Safety Tips
ICE
do not recommend anyone rid-
ing on ice and snow. The best
practice is to stop and wait out the
storm or simply don’t start riding if
the weather is going to turn to ice
and snow. There is no safe way to
ride on ice and snow. Sometimes
we just get caught out in it or other
circumstances force us to ride on
ice and snow.
The problem with riding on ice
and snow is the loss of tire traction
on the road. There are three major
factors that will affect traction on
ice and snow. These factors are
power to the tires, braking and lean
angle.
A motorcycle needs power to the
rear tire to move. A loss of traction
occurs when too much power is
applied to the rear tire causing the
tire to spin. Application of the
throttle must be slow and smooth.
The rider should use the least
amount of throttle necessary to
move the bike. Most bikes will start
from a stop with the throttle at
idle. Almost no power is needed to
start. The rider can put the bike
into second gear to start. This will
ensure very little power going to
the rear tire during the start.
The rider should have good
throttle and clutch control to start
smoothly. Once the bike is moving,
apply power slowly and smoothly.
The bike can be ridden in a gear
higher than you would normally
ride to keep power from being
applied too quickly.
If you need to change to a higher
gear roll off the throttle then
squeeze in the clutch. Change the
gear then release the clutch slowly.
I
Roll on the throttle very slowly
after the clutch has been fully
released. Any change should be as
smooth as possible.
Stopping on ice and snow will
take a much longer distance than
on dry pavement. Stop the bike by
using mostly rear brake. Any use
of the front brake must be smooth
with very little force. The clutch
should not be squeezed until the
speed is slow enough to need a
gear change. This will keep enough
power to the rear tire to keep it
rolling so it does not slide. The
front tire is much more likely to
stop turning and slide on ice and
snow than on any other surface.
Downshifting should be done at
a slower speed than on dry pave-
ment. Roll off the throttle, squeeze
the clutch then downshift. Release
the clutch slowly then roll on throt-
tle as needed. Downshifting at
slower than normal speeds will
keep the rear tire from spinning
due to too much power applied to
the rear tire. Engine braking or
downshifting to slow your speed
should be avoided on ice and snow.
Turns and curves on ice and
snow should be done with little or
no lean angle. Any lean will cause a
loss of traction and could result in a
tip over. Ride turns and curves as
straight as possible to reduce the
amount of lean angle.
Take turns and curves at a very
slow speed. A steady speed should
be maintained through the turn or
curve. Speed changes, whether
faster or slower, in a turn or curve
may cause the rear tire to slide
sideways causing the bike to tip
over.
There may be patches of ice and
snow on an otherwise dry road.
When crossing these patches keep
the bike straight. Ease off the
throttle to keep power to the rear
tire at a minimum. Keep your head
and eyes up. Look down the road
to where you want to go.
Some riders put their feet down
on ice and snow to act as outrig-
gers to help with balance. This
should only be done when starting
off and at very slow speeds. When
the bike gets going, pick your feet
up. Your foot may catch on some-
thing on the road injuring your foot
or leg. If the bike starts to slide and
your foot presses into ice or snow
your foot will also slide.
Riders must stay warm in cold
weather. When riders get cold their
bodies get stiff. Cold riders tend to
roll their shoulders foreword and
drop their heads to their chest in an
effort to stay warm. This position
makes it more difficult to see traf-
fic and road conditions. Cold riders
think more about getting warm
than they do about their riding.
Reactions are slowed due to stiff
limbs, less visibility and slower
mental processing. Take as many
breaks as needed to keep warm.
Riding on ice and snow should
be avoided when possible. If you
must ride on ice and snow, remem-
ber keep warm, stay slow, be
smooth, keep calm and ride on.
CMA
Mike Phillips is a certified Motorcycle Safety
Foundation (MSF) instructor in Arkansas.
By MIKE Phillips