Finding pockets of good weather to ride in.

Winter is upon us. Most of the Ohioans I talk to are quite optimistic about the season's temperatures with reassuring words such as, "It's only going to get colder" and "Hope you have a good coat because you'll freeze."

For the last week or so, my bike's been under a cover and hibernating. Then again, so have I. Temps this week have been in the low 20s, the point where road gutters have frozen into skateable surfaces, as seen from the example below.

On a serious note, sub-freezing point temps combined with prolonged rain can add an additional hazard to the motorcyclist because of the risk of slippery surface and in a worse-case scenario, black ice. If considering to ride in these conditions, some questions you may want to ask yourself can include:

• Have ice warnings been put into effect in my area and my destination?
• Has it rained/snowed continuously over several days?
• What is the weather forecast for my destination and the points between?
• Have I checked my motorcycle's tires, brakes, and controls (T-CLOCK)?

If you've answered these questions and deemed your journey to be feasible, bundle up with your favorite combination of safety gear and go for it! I am still adamant in keeping my FJR1300 out of winterization mode. Believe me, there will still be a pocket of good weather here and there. Look forward to it and ride on!