Motorcyclists - What do you wear in colder weather?

[BerksCountyDave]

Well, we're coming in to October, and the temps are starting to drop in the morning and evening. What do you guys wear to extend the riding season as far as possible?

My goal is to ride until Thanksgiving and winterize the bike and put it away on Black Friday.

[Exbiker]

Either a Carhart or a leather jacket, long johns, if I can dig up a helmet w/faceshield Ok or just a ski knit beanie and a bandanna across my face. Oh and insulated leather gloves.

[str8shooter]

My morning commute involves 15 miles of tpk, so I always wear a full face helmet, hot or cold. Getting peppered with road debris, gravel and sand sux. At highway speeds it can get chilly in the shadows, even on warm days, so 70 < temp <= 80 long sleeve fleece. 60 < temp < 70 leather jacket. 50 < temp <= 60. layers. A tee shirt, flannel or twill long sleeve shirt and a longsleeve or sleeveless fleece pull over, all under a lined softshell jacket. That way for the commute home, layers can be left off if it warms up. Under 50, I'll wear a down ski jacket. No time for pride or attitude when cruising the tpk at 75 mph, I don't want to be hunched up and shivering when I need to be alert. I don't wear anything different on my legs regardless of the temperature, cold legs don't bother me. Hot legs turn me on!

[PisnNapalm]

Layers.... I ride throughout the year. I have a great set of snowmobiling gloves for winter. I've ridden on a 15 degree day and my fingers were fine. Actually temps above 30 are too warm for those gloves.

I bought a pair of insulated work coveralls. They're great for winter too. $25 at Kmart last year in Feb. They snap tight around the ankles and no wind gets through them.

[BerksCountyDave]

Thanks for the advice guys. I generally don't go over 60pmh on my commutes, so I can generally get away with less than someone who rides the turnpike. Yesterday morning I was ok at 50 degrees in my perforated leather jacket with a thermal undershirt. I know it's going to get colder though!

What's a better windblocker: Solid leather (not my perforated jacket obviously) or textile materials?

[jmiro]

people swear by leather. My textile jack,IMO, Is ten times better than my expensive leather. How ever dont expect to go to wally world and pick up a windbreaker. You get what you pay for when it comes to jackets.
my windsheild goes on (I know not the manly thing to do.)
Full face comes out
And my jacket with body armor (due to all of the crap on the road. Its not if your going to go down, Its when.)
Thicker gloves
chaps (long johns if needed)
get something for your neck and ears.

Oh yea watch wet leaves on the road. They suck worse than gravel.

[str8shooter]

.... I know it's going to get colder though!

You obviously haven't been listening to Al Gore!

[BerksCountyDave]

I've been checking out this jacket. It's getting great reviews everywhere:

http://www.helmetharbor.com/Products...oductID/475305

I have a full face helmet that I bought specifcally for cooler weather. I'm going to get polypropylene base layer garments and some warmer gloves. I bought a windshield for my bike but I can't get it adjusted in a way that stops the terrible helmet buffeting so I will probably be leaving it in the garage or selling it.

[Pector55]

I just got my heated glove liners and jacket liner. I will add heated socks (they all plug into one another and have a regulator that connects to the battery). I'll wear that stuff with my ski pants over my work clothes (dress pants and button up shirt). I wear a ski mask under my helmet too.

Here ya go. http://cozywinters.com/heated-clothing/
Expensive but I save $150 / month on gas when I use my bike instead of my truck so it pays for itself pretty quickly. For $450 I can use my bike an extra 4 - 5 months this year so I jumped in on it.

[BerksCountyDave]

The reason I'm not interested in heated gear is because I will not ride if its below freezing on the thermometer. This is my first year riding, and the thought of black ice is enough to make me keep the bike parked. I'm just looking for a good set of gear to keep me comfy around 40 and above.