[Cywalker]

Greetings from the North! Up here, if you don't ride when it's cold, you don't ride much. The new CTX is a perfect cold weather machine. It starts flawlessly and has good wind protection. So far I'm OK down to about 25F. Once I see snow, that's it for me.

 

[Billnoroville]

Cywalker;
How much of your riding gear is electric for 25 degrees ?

 

[Cywalker]

None. The Olympia gear has triple layers top and bottom. Gloves are cold weather. I'm wearing a neck warmer that completely seals below the helmet. Plus, my longest ride is now about 1/2 hour. The cold does creep in despite it all, but there's always a cozy room at the end.

 

[Jfkingd]

You sir are a much tougher man than I am.

 

[Billnoroville]

None. The Olympia gear has triple layers top and bottom. Gloves are cold weather. I'm wearing a neck warmer that completely seals below the helmet. Plus, my longest ride is now about 1/2 hour. The cold does creep in despite it all, but there's always a cozy room at the end.

Your are dressed well for a half hour ride in the cold. A two hour ride and you would probably find that is not enough. Many new riders need to invest in cold weather clothing as I bet few have thought of that cost.

we seldom get below 35 here with warmer afternoons so my 15 minute commute doesn't require much more than leather coat, leather overpants and gauntlet gloves, ski mask, boots and helmet.

 

[gregsfc]

Forty minutes is all I need, as, during the winter, my riding becomes almost exclusively a winterland commute. Last winter, on the scooter, I ended up with a first gear suit for $170, and the best winter gloves I could find (non heated). Except for my hands and fingers, with a couple of extra layers underneath that I need at work anyway, I was good down to at least 23, but I learned that anything below 32 was pretty uncomfortable on my fingers. This winter, I'll be getting some heated gloves. I'm not looking to be totally comfortable; only something tolerable. I work outdoors, so comfort isn't part of my winter life anyway.

I don't like the idea of plugging in every morning. There are a couple of decent, battery-powered choices on the market, and it seems to be where the market is headed, as the manufacturers are starting to solve the dilemma of warmth and duration versus mobility. One manufacturer puts the battery on your chest (not sure about that). A couple of others state that you get long riding time and warmth with batteries attached to the gloves. I'm going to be checking them all out and trying to decide. Like I stated, I don't need multiple hours of battery life, but that seems to be what all the manufacturers are trying to design, which makes it a tough engineering challenge for compact, light batteries.

 

[Trixy]

I used the same gear while riding motorcycle as I ride snowmobile. Snow gear. Wear foot warmer inside my HD boot. Wear double glove, thin thermal inside, & thick outside with hand warmer, the same kind I used while snowboard. With these gear, I can ride the whole day, 6hr or more and still feeling good. I also wear an overall face mask inside the helmet.

With these gear, I'm toasty warm below 30.

 

[wheels]

I got a vest and gloves last winter (pluggable), really have to remember to unplug when I stop. The gloves just don't fit comfortable in the fingers (style cut) but they do make a big difference.
When these quit on me I will probably switch to batteries.

 

[Effem Tee]

Here in PHX, the Winters can be cold [40's; once a blue moon in the 30's] but the dry desert air in the mornings means the surface holds no heat: it is all radiated away to outer space overnight. And then the cold hurts, lots.

So for me, its snow pants [Goodwill; 8 bucks] over regular pants; turtle neck under a leather coat; winter gloves. Sometimes a balaclava under the helmet, which seals my neck completely.

I only wish grip guards were something easy to install, to shield from the cold wind. My hands stay in a death grip for a few minutes when I am done riding. LOL.

Come afternoon, most times, all that stuff comes off, save for the jacket and gloves. Which means that carrying the gear back has to be thought through: precious little space in my backpack-mounted-to-the-carrier. So I always look for stuff that COMPRESSES down into less volume.

Ride Often, Ride Safe,
f

 

[Cheap_Ride]

Ok, I'm the wuss. Here in Sioux Falls mornings have been in the upper twenties to low thirties with snow rain mix that last couple of days. I wear jeans or dockers, a dress shirt, a fall coat and get in my CRV and go to work. The PCX is in winter storage.

 

[Shanghai Dan]

Forty minutes is all I need, as, during the winter, my riding becomes almost exclusively a winterland commute. Last winter, on the scooter, I ended up with a first gear suit for $170, and the best winter gloves I could find (non heated). Except for my hands and fingers, with a couple of extra layers underneath that I need at work anyway, I was good down to at least 23, but I learned that anything below 32 was pretty uncomfortable on my fingers. This winter, I'll be getting some heated gloves. I'm not looking to be totally comfortable; only something tolerable. I work outdoors, so comfort isn't part of my winter life anyway.

Consider some hand guards (I have some PowerMadd units on my scoot - the CTX is getting ordered this weekend!). Keeping the wind off your hands goes a LONG WAY towards keeping them warm. Not to mention during the summer it can be nice to just use the ventilated (mesh grid of the base guard) guard to keep keep your knuckles from getting pelted by a rock or big bug at 70 MPH (not fun at all).

 

[vulcan]

Ok, I'm the wuss. Here in Sioux Falls mornings have been in the upper twenties to low thirties with snow rain mix that last couple of days. I wear jeans or dockers, a dress shirt, a fall coat and get in my CRV and go to work. The PCX is in winter storage.

Way to go! That's why Henry invented cars.

 

[Cywalker]

Consider some hand guards (I have some PowerMadd units on my scoot - the CTX is getting ordered this weekend!). Keeping the wind off your hands goes a LONG WAY towards keeping them warm. Not to mention during the summer it can be nice to just use the ventilated (mesh grid of the base guard) guard to keep keep your knuckles from getting pelted by a rock or big bug at 70 MPH (not fun at all).

That beats electric gloves. Gonna have to check that out. Is PowerMadd the manufacturer? Tell us how difficult they are to install.

 

[Shanghai Dan]

That beats electric gloves. Gonna have to check that out. Is PowerMadd the manufacturer? Tell us how difficult they are to install.

PowerMadd is the manufacturer - PowerMadd | Wyoming, MN | PowerMadd develops and produces the finest aftermarket accessories to the motorcycle, snomobile and ATV markets. Ride Innovation!. I have the Tri-Mount units with Star series handguards. They took about 15 minutes to mount on my other ride, very adjustable and easy to mount. VERY good at keeping the air off my fingers - which helps immensely in keeping them warm!

 

[Garry]

cold weather riding

Back in the day I used HIPPO-HANDS they worked very well.....

 

[gregsfc]

I'm sort of leery of hand guards. I tried muffs on my scooter. Wouldn't they stop the winds as well as guards? They gave me zero benefit. I could tell no difference than with gloves alone. They just added aggravation. I also could tell no difference with a tall, wide screen which widened at the bottom and partially covered the grips.

I'm not sure if both of these devices simply let the wind whip around and enter from the back side, or if it is because that eliminating the wind just didn't help my finger tips.

I'm also leery of heated grips. I realize they can help with comfort on a cool day wearing summer gloves. I don't have issues with wishing to minimize mild discomfort. What I'm looking for is something to prevent severe pain and/or frost bite in below freezing temps that will last for about forty minutes, so in other words, something that can extend the riding season for someone that doesn't have the genetics that will naturally maintain body heat in my extremities.

I'm not stating that I can't be swayed to try guards or heated grips or muffs, but I would have to become convinced that they would in fact solve the problem of not being able to safely ride below 30 degrees. I don't want to keep buying stuff that don't fix the proble. Please keep the input coming. I have limited experience as a rider and value everyone elses' experiences.

 

[Bludy L]

It's currently 37°F here in Bangor, Maine and we're planning on going for a 3 hour ride. We'll stop somewhere and get a hot cup of coffee. I'll dress for it plus the fairing, wind screen and heated grips on my ride will make the ride fine.

 

[wheels]

IMO, the Powermadd mirror mounted ones should work. I cut down some old mirror mounted ones and they work.

 

[CEETEEX]

There is a thread here on hand guards.

 

[K9lyons]

Here in Georgia temps go from below 30 in the morning to 40/50 in the afternoon. I have Gerbing heated gloves and jacket liner. I just got a pair of lined winter riding pants that have freeze-out in them will try those out today. I've used the freeze-out long johns and balaclava that have helped a lot. I get cold easily and so I need the warmer gear to make winter riding possible.