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Have you recently purchased an electric motorcycle and are concerned about riding it during winter? Perhaps, you are considering buying an e-motorbike, but you want to know if you can ride it in the snow.
Whichever the case may be, you’ve come to the right place.
For various reasons, winter continues to be a concern for most e-motorbike riders, and understandably so. After all, the harsher conditions and unforgiving terrain can make motorcycle rides a much greater challenge.
So, here’s the million-dollar question — how do you ensure your electric motorcycle is ready for winter rides?
We’ll share some tips to help you get through winter rides on your e-motorbike later in this article. So, Keep reading to find out!
Can You Ride Your e-Motorbike in the Winter?
If you are wondering if you can ride your e-motorbike in the winter, the answer is yes!
You can ride your e-bike in the cold, slippery, and snowy conditions that come with the winter season. However, you’ll need to take some precautions to ensure you’re safe while riding through the snow.
Therefore, you must be willing to spend more time getting your e-motorbike and yourself ready for those weather conditions.
The following tips will help to enjoy your e-motorbikes rides without compromising your safety or the condition of your motorcycle:
1. Protect your battery
The battery of your electric motorbike is one of the most critical components of your e-motorbike. But, unfortunately, it is also the most delicate, especially in the winter.
In the winter, your e-motorcycle battery is more likely to lose its charge faster and freeze in the cold. Therefore, it is usually best not to leave it out in the cold for extended periods.
Furthermore, if you’ll be storing your electric motorcycle, ensure your batter is at least halfway charged but not up to its maximum charge. Then, take it out of the motorcycle and store it separately.
Keep your battery at around 75 percent charge if you’re storing it for more than two weeks, and plug it into your motorcycle once a month to make sure it remains active.
2. Charge your e-motorcycle battery at room temperature
Experts have discovered that charging your electric motorcycle battery in extremely cold or freezing conditions can significantly shorten its lifespan.
Therefore, if you have been riding your bike in the cold, allow your battery to warm up to room temperature or close before you start recharging it. Of course, this means you must roll your motorbike indoors or disconnect your battery and take it inside.
As a rule of thumb, your battery should be in temperatures between 16 and 18 degrees before you start recharging it.
3. Use the right tires
While your electric motorcycle can ride through the snow, you have to understand that it is not an ideal condition. Therefore, your motorcycle will typically have to do more work to get through the snow.
However, fitting your e-motorbike with the right tires can make snowy rides less hassle as your bike can get a firmer grip on the ground.
We recommend investing in good puncture-resistant tires that are pumped at lower-than-normal air pressure as these provide more traction.
If you’re riding in hard-packed snow on icy ground, you may need to buy some studded tires that can move quickly through these paths. On the other hand, fat tire bikes (without studs) and electric dirtbike are fantastic in softer or deeper snow!
4. Clean your bike after every ride
When riding in the winter, your electric motorcycle will likely be caked in snow. If you leave this on your bike for too long, the elements can lead to rust, tear, and wear of essential parts.
Therefore, wiping your e-motorbike down after every ride in the snow is an excellent routine. To do this, you can apply a light solvent and then wipe it down using a clean cloth. Or you can just dry-wipe it with a clean fabric.
In addition, you can also use sprays on the metal parts of your bike to make them rustproof.
5. Check your brakes often
You see, freezing winter temperatures can affect your brakes and cause them to work less efficiently.
Therefore, it is crucial to check your brakes to ensure they are in perfect condition before and after every ride.
Examine the brake pads and confirm they are good enough for the harsh winter ride. You also want to check the brake levers and the cables for any sign of moisture or freezing.
6. Dress appropriately
Beyond protecting your electric motorcycle, you also need to protect yourself when riding in the winter. Otherwise, the freezing cold may prevent you from being able to control your motorbike properly.
Therefore, you want to wear appropriate winter riding gear to protect your body from the harsh elements.
Some appropriate winter gear includes synthetic or wool layers, waterproof jackets, gloves, sturdy boots and a woollen hat. Wool is a great fabric choice during the winter as it prevents moisture while providing insulation and comfort.
You should also get waterproof footwear that will keep your feet as dry as possible. In addition, add protective sunglasses or ski goggles to prevent debris and snow from entering your eyes.
Finally, a mask balaclava can prove critical in keeping your face warm as they provide sufficient insulation and are incredibly breathable.
How Cold is Too Cold for Your E-Motorcycle?
While your electric motorbike can typically withstand icy conditions, it is not a very good idea to ride outdoors when the temperature is below freezing (32°F or 0°C). In such situations, it may be impossible to predict how your e-motorbike battery will perform.
However, if you must ride in subfreezing conditions, be sure you are properly well protected.
Wrapping It Up
Riding your electric motorcycle in the winter can be an exciting challenge. However, your safety should come first. So then, you should also ensure that you don’t ride at the risk of ruining your e-motorcycle.
Hopefully, the tips in this article will help you engage in winter rides on your electric motorcycles without any issues.
Do let us know if you have more questions. You can also browse our electric motorcycle website to examine our impressive range of e-motorbike.
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