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At TravelingBikers.com we're dedicating this January Blog (short for "Web Log") to:

COLD WEATHER RIDING
by Shawn H. Kerr
Producer, TravelingBikers.com

As we take to the roads in winter, it's essential for motorcyclists to consider the colder weather conditions.

In the interest of rider comfort and safety during the colder months, let's consider the following:

Your Motorcycle

Whatever make or style of bike you ride on (or off) the road, there are some essentials for maximizing your comfort and safety in the cold:

• Windshield - As clunky and unromantic as they might appear, good windshields do exactly what their name applies. Your summertime "shorty" windshield may help with aerodynamics, but will it protect you when the mercury drops?
• Battery Check - Cold weather will likely ask more of your battery, make sure that it is up to the task and keep it charged!
• Correct Oil - 10W 40 oil for motorcycles is usually sufficient.
• Coolant Levels - Liquid-cooled bikes need to have adequate anti-freeze for the expected temperatures.
• Everything Else - Having a breakdown is never fun, but you'll really come up with some colorful interjections if you're stuck in freezing weather! Make sure your bike is running at best possible performance.

Your Self as a Rider

If you intend to ride during the winter months, whether it's across town or through several states, bear in mind:

• Your Clothing - Think of your body as a motorcycle. Like a bike without an alternator, a rider without proper clothing will lose energy (heat, in the rider's case) quickly. Even when well-dressed for walking in a winter wonderland, riding a motorcycle require a bit more protection, because:
  
  1. You're sit still on a bike. Since your body is burning very few calories, it will be more susceptible to cold.
  2. You're subject to wind chill, a perceived temperature drop due to the body's inability to warm the air around it.
  Dressing warmly will slow your body's heat loss, but not eliminate it. Like your bike's radiator, your exposed skin releases heat. Every breath you exhale radiates heat only to be replaced by cooler air. Finally, your body experiences cooling due to evaporation of its own humidity through breathing and sweating. Hypothermia (abnormally low body temperature) and frostbite (injury or destruction of skin and tissues due to cold) can occur in temperatures as high as 55 degrees Fahrenheit! If you're going to be riding in extremely cold temperatures and/or for extended periods, it is a good idea to adding an "alternator" to replenish your body's heat in the form of electrically heated clothing. Low wattage vests are popular, as they provide "just enough" heat to keep comfortable without restricting movement.
• Your Experience - The extra layers provide more protection, but how much winter riding have you done? All those extra clothes will restrict your mobility and full-face helmets make that headcheck a little tougher. Remember, drivers don't expect to see motorcyclists in the cold weather!

Your Ride

Never climb onto your bike without knowing as much as possible about the trip ahead. In winter, the "need to know" is even greater, so remember to check:

• Weather Forecasts - We all laugh about the dubious accuracy of our local TV weatherperson, but it pays to look at forecasts and prepare for the worst.
• Road Conditions - Even if the weather forecast calls for clear (if cold) riding conditions, you'll want to know about construction, high-traffic areas and other potential hazards on your route.

TravelingBikers.com provides links to weather forecasts and road conditions at the Maps, Mileage & More directory. Weather and road conditions may change as you ride so be sure to check on current news whenever you can.

Best (and warm) wishes to all winter riders out there!

Are you obsessed with Open Air Riding?

Like to do a little Open Air Writing?

Want to share thoughts and photos with your fellow bikers?

TravelingBikers.com has started an online club dedicated to those bikers for whom riding is more than a hobby, it borders on...unhealthy?

Join a club devoted to providing an online outlet for those bikers who live, eat and breathe Open Air Riding! Contribute your thoughts, opinions, jokes, stories, photos and more and we'll put the best of them on this Website for other riders to enjoy. Credits will display your name (or "handle") and hometown, plus a FREE link to your Website for as long as your submission is displayed!

Could it get any better? Yes, it can! You'll also receive an "E-patch" graphic that you can use as computer wallpaper (or real wallpaper, if you have a printer and are so inclined)! The smaller E-patch graphic is also good for linking your Website back to TravelingBikers.com (hint, hint).

We're more than a directory service here at TravelingBikers.com - we're rolling full-throttle toward building an online biker community open to Open Air Riders. If you reckon that you're one of "the few, the brave, the CyclePaths," we require that you to send us a little proof!

Click Here to Find Out How!

That's all for this month. Coming up next month, we share the love!

Rider Regards,

Shawn H. Kerr
Producer - TravelingBikers.com
shawn@travelingbikers.com