Staying Warm Through The Winter On Your Motorbike
Most motorcyclists put their bikes away sometime around October
or November, and leave them tucked up in the garage until March
or April. Some of us are more foolish and ride all year round.
Keeping the motorbike in good order through the winter requires
work and I hope to write about this soon.
Keeping warm is the other problem. I have been riding through 15
winters now, and I have learnt an awful lot, mostly the hard
way. It is a cold and fresh November day as I write this and
I've been out on the bike. I would like to tell you I have been
snugly warm all day, but I can't. But I have not been painfully
cold.
The first thing I understand now though is the concept of
layers. Today I have one the following: -
Socks, 1 pair of lighter socks, 1 pair of thick woolly socks.
Boots, high enough to go well into my pants to keep out the
draft.
Thermal Leggings (Long Johns).
Cordura Quilted Motorcycle Pants. Make sure they come high
enough to keep out drafts between your jacket and pants.
Thick cotton T-shirt.
Cotton Long Sleeve T-shirt
Thick fleece jumper.
Cordura Quilted Motorcycle Jacket.
Silk Scarf.
Helmet.
Thermal Stretchy Inner Gloves
Thick Motorcycle Gloves.
So my body has 4 layers, my legs 2 layers, my feet 3 layers
including boots, hands 2 layers and my helmet to keep my head
warm. With all this on I am still not roasty warm but I am not
shivering or uncomfortable. So, let's break all this down.
Boots. Motorcycle boots do not normally come in thermal format.
This is the job of the socks. Do make sure your boots are 100%
waterproof though. Wet feet, even in the best insulation money
can buy, will still get very cold. This applies to all your
clothing. Make sure the boot is high enough, or the trousers
long enough, to get a good draft-proof seal around the ankle
area.
Socks. You can buy relatively thin thermal type socks to wear as
the first layer, then thick knitted woollen type socks for the
next layer. If your boots are 100% waterproof you do not need to
worry about fast drying materials.
Leggings or Long Johns. Possibly the least attractive part of my
attire. My girlfriend cringes when I undress at her house. But
the fact is they keep my legs warm. Function before fashion I
say. I get any old thermals I can find in the shops at a cheap
price. I also use those god-awful leggings that were fashionable
on the ladies in the 80's, I acquired them from an ex of mine.
Not as warm, but ok in a pinch.
Cordura Motorcycle Trousers. There are tons and tons out there
to choose from. Try to get ones that come up quite high and over
any jumpers you may be wearing. This seals in the heat and keeps
out the rain too. Again they are not the most attractive of
items. Make sure they are 100% waterproof, same reason as the
socks. Many today will come with removable quilt linings.
Obviously use the linings...
Body Layers. I normally wear a short-sleeved t-shirt, long
sleeved t-shirt and a fleece. Try to get the thickest cotton or
thermal t-shirts you can lay your hands on. Fleeces to come in a
variety of thicknesses. Make sure the fleece has a long neck,
this helps keep out the wind.
Cordura Motorcycle Jacket. Again there are hundreds out there on
the market. Most will have removable quilt linings, most should
be waterproof. Always try on the jacket in full winter get up.
It needs to be large enough to go over all your other layers and
your big pants! Some Jackets come as a set with the trousers and
zip together to for a good seal. I've never tried them, as yet I
have not found it necessary.
Scarf. Possibly the simplest piece of kit, yet it can make the
most difference. Getting a good seal around the neck is vital to
keep any drafts of your chest. There are a wide variety of types
and materials out there. I've had everything from an old bed
sheet right through to fancy fleece items that cover your
shoulders and chest. To be honest as long as the seal around the
neck is good, there is little difference. Many people like to be
able to pull their scarf over their face to keep the mouth and
nose warm. This never worried me, but try different
configurations to see what works for you.
Gloves. I've spent fortunes on gloves and tried all different
kinds. I have reached this conclusion. As long as the gloves are
thick and thermal, you have the best already. YOU WILL GET COLD
HANDS! Do note this vital piece of information though. The human
body, when it gets cold, keeps it's heat in the torso, where the
organs required to keep you alive are. Hands and feet become
surplus to survival. The body sends as little blood and heat to
these parts as it can get away with. If your hands and feet are
cold, try warming your torso more.
Other than that...enjoy the challenge of riding over icy roads,
watching your bike rust in the salt and going to your local bike
haunt to find it deserted 'cos all your mates are fair weather
wimps!