Go through it on 2: Winter Riding
The last rainy days and those that are still right for us require us riders to treat completely differently what is happening on the road.
Kfir Levin from 227 PRORIDING ACADEMY explains how to do it right
Walla! Car
16/01/2022
Sunday, 16 January 2022, 18:30 Updated: 18:48
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
Share on general
Comments
Comments
Winter is here and with it rainy days and winds that directly affect traffic that becomes more congested and less safe.
The wet road requires extra care and attention when riding a two-wheeler.
In order to get through this challenging period safely, one must pay attention to a number of conditions that dictate the manner of riding.
Rainfall often causes drainage problems and puddles on the highways, the grip drops with sharp fluctuations from “reasonable” to “bad” situations, and you do not always have enough time to diagnose and anticipate this.
Visibility also drops sharply due to weather conditions, and thus the chance of missing diagnoses - increases significantly.
Strong gusts of wind combined with the poor grip, threaten your stability and make it difficult to ride, especially with small tools.
So even if you are a skilled rider, know your vehicle well and have survived enough winters in riding, you should still be aware of a few rules that will help you get through the winter in peace.
More on Walla!
Mandatory reading: 10 tips for winter driving
To the full article
Riding clothing suitable for winter will leave you both drier and more relaxed (Photo: Kobi Liani)
Riding comfortably
The serenity with which you conduct yourself while riding on a wet day is important.
If you have not dressed properly, your clothes will be wet and you will not be concentrating on riding but on the discomfort.
It is therefore important to stay dry and comfortable with appropriate accessories: quality and waterproof winter gloves, airtight shoes, and over a standard and simple storm suit.
It is also recommended to add anti-fog reflectors in order to sharpen the vision.
It's not pleasant to snatch it, much less they will not see you in it (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Wet riding management
On a wet road the grip drops by around 20% - 30% so it is advisable to lower the acceleration, braking and tilting requirements.
Riding on a wet road, probably under rain showers, is a challenge of limited field of vision and unexpected behavior of additional road users.
The rain hits the mirror, and even when it is light and thin there is still a pesky water spray rising from the tires of the vehicles around you.
You do not have to rely on car drivers, with fumes on the windows, to pay attention to you or help you by clearing the lane and giving you the right of way - just look for a location from which you can look and plan your trip ahead safely.
This is what it looks like from the car (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Be especially careful when riding alongside other vehicles, assuming that they will most likely move towards you out of ignorance of your existence.
In addition, a little silicone or wax spray on your helmet mirror, will cause the water to slip from the mirror sideways and significantly upgrade the ability to see ahead.
It is important to know that painted road markings are slippery even on a dry road, but they become a two-wheeler trap when wet - so be sure to avoid getting on them.
And if not possible, get on them only when the motorcycle is straight and when the engine power is gentle.
And definitely - do not brake on wet streaks of color!
The paint marks on the road are slippery, they are even slippery when wet (Photo: manufacturer's website)
Identifying the degree of roughness of wet asphalt by the degree of shine it returns - is a very difficult task, so treat the whole road as having a low grip, and set the riding pace according to this assumption.
Keep in mind that glossy asphalt is smooth even when dry - but when wet it is much more dangerous.
Riding in windy conditions
The winter season is characterized by wind gusts that we will not always be able to prepare for and they have a noticeable effect on the stability of the two-wheelers and especially on the small, light and scooter tools (they have less built-in stability compared to large and heavy tools).
Therefore maintain a reasonable pace and avoid too high a speed during a strong wind, in order to be able to correct the wind blows through steering and balancing body movements.
However, even too low a speed can lead to difficulty in controlling the tool, since speed equals stability.
If you are unable to find stability and grip on a wet road when there is a strong wind - give up riding!
Very strong winds?
Bet on riding (Photo: Reuven Castro)
If you still go out and encounter a strong wind, try to understand according to the structure of the road and the other road users when the "wind blows" will come.
A "correct look" based on a focused view of the point where you want the tires to pass will help you create the small repairs that will keep you on the line you chose to travel.
And from there, it is likely that the body will make the necessary corrections automatically.
Drive carefully!
Driving rules for safe driving in winter are courtesy of
227 PRORIDING ACADEMY
and courtesy of
Metro Motor
Importer of SUVs and two-wheelers
vehicle
Two-wheelers
Two-wheeled news
Tags
motorcycle
Two wheels
scooter
winter
rain
Weather
