
riding daily it's probably a good idea to keep a Battery Minder on it
to keep the battery up to full charge. Changing the oil out for
synthetic in the lowest viscosity the manufacturer recommends should
also help--synthetics generally thicken less at low temperatures than
do conventional oils.
Salt on the roads can make it look like Hell pretty quickly--aluminum
parts will corrosde and steel will rust. While nothing other than
washing after every ride will eliminate this completely, a coat of PAM
cooking spray on any bare metal and in any crevices is supposed to
help--just don't get it on the tire treads (a little around the rim is
supposed to be goodness--keeps the salt out of the crevice). If you
want to splurge there's some stuff called "Boeshield" (you can find it
at Woodcraft or most Sears stores) that's reputed to be very good for
this purpose--it sprays on the same way you'd use PAM. But wash the
salt off at every opportunity and when the weather warms up then wash
it _very_ thoroughly.
You're more of an issue than the bike. Twenty years ago I rode
through a CT winter (missed maybe 3 days--riding with snow on the
ground doesn't work too well unless you're riding a dirt bike and it's
deep and packed enough to ride like dirt) wearing Eddie Bauer down bib
overalls (rode up to Boston to get them come to think), an LL Bean
down coat, a pair of ski gloves, and Hippo Hands. That would still
work, but an electric jacket liner and gloves is be _much_ more
comfortable and more effective as well. If you have a Shoei or HJC
helmet, get the Pinlock visor for it--will cut _way_ down on
fogging--lets you keep the visor closed all the way most of the time
instead of having to crack it a little or open it at stops. If you
have a Nolan it should have come with the Pinlock. If you have a
Scorpion it may be OK--if not you might want to get the snowsports kit
for it that includes a double-layer visor and breath mask. A Respro
Foggy mask will help with full face helmets (it doesn't fit modulars)
but if you have the Scorpion snow kit it includes something similar.
You might want to go over to http://www.advrider.com and look for
reports from people who have cold weather experience--there's a
surprising lot of it.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
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Posted by sirrix on October 30, 2007, 2:32 pm
Thanks for the great advice, John - do you know if the Boeshield
protectant makes a good chain lubricant as well? If it can keep stuff
out - all the better..
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Posted by J. Clarke on October 30, 2007, 6:03 pm
sirrix wrote:
> Thanks for the great advice, John - do you know if the Boeshield
> protectant makes a good chain lubricant as well? If it can keep
> stuff
> out - all the better..
I use a Scottoiler--chain lube is something I don't worry about
anymore--so can't really tell you that one. I believe that the
Boeshield promotional material mentions that it's OK for bicycle
chains--if so then there's no reason it shouldn't work on a motorcycle
chain.
Someone else mentioned ice--he's right to an extent--if you're moving
and hit any significant amount of ice unexpectedly you're likely going
down. Snowdrifts across the road can put you down too if you aren't
careful with them--encountered more of those than unexpected ice. On
the other hand I've more than once paddled across an ice-covered
parking lot to get to the plowed and sanded road and if the surface is
fairly level so you don't end up sliding downhill into a ditch it
isn't all that bad. That was on a bike that I could straddle with
both feet flat on the road though--they slid on the ice nicely and
made fine outriggers--my currrent bike is too tall for that and I
suspect that I'd have had a lot of trouble in that same parking lot.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
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