Learning to ride in winter - is this suicide?

[tigger1]

I've been giving serious thought to learning to ride for a while, and possible work changes might make it very useful to be able to commute on a bike (about 20 miles).

Given that I have zero motorbike experience, would it be suicide trying to learn in winter, or is riding in the rain really not much harder than in the sun (assuming going sensibly, on a small/mid sized bike)?

I'm used to cycling in wind / rain - so know about the usual dodging of lines / covers etc

[kawasicki]

I did my direct access in horrible weather, I had a ball...no probs at all, except freakin cold. The first time on a 600cc yamaha diversion, I go in to a corner at the instructed 60mph, it was really lashing it down. The instructor shouts into my helmet speaker "do NOT lift off, keep the power ON", it was quite exciting, a moment later he said, "well done, that was.....exciting".

anyway, go for it, you'll be ready for the nice days in spring!

shane

[dern]

The difference between the dry and the wet isn't as great as your mind would have you believe. Sure you have less grip but you don't have no grip.

Exposure to anything will give you the confidence you need so now is as good a time as any to learn (with the proviso that if you don't have waterproof kit you'll be pretty miserable and you'll get crotch rot).

[Andy Oh]

Winter riding teaches you an awful lot and builds up good confidence and come the spring you'll be more than ready for the dry roads...I did my test in November a good few years back now and the weather was pants but gave me very good grounding and experience for the wet roads on a bike.....go for it you wont regret it.

[dvs636]

Did the same thing last year....

Thought at the time, it was cold and wet and not alot of fun. But it's a good experance for later.....been there done that, so you not affaid of doing it when your forced to..

[remal]

I passed my DAS just over 2 weeks ago. will be looking at selling my Forester to get some money toward the bike. I'm in no rush but would like to get my bike dec/Jan. then ride it most days to work, But I have not far to travel

[JustTheTip]

IMHO no, I learned to drive in late november, at night, in the rain. I learned to ride a bike in the rain, blowing a gale. It wil toughen you up, and make your good weather riding all the better.

This does not mean it's a walk in the park and you should take care!

Ride safe!

[hiccy]

I passed my test yesterday and it rained on every lesson except the last one and my test. I picked up my bike today and I go back to work on Tuesday. On my bike.

If this is a bad idea I'll expect to know soon!

[Steve_T]

Nice one Hiccy! Just take your time and learn how the traffic flows on your route on your first few rides, so you know where you can filter with the least hassle. Ride safe and enjoy!

Steve.

[FrenchTVR]

I would agree with others on here, learning in the winter and crap weather will give you more respect for the conditions from the start and you won't find yourself "caught out" when the weather suddenly changes from dry summer to greasy and wet winter roads.

[sjtscott]

Most of my training done in Oct and Nov finally passed test on 19th Dec 1996. First test cancelled due to really heavy wind/rain yet I still rode to the test centre, next test failed and second proper attempt passed. If you can ride to pass a test in less than ideal weather conditions then it definately helps you in the long run!
BTW my rush to pass was prompted by the change to bike licensing laws on 1st Jan 1997 hence going straight from a 125cc to 600cc sport bike only by a few days. LOL

More importantly I've just realised its not long till my 10th anniversary of getting my license.

[tigger1]

Cheers guys, much appreciated.

Will have to cross my fingers on this job now, as it'll be the perfect "excuse" to go ou and get a bike!

[hiccy]

Another thing mate, just whilst I've re-read your original post: apart from the fact I just plain wanted to, commuting was one of the main motivations for me getting a bike. I live about 10 miles from work and I have to go right through some of the worst traffic in Glasgow. What should be a 20 minute journey regularly takes me 35mins and I have to allow for anything up to an hour for those "bad days" that happen now and again.

I'm kinda fed up leaving the house an hour before I need to start working and taking so long to get home. I really like driving and sitting in a rolling 10 mile jam twice a day is no fun. And then there's the fuel bills: what with SUL hitting damn near a fiver a gallon a little while back and petrol still over £4.00 now, getting even 50-60mpg from a middle weight bike is a huge amount less cash each month than the 25-30mpg I can expect in the car.

So, umm, do it!

[anonymous-user]

Tigger - I've been doing my DAS in some really crap weather. I think it is really valuable to experience this with an instructor who can give you the confidence that bikes behave rather well in the wet!!

[tigger1]

Cheers Hiccy - and good luck with the commute. I'll (hopefully) be needing to travel from Nottingham to Derby (spit) on a daily basis, so a bike would be a major advantage. Economy-wise, I get 50+mpg out of the megane now, even when pushing on, but a bike would also be fun.

The bst bit is that the missus agrees that a bike IS a reasonable propsition, so long as I promise not to kill myself, which is a big change from her views on bikes...I must be wearing her down!

[chilli]

dern said:

you'll get crotch rot).

What the hell is this?!

[sjtscott]

chilli said:

dern said:

you'll get crotch rot).

What the hell is this?!

As long as you have decent waterproofs you don't have to find out! LOL