COLD RIDING! It's that time of year again...How do you stay warm?

[tejkowskit]

37 C haha I wish!

So far for cold weather I've been wearing my textile jacket with the liner (long sleeve shirt underneath), windproof gortex pants over jeans, balaclava, thick winter gloves, and my regular riding boots. It's been working well so far.

For whoever doesn't have a balaclava, it is a great buy in cold weather riding!

 

[Full Throttle]

I decided to just stop riding when it gets cold (like today). I would love to ride year round but I just don't have room for all of the gear.

 

[FIZZER6]

Rode in today at 42F and was much warmer than yesterday! I threw my one-piece rain suit over my other gear and was toasty other than the chin again. Once I get a chin skirt and neck warmer I'll be set down to 35 degrees. The only thing I won't ride in is sub-freezing...black ice is no good.

 

[Erci]

Rode in today at 42F and was much warmer than yesterday! I threw my one-piece rain suit over my other gear and was toasty other than the chin again. Once I get a chin skirt and neck warmer I'll be set down to 35 degrees. The only thing I won't ride in is sub-freezing...black ice is no good.

Rain gear FTW when it comes to staying warm

 

[GTPAddict]

Let me start by saying I'm a puss when it comes to being cold. If it never dropped below 60*F I'b be just fine. I'm a healthy 6'0" 220ish pound dude whose wife likes to cook and is good at it.

That being said...

I rode up about 65 miles Sunday to join ChevyFazer and BlueMoon for a ride in N. Georgia. I left at about 7:30 AM and rode on a 70+ MPH interstate and backroads ranging from 35 - 55 MPH, it was about an hour and 15 minutes from where I was meeting them. I was wearing a Scorpion Hat Trick jacket w/ both liners, tee shirt, long sleeve under shirt, regular socks and underwear, jeans, SEDICI Umbria Waterproof Pants w/ liner, SEDICI Lorenzo Waterproof Boots, a neck thingy, and winter gloves I bought at Walmart for like $18 (not motorcycle gloves). The temp was about 37*F when I left my house and didn't really change during the ride. I was fine for the first hour, then my right hand started getting cold. Other then that, my chin was cold, but I have a balacalva (sp?) coming for that. I have no heated gear.

I was actually surprised on how warm I was. I think if I get some good gloves I'll be OK to ride through the entire winter. I live around Atlanta Ga, so the winter temps are normally not too bad.

 

[cap'n]

Two new things for me this year:

- Cal Sci windshield that's 11" taller than stock, and
- Ugly as hell ATV control cover things that you put your hands down into

The windshield makes a really big difference, I had heard that before but it's more true than I was picturing. And with the hand guards up over my winter gloves, my hands aren't even tingly at 45 degrees. They were a gift, and they're atrocious looking, but I just don't care enough to be vain about it. Sh_t is cheap, and it works reeeeally well. Heated gloves and grips are expensive, and seem to last about 18 months (speaking as a guy who paid $180 for a Tourmaster heated full sleeve liner and $120 for TM heated gloves, and got 18 months out of them before they BOTH crapped out with no warranty.)

 

[FIZZER6]

Let me start by saying I'm a puss when it comes to being cold. If it never dropped below 60*F I'b be just fine. I'm a healthy 6'0" 220ish pound dude whose wife likes to cook and is good at it.

I'm a much larger puss when it comes to cold because you have about 80 lbs of mass on me! I am physically built for the tropics and would rather ride in 115 degree 85% humidity than at 35 degrees.

Riding is not safe if your hands are going numb or the road surface is frozen. I have a 1.5L econo car that gets 40 mpg with a furnace of a heater for cold days. As long as I can get the bike out once a week at mid-day in January I'm happy.

As for Atlanta being mild in the winters. My cousin thought it would be till she moved there from VA and found the temps to be only marginally milder in the winter...you all actually had more snow last year than we did.

 

[GTPAddict]

As for Atlanta being mild in the winters. My cousin thought it would be till she moved there from VA and found the temps to be only marginally milder in the winter...you all actually had more snow last year than we did.

LOL, we normally don't get much snow if any, but we have gotten it the last 3 years - weird...

This is how snow should work. Scroll down to Feb. 2010 (pics taken form my front porch)

Snow in Georgia - Our Town

OK, sorry about the side track, back on topic

 

[FIZZER6]

LOL, we normally don't get much snow if any, but we have gotten it the last 3 years - weird...

This is how snow should work. Scroll down to Feb. 2010 (pics taken form my front porch)

Snow in Georgia - Our Town

OK, sorry about the side track, back on topic

It's about cold weather, still on topic in a way.

I could never live in a location where snow stayed on the ground for more than 5 days before all melting away. Places where the December snow is still at the bottom layer of their 5' in March would make me insane in one season.

Virginia is as far north as I go in winter.

 

[Clovis]

Heated gear is best. The balaclava works well too.

Here's a cheap solution that's good for all but the coldest days.

Layers. Under my leather track pants I wear regular old sweat pants.
Under my jacket I wear a tshirt, hoodie and my jacket liner if it's particularly cold.

For the neck! Go to wal-mart and head to the arts and crafts section. They sell fleece materials. In a pinch a few years ago I bought a square yard of fleece and cut it into triangles.

Fold the long part a few times to form a triangle and wrap around your neck tucking the bottom half (the bottom point) into your jacket. This keeps the wind off and your neck warm.

 

[DefyInertia]

Having a higher collar will definitely help with keeping the neck warm.

Heated grips can be had for $35 shipped to your door and make a big difference. Maybe handguards to block the wind too (if you've ever ridden with these then you know how BIG of a difference they really make).

I wear a Rev'It Sand suit when on my KTM. It has kept me comfortable at 8,000 feet in the snow and a low elevation in the 90s (have only had it a couple weeks now). I freaking love it and almost think that if you're wearing it you cannot be cold or hot. It's expensive though...I finally splurged and bought my self a new piece of gear instead of used gear.

Good luck :thumbup:

^ That's awesome! I'll start searching for one of those. Looks like a good way to keep warm on bitter days even if you aren't riding!

For sure...definitely get one, buddy. Good stuff.

I may try putting my 1 piece rain suit over my gear to break the wind. Good idea. :thumbup:

I do this as well. My leather street 2 piece suit is solid leather but the arms are vented. I put my $50 rain riding jacket over it for anything under 60 degrees and it keeps me warm down to the high 40s.

 

[Smersh]

some cheap balaclava from CycleGear, Firstgear Kilimanjaro jacket, Firstgear HT overpants, Courtech Scarab gloves, Sidi Vertigo boots (always worn with hiking-grade wool socks).

I have to say, that Kilimanjaro jacket is something with all the belts combined with vents, you can keep your body core perfectly comfortable in a wide range of outside temperatures. Some of the best $$$ I spent.

I missed my KLR's handguards up until i got the Scarabs - they are bulky, but really good at keeping your hands warm. CrampBuster throttle paddle is a must with them, imho

 

[ebster1085]

Have continued riding in this week and have now swiitched over to a long sleeve zip up turtle neck under my jacket. Seems to be helping out, but my hands are still cold by the time I get in.

It has been between 45-50*F every morning this week..stanks!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

A heated jacket liner (not a fully sleeved jacket) under a full heavy, leather jacket, heated gloves and a nylon head/neck pullover protector (3/4 helmet) with an adjustable heat troller keeps me toasty..

Well worth the investment IMHO.

Keep in mind that when shopping for a head/neck pullover it will (if your helmet fits correctly) tighten the space up between your helmet and head...

 

[Stevoman]

But on a more serious note, what do you guys suggest for a wind breaker to wear under my gear?

 

[Erci]

But on a more serious note, what do you guys suggest for a wind breaker to wear under my gear?

Any nylon shell will work as an under-jacket layer to block the wind, but if you need warmth, just wear any rain jacket over your normal riding jacket.

 

[dxh24]

Layers Layers Layers :thumbup:
For the neck situation, my Versys has a similar problem, throws air right to the neck... my HJC has a nice chin mesh that helps alot, that coupled with a home knit neckie from grandma (woot!) and i'm set :thumbup: Rode intentionally in 40 degrees and rain yesterday to go see if i had to work or not (didn't nor do i have to today :rockon-didn't go too badly at all... i had full thermal (pants and shirt) a long sleeve polo (tee shirt under both of those) a sweatshirt then my leather jacket, worked nicely! Shoes are a weakpoint still, sneakers... :spank: that's my goal this winter, get a rad pair of waterproofish riding boots (suggestions welcome).

Layers FTW though

 

[FIZZER6]

But on a more serious note, what do you guys suggest for a wind breaker to wear under my gear?

Report back when you are riding below 40 degrees F, otherwise piss off! :BLAA: Just kidding.

East coast, get ready to freeze this weekend, massive Canadian cold front pushing down, going to get our first frost here.

 

[GTPAddict]

The low here over the next 5 days is on Saturday at 35*F, too damn cold! Gonna warm up to the low 60's though.

As far as waterproofish riding boots, not sure what you want to spend, but I bought some Lorenzo Waterproof Leather Motorcycle Boots at cyclegear when they were $25 off. So far I'm happy with them. I have ridden in rain a few times, and they did not leak. Also, they keep my feet pretty warm I guess, didn't get cold riding last weekend when it was 37*F with just plain socks (not think thermal/wool socks). I bought the size I wear in tennis shoes and they seem ti fit just a tad loose. Works great if you want to put thick socks on or a cushy gel sole insert.

 

[novaks47]

I guess I'm the only one that doesn't mind cold? lol It was 42F this morning, and I just had the liner in my jacket and riding pants, plus my winter gloves, and a t-shirt under the jacket, and all was fine. Coldest I rode in was 34F. That was a bit much, only because I kept having to open my face shield to defog my glasses. lol Maybe workout a bit before the ride? That way you'll be much too warm once the gear is on, and you'll welcome the nice cool air.