Cold Weather Riding
Written by Thunder Roads Reader, Stoney
It is often said that experience is the
best teacher. I have recently experienced cold weather riding. From my
perspective it was a test of wills and
nature proved to have the stronger
will. In my opinion, I was dressed appropriately for the ride. I wore:
Layered clothing under my leather
jacket (I don’t have electric heated
riding apparel).
Rain suit pants (added lower-body
protection from the wind).
A full-face helmet.
A fleece neck protector.
Insulated leather riding gloves.
Even with all that protection, I still felt the effects of the cold
temperatures on my feet, toes, fingers, and legs. Cruising at
highway speed(s) of 65 to 75 mph; the wind-chill factor becomes a real force to be dealt with. The wind, at any speed,
moving across the body will rob body heat quite rapidly even
when there is very little exposed skin. That fact brings hypothermia into the “mix” of things to be aware of. Hypothermia
comes on slowly and sometimes without the rider being
aware of it until the dangerous effects start affecting coordination, speech, attention, and reaction time. Fortunately for
me, I remembered what to be aware of as far as the signs of
hypothermia setting in.
Another concern is frostbite. The fingers and toes are at risk,
even when they are covered. Anything that affects blood
circulation, like movement restricting gloves, socks, and
boots, can make frostbite a real hazard to your health if it
goes untreated and/or ignored. Again, being aware of what
the body is telling you can save your life and/or avoid permanent physical damage. Taking warm-up breaks along with
re-fueling stops can be a very important safety factor when
riding in cold weather.
Performing a pre-ride inspection will reduce the likelihood of
a break-down along the way. Being stranded on the side of
the road in cold weather could be life threatening if the conditions are not in your favor. I have adopted the practice of
performing a pre-ride inspection for my own safety. It’s also a
matter of respect and concern for my fellow riders.
Yet another factor is fatigue. Fatigue is as much of a