After the winter break
Discussion
I am very much a fair weather rider these days. I've got my stripes in previous years but use my bike purely for pleasure now.
Yesterday was my first ride of 2026 (other than a 12 mile short blip in February). I just went for a local run around quite early in the morning to re-calibrate myself with the bike again.
I always look forward to this ride because having had 4 months out the saddle it just feels so nice to be back out there. I always forget momentarily how much power I've got. This normally happens when I'm about to overtake a car. Little pause to asses whether it's safe and off we go. Suddenly I'm passed the car and doing a million mph
It's one of my favourite parts of getting back on the bike after winter - just realising how quick and fun it is! The whole experience for me is a mini version of jumping on a quick bike for the first time. Yes the roads were covered in potholes, yes it was 6 degrees and the heated grips were on full but it put a huge grin on my face again and made me crave the summer days.
What are other peoples' takeaways after the winter break? I realise this is PH and most bikers will ride naked through a snowstorm so this is more aimed at the rest of us.
Yesterday was my first ride of 2026 (other than a 12 mile short blip in February). I just went for a local run around quite early in the morning to re-calibrate myself with the bike again.
I always look forward to this ride because having had 4 months out the saddle it just feels so nice to be back out there. I always forget momentarily how much power I've got. This normally happens when I'm about to overtake a car. Little pause to asses whether it's safe and off we go. Suddenly I'm passed the car and doing a million mph
It's one of my favourite parts of getting back on the bike after winter - just realising how quick and fun it is! The whole experience for me is a mini version of jumping on a quick bike for the first time. Yes the roads were covered in potholes, yes it was 6 degrees and the heated grips were on full but it put a huge grin on my face again and made me crave the summer days.
What are other peoples' takeaways after the winter break? I realise this is PH and most bikers will ride naked through a snowstorm so this is more aimed at the rest of us.
I agree. No choice as it's snowy as hell in Canada. Still, a few more weeks yet probably.
I go to a car park and do a few slow figure of 8's too just to get my balance bearings back. It does feel so good to be back on the bike after winter though. I normally wait for one big rain storm to get rid of all the salt and grit they put down on the roads.
I go to a car park and do a few slow figure of 8's too just to get my balance bearings back. It does feel so good to be back on the bike after winter though. I normally wait for one big rain storm to get rid of all the salt and grit they put down on the roads.
Been quite mild around here so I've pretty much ridden all the way through. Big difference between churning to work and going for a run though.
Big thing for me is just the pleasure of being out on the bike, away from traffic with nothing more than following my nose for a plan. I love the smell of dry tarmac in the morning, smells likevictory fun!
Big thing for me is just the pleasure of being out on the bike, away from traffic with nothing more than following my nose for a plan. I love the smell of dry tarmac in the morning, smells like
Things that always surprise me after winter break.
- Better visibility than driving
- How quick any bike with over about 40bhp is
- The lack of grip on wet dirty roads
- How invisible you are to other road users
- Just because it's sunny, that doesn't mean it's warm
To that end I try take it steady to begin with, not that I or anyone I ride with acts especially foolish on the road. I generally tend to go out by myself, get a feel for it without feeling rushed or hurrying someone else along.
Give your bike an kit a quick 5 minute check over too. Never found anything dangerous, but I did find that the inside of my helmet has green mould in it.... s
t!
- Better visibility than driving
- How quick any bike with over about 40bhp is
- The lack of grip on wet dirty roads
- How invisible you are to other road users
- Just because it's sunny, that doesn't mean it's warm
To that end I try take it steady to begin with, not that I or anyone I ride with acts especially foolish on the road. I generally tend to go out by myself, get a feel for it without feeling rushed or hurrying someone else along.
Give your bike an kit a quick 5 minute check over too. Never found anything dangerous, but I did find that the inside of my helmet has green mould in it.... s
t! Up here in Lancs it’s still absolutely awful - it was sunny on Saturday but freezing and I didn’t do anything bikes as I had to seize the opportunity to get to work on the lawn as it was pretty well the first rain free weekend this year. Back to leathering it down since yesterday.
This seems to have been a very long winter.
This seems to have been a very long winter.
Pebbles167 said:
Things that always surprise me after winter break.
- Better visibility than driving
- How quick any bike with over about 40bhp is
- The lack of grip on wet dirty roads
- How invisible you are to other road users
- Just because it's sunny, that doesn't mean it's warm
To that end I try take it steady to begin with, not that I or anyone I ride with acts especially foolish on the road. I generally tend to go out by myself, get a feel for it without feeling rushed or hurrying someone else along.
Give your bike an kit a quick 5 minute check over too. Never found anything dangerous, but I did find that the inside of my helmet has green mould in it.... st!
Now you’ve done it! - Better visibility than driving
- How quick any bike with over about 40bhp is
- The lack of grip on wet dirty roads
- How invisible you are to other road users
- Just because it's sunny, that doesn't mean it's warm
To that end I try take it steady to begin with, not that I or anyone I ride with acts especially foolish on the road. I generally tend to go out by myself, get a feel for it without feeling rushed or hurrying someone else along.
Give your bike an kit a quick 5 minute check over too. Never found anything dangerous, but I did find that the inside of my helmet has green mould in it.... s
t! 
Wash your helmet in winter. Get the lining out if you can and throughly clean the shell in side and out and all the vents with baby shampoo and a soft toothbrush. If you can’t get the lining out then soak it through and spend a lot of time cleaning it. Don’t just put it away and hope it will be OK, as a few years crud will be a breeding ground for all sorts of nasties. Then give it a good polish
Like another poster I am right now retired and in the South East, so I have had no winter break. It has been wet but not cold and I have ridden at least once a week, for fun not going anywhere.
I have also quite enjoyed riding in the wet , practicing being smooth and careful.
When I did used to take weeks off the bike I always felt it took me a long time to get back in. Now I am just a constant level of mediocre.
I have also quite enjoyed riding in the wet , practicing being smooth and careful.
When I did used to take weeks off the bike I always felt it took me a long time to get back in. Now I am just a constant level of mediocre.
Opapayer said:
Now you ve done it!
Wash your helmet in winter. Get the lining out if you can and throughly clean the shell in side and out and all the vents with baby shampoo and a soft toothbrush. If you can t get the lining out then soak it through and spend a lot of time cleaning it. Don t just put it away and hope it will be OK, as a few years crud will be a breeding ground for all sorts of nasties. Then give it a good polish
Top info, thanks! I've usually not kept a helmet long enough to require cleaning but I'm quite fond of this one, so will give it a strip down and de-gunge. Wash your helmet in winter. Get the lining out if you can and throughly clean the shell in side and out and all the vents with baby shampoo and a soft toothbrush. If you can t get the lining out then soak it through and spend a lot of time cleaning it. Don t just put it away and hope it will be OK, as a few years crud will be a breeding ground for all sorts of nasties. Then give it a good polish
Also, I replaced my shocks and had the forks serviced over winter. Crazy how bad it was before in comparison, and i didn't even realise at the time.
Pebbles167 said:
Top info, thanks! I've usually not kept a helmet long enough to require cleaning but I'm quite fond of this one, so will give it a strip down and de-gunge.
Also, I replaced my shocks and had the forks serviced over winter. Crazy how bad it was before in comparison, and i didn't even realise at the time.
If the lining is detachable then you can put it through a gentle wash with a low speed spin in the machine. Best to put the lining inside a wash bag, so that it doesn’t get hammered on the spin cycle. Also, I replaced my shocks and had the forks serviced over winter. Crazy how bad it was before in comparison, and i didn't even realise at the time.
Went out for my first ride this weekend since September!
Lovely to be out but I was gingerly tip toeing around as the roads around me really have deteriorated even more over the last 6 months. Not only potholes but loose gravelly top surface where the roads have broken down.
I was looking to get a sportier bike for this Summer but I think I should be looking at an Adventurer!
Lovely to be out but I was gingerly tip toeing around as the roads around me really have deteriorated even more over the last 6 months. Not only potholes but loose gravelly top surface where the roads have broken down.
I was looking to get a sportier bike for this Summer but I think I should be looking at an Adventurer!
Opapayer said:
If the lining is detachable then you can put it through a gentle wash with a low speed spin in the machine. Best to put the lining inside a wash bag, so that it doesn t get hammered on the spin cycle.
I clean mine at the start of each year.The White Arai I use with the small bikes was bought in 2011, the lining in that does not come out. I soak it with the shower head in the bath, into the vents both ways, you should see the amount of dead flies and muck that comes out.
I then use a liberal amount of shampoo (alberto balsam) and work it in for a good 5 minutes. I then rinse the lining until there isn't any sign of shampoo suds present.
I leave it in the sink or bath overnight to let the majority of water to escape, it'll take 3 - 4 days to dry thoroughly after that.
The lining still feels well padded, and, of course smells like new.
I have a couple of days left for the 2 year old Arai to dry that I use on the bigger bikes.
Biker's Nemesis said:
I clean mine at the start of each year.
The White Arai I use with the small bikes was bought in 2011, the lining in that does not come out. I soak it with the shower head in the bath, into the vents both ways, you should see the amount of dead flies and muck that comes out.
I then use a liberal amount of shampoo (alberto balsam) and work it in for a good 5 minutes. I then rinse the lining until there isn't any sign of shampoo suds present.
I leave it in the sink or bath overnight to let the majority of water to escape, it'll take 3 - 4 days to dry thoroughly after that.
The lining still feels well padded, and, of course smells like new.
I have a couple of days left for the 2 year old Arai to dry that I use on the bigger bikes.
Wouldn't the polystyrene in a 15yr old helmet be powder by now?The White Arai I use with the small bikes was bought in 2011, the lining in that does not come out. I soak it with the shower head in the bath, into the vents both ways, you should see the amount of dead flies and muck that comes out.
I then use a liberal amount of shampoo (alberto balsam) and work it in for a good 5 minutes. I then rinse the lining until there isn't any sign of shampoo suds present.
I leave it in the sink or bath overnight to let the majority of water to escape, it'll take 3 - 4 days to dry thoroughly after that.
The lining still feels well padded, and, of course smells like new.
I have a couple of days left for the 2 year old Arai to dry that I use on the bigger bikes.
Biker 1 said:
I read somewhere about a bloke who put his gloves in the freezer for several days - apparently it kills the bacteria. Not sure if this is an old wife's tail or if you could do the same with your lid (???)
Fine for gloves as it would work if you left them in there for 24hours or so, but for a lid any moisture trapped is going to cause voids/cracks to form in the foam. If the lining isn't removable then the old shower/bath shampoo and several days to dry approach is the safest. I generally find myself replacing lids every 3 years or so anyhow as by then the visor is absolutely knackered with micro scratches and so is the pinlock, and it normally works out only a tiny bit more cash to replace the whole lot so I treat myself!Biker 1 said:
I read somewhere about a bloke who put his gloves in the freezer for several days - apparently it kills the bacteria. Not sure if this is an old wife's tail or if you could do the same with your lid (???)
Bacteria can and do survive freezer type conditions. As such, it works to some extent but the bacteria have not all been killed so the "yuck" smell returns pretty quickly. Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff