It’s a challenge being a biker out in these conditions - we dress up, dress down, thermals, waterproofs, leathers and (very) occasionally jeans - and that can be in just one day. But what about the poor bike? It has to weather all of these conditions without the benefit of several layers of protective clothing that it can pull on and off at will.
If it’s lucky it can shelter in a garage at night (or, for the cissies amongst us, throughout winter), wired up to an Optimate and safe from the elements. If not, like mine, it does not have this luxury so has to brazen it out in all weathers with as much love as I can afford it.
Do not underestimate the damage that can be done to your bike by the weather. I know from just cleaning my visor after a ride, the amount of dirt that can be removed, and how grubby my jacket is after a couple of weeks’ road use.
Multiply this hundreds of times over and apply it to the bike with all its moving parts and nooks and crannies. In the wet, the front wheel throws muck from the road back in to the bike, over the pipes, over the engine and over the radiator. The rear does the same to the chain and shock. All of these start to corrode if not maintained. Then there’s the fork stanchions (how many can say they have not seen pitted forks on the front of bikes?), brake pistons, seals – again, all targets for corrosion. The list is endless.
At least to some extent, the fault lies with the manufacturers using cheap materials but any biker riding through the winter will know that he or she will have their work cut out maintaining their P&J. WD40 and FS365 are your friends. Use them well – and early.
But winter biking isn’t all about toil. There are always days when the sun is shining and the mercury starts to rise (admittedly fewer in number these past couple of years) and the roads hold some grip. These are the days to get out and enjoy the bike – and this will hopefully be the case on Sunday as a few of us meet at Cowfold on the A272 for a little play….
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