colder riding options

[Guest jeff137]

I've been looking for some better apparel options now that the temps are dropping. because I work 2nd shift and often drive home around midnight in 40 degree weather and soon to be 30 degree weather. I don't ride in the rain or snow, just clear weather. So I'm only needing weather for dry cold weather. Looking for your opinions on a couple of items:

Gloves: TourMaster Polar Tex?

I've been wearing Teknic track spec gloves (leather / kevlar), but it's starting to get too cold for them and my hands are a bit cold at night. Last winter I often had blue hands after the short 20 minute ride home (thru back country roads with a lot of colder valleys.) I would prefer to not need to wire my bike for electric gloves. I tried on a pair of TourMaster Polar Tex gloves yesterday and they felt really good and they're pretty cheap. Does anyone have these gloves? If so, do they perform ok near 30 degrees? (They'll be a HUGE improvement over what I wore last year, but I want to buy the right thing so I only buy once.)

Pant: ???????

I have to wear dress slacks at work. All last year my work pants were my only covering for my legs even when it was below freezing. I saw that TourMaster makes over pants. I don't want to change clothes for the ride home. If I could just throw something over my work pants that would be great. Could someone provide an opinion on TourMaster overpants or make a suggestion for a different kind that would fit my needs? Again, I don't want to go electric if I don't have to, but I hate freezing and I don't want to put the bike away all winter either. If it's not raining or snowing I want to ride!

[Monk]

Hippo-Hands keep your hands in a air pocket out of the wind no heaters needed.....

http://www.hippohands.com/Hippo%20Hands.htm

[DDO-VFR]

Gloves: BMW 'Allround', I've had them for 5 summers and they are great. They are purpose made to be WARM and DRY. I can attest to both. For sure you give up some of the 'feel' of the grips because they are kinda thick, but cold hands are a thing of the past with these...not too expensive either. Look for a BMW dealer to buy, although I'm sure you can get them online...finding the right size without trying them...?

Pants: ANY sport shell rain pants will work wonders against the cold. They cut the wind, and that is the key. Check at sporting goods store. I found a "Wetskins" suit (top and bottom) at Costco for 59$! The pants open at the bottom for easier entry with footwear on. I use them as my wet weather coveralls on top of my leathers, but also use the bottoms OVER my office pants for the cold morning commutes (rain or shine btw). Riding 4C (40F) temps is tolerable. IF you're still chilly, throw the top over your leather jacket.

Brian

[MuddDawg]

I have used Firstgear Overpants and jackets for 5 or so years. Always kept warm, and dry if if got caught in the rain. The only thing that is lame on these is the zipper pulls as they tend to break. The Zipper still works fine, but i just put a key ring thru the pull to have something to grab.

My $.02

[maddog]

Have you considered stowing the dress clothes in your moto luggage and dressing in the office or bathroom at work? I used to do this. Sure it's inconvenient, but I'd rather be comfortable in the cold than distracted and miserable.

Can't help with the glove issue, as I've never found any which keep my hands warm and still be able to use the m/c controls safely, primarily due to added bulk or poor fit.

Lots of options re moto pants, do your research. Rain gear worn over moto pants does work, as far as blocking much of the wind.

[Guest]

I ride all winter and have used snowmobile gloves from Gander Mountain. I have been warm enough to ride though the lower 30's no problem.

[Guest]

Heated grips are all bonus.

[vfrcapn]

Heated grips are all bonus.

And inexpensive. You can wire these up in an afternoon if you're going slow. My set has lasted 6-7 years so far. http://www.dual-star.com/index2/Rider/heated_grip_kit.htm

[YoshiHNS]

For pants I either wear my marmot rain pants or a pair of light/med weight ski pants. Not going to give any fall protection though.

[Conedodger]

I have the Tourmaster Polar Tex gloves. I like them and have used them down to 20 degrees for my 30 minute commute, but I also have grip heaters. I have a pair of tourmaster Caliber overpants. I wear them over jeans, with no liner and they do well on the 20 degree rides. I have found that they are not waterproof as claimed, however.

[VFRSuperfreak]

I ride all winter and have used snowmobile gloves from Gander Mountain. I have been warm enough to ride though the lower 30's no problem.

+1 on that. visit a sno mobile dealer, they will have selection.

Also, a neck tube, ready made or crafted from a sweater arm, will be your best friend.

[V-FORE]

I ride year round as long as there is no ice or snow

A surprise! 2-28-07-9:06am A surprise after I got to work

Heated grips are the answer like vfrcapn said the dualstar are good, but they have moved(they were right down the road from my work) so I went to epay & found the same thing, wired them up to my CX500 last week. That and a pair of overpants, normally I do not use the liners until the temp is in the 30s, my leather jacket with a liner out of another jacket & I am good for my 25 mile commute.

new jacket

I have shoes at work so I just take off my boots & over pants & I am working!

Good Luck & Stay Warm

Gary

[Guest]

I live in Minnesota and since I bought my VFR in February, I've ridden in all kinds of weather. I have commuted 30 miles at 26 degrees and I also have to wear dress pants and hate changing. I have heated grips, $50 or so and well worth it. Symantic from newenough.com. My thumbs get kind of cold when the temp drops a lot but they work great, I still used my preforated leather summer gloves and I'm warm enough.

For pants I just have Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants. They are pull over pants with a zipper up the side so you can leave your shoes on. They do have a rain liner which helps to cut even more wind down but more importantly keeps the heat in.

I also bought a heated vest and a cheap neck cover. I'll ride well into the "you're crazy for riding a bike in this" temps.

I'd say get heated grips and any decent overpants with a liner.

[teksdailyride]

I have done some extended rides in way cold weather when imlived in ct. And for over pants i always wore snow gear. Like snow boots pants and a good winter jacket. But back then i found out quick that reg winter gloves didnt work and soon got some tourmaster winter gloves dont remember exactly wat kind. But remember that below 0 i just had to put on a pair of thin fleece gloves. But never realy got cold and worst ride so far was from hartford ct to amherst ma. About a 2 hour ride when it was -16 outside. And i didnt have heated grips or seat. But a balaklava is def a god buy or one of those thermal neck covers. And u can wear it as a hat to cover your helmet hair after your ride. But snow or ice r def a bad idea. I found out the hard way. Went to work with an inch or two on the ground and when i left there was 7 or 8 inches and nearly dropped the bike every 100 yards or so. But thank god that was only a 10 mile trip. Took 2 and a half hours but got home and didnt drop the bike and was reasonably warm the whole way.

[Guest]

I got my Tourmaster Polar Tex gloves in the mail today. Tomorrow I'm buying snowboard pants in a size that will fit over my work clothes! :fing02:

[2FAST4U]

I once spent an entire day riding in Wisconsin and Minnesota when the temperature was in the 30's. The low 30's.

A balaclava is an absolute must (at least it is for me.) Don't get a cheap one. Mine has 3M Thinsulate around the entire neck as well as on the ears.

I also wear REI heavyweight microfleece underpants. They're the heaviest ones they make and are specifically designed for mountaineering.

As for gloves, I've got some Olympia 4650 Ultima I winter gauntlets.

Tourmaster and Cortech make good cold weather jackets. Be sure to get one whose insulated liner runs down to the wrists (a lot of manufacturers only have insulated vests.) If that's not warm enough for you, you can always get a parka designed for extreme cold weather conditions and wear an ICON back protector under it.

[timmythecop]

I retired my first gear overpants last year and bought some Speed ans Strength pants. They seemed really good, but I left them in Holland. Then just like that, a friend gave me some Frank Thomas Aquagaurd (or aquatext, or something) pants and they are warm warm warm. I havent even put the liner in yet and I was sweatting on the last ride home in those pants alone in 51 degree temp.

sounds funny, but when it is really really cold (like below freezing) I wear a shiny bowling jacket unde my Teknic Freeway jacket and it stops the wind dead.

but i am still looking for the holy grail of winter gear. In the summer its easy........perfed leather one piece. (I put my uniform in the saddlebags) But to balance price, protection, warmth, versatility and waterproofness is a challange.

and to go further on the balaclava front, get yourself a throat-coat. It is just a tube of goretex the adds to the bottom effectiveness of the balaclava and helps seal up the bottom of the helmet.

[Guest]

I already had a balacvala and my coat is fine cause it is almost too hot with the liner in.

Next problem: How the heck do I make my visor quit fogging up??? I've tried the liquids you spray / wipe on the visor and they didn't help at all. I have a Shoei RF-1100 and the visor is nothing but mist when temps get down to 50. It almost makes riding unbearable. Anyone have a good solution?

[Guest]

It may not be politically correct for some of our listeners but a mate of mine swears by kangaroo fur mittens.

[Olive]

It only takes a couple of minutes to attach a wiring harness for heated gear. I have picked up a heated vest which makes a huge difference when riding in near freezing temperatures. If I keep my core warm, my extremities do not get as cold.

As for hands, I wear a pair of stretch cotton gloves inside my riding gloves as a liner. It makes them a very tight fit bit but the extra layer of insulation makes a huge difference. On my BMW I had heated grips, and those were very nice in cool weather. It is something I may consider for the VFR because they are very convenient.

On the rest of your gear, layers are key. I always ride with overpants, and when it gets cool outside I add the rain liner which makes them significantly warmer. Under my jacket I bundle a couple of extra tops with the heated vest, which keeps me very comfortable. Polar fleece is a very good choice. Remember exposed areas like your neck and wear a scarf or tube to keep the cold air at bay.

My current helmet is not having significant issues with visor fogging in cooler weather. I don't treat it with anything special, and frequently wash it with dish soap and water. Make sure that you have the helmet air vents open if you are beginning to fog up - it makes a difference. When I start to fog I will ride with the visor slightly cracked, and make sure that I open it slightly when stopped at lights. The visor is much more likely to fog up when I am stopped at a light. Having had both visor and glasses fog over, I am a huge fan of riding in contact lenses. Even if I have to ride with a visor open to combat a visibility issue I can still see what I am doing. The biggest issue for me is not my visor, but my glasses. When my visor starts fogging badly my glasses tend to follow suit and I have to move them out of my visual field to see, I really shouldn't be out on the road.

Some people have tried a clip in face mask product that covers both nose and mouth and directs your breath down away from the shield - I haven't tried one myself, but have heard very good things about them. (Look for a product called "Foggy", and perhaps someone on the forum with direct experience with the product will chime in with a product review).

[timmythecop]

I already had a balacvala and my coat is fine cause it is almost too hot with the liner in.

Next problem: How the heck do I make my visor quit fogging up??? I've tried the liquids you spray / wipe on the visor and they didn't help at all. I have a Shoei RF-1100 and the visor is nothing but mist when temps get down to 50. It almost makes riding unbearable. Anyone have a good solution?

One word: Pin Lock.

[Gerrys02800]

I already had a balacvala and my coat is fine cause it is almost too hot with the liner in.

Next problem: How the heck do I make my visor quit fogging up??? I've tried the liquids you spray / wipe on the visor and they didn't help at all. I have a Shoei RF-1100 and the visor is nothing but mist when temps get down to 50. It almost makes riding unbearable. Anyone have a good solution?

Try using shampoo ( no tears/ baby formula, something that does not carry a powerfull smell). Apply a small amount, rub with a soft cloth until the haze is gone. Same thing I use for the visor on my hockey helmet. Seems goofy, but it works about 80% of the time in different arena's and colder rides. Bar soap I find is to hard to clean off the visor, dish soap to sticky.

I have the Helly Hansen Crew/long john thermo set. Other than that, My Joe Rocket Jacket and Alter Ego pants with rain liners, Balaclava. Coldest I have ridden this year ( April ) was about -8. Looking at a heated Vest or a full liner, not sure which brand to pick. The shops in Edmonton have a very limited supply.

[vfrcapn]

Next problem: How the heck do I make my visor quit fogging up??? I've tried the liquids you spray / wipe on the visor and they didn't help at all. I have a Shoei RF-1100 and the visor is nothing but mist when temps get down to 50. It almost makes riding unbearable. Anyone have a good solution?

Shaving cream, the cheap stuff.

[Guest]

I already had a balacvala and my coat is fine cause it is almost too hot with the liner in.

Next problem: How the heck do I make my visor quit fogging up??? I've tried the liquids you spray / wipe on the visor and they didn't help at all. I have a Shoei RF-1100 and the visor is nothing but mist when temps get down to 50. It almost makes riding unbearable. Anyone have a good solution?

One word: Pin Lock.

Alright TimmytheCop, I got the pinlock via fedex today. I've installed it, but haven't tried it out yet cause I'm not feeling too great. Once I'm doing better I'll fire up the bike and try it out. The last few rides I couldn't close my visor at all because it was fogging up so much. I've always had the fogging problem and have never found a solution to it. If this works I'll owe you a virtual beer or something.

I also went to Dick's Sporting Goods in search of Carhart overalls. I found the perfect pair, quilted and all, and when checking out I realized they weren't Carhart, but were a different brand called "Walls." They look just like the Carhart and are insulated just as well. They are black and have plent of access zippers, etc. Best of all, they were $59 compared to Carhart at $99. I've decided I'm going to ride the bike all winter when it's dry, so I didn't care what they cost, but it was a nice surprise when I checked out and saw the lower price.

So to sum up the last few weeks: Heli Bars, rizoma grips and bar ends, tour master polar tex gloves, pinlock visor system, and now insulated overalls. I'm done spending for a while. Now I'm going to work on suspension set up to see if I can get both ends where I want without making a call to Ohlins in NC.

[V4 Rosso]

I got the pinlock via fedex today. I've installed it, but haven't tried it out yet cause I'm not feeling too great.

Kill two birds with one stone by taking a turkish bath wearing your helmet.