Cold Weather Riding Safety

[towerworker]

Recently I've seen a few posts related to what cold weather gear to buy, heated clothing choices and so on. I feel compelled to add some personal comments concerning cold weather riding. I doubt there are many who enjoy riding in the winter much more than I do. I bought my first BMW in 2003 and have ridden thru each winter since. Even without heated gear I just layered up and rode anyway and really enjoyed it. My rides were reasonable in length but my personal rule of thumb was "if it's not too cold to start--then it's not too cold to ride". I wouldn't hesitate to do all my intown running on my bike, to work, to the store or anywhere else I wanted to go. I think the coldest day I rode was around 7 degrees F. I would have ridden the day after that but it was 2 degrees and the bike wouldn't start.

Somehow thru all of this it never dawned on me that there were serious safety issues with riding in these kind of temps---far beyond just being uncomfortably cold. It never hit me that cold tires and cold pavement is a bad combination ----- until it really hit me. One year ago on Jan 25th I laid my R down going very slowly thru a turn and snapped my leg in two places. May have been ice although I never saw any. Probably a combination of cold pavement, cold tires, invisible ice.....................and poor judgement on my part. It's been a year now and everything has healed up nicely and for that I am thankful.

I have heated gear now and that stuff is the best thing since sliced bread but I have to fight the urge to jump on the bike and ride regardless of the temps. I still ride on cold days but now I realize that I can't stop as quickly, can't lean it as far in a curve and have to ease up on the throttle a bit more. I now realize that the bike can and will go down quickly if I disregard weather conditions. It's been said that the lessons you learn the best are the ones that cost you the most. I would hope to spare you folks the price I paid. Ride safe!

Wayne

[jfslater98]

Somehow thru all of this it never dawned on me that there were serious safety issues with riding in these kind of temps...never hit me that cold tires and cold pavement is a bad combination ----- until it really hit me...

Also something that has not really occurred to me until now. Like you, I am in the layering stage and found my personal limit on this New Year's Day - 25F. I have heated hand grips, as well as hand guards and found that the tips of my fingers were not staying warm enough. "Maybe the Lee Parks PCI gloves, or Hippo Hands or...

I have heated gear now and that stuff is the best thing since sliced bread...

But I wonder if heated gear will push the temp limits down to an unsafe temperature. I was called a "warrior" recently for riding in my personal limit above. But I bow to Wayne Maximus, who has gone to lows I would never attempt.

Thank you Wayne, I think you've saved me about $200 in heated gear I was thinking of purchasing. I may still get Hippo Hands, but no heated liner until my layers can't cut it at 30F.

[MikeCam]

It's been a year now and everything has healed up nicely and for that I am thankful. Wayne

Wayne, We've been meaning to say something but avoided hurting your feelings. The head injury left a permanent impact. You are uglier than last year and that won't heal.

MHC

[towerworker]

Don't make me come over there.

Whose cotton pickin rear tire was I ridin on anyway?

[MikeCam]

My lawyer says it wasn't the tire.

[towerworker]

Hey----calling for 27 and sunny tomorrow. Wanna go ridin?

[Sunbeemer]

Somehow thru all of this it never dawned on me that there were serious safety issues with riding in these kind of temps...never hit me that cold tires and cold pavement is a bad combination ----- until it really hit me...

Glad you are all patched up and back on the road again, and thanks for this warning...it was timely. Although 45F isn't "cold" where you live, it is here, and riding in this morning I felt my tires slip when they wouldn't have at our normal temps . There is a significant difference between hot and cold tire traction, and that's a very good point to make and heed. Thanks.

[mad1150]

Here is another question:

Are motorcycle tires really meant for all season, specifically winter, riding?

I would guess that all season car and truck tires have treads and compounds designed for better traction on cold slippery surfaces, but I'm doubting that most motorcycle tires are meant for it.

[wncbmw]

I don't ride in the low temperatures like I used to. My personal best (low? ) was 5-degrees. But I was lucky to have a couple of near miss traction incidents and realized the truth of Brother Wayne's message about cold weather tire traction with only a few 'high pucker factor' moments and no broken bones. My own personal low now is about 25 and only if no precipitation has fallen for a while!

Another problem with cold weather riding, at least around here, even with no rain or snow, is the tendency for water lines to break at really low temps. When the water flows across the asphalt, it of course makes black ice. I also discovered this in an exciting lesson!

Riding in the cold requires more than the right equipment, it requires the right mindset, which is frankly, extra vigilance and caution. And honestly, sometimes it just requires the sense to keep the bike in the garage!

[Dr. Strangelove]

well, is there a graph out there that shows the "sticking ability" of tires to pavement at lowered temps?

Down here ice is not as much of issue, but cold causes the rubber compounds of the tires to become inflexible and inflexible means a smaller contact patch, right?

It might be that there is a non linear drop off in flex at certain temps. Does anyone know?

[towerworker]

well, is there a graph out there that shows the "sticking ability" of tires to pavement at lowered temps?

Down here ice is not as much of issue, but cold causes the rubber compounds of the tires to become inflexible and inflexible means a smaller contact patch, right?

It might be that there is a non linear drop off in flex at certain temps. Does anyone know?

I would guess that there's not much flex in the tires with cold temps. I know for a FACT there wasn't much flex in my left leg as I hit the asphalt!!

[Dr. Strangelove]

man, seeing open tibia fractures kept me away from motorcycles for decades.
glad you're healed

John

[wncbmw]

DR - don't have any charts or graphs but there is a reason race bikes use tire warmers, even in summer!

[nonskid]

The only cold riding I'll be doing for the next 3 or so months is in my Buick! Everything around here is covered in ICE, except for my bike and my Miata which are under covers in the garage.
Winter is EVIL!

[Biff's R]

I have heated gear now and that stuff is the best thing since sliced bread...

Thank you Wayne, I think you've saved me about $200 in heated gear I was thinking of purchasing. I may still get Hippo Hands, but no heated liner until my layers can't cut it at 30F.

The heated gear is a definite plus in temps up to the low to mid 50s. The additionl heat keeps you more aware of what is going on, and not how cold you are. Also fewer layers equals more flexibility.

I usually follow wncbmw's rule of 25 and dry.

[marine dad]

I rode to work today, 28 degrees when I left home this am. There were a couple of icy patches on the back roads, but I know where to expect them around here so no problems
mike

[mjcraft]

Towerworker,

Thanks for the info and starting this thread. I've been commuting a decent amount this winter but have always been a little hesitant about going very fast. Even when dry I notice that riding over the steel expansion joints on a local overpass offer very little traction. Good thing they are short! But the coldest I've ridden here in was about 30F. It started to flurry and I figured it was a good idea to get home...especially since I was riding on a Z6 front tire that was almost bald. I did just change it, though! Got some Pirelli Scorpion Syncs this week and will let everyone know how they do in the cold (and warmth...once it eventually gets here).

Michael

[Dr. Strangelove]

just want to share some info. In the operating rooms patients behave as "poikilotherms," ie they lose the ability to regulate body temp to an extent and they tend to cool down to ambient temperature. We keep them warm with blankets and warm fluids and do pretty well for the most part. But there is something relatively new that works pretty well to help prevent heat loss.

It has been reported in the literature and confirmed by our experience that if we warm patients before going into the OR with a warm air forced air blanket, patients lose heat more slowly. There are devices that look like an air mattress but is a blanket and a heating unit is connected (Bair Hugger is one brand). I think it works by building up heat energy in the body so that there is essentially more heat to lose before a patient starts getting cool. The body's heat regulating system keep the temp, while awake, to 98.6.

All of that preamble to what I have started doing on my morning commute. I turn on my gerbings vest and heated grips as soon as I leave home, way before I perceive to need them. And I find I have not gotten cold except for the very tips of my fingers.

I have done this on two mornings both in the mid thirties at the start of the ride and high twenties, lo thirties at the end--40 mintues and 37 miles later at 70 mph. This am it was 70 mph against a 10-20 mph wind. And I was fine. No shivering at all. my lips were a little cold and my fingertips a bit, but otherwise just fine.

wanted to share that the takeaway message was turn turn the heat on way before you think you'll need it

John

[towerworker]

Thanks John!

Good advice from one who knows. I'll add a bit of my own as well. Most of you folks know what I do for a living. I will readily admit I don't climb every day anymore as I used to. Maybe once or twice a week now and that's typically to check on a crew already in the air working. This time of year is always a challenge in keeping warm and more importantly safe. The two go hand in hand. The right clothing is always layering (I sure wish there were heated overalls without the extension cords or big batteries) Hopefully we all know that water is the best thing to drink to keep warm (not coffee!) This is difficult for me as I love coffee especially when it's cold but it must be a mental thing. The caffeine will hasten dehydration and the effects of the cold. You need good blood circulation to keep warm. Tobacco causes the vessels to constrict which translates to poor circulation-----hence you get cold!

You need fuel in the furnace to keep warm----so eat right. Always a challenge for me.

Calling for sunshine and temps in the mid to upper 50's tomorrow. Gotta go for a ride!

Wayne

[Boxer]

My personal low temp for riding is 40F. I have been riding in lower temps, but it wasn't as fun, and I don't like to start out warm and get colder as I go. Like right now...Its Saturday morning and 27F outside...but sunny. Its supposed to warm up to low 50Fs so I'm just waiting until the weather guy says its 40F outside, then I can take off for one of those "oil heat-up" rides and get my lazy arse back by the home fires. If I take my bottle of water out of the tank bag and its partly (or completely) frozen, its too cold for me to ride on two wheels.
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Maybe I should move to Arizona.