Cold Weather Motorcycle Riding

When the weather starts to change, you'll need to change how you ride your motorcycle. It is possible to head out on the open road in plummeting temperatures and still enjoy a safe, fun ride. You will just need to adjust your approach to compensate for the changing weather and changing road conditions. Fortunately, we rounded up everything you need to know for cold weather motorcycle riding below. If you need a motorcycle tune-up before your next winter ride, visit Woods Fun Center. We proudly serve those in Austin and Round Rock, Texas.

Get the Gear

You already know you need certain gear when you ride your motorcycle. But you need even more gear when it's cold out. It's not just that you want to be warm and comfortable while you ride (though that is important). It's that the cold can impair your ability to ride safely. When you get cold, your focus fades. It also increases the shivering of your hands, which makes it difficult to manipulate your controls.

Your best approach is to layer up (it'll actually keep you warmer than wearing one bulky coat). Throw on thermal underwear, multiple socks, and so on. Your feet and hands will get the coldest, so make sure to wear thick gloves and boots.

Some riders choose to buy heated clothing. These pieces of attire are powered by batteries or your motorcycle. You can get a variety of items from jackets to leg liners. It'll keep you toasty warm no matter the outside temperature.

A huge part of staying dry is staying dry is staying warm. It only takes a small amount of moisture, combined with the wind, to get you incredibly cold. If you spot any chance of rain or snow in the forecast, throw on an outer layer of waterproof clothing. Pack along waterproof gloves as well (since wet gloves will struggle to manipulate the small buttons). 

Inspect Your Tires

The cold temperatures will affect your tire pressure. A rule of thumb is that you can expect to lose one pound of air pressure with every ten degrees drop in temperature. Measure your air pressure before hitting the road and adjust as necessary.

Another thing you can do is warm up your tires while you ride your motorcycle. Accelerate and decelerate quickly - it'll cause friction that in turn heats your tires. Just make sure to do this in a safe and contained environment free of obstacles. An empty street or large parking lot will work well.

Road Conditions

You'll face different road conditions in two ways. First, snow and ice on the road will destroy your motorcycle's traction. You need to compensate by giving more time to accelerate, turn, brake, and lane change. You'll also want to leave plenty of space between yourself and other motorists in case one of you hits a patch of black ice. Second, there are often snow-clearing hazards, such as salt and gravel, on the road. These also hurt your traction, so treat them like you do with ice. 

For all your cold weather riding needs, visit Woods Fun Center. If your motorcycle needs a tune-up before you can hit the open road, bring it on in! Our service department can get it repaired and ready for the colder weather. If you are looking to buy, check out our range of new and used motorcycles for sale. We have models for all budgets, lifestyles, and riding levels. Our friendly staff can help you find the dream motorcycle. We proudly serve those in Austin, Round Rock, New Braunfels, and San Marcos, Texas.