Getting up for work, it’s dark, getting out of work, it’s dark, the nights are definitely drawing in, and while there are some benefits to riding in the dark such as cooler temperatures, the hazards increase significantly with the lack of light. If you don’t put your bike away over Winter and continue riding through the year, have a read of our advice for staying safe.

Visibility

It’s common sense, the light decreases, you need to make yourself more obvious to other road users. One way to do this is to wear reflective panels. It’s not the case that high visibility yellow/orange coloured clothing makes you seen at night, it’s actually the reflective silver lines and panels that reflect headlights that improve your visibility.

Another product that makes sure you are seen is reflective tape. This can be applied to your bike on panniers, forks, around the tail and even on your clothing if you have no reflective parts already.

Flexible, thin LED lighting tubes can also be added to clothing and your bike.

Make yourself heard

Keeping within legal limits, of course, a loud exhaust will announce your presence to other road users. Upgrading your motorcycle’s horn if it’s a little quiet is also recommended.

Make sure you can see clearly

Make sure your headlights are clean and you have decent bulbs. It’s a good idea to carry spare bulbs with you just in case they fail while you are out riding. Some older bikes can be upgraded to LED bulbs to give you a better view of the road ahead, and extra lights can be added to your bike if needed.

Keep your motorcycle helmet visor clear of grime, dirt and bugs with a good cleaner and microfibre cloth. For stubborn bugs and dirt, leave wet kitchen roll on your visor to soak it before wiping it clean with your cleaner and cloth. While a tinted visor can help with the low sun in Winter, you will mostly need a clear one, as you’ll need all the light you can get. Some helmets now come with adaptive visors that change to light conditions, and most now include a pop down dark visor that sits behind your clear one that can be activated and removed with the touch of a button.

Your visor will fog up in Winter due to the drop in temperature, heavy breathing and bad weather. If you are planning on riding in Winter, consider an upgrade to an anti-fog visor or pinlock. Carry visor wipes with you too.

Adjust your riding to suit the conditions

Keeping out of blind spots is a must all year for bikers, but more so in Winter. Make sure you are visible in rear view and side mirrors and overtake with care. A good piece of advice is to ride like everyone is out to kill you. Not a nice thought, but it works.

Allow for more distance between you and the vehicles in front for extra braking space. While your reactions may be fine, your bike’s brakes will need extra time than normal to stop in slippery and wet conditions.

While road markings are a good source of information on the road layout, the white paint and cats eyes can be very slippery. Be extra careful when changing lanes, especially if crossing large hatching areas.

Keep your motorcycle well maintained

Slippery roads, road salt, the cold and damp can damage your bike, whether it be due to incorrect storage, to having an accident due to poor brakes or tyres. Keep your motorcycle in top condition if you are riding through Winter or putting it into hibernation, read our Winter maintenance tips here.

Take more breaks if you’re going on a long journey

Your eyes will be straining more in the dark and concentration levels will be increased, so it’s important to stop regularly on a long journey, or even stop on your regular commute if you feel tired. Keep yourself hydrated too. Only set off again if you feel alert enough to ride safely. You don’t want to be a danger to yourself and other road users.

For more advice visit our past blogs…

Tips for riding in bad weather

Riding your bike through Winter