Winter Clothing

[Kehau D.]

This is my first winter riding and the weather has started to dip already. It doesn't snow or ice here but it does get chilly. So I've started browsing for a new motorcycle jacket and come to find I have no idea what I'm looking for when it comes to the descriptions. All I want is a jacket and gloves that provide protection, warmth, and that are not heavy or bulky..heated or not.

So please, any recommendations, opinions, advice, etc.

Aloha,
Kehau

[Don't let the Aloha fool you, I'm in Southern GA so this cold weather REALLY gets to me]

Edit: I realized after I clicked submit that I was still in the Cruiser Forum and I meant to post this in the off-topic forum and it won't let me delete...oops, sorry.

[S83]

Probably some of the best there is..... IMO

Cold Weather Gear

[Louis]

I have a FirstGear jacket with a lining. I put the lining frm freexing point (temp at which I stop riding for safety) to about 12-15 Celsius. Keeps me warm enough. Depends on your level of comfort I guess.

[BudTheGrey]

My wife and I just bought the FirstGear ThermoGear insulated rain suit from RideGear.com (Link here)

We're very pleased with them; I was riding in Saranac Lake, NY at 30 degrees and was comfortable.

[S83]

How far did you ride at that temperature? It makes a difference. At 35 degrees my leathers will keep me warm for about 40 miles at 80mph. After that starts getting uncomfortable. Makes a difference also whether your riding around town or out on the super slab doing 80mph.

This is a good thread curious to see what works for everyone. Do to distance and speed on my commute looking for heated gear....

[krazyburro]

just left my house on my C50 this morning and it was about 31 degrees outside. I have no windshield and at 65 mph I froze my a$$ off.

[DrBob]

I bought the electric gear from Gerbing: heated glove liners ($79), jacket liner ($199), pants liner ($199), heated socks ($59), and variable temp controller ($79). Expensive, but I am now completely impervious to cold weather. I have riden as long as 14 hours in temps down to 17 degrees, and for shorter periods down to 5 degrees, and been so toasty warm I did not want to get off the bike and go into the house.

For slightly warmer temps (down to maybe 40-degrees) or shorter trips I love the Olympia Windtex gloves with the separate silver metalic liners, and some military issue long underwear with a heavy motorcycle leather jacket and a set of leather chaps from CycleGear. Just go to the local shops and try them on until you find one that is real comfortable, and avoid thin leather like Wilsons and other 'dress' leather.

[BudTheGrey]

How far did you ride at that temperature?

About 150 miles, give or take. But I was comfortable enough at the end that I could have kept going, except I had to be elsewhere (with the 2 kids, hence via cage)

[Lew]

Kehau D. I'm in Columbus which is not really that far north of you. I went to Wal Mart and got the insulated Carhart style overalls. That, a leather jacket(A2 version), full helmet and some insulated gloves and I'm ok. Try checking out Duluth Trading Co. for some cold weather stuff. Not really motorcycle but designed for Duluth Mn which believe me is a very cold place.
If you happen to run into my nephew Lt Perry, tell him HI. He's a navigator on a C130 there at Moody.

[S83]

Originally Posted by BudTheGrey

About 150 miles, give or take. But I was comfortable enough at the end that I could have kept going, except I had to be elsewhere (with the 2 kids, hence via cage)

Cool! Will have to check out there gloves.

[Scourge]

Originally Posted by S83

Cool! Will have to check out there gloves.

Negative on the gloves there dude. I was wearing a pair of FirstGear Dakota Winter gloves on my maiden voyage w/ their Thermogear Suit. The suit is awesome, the gloves are already back at the local Honda shop. I'm still looking for some good cold weather gloves that 1. Keep my hands warm, and 2. have enough feel that starts from full stops aren't a white knuckle experience.

[S83]

Okay, thanks. Will keep looking too. Saving my money, like the looks of all the Gerbing's heated clothing gear.

[DrBob]

YOu can always buy the Gerbing a little at a time. I started with the jacket liner (I prefer the look and protection of the leather jacket on top of the liner, to the full electric jacket), controller, and gloves. The gloves just plug into the jacket, the jacket plugs into the controller, the controller plugs into the bike. Keeping your trunk warm really make you feel better, and the warm hands are great: when your hands start to get painfully cold you are miserable and the ride is over. Chaps and long johns will keep your legs warm enough.
You can then add the pants or pants liner (they just plug into the jacket) and then eventually the socks, or they sell some knee-high socks that will keep MOST of your legs warm until you can afford the pants.
I am getting the electric jacket for my girlfriend for Christmas, and the gloves. I'll get her the socks and pants for her birthday later.

[S83]

Thanks Dr Bob

I'm going to start with the gloves or glove liners and socks first. My hands are my biggest problem. Then will add the jacket and pant liners from there as I can afford. Are you using this setup on your VS800? Must not be too great of an electrical load for the charging system on my S83 to keep up with?

[DrBob]

Gerbing says the trick is to start the bike before you turn on the controller, and turn off the controller before you shut off the bike. I use the full set up of socks, pants liner, jacket liner, and glove liners on the 800 without any problems. There is a slight dimming of the headlight at idle when I turn the controller on all the way, but I have had no problems with the battery no being fully charged after each ride. I don't have any additional electrical accessories on it, like a light bar or anything like that. Your S83 should not have any problems.
The Harley is a real hoss, powering the full outfit plus a powerful light bar without any voltage drop at all.

[stp1971]

One other thing to consider is the wind deflectors that can bolt to the handlebars. They will keep the wind off of your hands were you will not need a super expensive set of gloves. I do not like the feel I have on the grips with some of the winter gloves I own. But also to beat a dead horse a good windshield will help with that problem also.

[BudTheGrey]

Cool! Will have to check out there gloves.

I was wearing a pair of deerskin, thinsulate-lined gauntlets that I bought at Americade this past june for $10.00. Worked fine.

[Kehau D.]

I went riding last Saturday afternoon and night and found that my leather jacket kept me surprisingly warm, even without the liner. Well, at least my torso that is. My legs were a little cold and my hands were freezing! We didn't go far, just drove around town. I definitely need to get some better warmth on the legs and better gloves. My mother-in-law told me she wore an actual snow suit when she used to ride....I imagine I would end up looking like the little kid from A Christmas Story who couldn't put his arms down. But just to ride to work and home, that rain suit from rider gear looks like it would do the trick.

Much Mahalo everyone for the suggestions.
Aloha,
Kehau