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.
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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 under the helmet provides a lot of
additional comfort for minimal bulk.
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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.
© 2005 by the American Motorcyclist Association |
