Afternoon all!
This past weekend I had to help my wife's family early in the AM. Rather than waste a nice ride back being in the car I decided to take my bike while my wife takes her car. Leaving at 4:30am and the temp was 30 degrees, I figured I'd be fine with my boots/dickies/fleece/snowboard jacket and kombi goretex gloves and my full face helmet. No sooner did I get a mile down the road and start off down the highway I was saying to myself (you f#@%ing idiot, this is gonna be painful) and it sure was. After doing everything imaginable to stay warm for the ride down, I vowed to get better gear.

Like my handle, I do sometimes go head first and ask questions later. I went to a leather shop and got a pair of leather chaps and a leather jacket. Now since Im new to this forum, as others have seen from my previous noob questions, im also new to riding in general. My 06 XL100C is the first bike I have ever had so along with that comes questions obviously about riding gear.

Getting back to my post... The chaps were the first genuine purchase I thought would complete my riding gear. My snowboard jacket with fleece gave me enough mobility and blocked all the wind from my body and kept me warm, even in the 30 degree weather that sat am. My legs and hands/neck/chin took the brunt of the cold beating. Well after trying on the chaps, and my wife grinning at me when I had them on, I opted to try on a jacket, she picked one out that fit good, however with the fleece on underneath, it was pretty tight IMO. That coupled with the silly body armor padding the jacket had and I could tackle a football player.

My ride into work today, I had all this new gear on and here is what I found out. Leather chaps worked well at blocking the wind off my legs, although im getting used to putting them on Second, the leather jacket is not a good idea for riding in the colder weather, wind blew up my back and got in every little crack and crease and got at my chest. The leather gloves, that I forgot to mention, did a great job far better than the thicker and bulkier gloves I was wearing. I did notice my right hand's middle and ring finger got cold fast, probably due to poor curculation, the rest were fine.

Now im wrestling with overall looks I guess. I went with the leather jacket purely out of symetry. Black leather chaps and a black leather jacket look the ***** on the black bike Believe me I know it's not about looking good, but I figured I'd look ridiculous with leather chaps and a grey snowboard jacket....

The chaps were $145 and the jacket was $336.00 gloves were $30.00 all made by some company called redline leather. After shelling out all that money I figured I'd be set to tackle anything that winter hands out to me, I guess I was wrong. I would have loved to find some synthetic goretex chaps (if they even make such a thing) but leather seems to be the tried and true measure.

Well that's enough of my rambling, thanks for listening. I guess I just have to find my way.
-Kaotik

 

Hey Kaotik, you are right that it is not about looking good in the winter. You MUST be comfortable because if your torso, hands or feet are freezing your reaction time will be reduced. You sure paid a pretty penny for the jacket, can it go back? A leather riding jacket should never come up in the back and let air through. Not bragging but I paid $119 for my off brand at a local leather shop. Has piping in the kidney area to keep the back down. A zip-out liner and vents for varying weather conditions. The leather is not as soft as a $350 Harley jacket but for 1/3 the price I deal with it. I didn't opt for any armour.

My "excessive" spending went towards the gloves ($80) because my fingers throbbed after the first trip below 30 degrees, but these new gloves are perfect.

Didn't look into the bike you own but I have an Ultra so I have more wind shielding than some of the others. There has been several good threads about what to wear, all of them wear for comfort (like snowmobile suits, Carharts, etc.) and not for style.

Be safe, keep warm!

 

I have no windshield on my XL1200C. I have been looking for a windshield that has handlebar grip guards built in to deflect the wind from my hands as well. Yes the jacket can go back, I believe it will because for the $$$ I paid for it, I shouldn't be feeling any wind on my body at all! I will get another leather jacket, but it won't be for winter. I appreciate your input! BTW, what gloves did you get for 80?

Thanks,
-K

 

I bought the H-D Gortex gloves ($75) but really nice. I know you pay premium for H-D stuff but they think things through.

Good Luck