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Is your bike feeling the bite?

Blog post posted on 05/12/23 |
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Advice

There’s nothing worse than your motorcycle not starting on a cold, icy morning, but with a bit of planning, you can make sure your vehicle is ready for the colder months. Richard Gladman, Chief Examiner at IAM RoadSmart, has a handy guide to help you prepare for the colder weather.

  • Plan your route, if the weather is bad stick to the main routes where possible as they will have received attention from the gritters, if you are using minor roads make sure someone is expecting you and will notice that you are delayed. Carry a fully charged mobile phone and keep it switched on, the tracking apps on these can help re-assure your family you are safe and moving. And finally plan for the whole day – not just the weather when you leave, check the forecast.
  • Check your battery. Batteries can be temperamental in the cold weather, so make sure it has been charged before you head out.  If it’s an older battery it might be a good idea to get it checked – better still if you can, keep it on an optimate (other battery conditioning chargers are available) this will charge and discharge the battery to maintain its condition.
  • Check that your tyres are correctly inflated have plenty of tread left. With the overly wet and slushy roads that inevitably accompany the winter months, it’s vital your tyres have good tread depth. For more advice on motorbike tyre safety, check out TyreSafe.   
  • Checking your engine’s coolant and oil is simple and it can save you a ton of hassle, remember to keep the bike vertical when checking this by getting someone to sit on the bike whilst you check the fluids. Read your handbook first, there may be a specific way to do this on your bike.
  • Making sure your lights are in good working order is essential if it is to remain in a road legal condition. You should make sure that your headlights, indicators, fog light and brake lights all work properly.
  • And not forgetting you, dress correctly in warm comfortable bike attire. Good gloves and boots will help you stay warm and alert. Heated kit is much more affordable these days and makes a world of difference. Check your visor; those little scratches will show up on the dark nights and headlamps in the rain make vision almost impossible.

Richard said: "Autumn and winter can bring difficult riding conditions with heavy rain, strong winds, frosty mornings and snow. Preparation is key to avoiding a dangerous situation whilst riding in bad weather, if the weather is too extreme common sense dictates two wheels may not be suitable. Don't rely on the performance of your bike’s systems to get you out of trouble, ABS and traction control should be an absolute last resort - allow time, create a safe space, make sure you have good visibility, and carry the right equipment. If conditions are extreme remember the best advice is not to travel.”

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