Are you planning a two-wheeler trip this cold winter? Do you think you’re prepared for the ride? Do you have all the essentials? Did you make a checklist? Don’t worry NepaliWheels has you covered with the list of essentials for your trip!! It’s getting super cold. The weather is getting gloomy and chilly. With some sunny weekends that you witness, you would want to make the most out of it.
“Why not visit a short ride location for a short winter getaway?”
Around the valley, Dhulikhel, Nagarkot, Chandragiri, Bethanchowk, Kulekhani, Pharping are some of the most popular locations that can be easily reached through two-wheelers. These are 2 to 3 hour rides on two-wheelers, generally short, but it is crucial to be careful on the road, pack essentials for yourself and the vehicle specially for the winter season. Trips on two-wheelers are cold and windy, it's necessary to keep yourself and the vehicle safe from the winter winds. We have listed some very important things to put on your short winter trips essentials checklist, specifically for your entire ride on the bike or a scooter.
a. Protective gears for the rider
- Accessories such as a thick windproof jacket, a baclava, neck warmers, windproof gloves, knee guards are the key protective gears required as a necessity for winter rides and as we’re talking about trips on two-wheeler, it's a must. These gears are better explained in our article namely “Gears for Rides: Winter Edition”. Gears are essential not only for the riders but the person sitting on the pillion seat must also be well protected from the winter winds and more importantly pollution in the valley.
b. Head Gears
- Head gears include accessories such as a protective full helmet, LED headlamps, earplugs, and more. A full coverage helmet is a must for both the rider and the pillion passenger. Helmets have dual protective advantages which include safety from accidents and from the cold winds during the ride. Earplugs may sound new but they are important for longer rides as it plays an important role in eliminating the harsh sounds that enter through the helmet's crevasses. LED headlamps and protective goggles can be attached onto the helmet itself. Anti-Fog visors are a must during these cold rides. You can know more about how to make your helmet’s visor anti-fog in our article namely “Worried helmet visor fogging up”.
These above mentioned points are more inclined towards the rider and the pillion passengers protective tips for the two-wheeler trip. Now we will look more into how the two-wheeler should be taken care of during these harsh winter rides.
c. Tire Plug kit
- These are the small portable tire plug kits that are used when there is puncture that can be handled by minor plug fixings. The availability of two-wheeler workshops is low when one is on the road. So it is important to have small fixtures and spare tools such as screwdrivers, ball-end allen keys, combination spanners etc on hand for any minor emergency that can be fixed by the rider themselves. These plug kits come in handy as the roads on the trips are unpredictable and minor pointy objects could result in massive punctures to the tires.
d. Chain Lubricants
- These lubricants can be available in smaller bottle versions that are fit for travel kits. Winter roads are dry and dusty which causes the chains to be covered in these dust and alien objects on the road. Chain lubricants must be kept on hand so that it is easy to simply lubricate the chains for a better and smooth ride.
e. Battery check
- A battery check before, during and after the ride is really essential. During the winters, the most affected part of a two-wheeler is the battery. Due to the temperature, the viscosity of the liquid inside thickens and makes the battery’s performance low. This will impact the bike or scooter’s electric ignition, electricals such as the lights, horns, head and tail lamps and more.
f. Antifreeze additives
- These are the additional special coolants that prevent the water in the two-wheelers radiator from freezing. These additives are an extra mile of protection of the two-wheeler's engine in the cold freezing winters. These antifreeze are easily available in an already mixed mixture and can be directly added to the system to make the engine function smoothly even after a freezing winter night.
g. Bike covers
- These are another small element to protecting the two-wheeler, specially when it is parked overnight. The alien location might not have a designated parking facility. So, to be on a safe hand, it would be wise to take a bike/scooter cover of your own to cover and protect the two-wheeler from any external agent.
These small gears and protective elements can be easily stored inside the scooter underseat storage or if the two-wheeler is a bike then a small dry bag would be more than enough for these essentials to make your winter trip safe, smooth and hassle free.