Commuting

[ZXR400H]

Hi all,

Just wondered who uses there bike everday all weathers to commute to work, I think im going to have to start and wondered if theres any tips as the winter is setting in!!

Thanks

Ricky

[rene]

get the correct gear is the best advice i can give.

I rode 3 years with just leathers and water proffs and thought it was ok.. then i got full textiles with my xmus bouns and feck me it made it so much more enjoyable. I'll now go out riding in the rain/cold just for the fun!

[Jeppo]

I commute everyday in just draggin jeans/boots/gloves nd jacket. It does kinda get chilly, i would invest in something warmer, but i'm a skint student and its only a 10 mile short commute.

[zimm]

proper kit .. worth its weight in gold.

dont expect gloves to actually be waterproof though.

course .. you can buy a crap car for about the same as proper kit can cost ..

just a thought.

[CarneyUK]

Great thread, I'll be commuting this winter for the first time aswell. Have ridden in cold weather but not really tried it all through winter.

Just bought some new gloves to keep the hands warm in winter. Only cost £22 and kept the hands toasty today, (will see if they still work when wet!! Gonna get a full waterproof suit to go over the top (have seen them for about £80.) I normally wear my work waterproofs which help a lot as they also stop the wind chill, but still get a little bit of leakage when it's raining heavy.

Make sure you cover up any exposed area's, ie neck with a good neckwarmer.

A few people have told me even if you buy waterproofs/gloves etc for riding, it is good to coat them again with some waterproofing spray.

Like the idea of textiles though!!

Enjoy and let's hope it's not a severe winter!!

[Brett]

A quick rinse of the bike at the end of the day to get the salt/grit off of it.

[gingernm]

I used to do it...

Textiles are the way to go, plus quality thermals. Gloves to go for are the hoof style (seperate thumb, 2 pockets for 2 fingers) think I got mine from Heine Gericke. Doesn't matter how much you pay they will let water in eventually. Extra socks, it's surprising how quick you toes get numb, followed by the rest of your feet.

Zips on boots are most prone to allowing water in, make sure ones you get are well protected.

One thing I found best was to carry extra gloves/socks for the journey home, once saturated they're not nice having to put back on for the journey home, plus they will get cold quickly if wet!

I used to commute from Northampton to the City (@60 miles each way). The one thing I would advise, more than anything when it's cold and you've done a load of motorway miles, is to keep waggling you toes to keep the circulation going..... nothing worse than approaching the first set of red traffic lights to find you can't feel your toes/feet!


Rob.

[ZXR400H]

Thanks for the tips, I've got all textiles so should be sorted there. I'm just fed up of wasting my life sat in traffic so think riding the bike all year will be the answer and should make me a better rider apparently!

[rene]

makes you a far better rider, you dont realise just how much grip you have untill you have almost none. You also learn about things like white lines are slippy...

Sadly all this learning costs, expect to have a crash at some point.

[Jamz]

Well, I've done about 8 years of winter riding - 7 on sportsbikes with no drama and one on a TS250 crosser which I dropped on sheet ice pulling out of a junction!

Essential kit is a good thermal neck tube like a Buff... err and that's about it!

I'd agree that textiles (or at least a textile jacket) is warmer, but last year I wore my leathers all Winter just with the thermal lining in!

I did a blog and possibly a post on here all about staying warm and my findings - I shall try and dig it out... The main crux of it was that sportsbikes are soooo much warmer! Upright bikes freeze you to death!

Another reason why I'm pissed off at losing my ZX9R and getting a Bandit 650 hire bike on Monday...

[rene]

only naked up right bikes...faired commuters do just as good of job as sports!

Saying that i commuted on a crosser last year and didnt feel the cold on that. Only problem was rain fecking stings at 70+, -6c and your helmet is open face

[Brett]

At risk of opening myself up to all sorts of tranny jokes, when I was a courier I wore tights under my clothes. They kept my legs like toast when I was out all day, mid winter. Lots of couriers swear by them.

They also felt very nice against my skin etc..........

[rene]

If i didnt have to walk around an office all day id wear long johns...

[Jamz]

At risk of opening myself up to all sorts of tranny jokes, when I was a courier I wore tights under my clothes. They kept my legs like toast when I was out all day, mid winter. Lots of couriers swear by them.

They also felt very nice against my skin etc..........

LOL!

It's an old army trick, though, isn't it? I know loads of older bikers who swear by it.

I've never tried it myself - but I've never had a problem of my hands or feet getting cold. From the waist down I wear exactly the same gear all year round.

[Jeppo]

how much grip you have untill you have almost none

Second that, this will be my first winter of commuting, (only my second with a license).
But had a very close call this morning on wet roads and some well hidden oil. Pulled away from the lights, not particularly hard and it just went quite literally sideways, god knows how i kept it upright, I bet the car behind me got a fright!! I really thought I'd binned it!

I also believe that commuting makes you a much much better rider, in terms of skill and roadsense. You know whose seen you and who hasn't.

You also appreciate a lovely dry day much more and have a whale of a time with your newfound skill