My mustache fell off one year, I think it was too cold for the glue

DougJ

 

No exposed skin. Watch how you track into the turns. Cinders will build up between thecager's tire tracks. Watch your a$$ pulling out and changing lanes. It's a lot harder to look over yer shoulder with all the clothing that you'll have on.

 

Funny how you metioned the clothing thing and turning your head for obstacles 'Troll. I was thinking about that all afternoon when me and my nabe went out for a ride and I had the wooly skull cap on and the leather and denim action going. Having those extra layers does make it more cumbersome but much warmer. And I gotta say I felt like a schoolboy on prom nite fumbling around with gloves on today. [:'(]

 

Yeah, when it gets down into the 20's, I have to bend at the waist to look left and right to turn!

 

Any good value sites for the winter stuff, other than HD?

 

Ebay! some chaps and a good winter coat and gloves... other than that i toss on the stocking cap, some long johns and roll... ooh ya and some thermal socks ha ha ha

 

I just started riding this summer, so this is my first winter. I just rode 2100 miles to Denver and back last week, and I was there for the first snow. On the ride through Kansas onUS 160, out in the middle of nowhere, I hit strong winds and rain, part of the wind storm that took out Tulsa and parts of Kansas, and then lots of near freezing rain in the dark going through the Ozarks in Missouri. There was always a strong wind blowing on the Plains, and temps were in the 30's on the way home. Most of this trip I was travelling at 80 MPH, with lots of 90-100 MPH miles (what a blast!). I squeezed in over 700 miles in the last day. I learned a few things! The best thing I learned was that riding is still great even in winter weather, and way more exciting. Some things I learned:

One, there is no substitute for a good, full-face helmet. Period. Other things may work for the cold, but not cold rain. I boughtan Araiafter I got to Denver to save my face on the way back.Then the only real problem I had was keeping the visor from fogging up. It fogged up when I slowed down at lights, not really when on the move since you get a good airflow. I am now looking for a good anti-fog treatment.

A balaclava or scarf for the neck.

A good riding suit like the non-HD adventure riders wear. I would love to have had a one piece Aerostich Darien, butmy cash was a little tight so I made do with a two-piece suit from Fieldsheer. Worked fine with long undies, except for a little air sometimes blowing up the backside.

No leather! Just soaks up water. Yeah, my gloves are leather with Gore-Tex, so I stayed dry, but they just got soaked, heavy, and cold. If I had been wearing leather chaps or jacket, I would have been miserable and probably had hypothermia.

Boots and glovescan never be too warm! I was about to get frost-bite (or so it felt) when I saw a HD sign lit up like a beacon! Stopped and bought the heaviest pair they had, and it was just adequate. I will eventually add the heated stuff. I tried the Hot Hands packets in boots and gloves, did nothing for me. Electric would be the way to go.

Windshield! Have to keep the wind and rain off to stay comfortable.

In the dark, rain soaked twisty roads are scary!

That is my two-cents worth. As for places to buy, lots of good ones. Rider's Wearhouse has some of the best stuff, if not the best prices.

 

Time to dust this thread off. I stopped wearing my steel toed boots for riding this year and bought a riding boot that comes up a lot higher on my leg. That has stopped my knees from getting cold. There must have been a lot of cold air blowing up my pant leg. And I bought a better pair of winter riding gloves and that has helped a lot. Went on a 150 mile ride yesterday with the temp just around 50 for the whole ride. Stopped for a coffee at the half way mark, never felt cold at all.

 

My cut off temp for riding to work last year was 35 degrees. At that temp I don't ride in the rain.
As for gear, full face helmet, long johns (top & bottom), t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, jeans, 1 pair of socks, timberland steel tips, Carhart bib overalls (a bit of overkill), a neck warmer that i bought at an army/navy store, and a pair of thinsulate mittens that convert into fingerless gloves. The only complaint I had with that set up was my hands would get cold. I just purchased a pair of Gerbings last week to counter that problem.
I keep my Memphis Fats 19" windshield on the bike mostly year round.

 

This is more for cool weather than cold but I bought some Nike Thermal Golf sleeves and they are nice. They are perfect for us guys with no were to put something. I can throw them on in the morning when its cool then when it warms up just pull the sleeves off and they have a little pouch to put them in. I can then put them in my pocket or in my fork bag.

They also work good on slightly cooler times under a jacket then can still pull them off when it warms up some.