AUTUMN MOTORCYCLE RIDES - STILL TIME TO GET OUT THERE AND ENJOY IT

There are still plenty of enjoyable motorcycling days left this year, so why not get away from it all and delight your senses with the beautiful autumn colours out there. If you leave the beaten track and the motorway behind and head out onto the B roads, you can soak up some of those autumn sights on a peaceful stress-relieving ride.

Here are a few tips to make sure that you really enjoy it and avoid autumn hazards. Remember to wear and take the right gear as the weather, as we all know, can be changeable. Sometimes autumn days go from cool mornings to warm afternoons to cold or wet evenings so it's good to be prepared with multiple layers.

Jackets with with removable liners zip in or out liners are great to quickly and easily add or remove extra warmth when required.

Helmets with vents which open or close are also good in varying temperatures.

Gloves which are really water and wind proof are also a must as your hands are in the lead, doing lots of work and get all the weather so need to be kept toasty.

Necktubes are good to seal up the gap between your jacket and helmet and prevent those drafts from getting in.

Boots which are truly waterproof are a must obviously and wet feet can change your pleasant ride into an endurance test.

Waterproofs are essential. A good set of really waterproof wet weathers – including trousers – can be stuffed into your panniers or backpack to quickly slip on if an autumn downpour suddenly hits. They've been torrential here, coming in a flash from a blue sky suddenly turned black.

Sunglasses or a tinted or photochromatic visors are great at this time of year, as the low sun can prove dazzling in between long low dark shadows early in the evening. Also the multitude of super dazzling self adjusting oncoming car headlamps can be a problem as they don't necessarily adjust to motorcycle headlamps and can be blinding, you can get glare resisting glasses now designed for riding in the gloaming and at night to counteract this problem.

Another thing to start looking out for soon and factor into your riding, is frost. At this time of year it is thinking about appearing and has an ally in the long shadows and once it's around it can lurk about until late in the morning. This, combined with leaves and showers, can cause really slick conditions – even dry leaves can be very slippy so keep an eye on them too when you clock them on the road.

Another hazard can be wildlife if you are really out in the countryside, as deer for example are rutting in the autumn and can be erratic in their behaviour so if you see a road sign telling you to watch out for deer then pay particular attention and do just that. If you do see deer then reduce speed, cover your brake and be on standby to take evasive action or do an emergency stop as they are unpredictable in the extreme.

So if you stay alert for any seasonal issues, riding out is a great way to get away from it all at the moment and is generally a very socially distanced activity as long as you are careful if you stop for a drink or a picnic with your riding crew. So make the most of the clear days and get out there if you get a chance and the elements are favourable and enjoy a ride.

If you have any tips to share for autumn riding - things to enjoy, places to go or things to watch out for to add to the list we'd love to hear them. Just email us at: [email protected] or let us know on Facebook.

14/10/20 - Plastic gloves from the petrol station forecourt over your gloves. Helped with rain and wind 🌬️.

13/10/20 - I rode up to Dumfries one new year's eve, with a newspaper down the front of my jacket. Kept the wind out, cushty.

13/10/20 - Builders plastic Hi Vis over leathers.

13/10/20 - In this weather? The commute is bad enough but riding for pleasure in never ending rain.... No thank you. I'm so fed up right now. Rain is my new four letter word. 😡

13/10/20 - Wellies, the only true waterproof boots, wool lined handlebar muffs.

13/10/20 - Base layers!!! Rab Powerstretch top. Aerostich heated/inflatable jacket. Old bike so you dont have to clean it all the time/stress about the cost if you get it wrong at low speed.
In winter, my riding gear is often worth more than the bike I'm on.

13/10/20 - The same as the rest of the year. Is there actually a season?

13/10/20 - A sheet of bubble wrap inside the front of your waterproof jacket for waterproofing and extra insulation.

13/10/20 - Petrol station plastic glove inside your riding glove keeps the wind chill off your fingers. Carrier bag over your boot when putting waterproof trousers on stops boot catching on inside of the over trousers.