7 Unwritten Etiquettes Every Motorcycle Rider Should Know

Winter is arguably the best time to go on a road trip because the sun does not hit you as hard as during the summer months, especially in a tropical country such as India or any other country in Asia Pacific region for that matter! When going on a winter road trip you need the best protective riding accessories in addition to a good branded helmet to stay protected against the chilling cold temperatures. So, if you are in the market to purchase motorcycle riding gears for your upcoming vacation, we have a few ideas that we want to share with you.

Understand how cold it’s going to get

Don’t go buying huge winter coats that are simply bothersome to use when riding a motorcycle especially if you do not need the additional winter protection. Understand the temperature of the destination on the road you will be travelling through. In most cases across the Indian subcontinent the minimum winter temperature is around 10 degrees Celsius which isn’t as bad as it sounds particularly if you are riding under the sun. But if you have plans for skiing on the snowy slopes of Manali or any other mountain winter destinations in northern India, you will need additional protection besides what you are going to use during the ride. In that case, make sure to invest in a top luggage box to carry all those bulky winter coats, boots and gloves that will definitely come in handy at the destination if not during the ride.

Layering up Vs. one big jacket

Experienced motorcycle riders manage the weight of the winter apparels by layering multiple pieces of clothing instead of one huge, bulky jacket! There are two definite advantages of doing that. The first is that you can easily layer down and remove a few pieces of clothing if the temperature starts to rise by midday and put them back on as soon as the sun starts to set. This way you can make use of regular clothes to stay warm if you’re on a tight budget. you do not necessarily have to invest in winter clothing if you’re a student or you’ve just begun your professional career and spending a lot of money on the road trip isn’t your priority at the moment.

Full-Face Helmet Vs. Everything Else

Arguably, a full-face helmet is the best when it comes to providing weather protection against cold chilly winter winds. Compared to a full-face helmet, an open face helmet does not have the front facade which blocks the air from cooling down your face and neck, something you would not want when you’re Riding a motorcycle during the winter. We are strong advocates of having multiple helmets even if you what you do mostly is city commutes to the office because during such special road trips, you simply cannot rely upon an open face helmet which does not have a chin-bar, an essential part for protecting the lower half of your face in the event of a mishap.

Protection within protection

Sometimes the temperature is too cold for just one layer of protection to keep you warm. This goes with our previous tip of layering up instead of wearing one big piece of winter clothing but this is specially for the face. In addition to wearing a full-face helmet, consider putting on a balaclava or a skull cap or at least having those things in your luggage bag so that you can reach for them if the temperature suddenly drops too much and the helmet alone isn’t doing much to keep your face warm.

Storing the winter riding accessories

When you have so much additional luggage to carry around you need to think of the storage situation on your motorcycle. A simple backpack will probably not cut it. Check out side luggage boxes and top boxes in addition to fuel tank bags to carry all the extra winter wear on your motorcycle.