Winter Preparation - Motorcycle Riding

As the days darken and sunny blue skies morph into dark clouded rain-bearing monstrosities winter has inevitably arrived, and if you’re a keen motorcyclist bound on battling through our coldest and wettest months we have compiled some useful gear that will assist you in achieving a successful winter of riding.

England isn’t known for its gracious sunshine and warmth so you can be assured that Oxford’s Warm Dry Thermals, Snugs, Thermolite Inner Gloves and Thermal Socks all the way from Oxfordshire England are going to do an excellent job at keeping you warm this winter.

Oxford Warm Dry Thermals are a true testament to their name, with moisture-wicking material the thermals remove sweat from your skin and rapidly dry eliminating moisture build-up increasing warmth and comfort. The Oxford Warm Dry Thermals are offered in a long sleeve top and pants for full-body warmth on cold winter rides.

Complementing Oxfords Warm Dry Thermals is the Oxford Snug, a specially designed comfy that has been adapted for winter riding by adding a Polar Fleece lower section. The Oxford Snug is extremely lightweight and wind-resistant while remaining breathable and warm. The Oxford Snug can be worn as a neck tube, beanie, face mask, bandana, balaclava or however else keeps you warm and comfortable.

Completing Oxford’s winter apparel are their Thermolite Inner Gloves and Thermal Socks, two great affordable options for keeping your extremities warm throughout chilly winter tours. The Oxford Thermolite Inner Gloves can be worn with normal summer gloves to achieve ideal winter warmth or used in combination with your winter gloves for use in extreme cold. Few can afford a new pair of boots specifically for winter riding, fortunately, Oxford offers an affordable solution for retaining feeling in your toes in the form of their Thermal Socks. Built for winter riding the Oxford Thermal Socks provide exceptional warmth and comfort while remaining light and breathable.

Now you’re all sorted for warmth, how about that treacherous rain? Don’t panic, once again we have you covered courtesy of Dririders Thunderwear 2 Jackets and Pants or their Hurricane 2 1-piece waterproof gear. Both boasting a PVC coated nylon construction that provides exceptional waterproofing and windproofing the Thunderwear 2 and Hurricane 2 can guarantee you will remain dry in the worst conditions. Elasticated cuffs prevent water from entering through the arm and leg openings while stitched and taped seams further improve waterproofing capabilities.

We’ve all experienced freezing hands while riding and it can only be described as extremely uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. Cold and numb hands can significantly affect your ability to control the bike especially in an emergency, so don’t leave it up to chance as we have plenty of options for rectifying frozen hands this winter.

First up are Dririders Jet and Alpine winter gloves, both utilising a cowhide construction for superior abrasion resistance and a hard knuckle cover for impact protection. The Jet offers a waterproof and breathable thermal padded liner to provide excellent comfort, warmth and waterproofing ideal for winter. While the Alpine glove takes this one step further with a 100% waterproof and breathable Hipora liner and other smaller features that make it a top of the line winter glove such as its pre-curved fingers and 3M reflective piping for enhanced visibility.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to sacrifice the feel and control of your summer gloves we recommend a combination of Oxford Hot Grips and the Oxford Rainseal Muffs. The Oxford Rainseal Muffs prevent your hands from getting soaked in the pouring rain and provide unrivalled wind-breaking, all while the Oxford Hot Grips provide multiple levels of heating perfect for all conditions. Due to the heating and excellent wind-breaking performance of the pair you can continue to use your summer gloves year-round, maintaining that perfect feel and control of your ride.

For those really committed to the winter gear-up or if you’re due for a new pair we recommend the Gaerne Prestige or Gaerne GRW Boots, featuring incredible Gore-Tex or AquaTech technologies both boots are bound to keep you dry throughout the winter rain. Fortunately, both Gore-Tex and AquaTech work in a similar way, constructed from fabric that is so small water droplets cannot penetrate it but large enough for water vapour to exit the Prestige and GRW boots are excellent for all-year-round riding, so you don’t have to fear getting hot and sweaty feet once the sunshine returns.

Now you’re all sorted it’s time to take care of your ride. You’re going to want to ensure your motorcycle remains clean and tidy throughout winter. We strongly advise spraying silicone into a rag and wiping your bike, not only will the silicone coating prevent rust and moisture build-up it will also make cleaning your ride a breeze as most dirt, grime and bugs won’t stick as they once did. Ideal for winter with the earlier sunset and quicker arrival of mozzies that inevitably end up as high-way roadkill. Be careful to not get any silicone on your discs, brake pads, seat, footpegs or grips. Completing our winter preparations are Oxfords Stormex, Rainex and Aquatex motorcycle covers, providing varying levels of protection at different affordability the Oxford bike covers ensure your pride and joy is sheltered from the elements throughout the harsh winter months.