Getting ready for winter

[stonetown]

I know winter is a couple of weeks away yet, but I thought I would make a start now in thinking about the essential farkles required for winter riding so when the rain, sleet and cold hits, I'll be ready.

This is my list so far starting at the front and working backwards, I have an 08 GSA with all the dealer goodies so already have heated grips etc:

Bigger/More protective screen and bigger winglets
Front Fender extender
Dashboard kit (around the clocks)
Additional 12v socket (for heated clothing, see below)
HID upgrades
Oil cooler guard
Headlamp protector
Handguard Extensions and/or muffs
Heated seat
Mudsling
Hugger
Side Panels
Foot Flaps
Rear fender extender
Fog light
Winter Tyres
Plenty of ACF50/Waxoyl/WD40
Winter tyres

For the person:

Heated under clothing
Thinsulate balaclava
Winter Gloves
Winter boots

Any advice on any of the above is appreciated, ta.

 

[POG]

You could probably get away with just one set of tyres.

Muffs are a must Don't know how I got by without them. Use summer gloves all year round now and can't put the heated grips on full cause they're too hot

 

[Monsieur]

I know winter is a couple of weeks away yet,

It is still august 3rd isn't it

How much time for preparation do you need?
Apart from heated grips and something wind/waterproof is much else needed unless you intend to head to the artic circle for a month tour

 

[Mutley]

FWIW my thoughts:

Where are you going, Iceland?

Bigger/More protective screen and bigger winglets If the screen gets too big you will loose vision as soon as it rains / gets grubby

Front Fender extender Not a bad idea as long as you take it off before you go off road next summer

Dashboard kit (around the clocks) Bling

Additional 12v socket (for heated clothing, see below) I thought the GSA had two?

HID upgrades I'd do a search on these. I think you'd save a load of money by just upgrading the bulbs you have

Oil cooler guard Off road bling

Headlamp protector Off road bling that will make the headlamp upgrade pointless

Handguard Extensions and/or muffs Definitely

Heated seat Does it get that cold in the UK?

Mudsling

Hugger A good idea if you are going to ride on salted roads

Side Panels Bling

Foot Flaps Some people love them, I just bought decent boots

Rear fender extender Only really necessary if you are going to ride through mud a lot

Fog light LED upgrade to rear light neater solution

Winter Tyres Not necessary in the UK

Plenty of ACF50/Waxoyl/WD40 Yep

Winter tyres Is this the back one

For the person: It all depends on how much you feel the cold. Layers are the best bet, then you can adapt to changing temperatures

 

[Trippy]

If the weathers that bad just do something else on Sunday.

 

[st247]

If the weathers that bad just do something else on Sunday.

.....

 

[Bryn]

Muffs are a must Don't know how I got by without mine

You can't beat a good muff

Actually I suppose you could

 

[stonetown]

I'm thinking more of the daily commute on British roads and to turn up for work in a shirt and tie and step out of wet but clean outer gear and boots, whilst trying to reduce the road crud and also keeping the bulk clothing down (not loads of layers). Forget winter off-roading, I won't be going anywhere muddy and slippery with a 250kg bike!

I'm also thinking of keeping the bike maintenance down to a minimum. If I start looking now then sooner or later most of this stuff will turn up on fleabay.

Judging from the winters we have been having recently (in the South UK) we might as well be in one now, the temps only need to drop 6 degrees to make it autumn and spring, a freezing winter is a rarity down here, maybe a few days in Jan/Feb/Mar.

As I thought some bits are useless bling (oil cooler guard, light protector) and some will be genuinely practical. I've thought of riding a GT or RT through winter for the added weather protection (I used to run an FJR that was excellent for weather protection), but test rides on these bikes and the FJR show the ergonomics are so uncomfortable compared to the GS.

I mention winter tyres as I currently run Trail Attacks and run them pretty hard, they grip the road well in the dry, but I'm not sure how they will perform when cold and wet and I don't need snow tyres! My thinking is that a winter tyre should warm up quickly and provide superior wet grip (probably at a cost to longevity) and not be phased by patches of gravel, this could be a lot to ask.

 

[Big Nick]

With the exception of a hugger and the cleaning products save your money

When I commuted by bike the most important thing was to hose the bike down as soon as you get home when the roads have been wet as failure to do so resulted in fasteners corroding practically overnight from the excessive salt on the roads.

 

[ianboydsnr]

muffs
goucho
heated jacket
HID

 

[muppix]

Winter Gear

I can't recommend Hein Gericke boots enough; I've got the 150 quid gore-tex ones that look a bit like off-road boots with their two buckles and they've so far withstood everything that European weather could throw at them.

Case in point was this weekend's outing to Wales. Traffic on the M4 Friday evening was down to 20 mph at one point due to reduced visibility from rainfall and standing water, and even though the BMW Aquarius II gloves were overwhealmed by the time I'd reached Swindon my feet remained dry all weekend.

Gericke (again) gore-text jacket and trousers are very good as well, but do feel a little damp inside after the first 5 or 6 hours in a monsoon. They're quite a bulky wet thing to have in your tent overnight as well, but if you're only commuting to and from work this shouldn't be a problem unless you work in a circus.

For cleaning, get yourself an industrial sized drum of TFR (traffic film remover, also called Truck Wash) from your local motor factors. You dilute this with water at 1:10 and apply with a pump 'n' spray bottle from any garden centre. Gets rid of that nasty salt a treat! Finish off with Scottoil FS365 (again, buy in bulk) to leave a very thin film of oil on your engine and running gear (but not the brakes!) and make cleaning easier next time round. I reckon those two products alone have saved my bike last winter, but then I did use them after every ride.

Mup.

 

[Wizard]

As I thought some bits are useless bling (oil cooler guard, light protector)

Those are the only two things on your list that aren't bling. At £700 for a headlight, and a stranded bike if the oil cooler gets it, they're IMHO essential.

As for getting off the bike dry and spotless...... buy a car.

 

[Fenlander Strasse]

Sounds like you need a 1200RT....

 

[Pukmeister]

A mate swears by his Gerbing heated socks, says that if his fingers and toes are warm, he can ignore the cold. Never tried them myself but they sound good.

 

[Grazoid]

With the exception of a hugger and the cleaning products save your money

When I commuted by bike the most important thing was to hose the bike down as soon as you get home when the roads have been wet as failure to do so resulted in fasteners corroding practically overnight from the excessive salt on the roads.

Actually wait for the bike to cool down as warm water+salt+metal=oxidation

So you can fur your ally bits and rust yer bolts quicker than just leaving out in the rain for a bit after a run on salted roads.

 

[Grazoid]

Case in point was this weekend's outing to Wales. Traffic on the M4 Friday evening was down to 20 mph at one point due to reduced visibility from rainfall and standing water, and even though the BMW Aquarius II gloves were overwhealmed by the time I'd reached Swindon my feet remained dry all weekend.

Should have gone to the Peak District, spent the weekend camping in Hope and have a sunburnt nose and had to stop for regular drinks on the way home... water of course... as I enede up sweltering in the sunshine as we were expecting rain and had geared up accordingly

 

[Commuter]

For the money

Why not buy a hack (yammie xt660 or similar) for the money you are suggesting to spend on all the farkles.

You can get one for around £1500 k on autotrader

Just an idea to save you bike and all the fecking about with washing and polish.

 

[Peak Rider]

Keep your GS salt-free! In a couple of previous jobs I was fortunate enough to be able to ride a lot of different bikes. Nothing beats an 1100 or 1150RT for weather protection. You can ride through all but the most severe downpours and as long as you're moving you'll stay cosy and dry. Even your feet are protected from spray. Both offer substantially superior protection over a 1200RT. Find a well-documented used one and commute in comfort all winter. Wash it down with cold water at the end of the day and keep the brakes well serviced. Just about any of the latest sport-touring tyres will perform well in the wet with decent tread depth the important factor. Yes, uprate the headlamp.

 

[1Rider]

Heat & cold

For the bike: Most have been covered

For the driver: Gerbing is great I currently use el-jacket (and socks for long rides). Just remember to invest in a separate power outlet as the canbus will not handle much (eg like the el-jacket). Temp controller is a must. If you use it often/daily installing a permanent temp control on the bike is convenient. Good things can be said about layers of clothing, but el heated clothing is IMHO a superior solution. Driving through different wx and easily being able to adjust for it (so you actually do, a little like ESA – form, fit and feel and so on Most of us realise by now why BMW have heated grips as standard anyhow

So how do you like it cold - medium - or well done