Some things our motorcycle accident attorneys think you should know before you ride in the snow

So it’s December and you want to ride. OK. No big deal, right? Wrong – well, wrong depending upon where you live, anyhow. In parts of the western and southern U.S. riding year-round isn’t so much of an issue. Sure, it may be colder than during other months, but some of these places never see snow and that’s something with which our biker brothers and sisters in many parts of the country have to contend.

Many of us see the first signs of winter coming, break out the fuel stabilizer, find some old quilts and clean out a corner of the garage in which our rides can hibernate, all wrapped up, for the winter. And, for those of us who do have to deal with snow in the winter, this is definitely the safest thing to do, say the motorcycle lawyers at MotorEagles.

A slippery slope

It doesn’t take a group of experienced bike accident attorneys to explain why motorcycles are at a severe disadvantage on ice and snow, but we will, anyhow. Motorcycles are lighter than cars, so they’re much less stable on the roadway, whether it’s wet, dry or covered in snow. The fact that there are only two wheels on bikes, as opposed to at least four on passenger vehicles, also makes them more unstable, as more rubber on the ground = more traction.

Granted, there are several ways to improve motorcycles’ traction on snow and ice (there are places where motorcycle ice racing is as common as convenience stores) but many, like using spiked tires, aren’t practical because they work best on roads with a somewhat permanent snow and ice covering. Since most roadways are cleared of snow and ice by city, county and state road crews, these kinds of tires are somewhat overkill and are difficult to ride on when it’s pavement on which they’re rolling.

Most experienced bikers agree that when there’s snow on the ground, riders should leave their bikes at home.

“Here’s a tip that just might save your life,” Ride4Life posted on Kawasaki.org’s Snow Riding Tips forum. “When you see snow or ice park the bike.”

Sierra Vulcan agreed: “The best place for your (bike) in the snow is the garage.”

Just plain cold

If you are in an area that gets cold, but snow isn’t a factor, year-round riding just means it’s time to bundle up. There is a whole host of gear available to riders who don’t mind getting out into the cold. From heated handlebar grips and electric vests to fleece base layers and padded balaclavas, the motorcycle industry has you covered if you ride in frigid temps.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 5th, 2011 at 3:42 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.