Do you ride in winter?

M94

I know quite a few people that avoid rain or store their motorcycles in the garage for the winter. Do you do it?

Blacktie.

Yep. Been riding all year round for almost ten years now. Don't ride in snow though. Learnt that back in the 2010 snow. Was lucky to come through it uninjured!

GBX

Yes .. all year round unless the road is extremely icy and hasn't been salted/gritted.

Cienciano

I did for about 10 years up until about 2 and a half years ago. Car mostly now, if the weather is good I'll take the bike. It's great having the option of both, but my commute isn't across the city centre anymore, it's M50, so the bike is no real advantage.

Blacktie.

Cienciano wrote: »

I did for about 10 years up until about 2 and a half years ago. Car mostly now, if the weather is good I'll take the bike. It's great having the option of both, but my commute isn't across the city centre anymore, it's M50, so the bike is no real advantage.

What? I'm the M50 now too and see the bike as a huge advantage there. Though I am at junction 9 which is always bumper to bumper these days.

gerrowadat

When I can, except for if the weather is going to make the commute more stressful than the little bit of extra sitting in traffic the car would involve.

Blondie919

All year round as it's my only mode of transport. Take the bus when it's gale force winds and when it's snowing sometimes.

macplaxton

All year round. I've got access to cars too, but for getting to work and saving the M50 toll, I'm happy to freeze my knackers off.

Cienciano

Blacktie. wrote: »

What? I'm the M50 now too and see the bike as a huge advantage there. Though I am at junction 9 which is always bumper to bumper these days.

I'm not on it at peak rush hour. Around 9am and around 6pm. Traffic flows enough, the bike would be slightly quicker for changing lanes and that, but not much.

M94

I have to drive to Dublin 1 Monday to Friday and it's an absolute disaster with a car.

Krusty_Clown

All year round, except bad ice. I happen to work next door to where the council keep their gritters, so can usually get home even in bad conditions, but if it gets real bad, I'll just find some other way.

Jimmy Bottlehead

I rode all last winter (heh) in all weather but it was no craic on the really cold, icy days.

Alkers

All year round also, will call it in the morning if it's freezing as getting out of the estate can be treacherous.
Last year was fine though

mjsc1970

Simona1986 wrote: »

All year round also, will call it in the morning if it's freezing as getting out of the estate can be treacherous.
Last year was fine though

This ^^

Wossack

unless its icy

have been caught out on the way home however..

unclebill98

Yup, unless its icy.

Wossack

Wossack wrote: »

unless its icy

have been caught out on the way home however..

^^

exhibit A, Jan 2015

mjsc1970

Wossack wrote: »

^^

exhibit A, Jan 2015

How did you manage this ?

MSVforever

Will be my first winter as I ve only taken up motorbiking in June.
Once the temperature is dropping below 0 in combination with rain/snow the bike will be staying in the driveway. Will take the car/bus instead.

I came off my bicyle last December at low speed (approx 20 km/h) and ended up in the A&E on Christmas eve. Dont fancy a repeat...

CaptainR

I've only a bike since sep 2015 and was dreading the winter as it would put me on the bus to college if it was icy or snowing but it never happened, was a nice winter.

Although the wind in Feb/Mar was **** scary for me on a 125 on a national road and did make me take the bus at times (all of 2-3 days mind you)

Hilarious to see these boys "winterizing" their bikes in october when they live in the UK. Even cringier to see the American lads on reddit talking about "Riding season" as if its a sport. "Yeah I got three riding seasons in now!"

Wossack

mjsc1970 wrote: »

How did you manage this ?

pretty hairily.. been out in (a lot) worse though..

I tell ya, its the feckers with 4 wheels that were worse that day. Half of em driving like it was a balmy 18 degrees out

rat_race

M94 wrote: »

I know quite a few people that avoid rain or store their motorcycles in the garage for the winter. Do you do it?

All year. Don't have a car, even though I could afford one; the bike is enough.

If a car can do it safely, then a bike should be able also IMO.

Hotblack Desiato

Fresh snow is rideable (within reason) - had to do a long trip home once in falling snow and survived, but am not too keen to repeat. Had the throttle freeze open in falling snow on another occasion, but that bike was prone to carb freezing so I was on the alert, hit the kill switch in good time for the red traffic light and residual engine heat while stopped sorted it out.

Ice is obviously lethal on a bike, and when snow gets compressed by traffic and then refreezes the next night you're fcuked, because it forms a layer of ice. The problem with setting off in marginal conditions in the morning is not knowing what it'll be like on the way home especially if you get delayed leaving work etc.

Otherwise, if it's above zero and less than a 40 knot gale, I'll ride... I have to admit though I find windy conditions not fun at all, the top box doesn't help there but is too useful to ditch.

Off the road for the next week at least though, as my water pump blew a seal

CJhaughey

rat_race wrote: »

If a car can do it safely, then a bike should be able also IMO.

Not really, a car slips and crashes at low speed and its no biggie, a two wheeler slips and you fall off and then you are the mercy of others who may or may not be competent at driving in marginal conditions.
Its not falling off that I worry about its being run over by some gimp on a phone, picking their nose, or fiddling with the radio.

Pugzilla

Spent 2 winters on a bike, now I'm a fair weather biker.

Richard tea

All year round except for snow and ice. On night shift this week so taken the car. seen a good few bikes on the N4 this morning and it was quite frosty. I would be using the motorway myself

stewygriffin

M94 wrote: »

I know quite a few people that avoid rain or store their motorcycles in the garage for the winter. Do you do it?

Yes I do ride in the rain and wind and sleet/snow.
Its Ireland,we get rain here alot.I just deal with it.
Ive gone touring in monsoon rain in Wales and UK,no biggie,its actually a nice feeling.

Rory28

Yep. I had the foresight to never get a car licence because Im smart like that.
Unless the roads are just ice i will use the bike. Just remember to keep your balls toasty and you will be grand.