I’ve always liked the saying “Why is it that, when your mothers cold, you have to put a jumper on?”.
Well, the same applies to riding your scooter in the winter months. I saw a guy yesterday riding his SYM Classic 125 Sport in Tee Shirt and thongs on the first day of winter. Sure, it was a nice day, but the wind chill alone made me want to dress him more appropriately.
So, I decided I’d piece together this article with a few choice tips and tricks for winter scooter riding. Hopefully some of them are helpful for you.
- My first tip for winter riding is to know about what accessory options are out there and to decide which ones suit your riding style and budget. When I first started riding back in the olden days, there were very limited choices for cool and wet weather. In fact, I clearly remember putting a newspaper down my jacket to try and cut out some of the wind chill on a cold day, (talk about a low budget solution!).
- There are basically two ways to stay warm. One is to layer up and the other is to cut out the wind chill. We are fortunate as the lower half of our body is reasonably tucked behind the leg shield/front body of the scooter, but if it’s cool enough, you are still going to look to keep that area warm too. The options you may consider are Kevlar jeans, woollen under clothes, Corazzo Lap Apron, or even just wearing your wet weather pants even on a cold but dry day. All these options cut out some of the wind chill we experience when riding. Many riders prefer the Lap Apron as it’s easy to fit and cuts out much of the rain too. I find Kevlar jeans quite hot to wear in summer as they are made of sturdier materials, but comfortable in spring, winter and autumn.
- A riding jacket with abrasion resistant material and armour is the most obvious addition that everyone should have all year round, as your upper body is the most exposed to wind and rain. We have over dozen styles and colours to consider for men HERE and ladies HERE. All have abrasion resistant materials and rider armour. Some are all season jackets, while others are leant toward cooler or warmer weather so there is bound to be one (or two) that suit you. I have two jackets that I use depending on that day’s ride, and yes, this may include wearing my winter jacket (with the inner liner removed) on cooler or wet summer days. The way I look at it is Ill be covered for whatever the weather throws at me here in Sydney, and I’ll only wear out each jacket at half the usual rate if I split their usage. (Plus I’m spoilt and own a scooter store).
- A waterproof rain suit is probably part of your riding kit anyway, and I find that it can assist in cutting out some of the wind chill even on cool dry days. Give it a try and see what a difference it can make.
- Waterproof boots are another thought in cooler climates. The good news is that nowadays there are ‘street style’ boots to consider that you will feel comfortable with even at the café or Woolies checkout.
- Gloves are another key feature for comfortable winter riding. I use full gauntlet water resistant winter gloves in the cooler weather. They overlap with the cuff of your jacket, offer good protection and stop much of the wind chill. Keeping your hands warm is a must, as you will find that when your hands get cold the rest of your body tends to follow. Check these out HERE
- Helmets are often forgotten when it comes to cool weather riding and many regular commuters have two helmets, one open-face for summer, and a full face for cooler rides. The full face helmet cuts out much more wind chill and is much warmer to wear. It also complements the collar of your riding jacket to leave only a small, exposed gap between the two.
- And while we are talking about that annoying gap of exposure between your jacket collar and helmet, there is a solution in a neck sock. These can be as simple as a basic neck sock right through to the Rolls Royce of neck socks with the Corazzo Ghetta, which has a windproof chest panel, fuzzy warm liner and is fully adjustable for the perfect fit. Check it our HERE (and yes I have one too….I told you I am spoilt).
- Winter can also mean fogging helmet visors. I find PIN Loc or Fog City visors do a great job. They fit as a film inside your helmets visor and stop the visor from fogging. At $25-$60 they are worth the investment.
- You should consider getting your scooter a windshield for cooler months. A lot of our regular commuters have a windshield fitted during the cooler months to stay warm. They block quite a bit of wind chill and as a bonus they block quite a bit of rain while you’re riding along. Vespa have a great system for their screens as they are dead easy to fit or remove with only two bolts. They also have a range including sports screens in clear or smoked, and clear mid and tall screens. Check them out HERE or email our parts team at parts@scootercentral.com.au with your make and model for options for your scooter.
- And my last tip is a mechanical one. Our techs in the workshop recommend riders start their scooter on the centre stand, and while it’s idling, use the time to put on your helmet, jacket, gloves etc. Your scooter will get a chance to warm up a little while you do this and in turn it reduces engine wear when it’s time to get out on the road and rev it up.
So that’s about it. If you have a winter riding tip, let me know and Ill add it to the article. We’re always looking for new ideas to enjoy our riding.
Murray