Cold Weather Concerns
With the thermometer hovering at 40F and the roads mostly dry, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to ride the motorcycle to drive the moisture from the oil, exercise the battery, and make room for some fresh gasoline. And like so often is the case when I decide to “take a quick ride” to keep the motorcycle in good riding condition, I neglect to weigh all the conditions related to winter motorcycle riding.
For me, what I usually neglect to consider is my physical readiness to ride a motorcycle in cold weather. And for most riders, 40F qualifies as cold.
The first ride of the season is always problematic for me. I get cold easily and regardless of how well I gear up, it’s a shock to my system. And on this day, I made a few estimations of necessary gear that were just wrong. Maybe 5 years ago they would have been right. But not now. Time is taking its toll.
Part of the attraction of winter motorcycle riding for me is the competition that’s created between me and the elements. That competition has pushed me to ride in extremely cold weather, snow, ice, and places I probably should have made other plans.
So that’s often how it starts; a quick ride to accomplish some imagined task, a look at the weather with a self-confident “I’ve got this,” and a hurried donning of gear with little serious evaluation of what’s to come.
Regardless, it was a fine winter day to be out in the world on a motorcycle.
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