Riding through the winter

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Hello, my name is Eve. I'm from Brooklyn NY. I've been lurking the boards here for the past 6 months or so and think its time for my first post. I still consider myself a new rider. I started riding in April and bought my first bike (a brand new Ninja 250r) back in June. I plan to ride through the winter this year. I want to know how many of you choose to ride through the winter instead of putting your bikes in storage? Do you guys have any tips for keeping things in good working condition during the worst of winter?

For cold weather I have my gear to keep me warm. I took the MSF basic-rider course back in April and I'm well aware of the dangers and extra precautions you have to take for safe winter riding. I have respect for my bike and for the elements that we will have to face. My main concerns are damage from riding on salty roads and keeping things in good condition while the bike stays parked for most of winter. Our worst winter months are usually Jan-Feb.

Obviously I wont be riding much during or immediately after a snowstorm. When the streets are clear I can ride the bike around the neighborhood for an hour or so once or twice a week to keep the battery charged, the oil circulating and the tires from getting soft spots. I have a hose I will use to rinse off any salt that will build up on the bike. If I cannot get out on the street, I will run/ride the bike around the garage for 15-20 min. I live in a building and our garage is very big. Big enough for me to actually ride around if I have to as a last resort.

So my questions are:

How many of you prefer to ride through the winter?

Will riding my bike once or twice a week be sufficient enough to keep the battery charged and deposits from forming in the oil?

How long can a bike stand before risking damage?

Should I add a fuel stabilizer and if so, when?

Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, any advice is greatly appreciated! I look forward to your responses and riding through my first winter with my new Ninja!

[zilaniz]

How many of you prefer to ride through the winter?
I ride year round as long as it is above 40 degrees

Will riding my bike once or twice a week be sufficient enough to keep the battery charged and deposits from forming in the oil?
Yes

How long can a bike stand before risking damage?
Depends, you might want to get stands for it to keep the tires off the ground if it will be sitting for awhile

Should I add a fuel stabilizer and if so, when?
Can never hurt I usually add dome stabil during the winter

Is there anything else I should be concerned about?
The biggest concern with riding in the cold is the tires. They will break loose a lot easier and you can't be ripping around like you can in the summer, it takes your tires awhile to heat up.

[FrugalNinja250]

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Hello, my name is Eve. I'm from Brooklyn NY. I've been lurking the boards here for the past 6 months or so and think its time for my first post. I still consider myself a new rider. I started riding in April and bought my first bike (a brand new Ninja 250r) back in June. I plan to ride through the winter this year. I want to know how many of you choose to ride through the winter instead of putting your bikes in storage? Do you guys have any tips for keeping things in good working condition during the worst of winter?

I ride year round, rain or shine, cold or heat. I don't ride in ice or snow (yet), still debating the snow bit. Some riders here do ride in snow.

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

For cold weather I have my gear to keep me warm. I took the MSF basic-rider course back in April and I'm well aware of the dangers and extra precautions you have to take for safe winter riding. I have respect for my bike and for the elements that we will have to face. My main concerns are damage from riding on salty roads and keeping things in good condition while the bike stays parked for most of winter. Our worst winter months are usually Jan-Feb.

Salt is a major killer. Salty water will find its way into crevices and imperfections in the chrome and paint and start corroding immediately. I'm not sure a water rinse with a hose would be sufficient to prevent damage from frequent riding on wet salty roads.

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Obviously I wont be riding much during or immediately after a snowstorm. When the streets are clear I can ride the bike around the neighborhood for an hour or so once or twice a week to keep the battery charged, the oil circulating and the tires from getting soft spots. I have a hose I will use to rinse off any salt that will build up on the bike. If I cannot get out on the street, I will run/ride the bike around the garage for 15-20 min. I live in a building and our garage is very big. Big enough for me to actually ride around if I have to as a last resort.

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

So my questions are:

How many of you prefer to ride through the winter?

Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Will riding my bike once or twice a week be sufficient enough to keep the battery charged and deposits from forming in the oil?

Lead acid batteries that are kept clean and filled with distilled water don't discharge particularly fast, certainly not over a period of a few weeks. Oil contamination primarily results from initial cold starts. When first started, the rings are cold and not fully seated, plus the mixture is enrichened from use of the choke. As a result, unburned fuel, condensation from combustion, and exhaust gases get past the rings and into the oil. When you run the engine on a longer ride the long period of heat cooks the water out, and the additive package in the oil neutralizes the acids from exhaust blowby. That package gets used up over time, so it's better to not do a series of short rides after cold starts. If it looks like you won't be able to ride for a few weeks, just park the bike and don't ride. It won't hurt a thing.

If it looks like you won't be riding for a month or two and it's really cold, take the battery out and bring it indoors. You can put it on a battery maintainer if you want, but just keeping it warm will do a lot to extending its life.

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

How long can a bike stand before risking damage?

If you let a bike sit out in the sun and weather, rain and all, for a few months or years you'll start to notice deterioration of rubber bits including the tires and seat, and any exposed hoses and brake lines. Otherwise a bike could sit for a few months out of the sun with zero problems. Just inflate the tires and check that they don't get too low as the weeks pass by. UV from the sun is the primary killer of rubber bits, so shade or a cover are your friends.

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Should I add a fuel stabilizer and if so, when?

I wouldn't use it unless you were going to park the bike for more than a couple of months.

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

Yes, cold weather can get you hypothermic really fast, and on a bike you may not notice until you're already loopy and mentally impaired. In my experience, the gloves where the hardest part of the problem to solve. We get down into the teens here in winter, though most of the winter hovers in the high 20's to mid 30's for overnight lows. I tried several highly-recommended passive gloves but below 25F or so they just didn't work for rides longer than 5-10 miles. I ended up going with electrically heated gloves and boy did they make all the difference in the world! I had to do some things to the bike to free up wattage such as converting to LED for most bulbs, but it was worth it.

Last winter I rode a little over 22 miles in 16F and was completely comfortable. I wore insulated riding pants over my jeans, one extra pair of socks in my armored boots, insulated riding jacket with a long sleeve shirt and rain jacket over all of it, and a balaclava (not to be confused with baclava which offers little insulating ability ).

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Thanks for taking the time to read this, any advice is greatly appreciated! I look forward to your responses and riding through my first winter with my new Ninja!

One final note: If you let your bike sit for a while the fuel in the float bowls for the carbs will evaporate away. It will not be replaced because the petcock requires vacuum in order to allow fuel to flow. Vacuum is not generated unless the engine is cranking or running, so the carbs will stay dry until the next time you start. Because it takes a few seconds of cranking vacuum to allow fuel to start refilling the bowls, expected a longer time getting it started after it's been sitting for a while. Down here in Texas with 108 degrees of heat in the sun my bowls are dry in less than 48 hours. In the winter it might take a week.

Welcome to the all-weather rider's club.

[Numbersix]

Last winter I rode my scoot (Elite 110) any time there was a clear road. I couldn't get enough traction out of packed snow and black ice is DOOM waiting to happen. That worked down to 5°F at a max speed of 40mph. Still, most days in half of Dec, Jan, and Feb were not passable on two wheels in MI.

Just assume braking is dangerous, accelerating is dangerous, turning is dangerous and you'll do fine. (Actually there's more traction than you'd imagine, but if you start with the assumption that your traction budget is nearly zero and work gingerly up from there, embarassment and pain are easier to avoid).

[Racer x]

Winter is tough so be prepaired. Heated clothing is gold . Nothing beats it . Fog city face shield insert is the best thing for below freezing riding.

Full armor knee and elbow pads

Lower tire pressure .

Stay alert for ice. Some times you have to stop and get off and walk your bike . Be prepaired to do that. Don't try to ride over ice and at the last minuite try to change your mind. If the road is bad . Pick you battles.

Get a mountain bike or scooter for snow.Its cheeper than fairings If the Ninja is going to sit for a couple weeks it will be fine .A battery tender is nice to have if you have a plug. More than a month put in some stabul.

Be carefull out there

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Thanks everyone, I'm relieved to hear that staying active through the winter wont mess up my new bike. I definitely plan to ride easy and I wont let it stand long enough for the tires to get damaged. My concern was mostly with the battery and oil deposits. As for the salt build-up, I can always bring a bucket of soap and water and clean all that stuff out.

Its nice knowing I'm not the only one crazy enough to ride through the winter.

[kaiserz]

I like riding on winter vs summer.

[Heed]

i don't know how you guys do it.

lots of cars slip just in the rain alone. i was driving my dads car (with all season tires), it started raining (yea, road is most slippery when it starts yada yada yada...). I began to stop the car just as the light changed to yellow and the ABS kicked in.

have fun on 2 wheels in the winter. i know i'll personally be buying a tire stand when the time comes.

[ally99]

Someone chime in here, but isn't it true 2 wheels are less likely to hydroplane in wet weather than 4? I know braking can be tricky with both 2 and 4 wheels on wet pavement, but allowing extra stopping distance for slower braking seems to do the trick.

, OP! I ride through MOST of the winter minus a couple of the most brutal months, and even then I get an occasional warm day to enjoy. I commute to work and have to leave really early when it's still dark outside, so my sunless morning commute to work has a bottom limit of 40. Any less than that and I'd rather just take my warm heated car with my coffee.
Just layer up. Purchase some underarmor (or something similar) to keep you warm under your clothes and gear. The hands are the worst part. I've tried glove liners but they didn't work well for me. By the time I'm at work on really cold mornings, my hands are numb.

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Thanks for the welcome

[kcaja1]

This is going to be my first winter with motorcycle and I plan to use it whenever I can. Most the winter/rain gears I bought last week will arrive today and tomorrow and can't wait to use them (not really). Just this morning, I wished I used my motorcycle due to really bad traffic but it is raining here and I still don't have my rain gears.
Note: Motorcycles can use HOV (carpool lane) here in DC metro area.

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Nice, I got my gear ready to go but its still too hot to wear it. I wore it few days ago when it was 60*F and came home sweatin' like crazy. Back in the closet it goes for at least another month.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by kcaja1

Note: Motorcycles can use HOV (carpool lane) here in DC metro area.

Motorcycles can use HOV lane anywhere in the country by law (if any portion of the HOV lane was funded in any way by federal $).

[Toly]

Well, cold and wind can be dealt with reasonably well. Ice and snow are the real danger.

If you remember this past winter in the beautiful boro of Brooklyn (or anywhere in NYC area for that matter) - the ground and roads were covered in snow & ice for two months straight. Some days were better than others but it did not completely clear until very late Feb. I would not ride in this situation.

The roads may appear clear, but beware of frozen patches of ice near the curbs, slippery metal squares, frozen draw bridge surfaces and other stuff. If the road looks good in the morning, check if the parked cars got some frost on them - if they do, don't go, some road surfaces will be icy as well.
Otherwise, and if it's reasonably above freezing, I don't see why not.

[Skippii]

I ride year round, and put snow chains on the rear tire if there's a lot of snow.
Just be more careful, and you'll be fine. You've done a lot more research and know a lot more than 99% of people, so you have nothing to worry about.

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by Toly

Well, cold and wind can be dealt with reasonably well. Ice and snow are the real danger.

If you remember this past winter in the beautiful boro of Brooklyn (or anywhere in NYC area for that matter) - the ground and roads were covered in snow & ice for two months straight. Some days were better than others but it did not completely clear until very late Feb. I would not ride in this situation.

The roads may appear clear, but beware of frozen patches of ice near the curbs, slippery metal squares, frozen draw bridge surfaces and other stuff. If the road looks good in the morning, check if the parked cars got some frost on them - if they do, don't go, some road surfaces will be icy as well.
Otherwise, and if it's reasonably above freezing, I don't see why not.

I'm from Brooklyn and remember that Christmas blizzard that left us stranded for 3 days. I couldn't even get out in my Land Cruiser because two snow plows got stuck further down the block and abandoned their vehicles.

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by Skippii

I ride year round, and put snow chains on the rear tire if there's a lot of snow.
Just be more careful, and you'll be fine. You've done a lot more research and know a lot more than 99% of people, so you have nothing to worry about.

Thanks, yes I do a lot of research (probably too much). Buying your first bike is like a mother having her first baby. You want to do everything right and take good care of it

I even had my first oil change/service done at 200 miles instead of the recommended 600 because I'm crazy.

[Skippii]

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Thanks, yes I do a lot of research (probably too much). Buying your first bike is like a mother having her first baby. You want to do everything right and take good care of it

I even had my first oil change/service done at 200 miles instead of the recommended 600 because I'm crazy.

I'm on my way to NYC now on my Ninja.....keep the weather fair there the next 4 days, okay?

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by Skippii

I'm on my way to NYC now on my Ninja.....keep the weather fair there the next 4 days, okay?

Awesome!!! I'll try but the forecast says rain for the next 5 days!

As long as theres no more earthquakes or hurricanes its all good

[CThunder-blue]

Hi Eve, Welcome to the forums

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Thank you

[Honko]

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Awesome!!! I'll try but the forecast says rain for the next 5 days!

As long as theres no more earthquakes or hurricanes its all good

I didn't even notice the earthquake when it happened here because I was on my ninja on the road as it happened

Thought we were robbed when I got home and saw everything on the ground and all the drawers opened, but noticed none of the electronics were missing and was confused as hell....

[GreenNinja]

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Nice, I got my gear ready to go but its still too hot to wear it. I wore it few days ago when it was 60*F and came home sweatin' like crazy. Back in the closet it goes for at least another month.

What were you wearing? That is some awesome gear you have!

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by GreenNinja

What were you wearing? That is some awesome gear you have!

Joe Rocket alter ego pants and Cleo 2.0 jacket. I wore a sweater under the jacket. No gloves. The jacket wasn't so bad but I was sweating like crazy in the pants.

[GeorgiaHooligan]

I ride all year round. Its better for the bike too, keeps the fluids moving. Machines are not made to sit still

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by Honko

I didn't even notice the earthquake when it happened here because I was on my ninja on the road as it happened

Thought we were robbed when I got home and saw everything on the ground and all the drawers opened, but noticed none of the electronics were missing and was confused as hell....

LOL, I was at work when it happened. Our building always shakes because we are under a highway, first it started shaking like it always does but then everything started swaying back and forth. The floor felt like cardboard. I grabbed my iPad and ran out the door like a maniac. Now every time our building shakes I think its another earthquake!

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaHooligan

Machines are not made to sit still

I agree, and I'm glad to see that so many others are riding through the winter. I was a bit worried about it but now I feel a lot better. Winter storage is for people who have no garage and have to park outside. Why put the bike away if you don't have to?

[GeorgiaHooligan]

whats up with these guys who trailor their bike to a rally?

[Kurgan]

Thank God winter in Texas is only about 2 or 3 weeks, sometimes it doesn't even snow at all

[FrugalNinja250]

Originally Posted by Kurgan

Thank God winter in Texas is only about 2 or 3 weeks, sometimes it doesn't even snow at all

Sadly, and I'm only slightly exaggerating, spring and fall only last a few weeks here too.

Of course, we do get snow here....

<----

And occasionally, according to the weatherman, we get rain. I'm not sure what that looks like, my rain gauge has about an inch of dust in it...

Oh, somewhat back on topic, I highly recommend Tourmaster Elite for rain gear. The pants are basic, but the rain jacket is very nice and has held up well these last two seasons. For gloves, I can only recommend that whatever you get, the water proof liner is on the outside instead of inside as often seems the case. Why? Because waterlogged gloves evaporate and cool like crazy so even though your hands are dry they'll be nearly frozen after a moderate ride.

My Tourmaster Elite jacket goes on over my regular jacket in really cold weather, under 40F typcally, and that alone is sufficient to extend my temperature comfort range down to the 30's. Below about 32 I add in an extra long-sleeve shirt.

[GeorgiaHooligan]

I park the bike in my den. Slap a piece of plywood down and roll her in through the door.

[JeffM]

Welcome Eve. I'll provide my two cents:

How many of you prefer to ride through the winter?

I do. As long as the road conditions are dry I will give it a go. Personal record is 18-20f.

Will riding my bike once or twice a week be sufficient enough to keep the battery charged and deposits from forming in the oil?

I think so.

How long can a bike stand before risking damage?

If not riding, I start mine up every week or so and warm it up. Otherwise I have no clue.

Should I add a fuel stabilizer and if so, when?

I don't.

Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

Wind chill is really a big deal if you are riding in temperatures below +-40. I try to cover up all skin. Be careful about frost conditions. That stuff is really hard to see and can cause you to crash. Don't ask how I know.

Also, do not try to get personal records.

[Kurgan]

Originally Posted by FrugalNinja250

Sadly, and I'm only slightly exaggerating, spring and fall only last a few weeks here too.

Of course, we do get snow here....

That was this last Christmas wasn't it? It was melted about a week later.

The year before that I don't remember any snow at all.

I bought my FrogToggs rain suit 2 years ago, I've only used it twice, mostly by choice. I hate rain riding, it usually means a full bike wash afterward.

[DarC]

Originally Posted by Kurgan

Thank God winter in Texas is only about 2 or 3 weeks, sometimes it doesn't even snow at all

Year round rider here as well. Bundle up, stay vigilant, and enjoy the ride

[akima]

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

Thanks, yes I do a lot of research (probably too much). Buying your first bike is like a mother having her first baby. You want to do everything right and take good care of it

I even had my first oil change/service done at 200 miles instead of the recommended 600 because I'm crazy.

I'm exactly the same lol.

Personally I'm looking for somewhere to store my bike for a month or two during the coldest period. It sounds like an awful lot of trouble and risk riding during winter and very little gain.

[Vampyre]

What is winter?

[TxriderMike]

Welcome! I'm in the south so I don't have that problem lol.. I would be scared of riding in winter, mainly due to the fact that real snow and ice is a foreign matter to me. Ride safe!!!

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by akima

I'm exactly the same lol.

Personally I'm looking for somewhere to store my bike for a month or two during the coldest period. It sounds like an awful lot of trouble and risk riding during winter and very little gain.

How bad are the winters in England?

Originally Posted by Vampyre

What is winter?

Winter is when it gets cold as **** outside!

Originally Posted by TxriderMike

Welcome! I'm in the south so I don't have that problem lol.. I would be scared of riding in winter, mainly due to the fact that real snow and ice is a foreign matter to me. Ride safe!!!

Thanks for the welcome. Us New Yorkers eat snow and ice for breakfast! I kinda want to know what it would be like riding during snowfall. This will be my first winter on 2 wheels!

[SteveL]

“I kinda want to know what it would be like riding during snowfall.”
I did this once when I was caught out by the weather 15 miles on snow covered roads fortunately as it was fresh snow no tire tracks, it was not too bad. Just remember do not brake do not accelerate do not lean and do not go at more than 5 miles per hour, otherwise it’s fun.

Steve

[akima]

Originally Posted by RaZeDaHeLL

How bad are the winters in England?

Well, we don't get polar bears, but it can get pretty damn cold. We often seen snow and ice for a while.

When cycling to work in Winter I wear 3 pairs of gloves! My hands get cold really easily though.