I collected the latest entrant to the English “dream garage” last week, a Honda C90 E Cub. January might not be the best of months to be swanning around on the roads, but I managed to have such fun, draining the two-litre fuel tank and bringing the fuel consumption down to less than 100mpg. 

Mind you, the grit and cold roads put paid to the grip, the drivers who seem to have forgotten how to drive in the last couple of years were downright scary and I was as cold as an ice lolly by the time I got home. 

So here we give our A-Z of winter motorcycling, which is the wit and wisdom of our and others’ tried and tested experience of riding through the winter months. If you’ve got a bike, you probably know all this, but it helps to remind ourselves occasionally. For those of you out there on two wheels, please feel free to add your own on the bottom.  

A is for Advice. Take it, especially from bikers who ride throughout the winter and have all their limbs. You don’t have to adopt it all, but the more you know…

B is for Battery trickle charger. They’re all much of a muchness so don’t break the bank, though it’s worth paying a bit extra for decent cables as they get a bit gnarly after a couple of years. Attach it securely to your battery, switch it on and it will maintain your cells at optimum charge. You should be able to start your machine when you want.

C is for Covers. Get one and use it even if the machine is in a garage. I use R&G (www.rg-racing.com), which are tough, waterproof and good value, but there are many, many other covers available. Oh and check underneath them from time to time over the winter. Mice rather like motorcycles and feast on the wiring.

D is for Don’t lean (as much). Slippery conditions; salty, icy or just plain wet roads mean you want to keep the machine as upright as possible through corners and let the suspension and tyres do their work. Plan corners; where you want to turn in, where you want to apex and, where possible, exit. Then relax, sit on the machine like a sack of potatoes and be smooth and very gentle with the brakes…  

E is for Electrically-heated clothing. Some swear by the stuff, but I’ve never had great results. True you need to be warm when you put it on, but it’s bulky, I don’t like being tethered to the machine (even if the wires have snap-open connections) and heated gloves just don’t seem to work as well as heated grips.

F is for Fleece. We used to stuff newspaper under our jackets, but this stuff is the motorcyclists’ friend, soft, warm and easy to wash. EDZ (www.edzlayering.com) make some of the lightest, warmest and coolest, and they’re designed to go under protective clothing (less bulk round the wrists and neck), but there are myriad alternatives. Oh and try to avoid leaning across the exhaust headers when you’ve got your best fleece on; they melt well.

G is for Gloves. One of the most over-worked bits of kit you’ll own. Where to start? We still mourn the demise of Hein Gericke’s Pathan two-finger gloves, but whichever you chose the things to look out for are fit, decent stitching, a lack of bulk, an effective visor wipe, good wrist closures and linings that are well stitched in so they don’t pull out with your fingers (they’re never the same afterwards). A good place to start is the product tests in Motor Cycle News (www.motorcyclenews.com), or the reviews on the Bennetts insurance site (https://www.bennetts.co.uk). 

H is for Heated grips. If you need to ask why, you haven’t done much cold-weather riding. Once you’ve got them you’ll never go back. I use R&G (www.rg-racing.com/browseType/grips),which are simple and good value, but OnTour, Keis, Oxford, Gear Gremlin and others are available.

I is for Inhibitor and fuel stabiliser. This is the stuff they use in aeronautical fuel and it prevents corrosion and keeps the fuel fresh. Sta-bil, Liquimoly, STP even Mountfield make their own. If you’re leaving your machine for more than a couple of months, fill the tank with E5 super unleaded (E10 fuel attracts water and doesn’t store as well ), dose accordingly and run the engine for a while to get it through the pump and injectors. It works.

J is for Jeans, the new form of armoured type with Dupont Kevlar or similar aramid fibres in the material, which give abrasion resistance in the event of a spill. Since they’re been classed as PPE since May 2018, they’re all tested to the same standards. Look for CE standard mark and check whether they’re fully lined or just part lined. For ultimate protection leather is best, but around town, these are better than plain cotton jeans and they’re warmer than leather. 

K is for Keep moving the machine. If you’ve stored it then move it at least once a month to prevent the tyres flat-spotting. Overinflating them also helps prevent flat spotting – but remember to revert to the correct pressures before riding.

L is for Lines on the road: white-painted lines, shiny overbanding, poor resurfacing work, drain covers and the like are horribly slippery in the wet. It’s hard on our poorly maintained black top, but stay away from all of them.

M is for Mice. So don’t underestimate what a lovely winter rodents’ nest a motorcycle air filter makes. If your machine is in a garage or shed, try to catch the varmints before they go house hunting and chew your wiring. Poison is quite good, but best is traps baited with white chocolate or peanut butter.

N is for Not taking the bike. Watch the weather and seriously consider leaving it at home if ambient temperatures are below freezing and there’s the possibility of frost, ice or snow. Get stuck on an icy road and even if you don’t have an accident, merely trying to stay upright on the machine while you get it to safety, is frightening enough.

O is for the Old Bill, aka the police. We’re a huge fan of road safety courses but if you are talking about road riding, the police stand alone. They don’t lecture, they are a fount of hilarious stories and they teach you to ride in an assertive and confidence-inspiring style – they also know the location of the best mug of tea and bacon sandwich. Try www.bikesafe.co.uk, though other courses are available.

P is for Pressure; tyre pressures. Check them once a week, even more when you’ve ridden through road debris. While you are at it, put the bike on the centre stand and inspect the tyres for cuts and nails.

Q is for Quit as in knowing when to. Cold comes over you gently on a motorcycle, the brain slows, reactions get fuggly and your limbs cease to react as instantly as they should. It’s easy to press on and have a spill or worse. Learn to recognise the signs, get off and go somewhere warm with a hot drink.