LD Winter riding

[Scab]

Me? Noooooooooo.

 

[Fencer]

You make this fine and you can join the "Frosty Balls" ride

Speaking of which we need to start planning.....

Jeff, Scab, Wayne, Willy am I missing anyone from last year?

This year I will be a wuss and have heated gear.

You have my answer.

Heated gear = a wuss, BUT a WARM wuss. B)

 

[uctofeej]

You make this fine and you can join the "Frosty Balls" ride
Speaking of which we need to start planning.....

Jeff, Scab, Wayne, Willy am I missing anyone from last year?

This year I will be a wuss and have heated gear.

You have my answer.

Heated gear = a wuss, BUT a WARM wuss. B)

Do I have to make it "fine" or just make it?

Does the "Frosty Balls" ride have a logo for my sig line? If so, I'm in! I'd do anything for a logo.

 

[Scab]

edited by me for reasons I'd rather not admit to...

 

[extrememarine]

Fencer,

You might want to look at something like this, too:

Heated Helmet shield

Since I'm home now, I'm in for FB2. And I might be able to talk red_diver from Savannah into it as well.

-wr

You make this fine and you can join the "Frosty Balls" ride
Speaking of which we need to start planning.....

Jeff, Scab, Wayne, Willy am I missing anyone from last year?

This year I will be a wuss and have heated gear.

You have my answer.

Heated gear = a wuss, BUT a WARM wuss. B)

 

[Checkswrecks]

The comment about using a rainsuit as the outer layer works really well.

If you can't put on hand guards or electric gloves, try snowmobile gloves or even plastic bread bags over your gloves to cut the wind blast.

Or ...here's an idea... North is the wrong direction to go in the winter!!!

Bob

 

[Jackson]

Or ...here's an idea... North is the wrong direction to go in the winter!!! Bob

lol... smart guy, that Bob.

 

[boogahboogah]

Just did a back & forth to Albuquerque, and I regretted not doing the Sizuki hand guards because the hands got cold fast, while everything else took some time to get uncomfortable.

Clicky if you haven't seen already

I bought a balaklava made out of Polartec at a ski shop, thin around the head so the helmet still fit, thick around the neck for good wind protection. Worked well.

Also used the 99 cent handwarmers from Dick's Sporting Goods, kept the hands from freezing up but they still weren't warm... Maybe someday I'll splurge & do the heated grips.

 

[otrfjr]

I did a trip last year around this time on a V-Max with a Memphis Shades windshield. Everything but my torso was exposed to temps in the 40s (and at 70-75 mph, you have to factor wind chill, too). I tried some of those chemical hand warmers that hunters & backpackers use ($2 at Walmart) on spots that were taking the brunt of the wind: gloves/hands, shoulders, knees, shins/shanks of riding boots. This worked extremely well except for the hands: the multiple layers of clothing beneath the warmers insulated the skin from the 130-140 temps generated by the warmers. The pairs that I put in my gloves actually burned my hands. Maybe pack a pair or two as emergency backups or keep them in the pockets of your jacket to use when you stop for a break.

Best of luck on your ride & I hope it's a cozy one.

 

[Checkswrecks]

If you use those chemical warming packs, double glove and put them between gloves. There are stick-on ones that aren't so hot that feel great when you put them over your kidneys (OK sounds odd, but it works)

Oh, and if you put the regular ones in your boots you'll get really painful burns. Lurned dat'un long ago.

 

[JimLor]

I've mentioned before that probably the best $30 I've spent on Maxine is for the Dual Star grip warmers. Relatively easy to install and they make a world of difference. I also have the CB +4+3 windscreen for winter use, and while it doesn't elimate wind on the hand, it does reduce it to a fairly small part of my hand. Road in today with my Widder w/arm chaps and I was where I think I should be - "not cold." If you're going to ride in the cold any appreciable amount, I'd bite the bullet and get some heated gear. I bought the Widder for Lorie, but when she's not with me I wear it. Better than messing with heat packs, etc in my humble opinion (unless it's a once in a while thing).

 

[Bustanut joker]

I've mentioned before that the best $30 I've spent on Maxine is for the Relatively easy hand job w/arm chaps, etc. In my humble opinion.

So just whats with the"arm chaps"?

Kinda kinky dood

:jester:

 

[krashdragon]

Assuming the snow doesn't start to fly, I am planning a trip in early December from Louisiana to central Illinois. I'm assuming the temps will be in the 30s most of the way. It's been almost 20 years since I did a long trip in the winter, so I've got some questions about the clothing.
Just picked up a Tourmaster Saber jacket and will get either TM Caliber or Venture pants. If I layer up with the long johns, jeans, a polar mask and a sweatshirt underneath, is that enough to stay reasonably warm for 12 hours at slab speeds? Do I *need* heated garb at that temp for that amount of time? This would probably be the only time I would use it.

I'm sure there are others who ride further than a commute in those temps? Any tips on the clothing would be appreciated.

I'm with the guys on the heated gear... even in mild weather, you can use a heated jacket liner and a lightweight jacket and stay comfortable...

Remember the wind chill factor.

If you're determined not to buy heated gear, I found a nice pair of Harley leather gloves that have a separate fleece liner. Kept my hands pretty warm even tho the gloves and liners were totally soaking wet at time, and I was on my Harley, only a windshield.

I also have a WarmNSafe jacket liner, and a pair of Gerbing gloves I found on sale) that plug into them;.

The heattroller for the warm an safe stuff is nice... you can adjust it, or not turn it on at all....

Mary

 

[camera56]

Neck Gaitor

I must have twenty of these things including the turtle fur kind, everything that Aerostich sells (the bandana triangle things), several balclavas from various manufacturers, and god knows what else. No question, hands-down, the best set up is made by Buff https://www.buff.es/newen.htm. I have one of each version: with and without polartec, one with polartec and windbarrier. If you look at the website you'll see that there are a zillion ways of twisting and turning these things into gaitors, masks, hats, balclavas, beenies, and who knows what else. I buy them at the motorcycle show that comes through Seattle every year. I buy a lot of them becuase my riding buddies keep stealing them.

Riding Suit

Full set of kevlar mesh from https://www.motoport.com/. This is very high quality gear. I feel like I'm going on a moon shot when I get into this stuff . . . it literally stands up by itself in the closet . . . but once I'm on the bike, it feels incredibly supportive and I confess to some added confidence knowing that the suit can deflect Nato rounds and polonium in case I should run into either. One particular detail I really appreciate is a neck closure that a) works, and cool.gif closes snugly if I'm wearing a turtle neck and gerbings. I've worn and looked at a lot of suits, and it's astonishing how few manufcaturers get this right.

Underneath

I wear REI poly pro top, bottom, and socks (lightest weight) for the kind of riding I did today: low 30s to about 50 with an emphasis on the low 30s part. On top I wear an extra layer of heavy weight poly pro. Then full gerbings. Then the motoport stuff. I was very comfortable top to bottom at 31 degrees with plenty of mobility to be able to shift in the saddle, hang off, etc. As long as I kept moving, I was fine at 50 degrees as well with the gerbings shut off. If I opened up the vents on the jacket, I am fine up to about 60. So that's a lot of range without having to get off the bike and start taking things off.

 

[jestal]

Blue jeans are about the coldest thing you can wear underneath your windproof layer. Try a layer of polypropylene long johns and a layer of polypropylene fleece. Much more effective underlayering and will work whether wet or not.

 

[Fencer]

I've mentioned before that the best $30 I've spent on Maxine is for the Relatively easy hand job w/arm chaps, etc. In my humble opinion.

So just whats with the"arm chaps"?

Kinda kinky dood

:jester:

"Arm Chaps" are whats made from the material cut out to make "assless-chaps"

 

[FJR1300Mark]

October of last year I rode from Virginia Beach 60s to upper michigan 30s with snow everywhere but on the roads. I dressed with many letters. I got as far as West Va and it was in the 30s and I had frost on the seat the next morning. Even with all the layers and long underwear, I was too cold for too long. One stop I made was for coffee and I don't drink coffee I just wanted to hold the cup. I used snowmobile gloves.

So fast forward to this year and I bought Warm n Safe jacket liner (includes the arms) and gloves. I did a 800 mile ride and the temp got down to 34. I was cold or at least a little cooler than I would have liked, but I was not cold! I did not layer enough thinking the heated gear would be enough. next time I will layer a little more.

At one point during the ride I didn't think the heated gloves were doing anything so I turned the power off to them. In about 30 seconds I could feel the cold starting to get into the gloves. The power went back on quickly.

While skiing I have used the chemical pads and they worked well.

I would suggest you stop as often as you feel you need. Probabaly more often than you think. I have been supprised to find out how cold I was only after stopping to warm up.

I enjoy riding in the colder months as long as I dont combine them with precipitation.

Wearing rain pants outside helped me too.

Have a good trip.

 

[krashdragon]

October of last year I rode from Virginia Beach 60s to upper michigan 30s with snow everywhere but on the roads. I dressed with many letters. I got as far as West Va and it was in the 30s and I had frost on the seat the next morning. Even with all the layers and long underwear, I was too cold for too long. One stop I made was for coffee and I don't drink coffee I just wanted to hold the cup. I used snowmobile gloves.
So fast forward to this year and I bought Warm n Safe jacket liner (includes the arms) and gloves. I did a 800 mile ride and the temp got down to 34. I was cold or at least a little cooler than I would have liked, but I was not cold! I did not layer enough thinking the heated gear would be enough. next time I will layer a little more.

At one point during the ride I didn't think the heated gloves were doing anything so I turned the power off to them. In about 30 seconds I could feel the cold starting to get into the gloves. The power went back on quickly.

While skiing I have used the chemical pads and they worked well.

I would suggest you stop as often as you feel you need. Probabaly more often than you think. I have been supprised to find out how cold I was only after stopping to warm up.

I enjoy riding in the colder months as long as I dont combine them with precipitation.

Wearing rain pants outside helped me too.

Have a good trip.

You gotta read the Warm N Safe directions... you only wear a light layer UNDER the jacket liner...

I rode from San Diego to Ohio, it was in April, and then from Ohio to Virginia in May.... it wasn't snowing when I left Ohio, but it did later in the day.

I also found out that Vuirginia is uphill.... and it gets colder up there!

I wear an UnderArmor long sleeved shirt under the heated liner, the most I had it turned up to was 3/4...

I got lazy at one point... was only a couple hours from home, and it was already 9pm... had the heat up too high, didnt' bother turning it down, actually got a burn on my ribs.

I was riding my Harly crusier, that would not happen on a touring bike since the jackets are designed for touring riders. So I just wear the long sleeved shirt with a cotton tank top underneath. (hmmm..... could pbly stand to lose some weight, too )

I also have a Fox Creek leather jacket and if it's really cold out, will put a fleece sweater on over the electrics...

Fleece is nice... wet gloves, wet fleece glove liner, hands were still warm.... Harley gloves, didnt have the electric gloves then....<G>

The WatmNSafe lady was working on heated pants liners, but there's some serious design problmes she has to figure out... if you've even sewn a pair of pants or jeans, you'll know what Im talking about... if you dont' sew...furgidit it....

mary

 

[Go Far]

After 8 Utah to Daytona Bikeweek rides, a Widder vest is a key component. Thermal underwear, synchilla pants, good winter socks, synchilla top, winter gloves w/ heated grips, neck gator if the helmet doesn't have chin protection.

sheesh

look what you started-

Now I'm thinking about Daytona, B) :beach: and it's only November :glare:

 

[heretic]

I guess I'm too cheap for heated gear. I regularly take 6+ hour rides in 20 deg F temps and only my hands get cold. I resort to layering from my ski gear and keep toe warmers from my ski pack on the bike during winter. The toe warmers keep my feet toasty under Red Wing insulated boots. If Santa brings grip warmers, I'll be set.