With the arrival of the cold weather the motorcycling community is divided into 2 groups: those who park their bikes until spring arrives, and those who want to continue riding. Both are equally legal and respectable and have their own implications for the bike and now we will see what to take into account to ride on the days when, whether we want to or not, we have to get wet.
Beyond taking certain precautions, the rain is not something to be afraid of, but we must learn to interpret the weather to avoid being involved in any dangerous situation that can be triggered as a result of a storm of certain magnitude as the recent DANAs that are being experienced in different parts of the Peninsula.
Therefore, the first thing we must always take into account is the weather forecast and pay attention to the warnings and, if we find ourselves in a dangerous area, look for a suitable place to protect ourselves and not take unnecessary risks.
In case of weak plugs we can continue circulating taking certain precautions:
- We must take into account the condition of the tires. Worn tires or tires with very sporty performance will not evacuate water properly, increasing the risk of having an accident.
- We must keep in mind that the braking distance in the middle of the lane increases significantly, so we must respect, more than ever, the safety distance with the vehicle in front of us. It is also a good practice to ride closer to one of the sides of the lane instead of doing it in the center, in this way, in case of having to perform a dodging maneuver we will be faster, in addition to having better visibility of the vehicle in front of us, which will allow us to anticipate, even more, to possible risk situations. On the other hand, more modern motorcycles with advanced ABS systems will make a big difference in risk situations where it will be important to optimize braking.
- Riding close to one of the sides instead of riding in the center of the lane, also in the city, will help us to avoid the possible oil and fuel tanks that we usually find and that, in contact with the water from the rain, leak to the surface and can cause us to overflow.
- Another aspect to take into account is visibility. With the visor we lose visibility, so we have to keep in mind that the other occupants of the road also lose it. For this reason we must keep in mind the importance of wearing clothes that not only protect us from the cold and humidity, but that are also reflective or in colors that make it easier for others to see us. For our part, we have to wear a clear visor, with a pinlock type system that will prevent us from losing visibility while driving. There are certain products that can give a water-repellent coating, making it repel water faster and maintaining a better visibility.
- Finally, and as we have already mentioned, wearing appropriate clothing that avoids humidity will allow us to concentrate more on riding our motorcycle.
And with these tips we hope you can enjoy riding your motorcycle with maximum safety also during the winter.