How To Handle A Fall (Assuming It's Inevitable) By: James R. Davis

Of all the Tips I have posted here, this one is clearly the least credible in the sense that I have no experience in the matter, nor can I imagine a way to practice that makes any sense to me (nor would I want to.)

Still, I will post the thoughts in the hope that the reader will not take them as advice, but purely my opinions on the matter. Further, I suspect that in real life one does not have time to do anything deliberate until after the first impact, and then there may be no decisions possible. On the other hand, since I have personally witnessed a deliberate and life-saving maneuver by a woman who had just suffered a highside accident, I know that at least some people retain enough presence of mind in an accident that the following couple of ideas just might help.

• The objective should always be NOT to fall - even if the bike is going down. That is why I teach my friends how to dismount their bikes (at slow speeds) if it is dumping, or to stay with it until after first impact at higher speeds, if possible.
• DO NOT TRY TO BREAK YOUR FALL WITH YOUR HANDS!!! In other words, try to impact with as much of your body at the same time as possible.
• If you are doing a lowside the bike is ahead of you and you want it to stay that way. Since the coefficient of friction between you and the ground/asphalt is higher than of a metal motorcycle, you want to get as much of your body on the ground at the same time as you can to slow you as quickly as possible so the bike will slide away from you. In other words, arms over head, feet first, butt down. Stay LOOSE (relaxed, in as large a configuration as possible.) LET GO OF THE MOTORCYCLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!!
• If you are doing a highside you will be in front of the bike when you hit the ground. You want to move as fast as possible - in the same direction you were going and for as long as you can - in order to try to avoid getting crushed. In other words, you want to 'tuck' and roll as soon as you can after you hit the ground. Stay TIGHT (in as small a configuration as possible.)

Before you try to get up after taking a spill you must be sure that you have come to a stop first! Wait a couple of seconds until you are sure.

I don't think most people will have time to do anything deliberate at all by way of falling. But perhaps I'm wrong and the above thoughts can in some way be of assistance.
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Following the posting of this Tip I received many e-mail messages which argued that a person simply does not have time to do anything that could affect the outcome of a fall. I responded with the following:

quote:

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My comments had very little to do with how you hit the ground following a 'get off' as I don't think there is sufficient time to do anything very deliberate until after the first impact, and then there may be no decisions possible. Rather, I was trying to suggest that as you are coming to rest (assuming you can function at all) then you should try to END UP either loose (as much body contact as possible with the ground) or tight (as little body contact as possible with the ground - tuck and roll posture) depending on if you went down on the low side or the highside.

Despite the fact that I don't think most people would have either the time nor the presence of mind to do much 'thinking' during a 'get off', some do. I have personally seen, for example, a woman in her late fifties do a 50 MPH highside and when she landed, because (I believe - she can't remember) she was so afraid that the bike would land on top of her, began a rapid rolling maneuver that saved her life (the motorcycle stopped 1 foot short of where she did.) I have personally witnessed this same woman (honest) respond to a huge wind gust that knocked her bike over just as we were coming to a stop at a pullout on the top of a mountain and she was thrown over her bike, this time at about 5 MPH.

During this latter 'highside' she actually did a summersault before hitting the ground - a clearly deliberate move on her part (we all watched as she tucked her head down and 'kicked' away from her bike which allowed her to land on her curved back and then she 'unwound' and stopped her roll by spreading her legs. (She had gotten away from the bike that was following her, but wanted to stop rather than keep going.) Good thing, because had she gone another five feet she would have had a SEVENTY FOOT fall off the mountain. (There was no fence or guard rail that would have stopped it.) Incidentally, Elaine saw both of these 'highsides' , too.

Anyway, I mention these events because they left a very strong impression on me that some people DO have the presence of mind to determine how to END a fall, despite how fast things are happening to them. I'm not at all sure I'm one of those people, but at least I have thought about it and know that if I'm in front of my motorcycle I want to keep moving until I can't move any more - and I want as small an exposed profile as possible, just in case that bike catches up with me.

As to the lowside concept of trying to end up on your back, arms over your head, feet first - this was originally told to me by a motorcycle 'stunt man' in LA a couple of decades ago about how he tries to stop after a dismount. (Not that any of us are into that sort of thing, of course. )

SAVING TIME CAN COST YOU MONEY by Bill Bish

In the current economic downturn, cash-strapped states across the U.S. are charging huge fines for speeding violations and other traffic infractions. All across America, legislators have one eye on road safety and the other on depleted coffers, and depending on where you live a speeding ticket can cost from under a hundred dollars to a couple thousand or more, reports AOL Autos.

 

Drivers caught speeding in the states of Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire all are liable to be fined up to $1000, at a judge's discretion, for a first-time speeding offense, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The severity of the financial penalty also may depend upon the number of miles above the speed limit when clocked and the number of points on a driver's license, or if the offense occurred near a school or road works. A driver's license may also be suspended, their vehicle impounded, or they may face jail time. 

Some states including Michigan, Texas and New Jersey, operate under so-called "driver responsibility" laws, which, in some cases, can result in a further fine of up to $1000 leveled a year after the conviction. Virginia, which until 2008 had some of the strictest penalties for speeders, repealed its driver-responsibility laws last year after a public outcry. Georgia, meanwhile, has just voted to add $200 to the fine of what it terms "superspeeders," who travel more than 10 mph over the speed limit. Other states with fines of up to $500 -- which in many cases is then compounded with additional court fees -- include Maryland, Missouri and Oregon.

Hydroplaning Issues What is it? What to do about it? Are they making new tires less safe? By: James R. Davis

 

Hydroplaning is the result of your tires moving FAST across a wet surface - so fast that they do not have sufficient time to channel that moisture away from the center of the tire. The result is that the tire is lifted by the water away from the road and all traction is thus lost.

Of course the word 'fast' is a relative term. Tread design, tread depth, weight of motorcycle, tire pressure, depth of water and even the consistency of that water - (whether it is highly aerated or not, for example) - all play a part in determining at what speed the tire will begin to hydroplane. It is a pretty safe bet to assume that any speed in excess of 60 MPH is fast enough to support hydroplaning regardless of the other variables. This is not to say that at 55 MPH you are safe, however. (A formula that comes close to predicting the speed at which you will hydroplane, assuming at least .2" of water on the ground, is: 10.27 * Sqrt(tire pressure) which shows that if your tires hold 35 psi, hydroplaning can be expected at 60.76 MPH, while tires with 41 psi of air in them should expect hydroplaning at about 65.75 MPH. 

Another formula that is somewhat more accurate, though much harder to calculate, is: 7.95 * Sqrt(tire pressure * contact patch width / contact patch length). This formula shows that the wider the contact patch is relative to its length, the higher the speed required to support hydroplaning. I bring this to your attention because it is contrary to my understanding that a wider tire is more susceptible to hydroplaning than is a narrower tire, yet this particular formula seems to yield a closer approximation of the threshold hydroplaning speed. In other words, I cannot explain why the formula seems to work.

In any event, there are two absolutely essential NO-NO's to remember should you experience the beginning of hydroplaning:

• Do NOT apply your brakes
• Do NOT try to steer in any direction but straight ahead

Though I am not formally trained in the matter I would suggest that the only thing you can possibly do to help the situation is to feather your clutch to moderate your speed without the possibility of drive train 'snap' that would result from an abrupt change of the accelerator.

Hope there is an idea in there that you can work with. Frankly, I think if you start to hydroplane the odds are that you are going to go down unless you keep the front wheel pointed absolutely dead ahead and it is of the briefest of durations.

While on this subject I would like to make another observation about our tires. If you look at the stock front tire on all new GoldWings you will see a Dunlop K177.



If you look at the tire tread pattern you will also see that the grooves are cut in such a way as to tend to channel water away from the center of the tire if it is rotating in accord with the arrow stamped on the side of the tire. This seems to be consistent with what the Dunlop factory rep advised in his latest message to me on the subject.


However, if you look at the front tire tread pattern of the new Dunlop Elite II's (K491) they are aligned in exactly the opposite way. That is, they tend to channel water towards the center of the tire. This CANNOT be the most effective way to diminish the odds of hydroplaning! Either the K177 or the K491 is safer on wet streets based on those tread patterns. (I believe that most new street bikes (other than Honda) come with tires treaded like the K491's.)

If anyone knows why I sure would like to hear about it. Thanks.

I, of course, tried to find out the answer for myself. I wrote to the company that manufactures these tires and in my letter I explained my concerns, just as I did above.

Following is the terse response I received from the Dunlop Tire Corporation to those concerns. I think you can draw a few conclusions from this 'hedge" - at least one of which is that hydroplaning and braking compete with each other from a tread design point of view. It might also be concluded that if you start using these newer designs you should lower your speeds in the future when the roads are wet, below what used to work just fine for you (I will!).

quote:

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Our development and testing during the design of the Elite II front tire determined optimum overall performance was achieved with this pattern which includes wet traction and braking.

Dunlop Tire Corporation

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(This response was signed by a person named Tom Daley.)

Mind you that I am not of the opinion that Dunlop has made a mistake with this design! In fact, I think braking performance is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than hydroplaning resistance. This is particularly true since we can usually choose how fast we drive on wet streets but often cannot choose when it is necessary to stop quickly. I would have liked a little more candor from them on the issue, however.

For example, (because it is left to me to interpret their response), I do not know if they were actually saying that they had determined that the old design (such as IS being shipped on the front tires of new Wings) is better or not than the K491 design from an hydroplaning point of view.

Glad-Handling those Bad Landings Tips on the Perfect Motorcycle Gloves by Gary IIminen

For many of us, gloves are gloves. If they fit fairly comfortably and prevent blisters or keep our hands warm in cold weather, we’re pretty much good with whatever we happen to have at hand—pun intended.

 

But, where power sports are concerned, selecting the right gloves can make a big difference in our enjoyment, comfort and safety.

Sizing seems pretty basic, but it makes the difference between day-long comfort and “can’t wait to take ‘em off” discomfort. Checking out the size of your favorite current gloves is a pretty good guide and manufacturers have handy sizing charts, as well for buying online.

One trick I’ve learned for riding in a climate that can be finger-numbing cold in the morning and toasty in the afternoon is to double glove. Wear a light, snug-fitting riding motorcycle glove with thin leather palm and mesh or stretch fabric back inside a heavier leather and/or insulated glove. As the temps rise, take off the outer glove leaving the lighter, cooler glove to provide protection without being too warm. Some snowmobile gloves feature a removable glove liner, but that may not be designed to act as a lightweight glove in itself.

I’ve found that tactic is particularly good for off-road ATV and motorcycle riding and for snowmobile riding, improving protection when trailside branches whack your hands. The thin gloves are also very good for handling tools in sub-zero cold when exposing bare skin can cause frost-bite in a matter of minutes and handling steel tools can literally cause them to freeze to the skin. It can be very difficult to use tools with the bulkier insulated gloves or mitts on. Getting the outer glove in a size or two larger than usual makes this work pretty well.

Depending on your sport and season, you may want motorcycle gloves that keep your hands warm, dry and protected, or cool, dry and protected.

A variety of approaches exist to meet both goals. Perhaps the most dizzying aspect of glove design these days is the variety of materials used in glove construction. Even basic leather gloves have variations: goat skin, lamb skin, buck skin, pigskin, full-grain cowhide, suede and combinations of more than one type. Solid, perforated, fingerless, non-lined, lined, insulated, non-insulated, gel-pad palms, you name it.

Leather has a natural beauty to it, tends to be supple and provides reasonably good weather and abrasion protection. Add some treatment to the surface and you have a waterproof, tough, comfortable basic glove that easily mashes down to fit into your pockets. These types of gloves tend to be reasonably priced, too, generally ranging from as little as about $20 for your basic styles to the $60-$70 range depending on the options.

But the real revolution in glove design is in the use of synthetic materials. Stretch mesh for the back and sides of the gloves allow near-total ventilation, which may be augmented by finger vents, while providing abrasion protection and second-skin fit. High-tack silicone rubber and similar materials added to palm and fingers prevents slippage on the hand-grips and levers, supple finger materials allow maximum “touch” for fine control, pre-curved fingers and palms virtually eliminate “break-in” for the grip. Add Kevlar® fiber in back, wrist and gauntlet with hard knuckle and finger armor and you’ve got a competition-grade protection package.

Speaking of competition, if you intend to use the gloves for racing, check the rules for the sanctioning body; some types of racing won’t allow some types of gloves. For example, in land speed racing no synthetic materials are allowed—leather only, a minimum three inch gauntlet is required and wrist closures are mandatory. European (CE) standards exist for professional motorcycle gloves: EN 13594:2002. No equivalent U.S. standards exist. Fully appointed racing gloves can range from $50 to about $200, depending on the required equipment.

Adjustable wrist closures with Velcro® or snaps assure the gloves will stay on when you need their protection most. They are a good feature to have for leisure riding gloves and are essential for competition. Elastic bands are ok for some applications, but to be effective in some situations, they’d generally have to be so snug, they may be uncomfortable.

Other features like battery-operated heaters, finger-mounted face shield wipers, reflective piping or panels, gel padding in the fingers or palms, or key pockets are all items to consider, depending on your riding plans.

BIKER BABES -- HAPPY FRIDAY -- EYE CANDY

Biker Babes For The Guys and The Music Is Hot As Well By Journey, Enjoy!
Sorry ladies we did try to find video's somewhere anywhere that had Biker Hunks and there are none out there. So please don't be offended.

HINTS AND TIPS FOR RIDING IN THE RAIN by Shannon Duffy

It's 8AM Tuesday morning and you peer out your kitchen window. Although the weatherman on TV had announced the night before that clear skies were in today's forecast, dark grey rain clouds are looming in the distance. While sipping on your morning cup-a-Joe, you try to estimate just how soon they'll be hovering over your home and contemplate thoughts to yourself such as, 'If I leave now, maybe, just maybe I'll be able to make it in to work without getting wet.' After all, that shiny bike of yours, sitting in the garage all night is begging for you to take it for another spin. 

You glance back up at the clouds and decide that yet again, you will chance it and ride on into work. In case luck is not on your side, here are some tips on how to prepare for riding in the rain and to keep yourself as dry and as safe as possible without having to succumb to driving to work in a cage. Let's begin!

Gear - In an ideal situation, you'll have invested in some all weather riding gear including waterproof boots and if that's the case then good for you! The minimum investment you should have on hand when it comes to rain gear is waterproof gloves that fasten securely around your wrist. Not only do gloves keep your hands dry during a rainstorm, but they'll also help keep them warm too. Another option is purchasing a rain suit to wear over your leathers if you don't have all weather gear. Waterproof your boots prior to riding in the rain as an extra precaution. However if you still don't want to spend a few extra dollars on a rain suit and waterproofing boot spray, then another, albeit low-cost option is to wear a couple of large trash bags over your clothing and plastic grocery bags inside your boots wrapped around your socks to help with rain-proofing yourself. Riding in the rain is not fun, but it's even worse if you get soaked.

Tires - Tires with a good tread pattern on them are the safest type to use when it's raining. This is because, there's more rubber to grip the slippery road. Still, even with decent tread on the tires, pushing your two-wheeler to the limits in the rain, be it a drizzle or a downpour, is not advised unless you want to hydroplane or worse yet, lay your bike down in front of oncoming traffic.

Wait - Oil and grease on the road tends to loosen up and sit on the surface during the start of the rain, so allow a solid 15 minutes or so for cars to splash the excess muck off onto the side of the street. Otherwise, you're just asking for trouble!

Avoidances - Steer clear of the painted lines on streets and hi-ways because they become extremely slick when wet. Common sense should encourage you to ride in the path of the tire trails left by vehicles in front of you since it will be the area on the road with the least amount of water on it. Manhole covers and railroad tracks are very slick when wet too. Avoid them if at all possible, but if you must cross over them, heed with caution keeping a steady throttle.

Visor Care - To help eliminate rain from building up on your visor and impairing your vision, there are a few products on the market you can apply prior to riding such as Fog Off. This product and products like it encourage the water to roll and bounce right off of the visor. Your visor may also indeed become foggy while riding in the rain and although there are products on the market to help prevent that too, just cracking your visor open a smidge every now and again will help quickly eliminate this problem.

Though motorcycle riders generally avoid riding in the rain at all costs for obvious reasons, there is still that rare occasion that may sneak up on you and leave you in a compromising situation. Be prepared and alert so that you'll still be around to ride on future dry weather days as well!

SOUND REASONING SILENCES N.H. NOISE ORDINANCE by Bill Bish AIM/NCOM

Although North Hampton, New Hampshire voters approved a noise ordinance in May that prohibits motorcycles without an EPA sticker from being operated or even parked in town, a lawyer for the federal agency has expressed that just because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires a label on all motorcycle mufflers indicating the noise the vehicle produces does not exceed 80 decibels doesn't mean a municipality has the authority to enforce that noise level.

"The Noise Control Act (NCA), which authorizes EPA to enact noise control regulations, states that 'nothing in this section precludes or denies the right of any state or political subdivision thereof to establish and enforce controls on environmental noise,” wrote EPA Senior Assistant Regional Counsel Timothy Williamson in an Aug. 31 letter to North Hampton Town Administrator Steve Fournier. "However, neither does it grant localities any additional authority to control environmental noise beyond that available to them under state and local law."

"The ordinance basically bans motorcycles from the town if they do not have an EPA label on their exhaust system even though the motorcycles comply with the state's noise level limit of 106 decibels," said Seacoast Harley-Davidson in court papers challenging the new law.

Even the town’s own legal counsel has indicated the ordinance is unenforceable, saying that the state has already determined the appropriate noise levels for motorcycles and that the town, therefore, does not have the option of creating its own more restrictive noise ordinance.

That opinion was clearly reiterated in Williamson's letter on behalf of the EPA. "Thus, neither the NCA nor the regulations in Part 205 (of the EPA code) grant municipalities the authority to enact or enforce ordinances that supersede any limitations on their authority under state law," he wrote.

Town officials decided not to fight the Harley dealer’s request for a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the noise ordinance. "The ordinance will remain unenforced until we have a hearing," Fournier said, indicating that the town’s new noise ordinance will not be enforced until after the judge issues a ruling on the matter.

CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS HOPE TO HUSH LOUD PIPES by Bill Bish AIM/NCOM

California is home to the largest population of motorcyclists in the country, and if legislators have their way, it could also soon be home to one of the most onerous anti-motorcycle laws in America.

By a bare majority vote of 21-16 on August 30 the state Senate approved SB435 which will make it a crime to operate a motorcycle manufactured after Jan. 1, 2013 that fails to meet federal noise-emission control standards and that all new motorcycles sold after that date must display and maintain compliance labels from the Environmental Protection Agency. 

A similar bill last session would have required biennial smog checks for emissions violations, but after meeting resistance from bikers’ rights groups it has since been amended to target illegally modified exhaust systems. Supporters of the bill say that many motorcycle owners modify their exhausts to make them louder, but swapping a compliant tailpipe equipped with a catalytic converter for one without emissions controls produces more smog-forming pollutants per mile.  

Opponents of the measure counter that many aftermarket exhausts meet federal EPA emissions standards but aren’t labeled, and labeling on stock systems is often difficult to locate, meaning that law-abiding riders could be unfairly ticketed. SB435 has already passed the Assembly and its fate now lies in the hands of the state’s most famous motorcycle rider, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose office has not yet taken a position on the proposed legislation.

Bandit's Tour Rider Essentials

If you are plan on taking a road trip this fall or winter here is a check-list of items that should help you on your trip.

Here are a few items you might want to consider including in your own personal moto-touring packing list:

1. Clear Contact paper or low-tack tape (great for protecting motorcycle bodywork from luggage straps and bungee cords)
2. Soft-hook tie-downs (great for creating bungee cord hooks)
3. Bungee cords
4. Siphon hose
5. Ziplock bags (thousands of uses—you can even drain gas into a bag from one bike's petcock, then pour it into another bike)
6. Zip-ties
7. Duct tape and electrical tape (wrap a small amount around each leg of the pliers in your bike's tool kit to save space)
8. Flat repair kit (tube or tubeless, depending on your machine)
9. CO2 cartridge tire inflators, or another type of inflation device
10. Chain master link
11. Handi-wipes
12. Cellphone / GPS Device
13. Bike Cover
14. Flashlight
15. Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife
16. Tire pressure gauge
17. Shop rags
18. Extra fuses
19. Extra ignition key
20. Towel
21. Aspirin
22. Earplugs
23. Sunblock
24. Chapstick
25. $20 bill hidden on Bike
26. Up-to-date license and registration
27. Spare glasses
28. Spare dark or light faceshield
29. Bandana (protect your neck from cold or your mouth from dust; or, in hot weather, soak it in water and tie it around your neck)
30. Laundry detergent (powder)/clothespins (for washing out a shirt in your room)
31. Space blanket
32. Lighter
33. Rain-X (check your windshield manufacturer for use)
34. Faceshield cleaner
35. Water (one of those backpack hydration systems can be a lifesaver in hot weather)
36. U-lock/disc lock
37. Raingear (with glove and boot covers)
38. Walking shoes
39. Weather radio
40. Spare helmet hardware (plastic screws)
41. Garbage bags (for rainproofing your luggage or even as an extra windproof layer on you in extreme cold)
42. Telephone calling card
43. Camera
44. Emergency medical and contact info in wallet

Windscreens Bigger May Not Be Better At All By: James R. Davis

There has been a trend over the past few years of ever bigger windscreens showing up on our bikes. You cannot attend a major rally without seeing at least one vendor of these 'super-duper', 'larger-than-life', 'aerodynamic', 'custom-made', 'co-rider-friendly' pieces of plastic.

I like having a good windscreen in front of me. I like cutting most of the wind that buffets me during a long ride. I like having the bugs hit something other than my teeth. I like rain drops splashing on the plastic and then sliding up and over my head.

But I do not like their cost in terms of gasoline mileage or top-end speed. I do not like banging my forehead (excuse me - my helmet) on the windscreen when I mount my motorcycle. I dislike greatly not being able to look OVER my windscreen when things around me get dicey or visibility gets poor. I dislike reports of melted dashboards from leaving a bike in the sun at exactly the wrong time of day and pointed at the wrong angle relative to the sun.

As to 'aerodynamic', says who? Wind resistance is not just the angle at which you hit the wind. There is as much resistance caused by the vacuum behind your windscreen than from the wind hitting it in the front. The greater the 'apparent' surface area your windscreen has (the height times the width as seen from the front), the greater its resistance is, in one form or the other.

As to 'co-rider-friendly', what about 'rider-friendly' first? Have you ever driven at night and had difficulty seeing through your windscreen because your dash lights are all being reflected back at you from your new 'super-duper-swept-back' windscreen MIRROR? And should you get into an accident and find your head forced down by that windscreen that is levered over your head, what part of that new windscreen do you think your co-rider is going to hit first? (Notice how close the edge now is to her eyes?)

Like having that windscreen sweep around your grips? I guess you never did like the convenience of hanging your helmet using its D-ring and the peg that was designed to fit it?

Well, the larger screens look good. They are just right for some people. But do yourself a favor and take a ride behind one of them for a few hundred miles, day and night, before you decide to give up what you know works for one of these 'custom-made' monsters. The old one you already have just might be better than you think.

How to Pick the Perfect Motorcycle Jacket - Bike Bandit.com

Riding this fall or this winter make sure you have the right jacket to protect you from all the elements that mother nature has to offer besides road rash:).

How do you tell if a girl’s a biker? Well, OK, besides the helmet hair? You check out her jacket. The right jacket can make you look like a biker off the bike, feel like one on the bike, and the perfect jacket just might literally save your skin. It’s 21st century armor, with fashion flair.

The right jacket combines comfort, safety, and fashion in an affordable, attractive package. I put comfort first, because the safest jacket doesn’t do you any good if you leave it on the hanger. Let’s talk about comfort for the two most common types of jacket: leather and mesh.

Leather – It’s the classic biker jacket material, and with good reason. A stout leather motorcycle jacket will save you from road rash, turn aside the chill of a 60-mile-an-hour wind, and turn heads when you walk into the local watering hole. A real biker’s leather jacket is heavy. Still, good heavy leather doesn’t have to be stiff. You want it to fit your torso fairly tight, so it doesn’t flap in the breeze. But it has to let you move the ways that bikers move. You should be able to turn and look behind you without taking your arms off the handlebars. I like to the fit the jacket to my chest but have side straps below to adjust to the waist. While a leather jacket that covers my butt is warm walking on a cold day, on the saddle I can turn easier if the jacket stops at the waist. 

The sleeve length and cuff style are also important. The sleeve and your glove need to make a comfortable wind-blocking duo. In addition, leather jackets need a removable liner for cold weather. I like liners with elastic cuffs – they’re nice and warm. The neck of the jacket should be smooth and shouldn’t rub your motorcycle helmet or your throat when you turn your head. When the sun’s beating down on you riding out to Sturgis, you want air – zip-open mesh on your forearms, a couple of vents in the front, and two long vertical vents on your back.

Mesh – I discovered the joys of mesh motorcycle jackets when I first rode south from my native Minnesota to Arkansas in the heat of July. Mesh jacket makers have discovered a way to keep you cool with lots of airflow and somehow I never even got sunburned. It’s easy to move in a mesh jacket, and comfort seems to be affected by only two things: the padding and the liner. Padding in a mesh jacket is there for your protection. The pads help protect from road rash, but they are designed to protect you from impact. 

There is removable padding in the shoulders, elbows, and back, tucked into pockets in the jacket. You want to be sure the padding in the right place for you. The liners for mesh jackets have some challenges- they often designed to be warm and waterproof at the same time. The ones that succeed at both and are comfortable usually have some kind of breathability – you don’t want to trade cold and breezy for warm and clammy.

So there you have it – serious women bikers have a number of choices. Consider where you live, how you ride, and what you ride, and there should be a perfect motorcycle jacket out there for you.

Extend Your Riding Season: Cold Weather Strategies - Bill Andrews

For those that just can't stop riding because just because it's Winter here are some great tips to help your winter riding season a little bit easier.

Old man winter lets loose a final blast to knock that last orange leaf to the ground. For some, it's time to roll the two-wheeled companion into a corner of the garage, throw the battery on a trickle charger, and hope for an early spring. For others, there is no end to the riding season, just a change in riding gear.

No, we're not talking about those who live in perpetual sunshine and warmth, but rather, folks who don't let cold weather deprive them of their favorite form of transportation. With a little knowledge and a few cold weather tricks, your riding season can be extended.

Here are some strategies for dealing with the worst winter has to offer:

Ice

Black ice — really just an ominous name for hard-to-see frozen water on the road — can occur any time the temperature has been near the freezing point, or where frost can form. Some touring bikes have an air-temperature thermometer, but adding one to any bike is a cheap fix.

Bridges are susceptible to icing because they are disconnected from the warmth of the Earth and cool faster when air temperatures drop. Watch for spots on the road that are shaded from the sun. Well-traveled roads are often better, because passing traffic melts and dries the moisture.

If you do feel like you're on an icy patch, don't make any sudden moves, and don't touch the brakes. Pull in the clutch and let the bike coast until you're clear.

Hypothermia

That cold shiver up your spine isn't just uncomfortable. It could also be a warning. Hypothermia occurs when your core body temperature drops significantly, and it can be deadly. Temperatures don't need to be below freezing to induce hypothermia. Wind chill gets worse as wind speeds increase, and the longer you're out, the worse it gets.

One early sign of potential hypothermia occurs when you start feeling cold and you can't decide if you should pull over or not. The answer is always yes, but your judgment may be clouded. Long before this point occurs, you should have pulled into that nice warm cafe and had some hot chocolate or soup.

Uncontrolled shivering and chattering teeth are signs of real danger. You may start to feel dizzy, or even drunk, as your muscles begin to stiffen. Continued exposure may cause the shivering to slow down or even stop, but by then you're in serious trouble.

The Well-Dressed Rider

How do you mitigate the dangers of cold weather? First of all, cover up. It all boils down to insulating your body. To do that, you need to layer.

Synthetics work better for your inner layer than cotton, which holds moisture against your skin. On top of that, wear fleece, wool, or other layers that provide insulation. The idea is to let your body create a warm pocket of air between you and the environment. 

Finally, you need to stop the environment from stealing your warm air. Your outer layer needs to block the wind. Leather works; denim, for example, doesn't. These days, we also have a broad array of choices in nylon gear made specifically for motorcycling that provides versatile weather protection with vents, removable liners, waterproof membranes, adjustable fit, etc. If you choose outerwear that isn't waterproof, such as a leather jacket, be sure to carry a rainsuit that fits over it. Getting wet robs you of your insulation.

Whichever outer layer you choose, remember that it should provide crash protection, too. Buy gear made for motorcycling, not the fashion show.

Hands can be particularly vulnerable to the cold. Gauntlet-style gloves will help you seal the gap between gloves and jacket. Gloves with a breathable, waterproof liner will keep rain out while allowing moisture from perspiration to escape.

It may be obvious, but a full-face helmet will keep you warmer than no helmet, or an open-face helmet. Sealing the area around your neck with a bandanna, or better yet a fleece or wind- and waterproof neck warmer, can make a dramatic difference. A balaclava (right) under the helmet provides a lot of additional comfort for minimal bulk.

What About the Bike?

No matter how well you're dressed, cold air has a way of sneaking in and robbing heat. The longer you're on the road, the worse it gets. Your front line in the defense against cold is to block the wind.

A windshield or fairing is a good front-line defense. Mounting a small windshield on your handlebars, if your bike doesn't have one, can be enough to divert the wind off your chest and help keep your upper-body vital organs warm.

Going Electric

No matter how well you dress, if you're on the road long enough, you'll lose more heat than your body can generate. Long riders resort to electrical assistance. Heated clothing, which uses your bike's electrical system to power heating elements, makes a huge difference by not just insulating you, but adding heat to the whole equation.

Gloves start around $100. Vests, depending on the style, can go from $100 to $200. Socks can range from simple D-cell powered items that sell for around $25, to $90 systems that hook into the rest of your electric riding gear.

Make sure your charging system can handle the load. Find out the output of your charging system, add up the draw from all your electrical gear, and make sure you're not draining your battery. Also, leave a margin of error, because your bike's output may be measured at cruising rpms and it may produce considerably less electrical power at idle.

For many riders, a vest alone is enough. If you keep your torso warm, your body will focus on pumping warm blood to your extremities. If you torso gets cold, you body will abandon the extremities to try to keep the vital organs warm, and that's when you can suffer from dangerously numb hands or, possibly, frostbitten toes.

Chemical Options

Another option is a lightweight, disposable heat pack, which offers a different kind of protection.

Imagine you're out for a ride on a nice fall day. You're so consumed with the changing leaves that you don't notice how far you've ridden. It's getting dark and cold — fast. A bit of quick heat can make all the difference.

An outdoor gear store, or even one of the big-box retailers that sell recreational goods, will have chemical packs of the type hunters use. Be careful, because some can produce up to 150 degrees, so don't put them next to bare skin.

Keep Hydrated

One last thing to think about — that you might not think about: Drink lots of liquids. Dehydration may be foremost in your mind in the hot months, but you still lose moisture in winter. Cold, dry winter air can suck moisture out of you and you may not notice that you're perspiring.

How to Prepare Your Bike for Winter--Bike Bandit.com

 

Unfortunately for most of us summer is over as well as our riding season so we must all begin to think about winterizing our motorcycles so we can do it all over again in the Spring of 2011.

Water is the eternal enemy of your bike’s inner works, and a bike that hasn’t been properly winterized is a sitting target for creeping moisture. A properly winterized bike is safe from moisture and corrosive compounds. When you do it right, you can start your motorcycle right up when spring arrives and be ready to hit the road.

Clean Your Bike

Cleaning your motorcycle may seem simple, but it’s an essential step in winterizing. Bug splatters and corrosive chemicals that are allowed to sit on your bike over the winter can damage your motorcycle’s finish. Give your bike a thorough all-over wash, and make sure it’s dry before you store it.

Coat Engine and Spark Plugs in Engine Oil

The engine and motorcycle spark plugs are prime targets for moisture over a long period of disuse. To protect your bike, you’ll need to coat your piston rings, valve seats and cylinder walls in engine oil. Start by warming up the engine to drive off moisture. Remove the spark plugs, and squirt some warm engine oil into the holes. Turn the engine over by hand to coat the cylinder walls, and then replace the plugs.

Change the Oil

The chemical makeup of your motorcycle oil can change over long periods of disuse and become acidic. To protect your engine, change your oil before storing for the winter. Ideally, you should change oil again in the spring, so it’s not necessary to change your oil filter for winter. However, if you plan to ride in the spring without changing the oil again, change your filter now.

Lube Everything

Before you park your bike for the season, lube everything that needs lubing. Lube your throttle and clutch cables. If your bike is a chain drive, clean and lube the chain. If you’re feeling really ambitious, lube your motorcycle pivot points, such as shifter, kick stand and foot pegs. Anything you’d normally lube during routine maintenance, lube.

Fill the Gas Tank and Add Stabilizer

Moisture is bad for metal, and your gas tank is made of metal. This means you’ve got two ways to safely store it for the winter: drain it completely and make sure it’s dried out, or fill the gas tank full and add fuel stabilizer. The simple option is to fill up the tank on the way home from your last outing, and add fuel stabilizer based on the capacity of your tank. A full tank prevents moisture from creeping in and fuel stabilizer keeps your gasoline from turning into sludge over the winter - very important if you want to avoid expensive repairs when spring arrives.

Store Your Battery on a Tender

It’s not good for your motorcycle battery to be left alone in your bike for a long period of time, and leaving it for the winter definitely counts. Remove your battery from your motorcycle and store it on a battery tender. At the same time, check the fluid level in your battery and clean any corrosion from the posts. If your bike has the right connection, you may be able to plug a trickle charger in to your bike without removing the battery.

Drain the Float Bowls

In a carbureted bike, you may want to drain the float bowls. To drain the float bowls, you’ll need to turn your fuel petcock off and drain the gasoline from the bowls. Every bike is different, so consult your owner’s manual for details. Gas that you don’t drain can turn into sludge and hamper your bike’s performance in the spring, and potentially lead to costly repairs.

Make Sure Your Bike Coolant is Safe

If you’re storing your bike in physically cool temperatures, use a hygrometer to check the anti-freeze. You may need to add anti-freeze to protect your bike’s system. You should drain and replace the antifreeze every two years as part of your winterization process.

Protect Your Bike from Moisture

If you’re storing your bike on bare concrete, roll your bike onto a piece of old carpet, plywood or MDF. Moisture can collect and ruin your rubber tires if you let your bike sit on cold concrete. Check your tire air pressure periodically and top it up as the temperatures drop.

Plug Your Pipes to Protect from Pests

Rodents and other small pests may try to climb into your motorcycle exhaust to shelter for the winter. Plug your pipes to protect your bike from small pests. Make sure you remember to remove the plugs before you go for your first spring ride!

Store Your Bike Covered

Store your bike under a breathable motorcycle cover. If possible, store your bike in a heated garage; if not, make sure you complete the winterization process to protect your bike from moisture. With proper winterization, even a bike that’s stored outdoors can be ready to start up and run smoothly when spring arrives.