Ten things for motorcyclists to look forward to in winter
If you think winter is bad news for motorcyclists then think again and read on!
Well that time of good cheer is fast approaching and the nights are drawing in - as a motorcyclist you may feel your heart sinking just a tiny fraction, as the clocks change, storms rage, seagulls get in a bad mood, ice is forecast – yada yada - you know the way it goes, you've heard those wingeing Williams before!
But we are here to bring you
glad tidings of great joy – there is no need to feel downcast as winter pulls on its icy boots and starts to creep up on you – no indeed there are many things which are sent to gladden a motorcyclists heart at this time of year and here – for your edification is the list – soon you will be longing for those hot sticky summer months of horrible warm ice-free roads and balmy breezes to be gone and good old winter to be here again!...
And don't worry you can still buy these cool
shades to protect your eyes from sun on the snow!
Ten great things to look forward to about motorcycling in winter:
1 You can get your battery cosy in the garage and plug in your BC battery charger
http://www.wemoto.com/parts/charger, switch it on and go away for the WHOLE winter without a moment's worry while it does its thing for you automatically, involving NO input from you – more time to put your feet up and watch
Motorcycle Diaries, listen to Iron Maiden or go to the pub for a hot toddy – aah.
2 Any friend or partner who is past their sell-by date and beginning to grate – wait for a severe weather warning and offer them a lovely ride on the pillion - January is a particularly good month for this! Forget to give them any gloves. Tell them afterwards that you will take them everywhere on the bike from now on as they 'obviously enjoyed it so much'. You will find they will avoid you in the future – problem solved – no feelings hurt – result!
This poor follicly challenged chap has forgotten his hat!
3 Think about how extremely good for you it is riding in subzero temperatures! After all research proves that elite athletes take an after-exercise plunge in an ice water bath (a tub of 12 to 15 degrees Celsius ice water) to help speedy recovery after training. Well, (I can tell we are on the same page now) – you will be giving your body the treatment of an elite athlete without having to worry about all that ice water nonsense – just think how fit you will be after a couple of nice February rides – as good as any top of their game rugby player!
4 Wherever you go in winter when it is freezing cold you will not have to worry about parking – the motorcycle bays will be calm and empty, offering you a choice of sparkling spaces with no worries about squeezing your bike in between a Honda C90 and an MP3 – no indeed - total freedom from parking stress!
5 You will have the chance to wear newspapers inside the front of your jacket without anyone thinking you are a tramp – with the double bonus of recycling the same paper twice - firstly doing a fabulous job as a sartorial insulating feature after you have read it and then secondly as a piece of recycling going to make a toilet roll perhaps – how socially conscious you will feel as you pass little children knowing that you are doing more than your average greeny towards saving the planet.
How cool does he look?
6 You can buy and use heated handlebar grips and tasteful handlebar muffs. These will enable you to look like a proper despatch rider (especially with the newspaper sticking out of your jacket and perhaps the addition of two plastic carrier bag overshoes) AND have lovely toasty winter hands. Then when you arrive at you destination you can shake hands with everyone with absolute confidence that you will not have poor wizened white finger tips but hearty Santa-like rosy mitts which will make you more popular amongst your friends
http://www.wemoto.com/parts/handlebars_grips_heated
7 If you are having a sauna, once you have sat in that rather claustrophobic little Swedish smelling piney room and got really too boiling hot, you will not need to take that horrible plunge into that little freezing pool or a very unpleasant cold shower, but simply jump onto your motorcycle and ride home for that same invigorating effect without wasting any time – after all time is money as they say!
8 You will be able to spray your bike with ACF50
http://www.wemoto.com/parts/picture/aa-10032/ to keep its chrome super shiny which is really good fun and get that good feeling like when you rub down a racehorse after it has won the Grand National – I am guessing here but I feel sure it is the same and some horse person will verify it.
9 You will be able to wear heated insoles in your boots without that summer time worry about overheating, which means that not only will your feet be kept lovely and warm, thus preventing chilblains, but when you are out delivering Christmas presents when it has snowed and you walk from your bike to the front door, you will look like Wenceslas and leave nice easy to spot footprints in the snow.
10 You can get great heated gloves which will keep your hands really warm while you are riding and will remove the necessity to get involved in senseless and time consuming snowball fights as you will have the ready made excuse that the snow will melt on contact with your gloved hand thus rendering the competition unfair.
So let's hear it for winter! A resounding cheer for those lovely dark chilly months ahead!
Well I could go on but for now that should be enough to raise your spirits and get you thinking about the joys of the colder months which lie ahead – hooray – not long now!
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