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Bob Grycaj, Chapter Director of the BC-K Gold Wing Road Riders Association, is the November winner of the $50 Gift Certificate with his "Cold Weather Tips" article. Bob wrote...
Cold Weather Tips
- Cold weather starting tips...
ALWAYS hold your front brake (HARD) before dropping the bike into gear - even when your clutch is being held all the way in. Because you have a wet clutch, cold weather causes your oil to thicken and your clutch/flywheel tend to stick together after sitting for several hours with the engine off. Because of this, merely holding your clutch lever fully engaged is no assurance that when you drop into gear the bike will not jump forward unless you are firmly braked.
- Protecting those numb fingers...
We have all ridden in cold weather and despite having heavy gloves, possibly including extra liners, those fingers get too cold and begin to numb. (By the way, I have found that silk liners offer better cold weather protection than heavier cloth liners.)
So, what to do about it?
Here is a tip that my partner, Elaine Anthony, came up with a couple of years ago when we were out on the last leg (612 miles) of a week on the road and it was so cold that our fingers began to get numb. We pulled to the side of the road, got off our bikes, and dug into our first-aid kits. We pulled out a set of latex gloves and put them on over the liners, then put our regular gloves on over the latex gloves. It's amazing how effective that simple idea turned out to be. (You do carry latex gloves in your first-aid kit, right?)
Tire Pressure...
Time and outside temperature affect the pressure within your tires. It is NORMAL for a tire to lose about 1 pound per square inch (psi) per month. Outside temperatures affect your tire pressure far more profoundly, however. A tire's pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change. As temperature goes, so goes pressure.
For example, if a tire is found to have 38 psi on an 80-degree mid-summer day, it could lose enough air to have an inflation pressure of 26 psi on a 20-degree day six months later. This represents a loss of 6 psi over six months and an additional loss of 6 psi due to the 60-degree temperature reduction. At 26 psi, your tire is severely under inflated and dangerous!
There is nothing wrong with your tire if it behaves like this, of course. What is being illustrated here is that you MUST check your tire pressure on a regular basis (about once a week is reasonable) and to be particularly aware of it on cold days. Remember the tires on your 4 wheel vehicles too."
Black Ice...
The term "black ice" indicates a clear road which has become wet from melting snow, or moisture in the air, and in freezing temperatures will create a thin layer of ice that is not apparent or visible. You'll usually find black ice in shaded or nighttime conditions. If you find yourself in these conditions while riding, or driving your car, you should not use your cruise control. If the cruise engages on "black ice", it could cause loss of traction, and you may find yourself in a fishtailing situation.
Hang tough, spring is almost here.
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