Electric riding gear

[Luap McKeever]

Without having to take out a 2nd mortgage, I'd like to get a full suit, electric for cold weather riding.  My 1 piece Cortech is good down to about 40 degrees, but I want something to add that would be good to 0.

Whadda ya have that you recommend?

[kballowe]

I've not ever seen a one-piece full suit that's heated.

Not that they don't exist - I've just never seen one

[wirespokes]

True - there might not be a full heated suit, but I don't think I'd want one anyway. Heated gear needs to be close to the body, the closer the better. When I wore heated gear it would be the next layer over a T shirt.

Luap, what's your idea? A one piece, something like long-johns?

[Toecutter]

True - there might not be a full heated suit, but I don't think I'd want one anyway. Heated gear needs to be close to the body, the closer the better. When I wore heated gear it would be the next layer over a T shirt.

Luap, what's your idea? A one piece, something like long-johns?

I often find myself riding in -10, sometimes as lower temps. Uhhh… 14ish in Yankee units? Sometimes lower. Now, I'm not doing this for 200 km hops, but the 35 km to work and home again, yeah.


Stanfields one-piece longjohns are the first and most essential piece. Wool. No cotton. If it's really cold, I put on a pair of Merino wool long underwear UNDER the Stanfields.


Socks? Wool. No space age wool blend crap either, just... wool.  (Guzzi content) a couple of standard grocery store T-shirt bags with no holes in them, over the socks in the boots works great. My wife has added battery powered insoles to her kit... she has Reynaud's, and swears by them.

Top is layers. I'll put on a t-shirt over the stanfields, and a button up wool shirt over that.

Neck is a wool "Buff". Usually up over my face, all cool-like.

Riding pants. If it's super cold, a thin pair of nylon "splash pants" to cut the wind.

My riding Jacket, and a lined Carharrt vest over that


Hands. Thin wool liner, and gloves. I use "Warm n Safe" heated gloves... it's the only heated gear I use. If it's damp our, or the wind is particularly biting (AND the ride is short...) I'll put on a latex/nitrile glove over the liner but under the riding glove. Doesn't work for longer rides though... the dampness from sweat negates any benefit of the latex glove and I end up colder than I would have.


And... that's the cold weather Prairie riding gear. Done some long days(500 km), sub ... uhhhh... "32" in this, and shorter days are a breeze.

[Kiwi_Roy]

If caught in heavy rain I scrounge an extra large pair of the plastic gloves they use at Subway, slip them over my leather gloves to stop the water evaporating which cools the gloves down.
Same for boots a couple of plastic bags over those as well although I have a pair of the slip over rain guards cyclists wear, they work well if I remember to pack them.

Oops, the topic was electric gear, Girbing

[elvisboy77]

Without having to take out a 2nd mortgage, I'd like to get a full suit, electric for cold weather riding.  My 1 piece Cortech is good down to about 40 degrees, but I want something to add that would be good to 0.

Whadda ya have that you recommend?

https://www.warmnsafe.com/

I have the heated jacket liner and glove liner.  They work great and reasonable for the price, great quality.  They also sell pants liner.

[Toecutter]

https://www.warmnsafe.com/

I have the heated jacket liner and glove liner.  They work great and reasonable for the price, great quality.  They also sell pants liner.

My wife has the jacket  liner, too. Loves it. Taxes the V7 charging system pretty good, though. I bought her a LED headlight for her birthday, just so she can use the thing without having to shut it off 10 minutes before "end of ride".

[Guzzistajohn]

Geeze Nanook, are you planning on heading north? We don't get all that cold in the Ozarks anymore.  My heated vest and Aerostitch keeps me pretty toasty on the Tiger, my old Guzzis don't make enough juice to run the vest 

[kballowe]

We have the heated jackets with a dual controller, and they have the glove connections at the end of the sleeves, inside a little zippered area.  This works well to hook up the gloves.  If you have only a vest then you have to run separate wires and a separate controller.  P.I.T.A.

Our stash is a collection of Tourmaster, Warm & Safe, and Harley branded heated accessories.  They all seem to work the same.

Note that rider gloves heat the back of the hand and wrist area.  Passenger gloves heat the palms. 
So, heated grips are worth every penny when ya get below freezing.

I'm not sure about current draw - but running two jackets and two pair of gloves requires a 15 amp fuse.  10 amp works for a little while....... then poof !

And - the closer to the body and tighter the electric gear fits - the better it works.

Note that motorcyclegear.com is clearance $115 Tourmaster heated gloves right now.  Originally $189.99, I think
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/last_chance_bargains/tour_master/synergy_2_0_heated_textile_gloves.html

Here's a nice YouTube video on those Tourmaster heated gloves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfZga0Gw5mk

[oldbike54]

 Luap , bud , I don't honestly believe there is any gear that would keep a Southern boy warm on a motorbike in weather that cold  There comes a point when the car is the best option .

 Dusty

[Moto]

If caught in heavy rain I scrounge an extra large pair of the plastic gloves they use at Subway, slip them over my leather gloves to stop the water evaporating which cools the gloves down.

Good tip. Thanks!

Moto

[Seventy One]

For under 40 degree weather I use the BMG Discovery jacket, Pioneer pants, heated grips, Storm Industries hand guards, Klim balaclava, heated grips and a Warm-n-Safe 90 watt heated liner.

I've done five hours below 32f/0c in this on my 800XC. That trip started out at 22 degrees and ended up with rain and low 30's. My feet did get a little cold towards the end. I was wearing Sidi Adventure Gore-Tex boots which were a little too narrow for extra layers. This was over my street clothes. I didn't go nuts with multiple layers of shirts, etc.

The key is to keep the heat you have. Don't lose that. Adding heat won't help if you're immediately losing all of it. Body positioning on the bike made significant changes to my warmth (Knees in, toes in, chin down, elbows in). 

The handlebar muffs kept wind out of my jacket sleeves and made the heated grips work about 100x better. This allowed me to wear my uninsulated Aerostich Elkskin ropers. As a bonus, without wind blowing up my sleeves, no wind was rushing up toward my ears so everything was much quieter too.

I haven't tried heated gloves but because grips and muffs work so well together I doubt I ever will.

https://www.britishmotorcyclegear.com/jackets/discovery-jacket.html

https://www.britishmotorcyclegear.com/pants/pioneer-pants.html

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/klim-shadow-balaclava

http://www.stormind.net/store.html

[beetle]

I have Warm 'n Safe gear. Glove liners, jacket liner, pants liner and socks. I have to set them all at different settings. The extremities sometimes need more heat than the legs or chest. If I put woolly socks over the heated socks, I often don't need to even turn them on, yet, the glove liners might be at full rip. If you have hand guards, you might even run the gloves at a minimum. I don't, because I think hand guards look silly on a Griso.

Coldest I've ever ridden was about 28F.

I think a one-piece might be a bad idea.

My 2¢.

[Luap McKeever]

True - there might not be a full heated suit, but I don't think I'd want one anyway. Heated gear needs to be close to the body, the closer the better. When I wore heated gear it would be the next layer over a T shirt.

Luap, what's your idea? A one piece, something like long-johns?

My idea would be like heated vest technology, but covers the whole body.

https://www.warmnsafe.com/

I have the heated jacket liner and glove liner.  They work great and reasonable for the price, great quality.  They also sell pants liner.

This sounds promising. Thanks for the info.

I have Warm 'n Safe gear. Glove liners, jacket liner, pants liner and socks. I have to set them all at different settings. The extremities sometimes need more heat than the legs or chest. If I put woolly socks over the heated socks, I often don't need to even turn them on, yet, the glove liners might be at full rip. If you have hand guards, you might even run the gloves at a minimum. I don't, because I think hand guards look silly on a Griso.

Coldest I've ever ridden was about 28F.

I think a one-piece might be a bad idea.

My 2¢.

I'll check that out too. Thanks.

Luap , bud , I don't honestly believe there is any gear that would keep a Southern boy warm on a motorbike in weather that cold  There comes a point when the car is the best option .

 Dusty

The cage is only an option in freezing rain mister



Thanks for all the info. I'll check them out. A perfect solution for me would be a removable full body electric liner that I could put on under my existing Cortech for those really cold, dry, sunny days.

[yogidozer]

Found this, haven't used this brand, my Gerbrings jacketliner works well enough for me, along with my First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket and pants
At the ends of the sleeves there is a connection for heated gloves. 
https://www.revzilla.com/heated-motorcycle-gear

[Ncdan]

I have a Raven cycle suit that I was issued in 1982 by the PD. It's a nylon shell and I'm not sure what it's packed with but I've spent hours on a bike down to the teens. Maybe try some of this new cold weather gear technology that's available today to use as a base layer. I have some and one would  not believe how much warmth the stuff offers. Just keep the wind out and heat the hands and feet and full face helmet. Anything colder that that can handle  and maybe a car is in order:)

[Madtownguzzi]

You could try this blow up vest from Exotogg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtM5r2t9MbE

[tris]

How about something like this Laup

https://www.blazewear.com/heated-base-layer-shirt-unisex-black-kit

Or if you fancy super cheap (Guzzi Content) this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VENTURE-Battery-Underwear-Snowboard-Motorcycle/dp/B00FPBJUB4

[Texas Turnip]

You must keep your core (chest) warm to keep the rest of your body warm. An electric vest will keep your fingers and toes warm. A doctor can explain it. The electric vest is the best thing I've owned in my 50+ years of riding.

Luap, a heated body suit won't do you any good as long as you keep wearing those booger picken gloves. lol

Tex

[giusto]

Without having to take out a 2nd mortgage, I'd like to get a full suit, electric for cold weather riding.  My 1 piece Cortech is good down to about 40 degrees, but I want something to add that would be good to 0.

Whadda ya have that you recommend?

Hey Luap,

Sorry this is off topic...but I noticed on your map that you still need to check off Michigan :)
It would be great to have you up here for our August MGNOC rally in Traverse City.

[arveno]

You must keep your core (chest) warm to keep the rest of your body warm. An electric vest will keep your fingers and toes warm. A doctor can explain it. The electric vest is the best thing I've owned in my 50+ years of riding.

Luap, a heated body suit won't do you any good as long as you keep wearing those booger picken gloves. lol

Tex

Should be the other way around: keep you feet, hands and head warm.
Ever worked outside st 15 degrees?
Warm boots , hat and Gloves and you good to go.

[yogidozer]

Doesn't seem like so long ago people were complaining, IT'S TOO HOT 
About 10 degrees outside now, going for a hike on the AT, no electric clothes 

[PeteS]

I have a Gerbings liner and glove liners. Haven't used the glove liners yet as I have heated grips (Big Bike).
Coldest I have ridden is 6 hours at 28F. Then it warmed up to 38 for four more hours. Heat loss is cumulative.
Even at 28 the Gerbings was operating at half power on the controller. Full on would cook you.

Pete

[oldbike54]

 If you really want to ride in extreme cold the secret is wind management . The best cold weather bike I've ever owned was an airhead RT with a few aero mods . The location of the stock mirrors kept the wind off my hands and forearms , a proper vent in the shield killed the turbulence , and the cylinder heads kept my feet warm . It carried me across the mountains and great plains in 20 degree weather in relative comfort sans any heated gear or even any real specialty gear . If you can't manage the wind no amount of heated gear will keep you warm at 65 MPH . If the air you are breathing is really cold , like 5F , even air management and gear won't help much 

 Dusty

[Roebling3]

There's quite a few electrically heated riding riding gear available now. Due to competition in the market most of it is quite good.  I've had much experience W/Gerbings liners and gloves over many years. a friend Swears by Klim gear.  The way most riders bundle up I could never manage the controls, let alone feel safe trying. R3~

[Motormike]

Don't forget chemical heat packs, like Hot Hands, sold at Cabelas and other sporting goods type stores.  In an emergency, they can be stuffed in your gloves, boots, pockets, etc to keep riding in a sudden cold snap.  They are cheap, provide heat for several hours, and have a long shelf-life. 

[Ncdan]

If you really want to ride in extreme cold the secret is wind management . The best cold weather bike I've ever owned was an airhead RT with a few aero mods . The location of the stock mirrors kept the wind off my hands and forearms , a proper vent in the shield killed the turbulence , and the cylinder heads kept my feet warm . It carried me across the mountains and great plains in 20 degree weather in relative comfort sans any heated gear or even any real specialty gear . If you can't manage the wind no amount of heated gear will keep you warm at 65 MPH . If the air you are breathing is really cold , like 5F , even air management and gear won't help much 

 Dusty

I think you are spot

on with your assessment on the wind issue Dusty. Those old Harley PD bikes I rode in the late 70s had the large lowers with heavy rubber fillers added on to close the gap from the batwing fairing to the lowers, they can be seen in this picture. We rode year around unless there was ice and snow on the streets and keeping the wind off your body was the key. Even to this day the first thing I do when getting a different bike is to make it wind proof as possible. This has been a challenge with the 1400 as no lowers are available from anyone and shields are limited also.

[wirespokes]

Remember the lap robes? Heavy canvas that shielded the legs?