Winter

[Breezin]

Do you ride in winter? What's the deal on road salt in different counties?

I'd be happy to take the cold provided I knew the bike wasn't being rotted from under me -- and I don't want to have to wash it every time. (I use ACF treatment and will be doing that soon.)

[CJhaughey]

I use a heated vest under a Roadcrafter, it works well for me, Road salt is variable in every county, from place to place.
The only surefire solution is to wash well and use plenty of lanolin or acf beforehand.

[Breezin]

I use a heated vest too, if it's properly cold. Main deterrent is salt.

[Agent_47]

I use base layers and add as the weather gets colder, heated grips and attach all inner layers to bike gear.

Having put up 110k km on an er6f Kawasaki that took me around Spain this year here are my few cents worth on winter riding:

- Ride main roads especially if the temps are between 0 and 4C, back roads with large trees shade roads during the day and the roads never thaw out. They also never get gritted and are lethal.

- Once a week you have to wash the crap off the tyres, chain and underbody. Its a good time to check the bike over and see what it picked up during the week. Oil and tension the chain. I find chain accelerates in winter, chain oil washes off quickly and no one likes applying oil on a cold wet night!

- Get an anti fog visor and one with an inner shade that can help with the low winter sun