There are a lot of countries that have snow fall almost all year. Many riders do not know if it is dangerous to ride on the snow, and how to prepare their dirt bike before the winter season. Today, I’m going to answer if riding in the snow is dangerous. In addition, I will show you tips for riding on the snow, and how to prepare your dirt bike for the snow and winter season.
Is it dangerous to ride in the snow with a dirt bike? Riding with a dirt bike on snow is dangerous, because snow is very smooth to ride on. but if You keep all the safety instructions. You can reduce the risk of doing an accident
In addition, I do not recommend for beginners riding on the snow, only advanced riders who have experience riding dirt bikes.
What are the risks of riding dirt bikes in the snow?
- Cycling conditions- The conditions in which you ride is a very important factor for riding in the snow. The ideal snow conditions for dirt bikes is when the snow is less than 8-9 cm deep. Riding more than 11-12 cm is going to be very difficult for riding. In addition to riding on snow, sunny days can be very dangerous, because riding on melting snow is very dangerous and can be life-threatening.
- Take into account the risk of falling- You have to take in account that the risk of falling off while riding in the snow is much higher than riding on surfaces such as grass, sand, and even mud. I do not recommend dirt riders begin to ride on snow, because it can be very dangerous. Novice riders can ride on snow only when there is a very thin layer. On the other hand, deep snow riding can be very dangerous for dirt bike riders. Only advanced riders can begin riding, and high riding abilities can ride on deep snow
- Frostbite- Another thing that is very important to know is that riding on snow on cold days can make you get frostbite, and worse, getting hypothermia. Many people do not understand the risk of getting cold burns, but the truth is that it is very easy to get frostbite when riding in the snow. You may be able to feel frostbite on your skin in the first few minutes, so it is very important to wear warm clothes for extreme weather conditions.
Clothes you need to wear when Riding in the Snow
- Wear warm socks- It is very important to wear warm socks that are especially suited for riding in cold weather, so you do not get frostbite in your legs. In fact, feet are among the most sensitive parts of the body in the cold, and because that you should wear socks that are made of materials that keep the legs from frostbite. Examples of excellent materials are thick cloth, wool, or thermal socks. Also, if you want to read about good protective socks for riding, I wrote this article that shows you the best socks for dirt bike riding. Click here to view
- Wear warm gloves– You must wear warm gloves that can deal with cold weather to keep your hands warm enough. Your usual dirt bike gloves are not harvested to deal with cold weather, so you should buy gloves that will protect your hands from frostbite.
- Wear protective goggles with good ventilation – It is very important to wear protective goggles that have good ventilation vents to remove steam from the protective goggles. In addition, I strongly suggest that the protective goggles secrete warm air inside the eyeglasses, so that you will not suffer from cold eyes when riding on the bike dirt. In addition, I wrote an article that will show you the best goggles on the market. Click here to view
- Wear a jacket and shirt for winter riding- In addition, a lot of riders think you need to wear lots of layers on your body, but the truth is that it is really uncomfortable to wear lots of layers of clothes on your body, and after a few minutes of riding and will suffer. Therefore, I recommend wearing only 2 to 3 layers of clothing. It is very important that the material that the clothes are made of high-quality material that keeps your body warm from cold weather.
- Water resistant boots – It is very important to buy waterproof boots. Nothing is worse than wet feet. Your normal dirt bike boots will not be enough. You will need to buy water resistant boots. There are many boots on the market that are especially suited for riding dirt bikes. If you want to look at good boots, I wrote this article. Click here to view
Tips for Riding in the Snow
- Keep your dirt bike covered – It is very important to keep your dirt bike covered and do not leave it for a long time outdoors on cold days. Do not leave your bikes in cold weather for a long time, because cold air hits the battery and the engine of the bike, so I highly recommend to keep your dirt bike in a closed place like a basement, or inside your house, so that is no cold air that would damage.
- Drink water – A lot of dirt bike riders forget to drink water riding in cold weather like snow. It is very important to drink water mainly in cold weather because your mouth quickly gets dehydrated while riding in the cold air. It is very important to bring even a few liters of water.
- Not to ride too long on dirt bikes – To ride on dirt bikes is very fun, but dangerous. Riding more than 3 hours can lead to very serious cold burns, and worse, hypothermia. Therefore, you should not ride more than 3 hours continuously on the dirt bike. If you want to ride more than 3 hours, you will have to do take a break for least half an hour, and then you can return to riding.
- Riding with large wheels – Riding with large wheels is highly recommended for riding on snow, because large wheels are much more stable and durable than small wheels. In addition, I highly recommend putting the wheels on the screws, which will make riding on the snow much easier and fun. Also, if you want to see the differences between big wheels and, small wheels I have an article about them. Click here to view
How to Prepare your Dirt Bike Before Riding in the Winter
Use a heat-cooling fluid- It is very important to use engine coolant against excessive heat during the days when there is rain or very cold weather, but on snowy days it is very important to use liquid to freeze your dirt bike which makes for a smooth ride, and more convenient and easy.
Remove the carburetor from the dirt bike- In rare cases, the engine can explode, and I know it sounds hallucinatory, but when there is cold, dense air can cause an explosion. To avoid this, I suggest removing the carburetor on the dirt bike to clog the dense air.
Install screws in the wheels- If you are going to ride in the deep snow, I suggest that you put the wheels of the bike in the dirt with screws, or just buy one. It is very expensive and can cost you between $300 and $500, and because of that I recommend for you to put it on yourself
Do not park your dirt bike in the snow, and only in a closed place because it can freeze the engine oil which can damage your dirt bike,
Children and Riding on Snow
A lot of parents ask me if they should let their child ride on a dirt bike. I can tell you that it is very dependent on the child, if the child is responsible, has very good riding skills, and you trust them. I would not let them ride only in areas with deep snow, but a with a very thin layer of snow. For young children, snow really can be very dangerous for them.
In conclusion
To summarize today, we have gone through all the questions about riding dirt bikes in the snow. It is very important to remember everything I showed you today, so that you can ride your dirt bike in the best way. Thank you for riding, until next time.
