Good winter biking wise.

[Cynic]

Don't know about anybody else but I have clocked up a few miles this winter. I have done my time being a full time motorcyclist and much as people may say otherwise, for me, fuck that!. My car is cheaper, quicker (yes if you include putting all your gear on, unlocking the garage, then the bike etc) and warm and dry. But I have been out using the bike. Bloody good it feels too.

Its cold granted but the roads on the whole of late have been salt free and relatively clear of the usual winter slime. Even some sunshine.

I know it cant last and Feb will blast us, or March for a late frosting who knows. But for now, yay.

[jimmy]

I agree mate. Done my time as a year round rider but stepped back a few years ago when I got caught out at work one night shift and it took me over 3hrs to ride through a blizzard to get home.

I have kept my Hinckley Bonnie out the shed this winter but it has been pouring down just about every day since New Year so it's sat under it's cover

[bippo]

I had such enthusiasm for biking all year round when I first started on a bike...

My L plate days saw me riding my 125 at 5am over the Pennines for 50 non-motorway miles. I remember always passing a Bland European rider most mornings who gave me the most excited wave. For 50 miles in winter it was always just him I saw on two wheels. He always helped to spur me along. Aside from that though the commute in winter was tough - the headlight was pants, cars used to sit up my arse, sheep and ducks could be found around most bends and I was generally clueless on 2 wheels!

Fast forward and I found myself leaving home even earlier to trek 200 miles into central London on my Street Triple. That bike had zero weather / wind protection, and being honest I was a little too tall for it on such a long trek (sore knees). That bike was twitchy as feck on the throttle, but I still managed to ride it in snow and ice. I used to arrive in London with a blue face and even popped round to Airheads home once with my jacket covered in ice [emoji23]

What has happened to me now I don’t know... I’ll still commute in poor weather if I need, but my car is the preference (I’ve always favoured the car on a short trip anything less than 300 miles, haha). But I’ve gone from doing all the above in nothing more than Kevlar jeans and a £100 jacket to riding about on a bike with hand guards, heated seats and grips, electronically adjustable screen whilst wearing base layers, heated jacket and a Rukka suit haha!

Bottom line... I’ve been there, done it. Will do it again if needed, but will happily sit in my warm car during winter [emoji41]