How to Calculate Wind Chill on a Motorcycle
Bikers understand better than anyone the effect of wind chill; depending on your speed and the outdoor temperature, it can feel up to 13°C colder in the winter. This risk is more relevant than ever as the motorcycling community grows: as of September 2025, the number of licensed motorbikes in Great Britain surged to 1,445,348, an 8.8% increase in just nine months. This record-high volume of riders means more people are facing these extreme conditions on their daily commutes.
In fact, the faster you ride and the colder the temperature, the more you'll feel the impact of wind chill. To help you stay warm check out our review of the Best Waterproof & All Weather Motorcycle Gear.
No Wind
Riding your motorbike on a quiet day (with no wind) will feel 4°C to 12°C colder, depending on the temperature and your speed. For example, riding at 70 mph on the motorway when it's 0°C will feel like -11°C.
| Wind Chill (no headwind) | 20 mph | 30 mph | 40 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10°C | 6°C | 6°C | 5°C | 4°C | 4°C | 4°C |
| 8°C | 4°C | 3°C | 2°C | 2°C | 1°C | 1°C |
| 5°C | 0°C | -1°C | -2°C | -3°C | -3°C | -4°C |
| 2°C | -4°C | -5°C | -6°C | -7°C | -8°C | -8°C |
| 0°C | -7°C | -8°C | -9°C | -10°C | -11°C | -11°C |
| -2°C | -9°C | -11°C | -12°C | -13°C | -13°C | -14°C |
10mph Headwind
Riding a motorcycle in a 10 mph headwind will make it feel 1-2°C colder than riding in quiet air. For example, the wind chill reaches -8°C when you're riding at 50 mph in 2°C weather versus -7°C when there's no wind.
| Wind Chill (10 mph headwind) | 20 mph | 30 mph | 40 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10°C | 6°C | 5°C | 4°C | 4°C | 4°C | 3°C |
| 8°C | 3°C | 2°C | 2°C | 1°C | 1°C | 0°C |
| 5°C | -1°C | -2°C | -3°C | -3°C | -4°C | -4°C |
| 2°C | -5°C | -6°C | -7°C | -8°C | -8°C | -9°C |
| 0°C | -8°C | -9°C | -10°C | -11°C | -11°C | -12°C |
| -2°C | -11°C | -12°C | -13°C | -13°C | -14°C | -15°C |
20mph Headwind
Riding in a 20 mph headwind exacerbates the effects of wind chill even further. In fact, an 8°C day can feel like 0°C when you're riding your motorbike on the motorway at 70 mph in a 20 mph headwind.
| Wind Chill (20 mph headwind) | 20 mph | 30 mph | 40 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10°C temp | 5°C | 4°C | 4°C | 4°C | 3°C | 3°C |
| 8°C temp | 2°C | 2°C | 1°C | 1°C | 0°C | 0°C |
| 5°C temp | -2°C | -3°C | -3°C | -4°C | -4°C | -5°C |
| 2°C temp | -6°C | -7°C | -8°C | -8°C | -9°C | -9°C |
| 0°C temp | -9°C | -10°C | -11°C | -11°C | -12°C | -12°C |
| -2°C temp | -12°C | -13°C | -13°C | -14°C | -15°C | -15°C |
To counteract the effects of wind chill, protective gear like wind-proof jackets and battery-heated gloves is essential. However, this protection comes at a cost; a complete set of high-quality all-weather gear can now easily reach £1,000. Given this significant investment, we strongly advise checking that your insurance policy includes 'Helmets and Leathers' cover. This is often available as an add-on for approximately £29.99, ensuring your expensive safety kit is replaced if damaged in an accident.