BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

It often surprises me to hear that a lot of people put their bikes into hibernation during the winter months. Ok, i can understand if where you live has snow and ice in these months. These conditions stop me from going out for a ride. A chill in the air or the rain has never stopped me from venturing out. Even in the coldest months, i would rather ride my bike than my car.
Do you wrap your bike up for the winter? Would be interested how many in the UK do the same

I’ll ride the bike throughout the winter providing it’s dry and they haven’t salted the roads.

I actually quite enjoy riding in the rain, what I don’t enjoy is washing it off afterwards.

I bought the RT as a winter bike. Heated bars, seats, big fairing and a conveniently placed socket for my heated vest make it ideal. I don't leave the house in pouring rain (unless I have a ferry to catch) but it doesn't worry me if it rains while I'm out. The only thing that will put me off is heavily salted roads - particularly if it's too cold to hose the bike down afterwards.

Ride all year around, rain or shine - blood biker. And I wash my bike once a month whether it needs it or not.

Pre accident all year for work on me trusted gsx1250, the RT was only ever bought for touring. Although I have been known to bugger off at Christmas to the Algarve on the bike

Pre RT

I used to wrap it up for the winter but since I got the RT I have used it on dry sunny days!

Had some fantastic ride for the last few years in the winter

I always get it on the ramp and give it a good going over too

I don't mind a sunny winters day but not if the roads are still white with salt. I have a couple of bikes that only get taxed/tested for summer use. I've never been the "clean it every time you ride it" person so if anyone knows of a decent bike valeter in the north west I'm all ears for a deep clean after this years tours.

Personally having an older bike salted roads doesn't bother me. Really heavy rain like we are having at the moment does make me think twice before going out. Only because the water fills the potholes and i can't work out the depth or see them at all. Saying that i treat rain as an annoyance more than a hindrance.

I never did in the old days, but it was my transport to work! Now I have got back into it I still will be using it during winter - apart from the real awful days! Have got the gear and the bike has the rest!

I have ridden all year ever since I started riding. As I got older, the bikes some how became adorned with full fairings.

My latest has heated everything, they say you feel the cold more when you get older. I still miss my k100lt heated fuel tank.

Greasy Barbour wax jacket, white socks outside of the boots and a full hand muff clipped to the handlebars plus an Open face helmet with the usual

scarf.

Those were the days.

On a serious note, I have always believed that riding in the wet and colder months sharpens the pencil more than when your tyres are hot and sticky

after one mile.

I don’t lock my bike down during winter, but do keep it in my barn. I keep it on a battery charger and the antifreeze down to minus 10 degrees F. Also, have a few rules, which are no riding in snow and ice, 45 degrees F is my general lower limit for prolong riding, and no riding on heavily salted roads. Here in western Pennsylvania we have occasional weather breaks during our winters and I usually try to get out on the bike.
Tenequip

I'm in the snow and ice climate region, so winter riding is seldom an option here. We had a good snowfall last week and the temps have been below the freezing mark since, so looks like no more riding at home until spring. I am going away for a month long tour in a couple weeks though in South America on a rented bike.

All five of them are hibernating over winter. Three of them (GSX1100EF, GS1000G and FLHR) are in cold garage and and FLSTC and Triumph in warm garage with three cars. I have 160 square metres of garage and it is full.

Thank goodness no-one suggested this when I was on bikes!

Them Swedes.