:o FYI, it's not as much fun to ride when it's 23 degrees outside.
Only if you're not dressed right.
LQTM
Yes proper attire is required..
Note: you can't find quality cold weather motorcycle gear in states that don't use snow machines....
My cold weather gear came from Colorado.
I don't like wearing bulky gloves though. Makes it hard to use the turn signal switch.
Gotta cover the neck .. I rode Tuesday in 30s. I had pretty good gear but as the miles went by I got colder. I could of wore my winter vortex boots, that would of helped. My chaps did well but your crotch doesn't get covered. Gloves are definitely the one item that is tough to take care of on a reasonable price level. There are many ways to go.
One thing is for sure.. if there's a will to ride, there's a way.
An electric jacket and pants work well on the body, and I us a neck warmer (looks like the neck from a turtleneck sweater) thick gloves, (they don't seem to interfere when using switches) and a helmet with a face-shield. Like Chillidrift says, if there is a will, there is a way!
Regards and such,
49Reo
Just got a new jacket this year...Castle "flex" Has a nice warm inner liner that comes out, and you can wear it as a light jacket...vents all over it, waterproof lining, etc. Never have a problem with the body and legs getting cold, but my hands have damaged nerves and poor blood flow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud%27s_phenomenon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud%27s_phenomenon)), so heated gloves are a must. As I get a little older, my threshold for cold seems to be going up....drawing the line at 32 deg, now a days.
Interesting article.
Regards and such,
49Reo
Electric clothing can get real expensive. But it has got to be pretty great to have. Looks like you would be at least 300 for pants shirt and controller. Gloves might go even another 100. Looks like 3-400 to get you there in that department.
with controller, my first gear electric gloves cost me $180...but the use I get out of them is priceless. They are waterproof, as well, so I use them even without the power turned on on cooler days and in the rain.
For my gloves I got some nice leather gauntlets that are thermal lined at a motorcycle swap meet for $30, then for when it's really cold I went to an outdoorsman store and got some of those chemical hand warmers that hunters use. I place them inside the gloves on the backs of my hands, close to the blood vessels that are close to the skins surface. Gets warm blood flowing through the fingers, and cost's like a buck or two. And they last for like 8-10 hours, but if I only ride for a short time I keep a small ziplock bag handy to drop them in. Since they're air activated, depriving them of air turns them off. When you're ready to ride again, take them out of the bag a few minutes before you leave and they heat right back up.
I too have come to the point that once the temps are in the 30's I just have trouble with the cold. Old age sneaks up and makes changes that your mind doesn't feel but the body sure does. LOL Until spring my drifter has gone to sleep!!
Dan
Harley wanted over $300.00 for the electric jacket. Plus $ for the controller. Bought my jacket from a local outfit, had it custom made, longer in the sleeves and back, (shut up, Ratman) was only $165.00. Came with a harness, (2 wire) to hook to battery terminals, plus a plug in.
I wired mine through a toggle switch on the bike, cut the harness and put a switch in the pocket of the wifes. Not as fancy as the expensive ones, but works just as good and a LOT cheaper.
Regards and such,
49Reo
Now you've got my wheels turning. You can get a 58/42" 12 volt electric blanket for 25 bucks. I wonder if I could take it apart and attach it to the cold weather liner in one of my riding jackets......? Or fashion it into a poncho style vest to cover my core. That would be a start. Put a switch on the 12 volt outlet. OK that is a doable feat... I found the handlebar mitts as they call them, I didn't know what they were called. But 20.00 shipped. That should help with the hands. That should get me part of the way there. If I can keep my core warm it will help a lot with the rest. And the mitts I'm sure many of you have seen them. Both of these below were 20 bucks.
Quote from: ChilliDrift on November 16, 2012, 12:49:15 PM
Now you've got my wheels turning. You can get a 58/42" 12 volt electric blanket for 25 bucks. I wonder if I could take it apart and attach it to the cold weather liner in one of my riding jackets......? Or fashion it into a poncho style vest to cover my core. That would be a start. Put a switch on the 12 volt outlet. OK that is a doable feat... I found the handlebar mitts as they call them, I didn't know what they were called. But 20.00 shipped. That should help with the hands. That should get me part of the way there. If I can keep my core warm it will help a lot with the rest. And the mitts I'm sure many of you have seen them. Both of these below were 20 bucks.
Not sure I'd want to be wearing that if it got wet..........
I suspect its the same basic heating system as a coat. But I'll keep out of the pond to be safe.
Good.....we don't want you being a crispy critter!
Anybody remember Vetter HippoHands? I have a set.
Well, I remembered something like those Troll that's what I was looking for. Those were more like sleeves if I remember right. I'm pretty crispy already Phillip!
:)
http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/motorcycle_designs/Hippo-Hands-pages/Hippo-Hands-Main-page.html (http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/motorcycle_designs/Hippo-Hands-pages/Hippo-Hands-Main-page.html)
Google will find ANYTHING!
the hippo hands website has some that fit for 79. How do you like those Troll?
So I got one of those 12v electric blankets. 20.00. It has an 8ft power cord i can easily run it down my sleeve and plug it in my accy jack on the handlebars. I cut a hole through the center of it between the wires in the fabric. I could probably take the outer part of the blanket off as the heating system is is mounted on a separate fabric and stitch it to a sweatshirt. Anyway, after a couple barley pops last night I decided to try out my heated poncho and threw on my work coat over top and went for a ride. This thing worked great. I couldn't believe it. It only warms to one level which would equate to the lowest setting on an electric blanket. I took about a 30 mile ride in 30° and It was great. I ordered a set of those handlebar mitts but they haven't come in yet. They are probably still in China somewhere. But I have some waterproof winter gloves that were 4 bucks. They worked great. Waterproof = windproof. with my gortex boots on I was snug as a bug. I will be riding as long as the roads are clean of the white stuff. I might try and stitch another heating element onto the inside of some pants.
Cool, it worked!
-18 outside right now...think I'll just have another cup of tea and relax in front of the fireplace.......then go and ploish my bike in the living room to relax the afternoon away.......
Sounds like a good plan RatMan.
(https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi83.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj319%2Fpcarrell%2FAvitars%2F3.gif&hash=4a69f34040e403c5b38334d3a98c2f26eb6f1dae)
please Phil not resorting to name calling or pictures are we now.........for shame.....
My hands get real cold....now you've got me wondering ...bet kayak poagies would work. They cover hands and paddle (hand grips) with neoprene....?????? will have to check if it would do the trick
Drift, look for Neoprene fishing/bosting gloves at Canadian tire, right now would be in the sports/hunting section. I used to use them for fall fishing and icefishing ...work great......
or
know anyone involved with DND, get Cold weather mitts.....lol....I'll ask one of the guys with the reserves and see if he can score me a set........
My baby sister is married to a guy who just retired from the forces a couple weeks ago...bet he has some!
really, you'll have to ask him his trade and then let me know perhaps with our huge forces I might know him...lol....after 40+ years in I hope so....and ask him for his mitts, if not this week I'll ask at the cadets shop because they have all kinds of the surplus stuff.
He was a driver mostly - I'll have to ask his title. Buses, trucks, bikes you name it. His name is Stacey Antonuik, about 9-10 yrs younger than us. Last overseas was Afganistan 3 yrs ago.
Ask if he was a 935 MSE OP...lol..or now it is called a 00171, think I might have run into him because that is my MOS also.