Make A Note Of Weather Conditions

Category: Finance, Insurance.

While climate change appears to be causing much milder winters in the UK, there s still every chance for motorcyclists to get caught in a severe cold snap. Make sure your bike is in great condition.

Sudden plunging temperatures can cause major headaches for bikers, but follow these simple Winter Biking Tips from leading motorcycle insurers Sureterm Direct, and you ll stay safe and sound on two wheels- whatever the weather. When snow and ice make an appearance, it s crucial that your motorcycle has been well maintained or serviced. Correctly charging your battery and checking it at least once a month will usually guarantee trouble- free biking. Maintenance free and gel- filled batteries require very little maintenance oance they have been correctly charged and installed but they can still be temperamental if not properly looked after- and they won t take much abuse. Your battery has to work much harder in the winter and can fail without any warning. Make sure your engine s cooling system contains antifreeze at the correct strength and recommended type for your make of bike. Ensure your tyres have a good tread depth and are inflated correctly- the slightest signs of over- wear will be accentuated in snow and ice.

Check that your headlights and brake lights are clean and working properly. OK, weathermen get it wrong every now and again, spells of bad, but generally speaking weather rarely come without advance warning. Make a note of weather conditions. Look at local and national TV and Radio for travel and weather information. Before setting off on a journey, ensure all bike visors and mirrors are clear from mist, frost and snow. Short and long- range forecasts by city can be found on the internet too, using services like Yahoo or Google weather. In extreme weather conditions such as falling snow, ask yourself: "Is my journey really essential? " Be prepared.

That s why it pays to take these precautions. We d all like to think our journey will be trouble free, but when wind and snow combine it s easy for main roads to suddenly get closed or cut- off. Ensure your motorcycle insurance is up to date. Always let someone know your destination and our expected time of departure and arrival. Check that you have a full tank of fuel. Take a mobile phone if you have one, but remember you could break down in a" dead area" where reception is poor.

It could be a long walk to a phone. So pack warm clothing, food and a, hot drinks torch. Being out on the road in poor conditions sometimes can t be avoided. Use main roads which have been salted whenever possible. So follow these general rules for safe biking. Allow extra time for your journeys. Avoid hard braking and acceleration.

Reduce speed in poor visibility and particularly where there is snow, or if ice may have formed. Maintain longer stopping distances- two seconds between vehicles is for good conditions! Watch out for other road users, pedestrians and children, including pushbikes, who may also be having difficulties in the conditions. A wet road surface means you ll take twice as long to stop, so you need to be at least four seconds behind the vehicle in front. In the rare instances you do break down, put these simple guidelines into operation: Stay with your vehicle if possible, until help arrives. If you have to abandon your vehicle, give local police the details and park safely. If you do have to leave your bike, use a viz- vest or reflective clothing to make yourself visible to others.

Winter can bring patches of wildly differing weather on just one journey. Fog is always a winter danger and is a major cause of accidents. So here s some specific advice for specific weather. In these conditions, keep your distance, slow down, and turn your lights on. Don t hang on the tail lights of the vehicle in front- this gives you a false sense of security and means you may be driving too close. Drive very slowly using dipped headlights and use fog lights if visibility is seriously affected.

Don t speed up suddenly- even if it seems to be clearing, you can suddenly find yourself back in thick fog. The trick to biking in these conditions is to be as smooth as possible. Ice, slush and snow significantly reduce the ability of your tyres to grip the road, which means that slowing down, or changing direction, speeding up all become hazardous. Drive slowly, allowing extra room to slow down and stop and remember it cazan take ten times longer to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road. If you skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly. Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin, manoeuvre gently( especially into and out of bends) , and avoid harsh braking and acceleration.