Position revised : fair weather bikers may not be wimps
Discussion
how you fixed for next weekend if the weather's upto it? I'll be out if you fancy it? Be nice to go for a run out with ya at least once this year! I'll nag you on hooners about it nearer the time 
This weekend's not upto much by the look of it, picking the R1 up from coventry having had some work done, so sunday better be nicer than it is now
This weekend's not upto much by the look of it, picking the R1 up from coventry having had some work done, so sunday better be nicer than it is now
Edited by Stu R on Thursday 23 October 23:54
Still got enough novelty to me so I like it. Also, I'd rather bike home in the wind and rain that sit and queue in the warm and dry. I drive a leakster anyway so there's not a lot in it 
For me, the extra hour at home is worth it regardless of wind, and I satisfy myself that I've already done more biking than some people who've had their licenses a while so I should be riding to a better standard...
That said, on Monday when I changed lanes without steering (or actually wanting to) it made me pay a bit more attention!
Yesterday I had a lump of tree caught up in my throttle and brake cables, such was the wind! But it's all good fun - take it steady, wear decent kit (mine's 100% waterproof and warm, bit of bubblewrap round the torso and I'll be ok for a few more degrees yet) and it's no worse than being in a car.
For me, the extra hour at home is worth it regardless of wind, and I satisfy myself that I've already done more biking than some people who've had their licenses a while so I should be riding to a better standard...
That said, on Monday when I changed lanes without steering (or actually wanting to) it made me pay a bit more attention!
Yesterday I had a lump of tree caught up in my throttle and brake cables, such was the wind! But it's all good fun - take it steady, wear decent kit (mine's 100% waterproof and warm, bit of bubblewrap round the torso and I'll be ok for a few more degrees yet) and it's no worse than being in a car.
Got to admit - I'm a fair weather biker.
I used to commute 30 miles each way to central London thru all weathers.. on a ZXR 750 .. had no car and really could not afford the train.
It was miserable in the depths of winter.
You will truely know the meaning of cold.. and also of fear..
You enter a wet or frozen round about and just feel the slippery ness and smell the diesel after .. but luckily come out on 2 wheels.. white lines get very slippery, the centre of the road is full of grit and seemingly nails for punctures..
Oh - I'm very happy being a fair weather biker .. now.
I used to commute 30 miles each way to central London thru all weathers.. on a ZXR 750 .. had no car and really could not afford the train.
It was miserable in the depths of winter.
You will truely know the meaning of cold.. and also of fear..
You enter a wet or frozen round about and just feel the slippery ness and smell the diesel after .. but luckily come out on 2 wheels.. white lines get very slippery, the centre of the road is full of grit and seemingly nails for punctures..
Oh - I'm very happy being a fair weather biker .. now.
rev-erend said:
Got to admit - I'm a fair weather biker.
I used to commute 30 miles each way to central London thru all weathers.. on a ZXR 750 .. had no car and really could not afford the train.
It was miserable in the depths of winter.
You will truely know the meaning of cold.. and also of fear..
You enter a wet or frozen round about and just feel the slippery ness and smell the diesel after .. but luckily come out on 2 wheels.. white lines get very slippery, the centre of the road is full of grit and seemingly nails for punctures..
Oh - I'm very happy being a fair weather biker .. now.
Each to their own and all that but let's try and not pretend that riding in all weathers is a death sentence just because you're a big girl, eh? I used to commute 30 miles each way to central London thru all weathers.. on a ZXR 750 .. had no car and really could not afford the train.
It was miserable in the depths of winter.
You will truely know the meaning of cold.. and also of fear..
You enter a wet or frozen round about and just feel the slippery ness and smell the diesel after .. but luckily come out on 2 wheels.. white lines get very slippery, the centre of the road is full of grit and seemingly nails for punctures..
Oh - I'm very happy being a fair weather biker .. now.
I gave up whilst still in mid air, after foolishly braking on ice whilst leaning over.
That plus Oh and the Knee pain I used to suffer. That got so bad I was sent for X rays, and they found nothing. Consultant took one look at my crash helmet, and suggested the cold dark nights at 100 mph might not help.
That plus Oh and the Knee pain I used to suffer. That got so bad I was sent for X rays, and they found nothing. Consultant took one look at my crash helmet, and suggested the cold dark nights at 100 mph might not help.
I do choose NOT to ride in all weathers. I can enjoy a nice crisp dry, sunny winter run & maybe even to work as it's great in those conditions. If I had no other transport I guess I would ride all year round but couldn't relish snow & ice. I did that when I was 18 but honestly I'm beyond using the body as a human snow/ice scraper now as it doesn't recover that well !
The main thing for me about all weather riding is visibility through rain splattered visor. I was caught in "heavy drizzle" a couple of weeks ago on way to work & it was an absolute pain having to wipe the visor literally ever 10-15 secs.
As far as clothing goes I think you either buy "all weather" gear or make sure you switch to winter stuff at the first sign of crap weather. Get good gloves, waterproof boots & carry one piece waterproofs if doing any sort of distance. It don't take long on a bike in a downpour before you get little trickles on the inside !
The main thing for me about all weather riding is visibility through rain splattered visor. I was caught in "heavy drizzle" a couple of weeks ago on way to work & it was an absolute pain having to wipe the visor literally ever 10-15 secs.
As far as clothing goes I think you either buy "all weather" gear or make sure you switch to winter stuff at the first sign of crap weather. Get good gloves, waterproof boots & carry one piece waterproofs if doing any sort of distance. It don't take long on a bike in a downpour before you get little trickles on the inside !
I think these days most (or many) of us are quite lucky that we have cars as well as bikes so don't have to rely on them come wind,rain or shine.
And at the end of the day, if you really don't enjoy riding your bike in the rain and would rather be in your car or on the train then why torture yourself?
Personally i ride most weathers purely cause i find sitting in traffic jams drives me round the bend but if the weather is truely awful when i leave home then more than likely i'd take the car.
My only concern would be that i think everyone should do some wet weather riding so if you do get caught out in the rain you know how to handle it. The worst thing that could happen would be to panic when it gets wet.
And at the end of the day, if you really don't enjoy riding your bike in the rain and would rather be in your car or on the train then why torture yourself?
Personally i ride most weathers purely cause i find sitting in traffic jams drives me round the bend but if the weather is truely awful when i leave home then more than likely i'd take the car.
My only concern would be that i think everyone should do some wet weather riding so if you do get caught out in the rain you know how to handle it. The worst thing that could happen would be to panic when it gets wet.
I live in North Northumberland where we seem to get 300 days of rain every year.
I done my time riding to work in the snow rain and hail in nearly 30 years of road riding.
70% of my track time so far this year has been in the wet...
...So if any of the all year round commuters would like a lesson in wet/difficult conditions!
Some of us just really can't be arsed with it anymore during the winter.
I done my time riding to work in the snow rain and hail in nearly 30 years of road riding.
70% of my track time so far this year has been in the wet...
...So if any of the all year round commuters would like a lesson in wet/difficult conditions!
Some of us just really can't be arsed with it anymore during the winter.
I ride mainly on nice days because it's more enjoyable experience imo. When I did my training, it was tipping down quite a lot so did not mind the cold wet weather but now I have a choice between the bike and 2 cars it's a no brainer for me if the conditions is less than favourable.
People say they prefer to filter past car drivers stuck in traffic and would put up with getting covered in all sorts of road grime then fair enough. When I'm sitting in the car cocooned in leather interior with music waiting a bit of traffic is not gonna hurt - I minimise this by driving at times when it is less congested or take a quieter route - job done.
Unless you're filtering at suicidal speed, you are not using the bike as it's intended tip toeing at roundabouts...filtering between cars...risks getting sideswiped by dozy drivers.
For me biking is about finding a nice windy open road, lighty trafficked and on a nice sunny day for a blast.
People say they prefer to filter past car drivers stuck in traffic and would put up with getting covered in all sorts of road grime then fair enough. When I'm sitting in the car cocooned in leather interior with music waiting a bit of traffic is not gonna hurt - I minimise this by driving at times when it is less congested or take a quieter route - job done.
Unless you're filtering at suicidal speed, you are not using the bike as it's intended tip toeing at roundabouts...filtering between cars...risks getting sideswiped by dozy drivers.
For me biking is about finding a nice windy open road, lighty trafficked and on a nice sunny day for a blast.
dern said:
rev-erend said:
Got to admit - I'm a fair weather biker.
I used to commute 30 miles each way to central London thru all weathers.. on a ZXR 750 .. had no car and really could not afford the train.
It was miserable in the depths of winter.
You will truely know the meaning of cold.. and also of fear..
You enter a wet or frozen round about and just feel the slippery ness and smell the diesel after .. but luckily come out on 2 wheels.. white lines get very slippery, the centre of the road is full of grit and seemingly nails for punctures..
Oh - I'm very happy being a fair weather biker .. now.
Each to their own and all that but let's try and not pretend that riding in all weathers is a death sentence just because you're a big girl, eh? I used to commute 30 miles each way to central London thru all weathers.. on a ZXR 750 .. had no car and really could not afford the train.
It was miserable in the depths of winter.
You will truely know the meaning of cold.. and also of fear..
You enter a wet or frozen round about and just feel the slippery ness and smell the diesel after .. but luckily come out on 2 wheels.. white lines get very slippery, the centre of the road is full of grit and seemingly nails for punctures..
Oh - I'm very happy being a fair weather biker .. now.
the wind is an utter pain in the arse on a small bike, you dont have the weight or power to fight it. once you pass your test & get a fullsize bike the wind isnt nearly as much of a problem. oh & relax, a death grip on the bars = swerving all over the place. relax & you'll find you go straighter, just lent over at weird angles when it gusts.
i rode all last winter & no its not the most fun thing, its still better than being stuck in traffic though. i'll stop when there is ice/snow on the floor.
i rode all last winter & no its not the most fun thing, its still better than being stuck in traffic though. i'll stop when there is ice/snow on the floor.
sprinter885 said:
I do choose NOT to ride in all weathers. I can enjoy a nice crisp dry, sunny winter run & maybe even to work as it's great in those conditions. If I had no other transport I guess I would ride all year round but couldn't relish snow & ice. I did that when I was 18 but honestly I'm beyond using the body as a human snow/ice scraper now as it doesn't recover that well !.....
Oh yes, if you have the choice, it makes it so much more bearable, but when you live ten miles from work, and the ONLY way to get there is on your bike, it soon loses the novelty factor. I started at 17, Honda 50, ten miles each way, in the winter, woolly gloves on, two anoraks, overalls underneath, open faced helmet, arriving at work with hands so cold I put them under the COLD tap to warm them up....
It was several years before I learned about wind chill, and how to keep warm properly, with several layers, and a wind proof layer over the top.
Even then, opening your visor because it was freezing up, then finding your eye lashes freezing together, takes the fun out of it eventually. It all becomes a chore after a few years.
I moved into town when I was about 24, and I could walk to work, ten minutes on foot, then a year later I moved jobs to another town, 10 miles away, so it was back on the bleddy freezing cold bikes every day.....
Biker's Nemesis said:
I live in North Northumberland where we seem to get 300 days of rain every year.
I done my time riding to work in the snow rain and hail in nearly 30 years of road riding.
70% of my track time so far this year has been in the wet...
...So if any of the all year round commuters would like a lesson in wet/difficult conditions!
Some of us just really can't be arsed with it anymore during the winter.
65 days a year where it's not raining, feck me! Any houses for sale in your area mate, we get two if we're lucky in Co. durham I done my time riding to work in the snow rain and hail in nearly 30 years of road riding.
70% of my track time so far this year has been in the wet...
...So if any of the all year round commuters would like a lesson in wet/difficult conditions!
Some of us just really can't be arsed with it anymore during the winter.
Edited by Stu R on Friday 24th October 21:19
wiliferus said:
My bike is my sole form of transport so the mrs can keep the car at home with the little one. I've only been riding a month so far and have had a few soggy rides, and had one wet underwear experience 
Rainsuit, underrated, not very sexy, but keep you dry and defendant on bike can fit under a seat fro emergencies.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff