FZ1inTX
Adminstrator
The brain! It's coming up on those days, for us who winterize the bike, when we start monitoring the weather to see when we can jump on the bike for that one good day's ride! It's time to think about some things safety-wise with the device between your ears. :disturbed
This time of year presents a lot of dangers on the road for us, more than actual Spring and the real bike season. I'm constantly watching the forcast, waiting for that degree day when I can unplug the Battery Tender and head out in the morning for the first ride of the year!!!
But think before you ride.... here's some reasons to use the noggin!
Tire pressure - dramatic daily changes in temps mean unstable tire pressures. Have them filled with nitrogen to reduce the sway in pressures based on temps. Check them OFTEN!!!
Sand and gravel - lots of this on the roads where snowy winters prevail and very dangerous to bikes!
Salt - while not dangerous, it is cancer for your bike. Salt will corrode aluminum in a hurry. Any aluminum part on your bike that doesn't have a coating or a chipped coating will suffer damage very fast.
Cagers - People see snow on the ground. The last thing they expect to see is a motorcycle and they are not looking for them at all. These are dangerous times for us... those first few rides out there.
Black ice - if you happen to get stuck out there and cannot make it home until it starts getting dark out, the melt-off can turn to ice in a hurry when the sun goes down. Temps fall fast! Be careful because often, you don't know it is there until you're already on it.
Inadvertent hard rain - the ground is still frozen and can't absorb rainfall. Hard rain this time of year can wash a TON of debris into the roads. This is not the time of year to push the envelop into the corners! At the very least, scope out the road first, then go back through it at your spirited pace when the coast is deemed clear!
Hope these tips help you. I'm not trying to scare you, just make you more aware. I want you all around for many years of riding! :Rockon:
This time of year presents a lot of dangers on the road for us, more than actual Spring and the real bike season. I'm constantly watching the forcast, waiting for that degree day when I can unplug the Battery Tender and head out in the morning for the first ride of the year!!!
But think before you ride.... here's some reasons to use the noggin!
Tire pressure - dramatic daily changes in temps mean unstable tire pressures. Have them filled with nitrogen to reduce the sway in pressures based on temps. Check them OFTEN!!!
Sand and gravel - lots of this on the roads where snowy winters prevail and very dangerous to bikes!
Salt - while not dangerous, it is cancer for your bike. Salt will corrode aluminum in a hurry. Any aluminum part on your bike that doesn't have a coating or a chipped coating will suffer damage very fast.
Cagers - People see snow on the ground. The last thing they expect to see is a motorcycle and they are not looking for them at all. These are dangerous times for us... those first few rides out there.
Black ice - if you happen to get stuck out there and cannot make it home until it starts getting dark out, the melt-off can turn to ice in a hurry when the sun goes down. Temps fall fast! Be careful because often, you don't know it is there until you're already on it.
Inadvertent hard rain - the ground is still frozen and can't absorb rainfall. Hard rain this time of year can wash a TON of debris into the roads. This is not the time of year to push the envelop into the corners! At the very least, scope out the road first, then go back through it at your spirited pace when the coast is deemed clear!
Hope these tips help you. I'm not trying to scare you, just make you more aware. I want you all around for many years of riding! :Rockon:
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