Cold Weather Gear

[Dave in NJ]

I know fall has only just started but I'd like to get the right jacket and overpants for riding when it's down in the 30's and 40's and extend my riding season (live in central NJ).

For years I been wearing long underwear and jeans with many layers on top and various jackets and that's limited my riding to about 45 F and above. I still get cold at that temp. Went to under armor last year and it was better but still limited me to the mid 40's and still got pretty cold.

I'd rather not go with electric clothing. So what's everybody using when it gets frosty outside?

(I did a search for this and found info on gloves and one on pants but nothing on jackets.)

 

[Murph]

I recommend reconsidering heated gear. It works.

If you still don't want to plug in, run ... don't walk ... to Aerostitch.

 

[ShawnKing]

I'd rather not go with electric clothing.

Why not?

So what's everybody using when it gets frosty outside?

Heated gear.

 

[Tim05fjr]

Olympia Phantom 1 piece w/ heated jacket liner. I live on Long Island and I'm good to low 20's. Been out riding in colder weather, but gets uncomfortable after 1 hour or so.

Before that : First gear over pants and Tourmaster 3/4 jacket. Good to mid 30's.

Always had heated grips and Vstrom gaurds.

Tim

 

[Dave in NJ]

OK if heated gear is the way to go what heated gear are you using?

 

[gregorytx]

I have the Tourmaster Synergy jacket liner and gloves and they work great. I highly recommend their stuff. Gonna get the pants liner here pretty quick for this winter. The gloves seem to run a little small, so you might want to order one size up.

 

[Murph]

OK if heated gear is the way to go what heated gear are you using?

V-Strom handguards are a great farkle and help in cold weather ... but I appreciate them even more when riding in the rain.

As for my heated gear, I use a Gerbings jacket liner and Gerbings G3 gloves. Although I don't use a heated pants liner, I wear running tights to serve as a base layer.

 

[gregory]

I strongly recommend a FULL heated jacket and not a vest.

Greg

 

[SPORT]

As long as there is no ice of the asphalt I ride pretty much year round. Coldest I've ridden so far is about 12F for several hours.

I currently use a Frank Thomas Touring winter jacket and Triumph Explorer pants. Both have inner linings, but do not use them until the temps get below 20F. I have a pair of Triumph winter/waterproof riding boots and some fairly inexpensive winter gloves. I also use 1 pair of cotten socks and a 2nd pair of wool socks. Because my core stays quite warm, I don't see the need for heated vest/jacket or pants, but will be purchasing Gerbing/First Gear heated gloves and socks. Under the helmet I wear a Schampa warmskin Pharaoh Delux Balaclava. It has made a huge difference for the face and head.

Did I mention I live in York, PA

I'd like to mention that I am a home grown Central Valley California boy and hate cold weather.

 

[kulwen]

I decided to not go heated.

Two winters ago I used the following gear:

Gloves-Tourmaster Polar Tex (good down to low 20's)

Pant-Tourmaster Caliber (good to mid single digits)

Jacket-Tourmaster Transition (good to 40s without liner, mid teens with liner)

Neck Dickie-Schampa (good to mid 30s, then added hood)

Hood-Seirus 2755 Wind Pro X-treme Headliner Page 32 of the PDF (good to low teens)

The temps I give are based on being just slightly chilly wearing shorts and t-shirt under the gear.

Last winter I used the following gear:

Gloves-Tourmaster Polar Tex (good down to low 20's)

Pant-MotoPort Air Mesh Kevlar (Just chilly at -5 w/liners)

Jacket-MotoPort Ultra II Air Mesh Kevlar (Just chilly at -5 w/liners)

Hood-Seirus 2755 Wind Pro X-treme Headliner Page 32 of the PDF (good to low teens)

The MotoPort gear allows me to ride sub zero, but my hands and neck are cold. This year I will work out a solution for the hands and neck.

Edit:

The neck dickie will not work with the MotoPort jacket. The jacket liners do not allow enough space for the dickie and hood to be used.

 

[mdisher]

Gerbings Liner and Gloves, if I had heated grips I *might* not need the gloves.

I've never needed heated pants or sox and I've ridden down to about 10 degrees for an entire day.

I have the bigger bulky Gerbings gloves, the standard ones. They are a tad bulky and big, but damn they are toasty.

 

[Knifemaker]

For years I been wearing long underwear and jeans with many layers on top and various jackets and that's limited my riding to about 45 F and above. I still get cold at that temp.

What bike were you on? (as I notice you have a 08 FJR)

The reason I ask is I used to get cold too, but I was riding a bike with no fairing and a small windscreen.

Adding the VStom knuckleguards to the FJR and a Cee Baily +4x+4 screen and I notice now I am not as cold as I was on other bikes.

I wore a heavy gloves and a few layers under my FS Aviator jacket on a 30 degree day and I was actualy sweating when I got to work. (20 miles highway)

If your plan on touring heated gear is likely the ticket, but if you are just riding around town or to work you can do pretty well with some good gloves, (the polar tex mentioned are great) a insulated textile jacket and some lined overpants.

KM

 

[DaveFJR]

My FJR has heated grips and seat. I wear Joe Rocket ballistic jacket & pants to 32F; a one piece suit below that, winter gloves and head/neck cover. For me, the pleasure riding decreases as the temps go down from 32F, low 20's is my limit.

 

[bergs]

Going on two years using the following method:

Gerbing's gloves

A tube-like thingy for my neck (a home made "custom" jobbie)

Zipping in the liners to my jacket and pants then putting my rain gear over my jacket to break any intruding wind.

Wool socks worn with my Tour Master Solution road boots.

Ride!

 

[shredder]

Gerbings full jacket and G3 gloves. After you try them you will wonder why you did not go that way sooner. jacket is warm all by itself but the heat is great when chilly.

 

[johnny80s]

TourMaster 3/4 jacket with liner and long sleeve shirt.

Widder Vest - vest not a jacket

Frank Thomas AntiFreeze Balaclava - from Cycle Gear

FirstGear Overpants with liner (sans knee pads) over jeans.

Alpine Stars shorty all leather gloves with Heated grips.

Insulated Alpine Stars (ugly) motorcycle boots.

This combo has kept me toasty down into the mid-30s while going 85-95 mph

 

[JimLor]

I live in Northern VA and even though it is technically "the south," it does get cold in the winter. I routinely ride in 30 degree wx and have ridden down to 17 degrees. We bought the Widder vest and arm chaps for Lorie; I very rarely use them myself - but when I do they work just fine. Wearing the heated gear let's me leave off a layer or two of clothing.

I'm a big fan of Wickers skivvies and on cold days will wear (1st layer) their zip-up (1/4) turtleneck and then a regular shirt or mock turtleneck. On real cold days I'll wear their mock turtleneck and then the 1/4 zip up turtleneck. Then I'll wear my Olympia AST with the liner and the absolutely best piece of cold wx gear I've ever found, a $10 fleece neck gaiter! On the bottom, I've found that my 1st gear mesh overpants over a pair of jeans works just fine and on real cold days I may use the thin liner.

I have the $30 grip warmers which are without doubt the best investment I've made in the bike - at least the best return on investment. I wear 1st gear winter gloves (forget the name) that have a goretex liner w/some insulation. With my +4+3 CB windscreen I really don't get a lot of wind over my hands - really just on the outer parts.

I've got Oxtar Matrix boots and just wear my usuall BMW socks and my feet stay warm; actually warm enough, not toasty, but warm enough.

I don't normally wear anything on my head under the helmet. I have an aerostitch silk balaklava but rarely use it. I also have the stick on clear faceshield liner that does a good job keeping the condensation off the faceshield.

On the psychological front, I've always found that having that "one more piece of warm clothing" in the bag provides some piece of mind!

Stay dry, stay hydrated, and when you start to feel cold or shiver - stop and warm up! Once you start to shiver it's downhill from there on. One TTP I use is to stop every 2 hours give or take whether I'm cold or not.

I'd much rather ride from Nov - Feb then Jun - Aug and I look forward to this time of year all - beautiful riding wx.

 

[Dave in NJ]

For years I been wearing long underwear and jeans with many layers on top and various jackets and that's limited my riding to about 45 F and above. I still get cold at that temp.

What bike were you on? (as I notice you have a 08 FJR)

The reason I ask is I used to get cold too, but I was riding a bike with no fairing and a small windscreen.

Good call Knifemaker - my other bike is a VTX , no windshield. I picked up the FJR in March of this year and was cold with the gear I was using when it got into the 40's.

I have an hour and 5 min. commute and the rest of my riding is weekend day trips with a few 3-4 trips mixed in. So I'm looking for touring quality gear.

 

[RED]

Very informative thread. I am searching for quality heated gear, too. I live in central ohio. A group of us are planning on riding to mexico in the last week of february next year. :blink: