While many of us prefer to winterize and store our motorcycles over the winter, there are those intrepid riders who refuse to give up on their bikes just because of a little ice and snow.
Yes, you can continue to ride your motorcycle through the winter if you're one of those die hard types, you just need to take some extra precautions. One of those precautions comes in the way you start your motorcycle when those temperatures drop.
During winter, the cold can cause your clutch and flywheel to stick together, allowing your motorcycle to spring forward unexpectedly when you drop it into gear.
To avoid this problem, you should always hold your clutch all the way in when you start your motorcycle. Even though you are sure your indicator says the bike is in neutral, you just can't count on it in winter.
Now, before you drop your motorcycle into gear, hold your front brake down tight too. This will assure your motorcycle won't pop out catching you off guard. Even if you're holding the clutch all the way in, the brake is your best assurance.
Now, you're ready to head out onto the road. Just as you would use greater care driving your car on ice and snow, you need to take it easy with your motorcycle. Give yourself lots of time to come to a stop. Every adjustment you make with the bike should be smooth and gentle. Easy on the throttle at start ups, light on the brakes so you don't throw your motorcycle into a slide. While you can probably survive a spill on the ice with your bike, that car behind you may not be able to stop in time, so best to ride with the utmost caution.
Winter does provide extra challenges to motorcycle riders, and the best advice is be prepared for anything.
