Cool weather motorcycle gear advice needed.

B

Bill Marsh

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
1,861
OK, read the thread about Vanson jackets and they look very good to me.

What else? Gloves? Pants? boots? Heated? Weather in Atlanta probably will not get super cold. Maybe around zero.

I don't care for long trips on a bike. Maybe ten to twenty miles when it is cold.

I like the vintage/retro look. The jacket that rgray showed is just what I like.

http://www.vansonleathers.com/product_pages/jackets/e_highwayman.htm

Don't care about being a walking billboard with logos all over me, but a few small ones are acceptable.

Black
Black
Black
 
Warmest leathers I have are a set of bib overall and matching jacket thinsulate-lined Snowmobile leathers. Heavy though, and really not for the rain.

My favorite riding gear is Aerostich Riderwear, up in Duluth.

http://www.aerostich.com/home.php

They've been making and selling riding wear for...er...35 years? A few years back they went into selling everydamnedthing you could use on a motorcycle.

The owner, Andy Goldfine, took a bike across China, Siberia, and Eastern Europe a few years back...without a support team. Just he and a buddy.

They are now selling waxed cotton jackets...VERY vintage looking.

Also, consider electric under-jacket use. Makes a vast difference.


Keep the shiny side up.
 
I'll beat Bruise to it: duct tape.

(WTH, I've already been called smartass once this morning, which was unusually polite for the person involved)
 
i had a bike when i was stationed up in kodiak, usta wear a big ol' arctic parka & insulated pants during the winter


kept the bike in the warehouse all winter tho.
 
RGRAY said:
Bill, here's another good choice.

http://langlitz.com/
Click to expand...

These look good to me also. Think that I want a Vanson Highwayman with the built-in gun pocket, but will research Langliz also.

Decided not to bid on the Vanson Thunderbird now on eBay.

Thanks for the advice, Rick
 
I simply wear the jacket, chaps, high boots...all well waterproofed and layers.

I have an advantage as a smoker...I stop every hour or so for a smoke. It's easier to stay warm when you don't get superchilled in the first place.

Extreme cold is one of the times I *choose* to wear a helmet...
 
Bill Marsh said:
...Think that I want a Vanson Highwayman with the built-in gun pocket...
Click to expand...

I love mine.

I can ride in weather down to 40 degrees with just a tee shirt and my jacket.

My jacket weighs 8 lbs.

The gun pocket (with snap) is on the Left side for cross draw.

I like the full belt, side draw strings, brass hardware and fur colar.

IMO, it can't be beat.
 
I don,t know if you would wear one or if its been mentioned . Full face helmets will fog right over sometimes in cool weather . Perhaps someone who has more experience/luck with dealing with this issue can give some good advice . Also if you are really gearing up against cold keep your mobility . If you are so bundled up as to limit mobility it is self defeating as it limits circulation . May we touch upon tires ? If you are going where its cold your favourite tire compounds may be a little stiff and skid more . Thinner oil may be in order for cold morning starts . If your bike has a kicker, kick it over a couple of times even if you intend to start it with an electric starter . I have quite a few more tricks but it proabably falls into the way too much information category . I,m from the great white north . (at least in comparison to some people) . I even saw a Norton kick start tobogan but thats another story ! L:O:L
 
I love the Vanson stuff!

My brother is an AeroStitch guy. I don't think you can go wrong with either, they are both quality.

A polypro neck gaiter is a great accessory, helps keep the wind out of your jacket and one the not too cold days it's all I need to keep my nose from getting frosty.
 
Whatever you get, keep in mind that if you're not "tucked in" everywhere, you will get "bit" by the cold.


I commuted to DC in late 2001 on a moto with a leather jacket, scarf, open face helmet, and gauntlet-style leather gloves. Usually I had everything tucked in very nicely. Every once in a while, something would come loose and I would get the icicle chill up my leg, down my arm, etc...:eek:


I got two low-temp biking stories I like to tell:

One morning was so cold, that my fingers "froze" in position on the accelerator and I almost couldn't get myself to slow down when I took the off-ramp. Had to practically shake my arm off and loosen up my fingers.

Another morning...I was just riding along when I realized that my cognitive functions were suddenly impaired. It was so cold, I starting "losing it" mentally. I ended up just staring at the road about 100 yds ahead and one of my eyes started closing on me...vision got blurry. Finally my exit came and I somehow managed to take it and started slowing down...brain function returned and I "woke up". One of the freakiest experiences I've ever had. Had very little control over my body. Scared me pretty good, and I limited my bike-commuting to warm days only (above 50). Something about going 65 in 40-ish weather does it to me.....blech. Never again.

I guess if I had had a face shield, a heavier coat, chaps, etc. I could ride in lower-temp stuff. (Bike-cops ride all year, don't they?)
 
I used to ride 20 miles to and from work all year, often coming home at 1.00 or 2.00 in the morning in temperatures down to minus 15 centigrade . That make your eyelashes freeze BTW. Although it is not the sort of garb you are looking at, this works in very cold weather for a 20 mile journey.

Starting first and from the ground up.

Dunlop safety boots with steel toe-cap attached to a pair of waterproof nylon quilted motorcycle over-trousers with rubber bands cut from a black inner tube around the ankle.

Body, quilted lightweight jacket with a ribbed neck and cuffs. On top of that a Belstaff waxed cotton jacket. The cuffs clip down and the neck can be tightened.

The neck and head area looses the most heat, so first a thermal fibre balaclava. The sort with a single eye hole. Next (don't laugh) a baby's terry towelling diaper folded into two. Put the flat bit between your eyes and nose and tie it behind your head. put the tail of the diaper down the front of the waxed cotton jacket, zip up and tighten the neck closure. Then put your helmet on.

On your hands a good quality pair of motorcycle gauntlets that you can zip up about 4" above the wrist. On top of that a pair of waxed cotton overmitts.

Get on your bike quick as you will be starting to warm up. You don't look too odd, perhaps a bit 'Pilsbury Dough Boy', but no-one can tell how many layers you have on!

When you get home, whip off the gloves and mitts all in one. Remove helmet, diaper and balaclava. Undo both jackets as one. Put over-trousers down to ankles and step out of boots. Leave them like that to put back on.

I only used a leather jacket, boots and motorcross or racing gloves in the summer. The overtrousers were rolled up and attached behind the seat just in case of rain. Rolled inside were two heavy duty black garbage bags to go over my boots or shoes.

For the fogging and visibilty problems. I used to use polymer polish in the outer side of my visor. It was called Diamond Glaze, and makes water bead and run off. I also had a rubber finger blade that I put over my left thumb on the waxed cotton overmitt. For the inside, I had a special spray from Amway that is non fog and is sold to people for eye glasses. It worked on nearly all occasions, but if it didn't I just lifted the visor a little. I kept the tension on the pivot so it would stop where I put it at any speed up to about 40 MPH.
 
I've been extremely happy with my Motoboss cold weather gloves. Go 3-4" over end of jacket sleeve, leather, padded, but still comfortable, lifetime warranty right there in the shop (www.cyclegear.com though I have a storefront right next to my office, which is where I actually bought them), and very reasonably priced. Looks like they ran me about 54.18 with tax last year, which, while it's most expensive of 3 pears of gloves I wear(different weights/insulation for different weather), is still a lot cheaper than a lot of the choices out there.
 
While I heartily endorse Vanson leathers for riding, if I was going to do a bunch of cold weather riding I'd get an Aerostich suit. My Vanson gear is good to maybe 50 degrees. Below that and I'd be looking for electrically heated vests, gloves and pants. The electrics make a huge difference in riding comfort and safety. Aerostich has their own line of electrically heated clothing. Also check out Widder. There is one more brand, but the name is not coming to me this morning.

Jeff
 
If you wear some thermal underwear including pants and long sleeve shirt then almost any jacket will do. I also use a skully with the full face pull down they cost about $10 or a thick bandana to cover my face.
 
Here's my .02 worth (before taxes)...

An electric vest will do wonders to keep your core temps toasty if you have a decent overcoat.

Heated grips WORK GREAT! I pooh-poohed those until I got an older BMW that had them... DANG what a difference they made!

Get a turtle fur neck scarf and cover it with a leather "bandana" type contraption. I don't know what they call them, but I got one at a leather store outside of Deadwood (Trevino's Leather). It was just a large triangle of leather with snaps on the long ends... snap it around the neck (over the turtle fur) and no wind will get down through the neck area of your jacket (tuck it in of course).

That combination, along with a good over coat/chaps (I highly recommend bibs/snowmobile suits if riding in really cold weather) and decent gloves will keep you going.

Don't forget to keep the body stoked during cold weather riding too... plenty of fluids and food to keep your metabolism up.

I used to make it a goal to ride every month of the year when I was in Rapid City. Some months were just a couple of short trips around downtown... but I was able to do it most years.

Happy riding!

Alan
 
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