Snow Riding

[chris-red]

I've been riding about 3 months and need to ride to get to uni courses and work. I'm not liking the cold much but riding is required. I was wondering what winter tips are there for riding in snow and shitey conditions.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
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[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Unless it's absoloutely necessary, or your an idiot like myself, then dont.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[chris-red]

[Razzy]

just take it easy! don't let anyone rush you, go at what speed you feel comfortable
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GSX 1400 K5 SOLD
Tiger 955i SOLD
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[bidman]

Go very slow and try not to use your front brake, at all! black ice will have you off your bike quicker than anything and its a lot better your back wheel skidding than your front , Dan
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Don't ride it, RAG IT!!

[T1z3R]

good clutch control in the snow is a must...dont do anything that is likely to spin up the rear wheel and do your best to look out for snow-covered manhole covers/drains etc.
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duck my sick!

[mchaggis]

Where are you based? It's anywhere in England, bar freak occurences (plus the Lake and Peak Districts) you'd be unlucky to see any snow at all. I imagine you'll get plenty of ice though. The main thing is to just slow down, watch the road and be careful to avoid any obvious patches. If anything looks shiney, avoid it, especially manhole covers and road paint. Also bear in mind which farming season you're in. Ploughing, tilling and general stuff at this time of year will drag mud onto the roads.

Use engine braking and the rear brake much more with slippery surfaces. Neither tyre will have the grip to brake really hard, but locking the front wheel is often catastrophic. Locking the rear will just make you fishtail around. Try to have more than one way of getting to uni. If it is only a short distance (a mile or two), walking or cycling is often a better approach.
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Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[jonnay]

I had to ride back in thick snow from college the other day, I can give you a couple of tips -

When approaching the bottom of a hill and you're behind a car, back off, because the car will probably slow down so much they will not be able to get up. You need to keep your speed up a little, and keep it in a gear which isn't too twitchy but has enough power to get you up

Be careful changing down gear, the back will slip about if you do it too early

Obviously be very careful pulling away, or you'll wheelspin

On a hill, drive just outside the tyre marks, but not in the deep snow. Cars were wheelspinning, exposing the tarmac, which caused ice to form

Avoid using the front brake at all costs!

Don't worry if smoke comes from your engine under the tank - it's most likely steam

Try to keep with a few cars, but extend your braking distance to avoid rear ending the car infront of you. By sticking with a few cars, if you do come off there will (maybe) be someone to help, and if theres a car behind you going slow there's less likely to be someone come tearing up behind you and hit you.

Despite the above, if the traffic is moving too quickly for your liking, take it at your own speed. You pay road tax, you OWN the bit of road you're on - don't let cagers force you into speeding up

Keep lights on full beam, visibility is crap in the snow.

Wear a high vis if you've got one

Be careful if you pull into laybys, as these have most likely not been gritted

Keep your visor down when passing grit trucks, because they will spit stones up all over the side of you as they pass. I kept mine down all the time because crap was being thrown up off the road.

Thats just what I learnt, so can't guarantee it's 100% right, but I got home in 1 piece, so something must have worked!
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::'04 Yamaha Jog:: || ::'01 Honda NSR:: || ::'00 Suzuki Swift:: || ::'89 Swift GTi:: || ::'96 Swift Poverty Spec:: || ::'92 Swift GTi::

[kath600]

STAY SMOOTH AS POSS.

as many others have said........

stay off the brakes as much as you can

keep gear changes smooth and slow

stay much further back from other traffic than you would normally

do not accerlate quickly

it doesn't matter if you crawl along on first gear if it ensures you stay upright

once you hit black ice though on two wheels not an awful lot you can do except land well
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Seven days without laughter......... makes one weak.

[riichy]

just dont do it.....your bike is not made for snow, its rubber is no use on snow your brakes are no use and the high revs are no use on snow......

if i see snow i walk no matter how bad i need to get to work or college......


better i be late than on the flor with my pride and joy on top of me



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.......... PLOD ............ zx636 2004

[nick.h]

Ride a bike that you dont care if it gets damaged
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[Italjet MM5A] ll [Rieju RS1 Evolution] ll [Suzuki GS500e] ll [Suzuki GSX600F] ll [Honda CG125] ll [Pug Elyseo 125] ll [Yamaha YZF750R] ll [Yamaha Thunderace] ll [Yamaha R6] ll [Triumph 955i] ll [Hayabusa RZK3] ll [Suzuki RGV250] ll

[mrchips]

Set the bike about 45 degrees on one side, left or right with full lock applied. Apply quite a lot of revs in first gear. Drop the clutch.


All you need to know for snow riding.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[The Tot]

Haha Ferg, i guess you're wrong on that! Loughborough snowed lightly 2 days ago and i got caught out whilst i came out of engineering.

I needed to go to town (1 mile away) to do shopping but still decided on taking my bike rather than leaving it at the campus,so here's a run down on what to do:

Don't use maximum revs, try only using the bottom half of the rev range
Don't twist the throttle while banked over
Don't bash down the gears too quickly, if not, now's a good time to learn to blip the throttle on the downchanges as it makes it a helluva lot smoother
Avoid drains
Do stop frequently for a warm drink
Do take it slowly
Do Use your HORN!
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Wave2k]

snows a good time to learn how to back it in with engine braking.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
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[woo]

if you see snow on the morning of your lecture at uni stay at home!!

Id rid in the snow once to meet some friends at work it started to snow, i underestimated it and 1hr later the place was covered in snow.
Then went off a main road onto a quiet road with a gradient of around 35 degrees and couldnt get up it, it took three people to help me push the bike up the slight hill.

My advice, if it snows stay home or use public transport!

Its bad enough when cagers hit you because they didnt see you but to be hit because they did see you but couldnt stop the car is even worse!
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[smoshea]

Can I or Should I be making any adjustments to the suspension settings or tyre pressures etc. when riding in slippery conditions?

Cheers