Five Off-Season Riding Tips
Nov 13th, 2008 by Leo
For City Bikers, off season riding is some of the better riding to be had. Not only is “off-season” most of the year in places like the Northeast, but urban areas don’t get as much snow as say..the Mid-West, unless you’re in a Mid-Western city… but even when there is snow, the main roads are cleared off pretty quickly. Not only that, but it can be easier to gear up and stay comfortable in colder weather: there’s nothing you can do about heat, but there’s lots that can be done about the cold (base layer + regular clothes + gear + parka = ready to ride in Antarctica). Having said that there are a few things to be cautious of…
1. Sand, Leaves, and Gravel. There’s a lot more slippery stuff on the ground during the off season. You have to be extremely in tune with the concept that bike’s can’t always stop as suddenly as automobiles. Also this means you probably have to cut down on lean angle; plan ahead and give yourself the extra buffer space to run a little wide if you have to.
2. Getting caught in bad weather. The weather is less predictable during the off season. This means you need to plan ahead and make sure you can ride in the rain even if it’s sunny out…because you never know what it’s going to be like by the time you leave work. Remember to air out your gloves and boots after getting caught in the rain so they don’t get moldy (it’s almost impossible to get rid of it once you get it). I keep having to learn this the hard way.
3. Cramps or dehydration. It’s easier to get dehydrated in the winter because you hardly ever feel thirsty. This can be bad news in the cold so you want to keep tabs on your body. Ken Robinson says about college professors that they act as though they are just brains on a stick, and their bodies are just the means by which to carry their massive brains. Cars help encourage that kind of thinking too, as long as your head is clear you can drive a car. Not so for motorcycles, your body is an integral part of you. It is you. So take care of it especially when riding longer distances in the cold.
4. Intermittent riding. You may never go a week without riding in the summer, but work and holidays and snow days might mean you park the bike for a few days. Unfortunately riding a motorcycle or scooter is NOT like riding a bicycle. You DO forget. And even after a few days it’s possible to zoom into a familiar corner too fast and have your survival reactions kick in and hamper your steering. So take it easy, especially when you haven’t been on the bike for a couple of days. Ride as though you’re a beginner again, a highly experienced beginner… Don’t go too slow, but remember the throttle control rule and give yourself plenty of room for error. I’m always amazed at how I have trouble making sharp right turns after a few days off the bike! When I finally got rid of my chicken strips (on my current set of tires) , it was the right side that stuck around longer.
5. It’s okay to put your feet down. Only a total noob would ride around with his/her feet down. But at slow speeds with poor traction, feet down is the way to go. Just ask any dirt biker. I’ve gone through six inch snow drifts with my feet down while cars stood spinning their wheels.. Just don’t try to turn on a pile of snow, or if you do, be super careful (it’s easy to go down that way – don’t ask me how I know). So with snow or ice, slow down and feet down is the key. Once you get a feel for how much traction you have, getting a little sideways is part of the “fun.” No I wouldn’t want to do this every day, but once you’re there, it’s quite a bit of fun!
Have any off season riding tips? Write or link to it in the comments section. Cheers!
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Off-Season Riding Tip: Move to California.
Haha!
… Um I hate you