cold weather gear

[saddlesore]

  The last couple of rides the temperature was 40 degrees.  I've been wearing a t-shirt, sweatshirt and a heavy flannel shirt.  My jacket is a Scorpion Admiral with the lining in it.  I wear a neoprene face  mask and some liners inside my regular gloves.    I have fleece lined jeans and boots.
   This all works pretty good but my boots could be higher. They're new and bought for summer riding.
I tossed the old taller ones.   The jacket could use a belt but I'll just pick one up and go around the whole jacket.
   So anyway I'm wondering what everyone else wears for cold weather riding.

[Former BMW Guy]

Heated vest would be a good investment.

JP

[Reb]

Check out other motorcycle forums classifieds, I got an entire set of used gerbings for very cheap off the GL1800 site. Just a thought

[old2soon]

45 degrees and colder-long johns long sleeved t shirt sweat shirt a second pair of jeans over the first pair leather chaps and a hot leathers jacket with the liner those brown jersey gloves under H/F roughed out welders gloves and my Bell Ace of Diamonds full face helmet. I bought those tactical boots from wally world and with cotton socks under at this point in time they are warm enough. Nice thing about the Bell full face helmet-iffin it gets too warm easy enough to raise the visor little even with the heavy gloves on. Most likely be lookin quite seriously at heated gear before NEXT winter. RIDE SAFE.

[czuch]

Motorcycle superstore. Not involved , but a satisfied customer.3
First Gear heated jacket liner. Love it. It has cords for gloves, pants andf boot liners.
One of the best accesories I've invested in.
For those early mornings when the mecury is touching the 50's.
Hey, its Tucson.

[Michvalk]

Heated jacket liner under heavy leather/w liner. Chaps over jeans. Military glove liners, or heated gloves in the super cold (below 32). I have both a balaclava and earcovers. I never own a bike without a fairing, so, don't need a huge amount of protection

[Jess from VA]

With high tech underwear/fleece/sox, these do it short of electrics, which I also have.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/pants/textile_pants/fieldsheer/mercury_2_textile_motorcycle_pants.html

Predecessor to:
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/textile_jackets_and_pants/tour_master/raven_textile_motorcycle_jacket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/boots/waterproof_sport_street_touring_boots/alpinestars/alpha_touring_wp_motorcycle_boots.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/gloves/insulated_and_or_waterproof/cortech_by_tour_master/scarab_winter_motorcycle_gloves.html

I wear a half helmet with neck curtain, but this doubles the warmth.
http://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Mens-Coldgear-Hood/dp/B0040ZN5GC

In cold weather, your gear needs to keep the air out (esp at the ankles, wrists, and neck).  My pants get tucked in the boot tops.

[Willow]

The upper limit of cold is 40 degrees (F).

For cold weather I wear a Joe Rocket Comet jacket, thermal underwear on the legs, possibly leather chaps, TourMaster gloves, a fleece pullover (much superior to most sweatshirts), a zub (zubwear.com), and a full face (modular) helmet.  If it gets really cold I add a face wrap.

I always wear Redhead socks with my boots.

[Phil57]

My feet stay warm with good gore tex hiking boots and chaps. The chaps cover the boots and keep the wind from coming up my pant legs. I don't use the high way pegs as much. I bought a new Olympia Jacket mesh but with the two liners a wind and a insulated. Works great. I also have a 18"or so windshield that keeps me warm. I just bought a 8" Windshield from Flrider to use in the summer but that 18" is huge and keeps a lot of wind off you. I think I'll ride until that white crap starts.

[Thunderbolt]

I know that a lot of folks wonder about us Floridians in general, but also why we would even need cold weather gear, but it does get cold here and we take some trips where we do need it.   To the point I have Tourmaster cold gear, coat and pants.  Both have removable liners and are water resistant.  I can ride with a T-shirt underneath down into the 30's.  Tourmaster gloves when it gets extra cold.

[MarkT]

I have a Warm N Safe heated jacket liner and warm N safe gloves - really top quality. Long sleeve T, then use the jacket under one of several armored jackets - a Belstaff, a Joe Rocket, or that new convertible mesh one we just got a great deal on a couple months ago.  If it's cold enough, use a balaclava covering my neck & over my nose.  With that, I'm good with even a half helmet & temps in the teens - though I might use my convertible HJC if it's really cold.  All bikes are wired to power the electric gear.  Legs and feet don't get cold with just jeans and insulated boots - they are out of the wind anyway with Baker wings on the Valk & Wing.  When it's cold enough for this gear - I'm not riding cross country anyway.  Almost all rides are under 100 miles.

[hubcapsc]

I have a heated vest, but juggling the wires down my jacket sleeves to the gloves
is a drag... I'm looking into a heated jacket liner, where you don't have to worry about the wires,
your gloves can just hook into a plug at the end of the jacket liner sleeves. I don't take my
britches off much when I'm riding  so I don't have a problem with the wires that go
down my pants legs to my heated insoles.

My gloves are gerbing, and I have the gerbing dual controller, so I've been thinking of getting
a gerbing jacket liner, but Czuch's First Gear heated jacket liner sounds like it would fit the
bill, too...

-Mike

[Clark]

if ya dont believe ANYTHING I say.. BELIEVE THIS.. if ya wanna stay warm...NOCOTTON,NOCOTTON,NOCOTTON....TRUST ME

[BigAl]

Heated gear sold here, don't leave home without it.

It will keep you warm and alive.

Hypo thermia can and will kill you.

Just like Hyper thermia can as well.

Gerbings makes a nice pair or set.

Others have tried, Gerbings is a winner.

Extra Fuses and a Thermostat a must.

Or stay home.

[2tonevalk]

Motorcycle superstore. Not involved , but a satisfied customer.3
First Gear heated jacket liner. Love it. It has cords for gloves, pants andf boot liners.
One of the best accesories I've invested in.
For those early mornings when the mecury is touching the 50's.
Hey, its Tucson.

Hands down.  Best 300 bucks I spent for warmth.  First Gear is a great value for the money.
Just my thoughts.
Ride safe and warm
Robert

[sandy]

Cold weather? Sorry; can't relate. It was 90 today.

[YoungPUP]

My leather jacket has a zip in liner, add to that Starter brand underarmour type shirt ( that I already wear for work this time of year)  and my regular riding chaps.  Nomex FF hood under the full face helmet to keep the nose and neck warm.  MY regular non insulated work boots til about 30 degrees, and my 800 gram work boots below that.

[fudgie]

Leather jacket and chaps. Long underware. Open carhart face maks with a tube.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Gerbing Heated Gear <----Some of the best money you will spend   After you buy it you will say " Why did I wait so long to do this " .

[Skyhawk]

Gerbing Heated Gear <----Some of the best money you will spend   After you buy it you will say " Why did I wait so long to do this " .

Exactly what i said after my first use.  Road all day Sunday in 35 degree weather and was only cold when I stopped for breaks.

[saddlesore]

   I guess I'm going to look into a heated vest.  (at least).  Jess,I like the balaclava you referred to. I've tried that in the past but they were too thick. The neoprene mask does a nice job but it's a pain to get on with the ear covers folding over. I also liked the gloves you pointed out.
   The thought of some over pants kind of appeals to me but I'm wondering if my rain suit pants would do the job. My legs don't get that cold.
   You guys have some great suggestions.  I've been making do but now it's time to get serious.
  Thanks all !!

[olddog1946]

When I first started into some serious riding I used a snowmobile outfit, but that didn't really do the job. But I took it to the dry cleaners and had it waterproofed. BIG BIG difference. That worked for a lot of years on two different continents.
Now, while being called a Wuss by my neighbor, I wear some Gerbings I picked up off CL, and I tell him I'm a comfortable WUSS. Having some circulation problems in my legs I couldn't ride in 30-40 degree temps without that gear or I'd have to get packed up enough to look like the NEW Michelin man.

[Jess from VA]

  I guess I'm going to look into a heated vest.  (at least).  Jess,I like the balaclava you referred to. I've tried that in the past but they were too thick. The neoprene mask does a nice job but it's a pain to get on with the ear covers folding over. I also liked the gloves you pointed out.
  The thought of some over pants kind of appeals to me but I'm wondering if my rain suit pants would do the job. My legs don't get that cold.
  You guys have some great suggestions.  I've been making do but now it's time to get serious.
 Thanks all !!

That coldgear hood is so thin it will fit under any helmet... the material is slippery and will go into a tight helmet easier than a bare head.  And the neck tucks into your jacket collar and is a great wind block.

The insulated textile pants I have are not really overpants.  I could probably get them over a pair of tight pants, but I no longer wear tight pants.  With textile pants and their thermal liner, I just wear UA Coldgear leggings or other hi tech longjohns (no cotton) underneath.  Beware, if you spend the 50 bux for UA coldgear compression fit stuff, go up one or even two sizes, the stuff is tight enough to  squeeze your boys.  Industrial strength pantyhose really.  Full textile gear is half the weight and twice the comfort/flexibility of leather.  And it packs tighter than leather if it warms up and you have to stick it in your bags.  It also all waterproof.  

Rain gear is a great windblock, but there is no warmth to it.

I don't have the gloves I posted, but mine are similar in design.  For Winter riding, I have found 3M Thinsulate insulation to be inadequate, what you want is a waterproof gauntlet with either Thermolite or Primaloft (synthetic down) insulation.  Most winter gloves available use Thinsulate, pass them up and get the others.  

Course, Gerbing (and other) electrics are best.  I just don't like messing with the wires and controller unless I have to.

[cookiedough]

39-45 degrees I wear my awesome tourmaster cycle jacket that is windproof and didn't know how warm it would be - totally awesome.  Other than that, just wear a pair of gloves and tennis shoes and pants is all.  I can take the cold like that for short trips under 30 miles, but longer would need 2 pairs of bottoms and thicker/warmer gloves with insulated boots say below 38 degrees and over 30 miles of riding.  I can take the cold but the coldest I ever seen was ice fishing in North Dakota at Devils Lake where 10 below Fahrenheit with 40 mph winds for 3 days straight was a challenge to not freeze to death all day on the lake.  It was so cold never before this trip have I had issues with my eyelashes starting to freeze shut.  If below 35 degrees, I will not ride my cycle period since more than likely frost will form on my windshield.  Have done that a few times and not pretty driving at midnight looking over the windshield 100% of the time since windshield is totally frosted over or unclear due to fog.

[Hook#3287]

Bottom -up, down to about 45F

20 year old insulated logging boots over cotton socks.
Long johns, covered with jeans and leather chaps.
Thermal under shirt, covered by long sleeve shirt, leather vest, leather jacket.
Leather gloves with liners.
Helmet.

Below 45F
Add Gerbing jacket under leather jacket.
Swap leather gloves for Gerbing Gloves.

I've got the Gerbing pants but never use them, don't need too, yet. 

Gerbing Heated Gear <----Some of the best money you will spend   After you buy it you will say " Why did I wait so long to do this " .

Correcttomondo!!

The first time I used my Gerbings, it was in October.  It was a cool night in the 40's.  I felt like I was in a toaster/oven and took the LONG way home, about 45 miles longer.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My ride to work is only 25 minutes so I don't gear up much. A short sleeve shirt under my leather jacket, two pair of gloves, uniform pants and work boots do it for me. I seldom ride when the temp is below freezing though. There's an icy bridge between me and work that scares me out of it.

If I'm riding anywhere but work, I'll wear a hunting shirt over my short sleeve shirt and a pair of flannel lined jeans.

[jad]

I just picked up a pair of Carhartt quilted overalls the other day and they seem to be good so far.  I have a Gerbings jacket liner and gerbings electric leather gloves.  since  the chaps are so thin, I thought I'd try the overalls.  I need to wait untill it gets really cold here in North LA to see if I can stay warm enough.  With Chaps and Gerbings and a wrap for my neck, I've been more or less fine down to 9 degrees for my 40 minute ride to work in south Atlanta for 7 years. Now I'm older and want a little more warmth so I thought I'd try the oeralls.  we'll see.

[Gary]

I guess I'm going to look into a heated vest.  (at least). 

If you do the vest you will have no arm warming povided and, if you ever decide to go with the electric gloves you will then have cords dangling down your arms to deal with when putting the outer jacket on/off. The jacket liner would be recommended if you are going electric. The glove plug-ins are then at your wrist.

The controller; they do get a bit cumbersome plugging in, unplugging, juggling and storing while on your ride but after a few episodes you get your program together. I would look into the dual controller as your liner and gloves won't feel equally as comfortable and do need some fine tuning.

Good luck!

[DirtyDan]

olympia goretex winter gloves



thats snow on them

dan