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Riding weather and clothing

5K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  Emack76 
#1 ·
It's still riding weather in So. Calif., went out for a short spin today, a couple twists of the throttle on some straight aways got up close to 110mph, before a turn came up, ahhhhhh, motorcycles and speed.

It was a nice way to blow some of the 'politics thread' out of by head...

Hopefully some of you are still having some nice riding weather.

Another part of this thread, how many of you are nicely equipped for 'all weather' riding? I'm not.

Is there a consensus as to a GREAT riding suit for rain and cold?? One piece, two piece, etc.
 
#2 ·
Tell you what I do......I have ridden in 29 degree F weather but that was on my XR. It had a heated seat. I had heated grips and both were on. Had winter gloves, no holes and a little bulkier that normal summer duty gloves. Full face helmet with or without the balaclava..... Neck wind blocker, heated jacket liner under my leather jacket. Draggin jeans and lined chaps. I had forged bars so I also used the OEM soft lowers to keep my feet warm.

Wet weather, depending on the temp, rain gear over my leathers and soft lowers kept me pretty dry. Wear latex gloves under my leather gloves so the hands stay dry... There ya have it.....
 
#5 ·
Im year round Virginia seaboard so wet and sorta cold...


Gortex pants or chaps for with leather jacket/gloves for cold down into the teens, add gortex jacket for rain. Installed hard lowers but if I had to do again, I would go soft lowers for certain. I also use face mask below 45 just to keep the chill out.. I will buy a full face one of these days.. lol...

I ride with 2 riders that both have FrogTogs, put them on my christmas list this year because as stated, they breath! Gortex does not but I already have it for work so cuts down on what I have to carry.

For what its worth, I used a one peace dry suit for about a year... wont ever again.. Just my 2 cents...

Safe ridin
Tim
 
#4 ·
I wear a pair of insulated coveralls, winter riding gloves, layers of shirts and a scarf under my chin of my full face. Great thing about my XR compared to my other bike is I actually have a place to put all this clothing when/if it warms up during the day!
 
#6 ·
For rain gear, I was so confused. A LOT of choices, and a wide price range. At first, I thought all rain gear was fairly equal, but I was wrong.

I needed something that would comfortably go over my clothes, not be constricting, allow me to be able to put the pants on WHILE still wearing my boots, and not flap around like mad in the wind as I ride. I had a hard time finding any gear that actually did all that, and didn't cost $250.

Until I read a great review about the Joe Rocket rain gear. I took the chance and bought the RS2 Rain Suit and am very pleased with it.

I didn't want a flappy mess, and look/feel like a tool going down the road, and I didn't want anything that interfered with operating the bike. I found that the RS2 suit fit the bill for me.

Here's the review: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,73610.0.html
 
#7 ·
I didn't want a flappy mess, and look/feel like a tool going down the road, and I didn't want anything that interfered with operating the bike. I found that the RS2 suit fit the bill for me.

Here's the review: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,73610.0.html
Bandit,
I know the OP is on a CR which may have a little more wind like my TC does but curious. Have you used this gear on your new Glide Ride with the fixed fairing and if so are you getting enough ventilation on the in between weather where its not cold but not dry either? Im curious to the ventilation while behind a fixed fairing..(as I said, two guys I ride with got togs but I think I like the RS2 better looking at it and its similar priced).
 
#9 ·
Well I think you sold ME on the RS2, not sure about Lance.. lol.. I was just horsing around with what your talking about on the Vision tonight on the way to work... I think it will get better with the HWY pegs installed as well. So, if I get the TOGS then I wouldn't be differnt with what my GoldWing buddies ride in.. .lol... I have to get the RS2's because no one I ride with has them and I ride a Vision.. Of course...hehe Thanks for the feedback Bandit and glad to see you keepin up on the forums... ya traitor... lol.. Im kiddin of course...

Be safe bud

Tim
 
#10 ·
Is there a consensus as to a GREAT riding suit for rain and cold?? One piece, two piece, etc.
There are many. For decent cold/wet weather gear I've found that Tourmaster and Firstgear both make decent products. A lot of hardcore types with lots of money like Aerostich stuff. I've read they leak and require spraying some chemical on them. No thanks. Better made stuff in Europe, but unless you've got a trip there you aren't likely to get your hands on it.

For near freezing temperature cold, go electric. I rode too many years without it. Now that its readily available and reasonably cheap, it's insane to ride in the cold without it.
 
#11 ·
I've got a tourmaster rain suit and it works really well, kinda hard to get over my riding boots though. And although the suit is made in China (like everything else), I did have the button pull out of the stirrup and emailed the company. They promptly sent me 4 extra stirrups which I thought was cool of them.
 
#12 ·
I have a Tourmaster Air Intake 2 which is a great jacket for all weather. No liner, great for hot weather. Water/Windproof liner makes it great to about 50. Add the thermal liner and good to upper 30's to low 40's. Add a pair of leather chaps, Tourmaster gortex winter gauntlets, HJC Balaclava, Rockport XCS Goretex Boots (wish they never discontinued these) and I am good to go.

Like others, I carry rain suit and over boots. However it is an ancient Dry Rider. I know that there are much better rain gear available now, but am a tad confused on what is the best bang for the buck. Don't give a crap about style or looks, just want the best protection for the dollars spent.

Suggestions?
 
#13 ·
Here in The Heart of Dixie we get a lot of 40° to 55-60° riding days in the winter. I've found a pair of flannel-lined jeans are just about perfect. On the cooler days I'll add a pair of light wt. windpants over them. Leather jacket and some fleece jacket as well if the temps are cooler.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I rode down into the single digits on my V-star 950 (Windshield and lowers only, no other wind protection). I wore my Shift leather jacket with the winter liner, Full face modular helmet, summer vented gloves (big mistake haha), and my camo pants (was in the Navy, so the blue and grey sort), and uniform boots. Only part of me that was uncomfortable was my hands, and if it was wet and I got splashed on much then my legs would get cold.

I used to carry a one piece motorcycle rain suit I bought on Amazon a couple years ago, but honestly I rode more in the rain without it just because it was annoying to put on, although it did work well when I had it on. I once (accidently) rode through about 8 inches of water, was over my boots but that little bike didnt miss a beat. was soaked to my underwear that day but my whole upper body and head was dry thanks to the full face and my leather jacket. cheers

I love riding in all weather, when people look at me crazy for pulling up on my bike in a downpour or a light snow and ask why its not in the garage I just tell them my vehicles are vehicles, and not garage queens. Hell I once took my vette out 5 hours into a blizzard, found out the hard way that 12 inch wide tires on a rear wheel drive do not cut through the snow very well haha. Had to have help getting going again when I made the mistake of stopping at a stop sign.
 
#15 ·
My rain suit from Wally world insulated chaps rebel leather jacket electric gloves which so far ain't used much since I put heated grips on only on low so far and just bought a snow bib a couple weeks ago and is very warm at 29 degrees so far and wear a full face when it's cold or raining also have soft lowers which makes a big difference on the feet
 
#17 ·
I haven't tried a lot of different options, but a few years ago decided to get a Tourmaster Air Intake, 3 layer, original series I believe. Wear it in almost all weather, except 95+ days. The thinsulate liner is just increadible for passive warmth. With just the outer vented layer it is very comfortable in the 80s and low 90s.

For the complete warmth package, I'll wear either a short or long sleeve T-shirt, then a long sleeve slightly loose fitting shirt somewhere between a T-shirt and swearshirt (not sure what it is made of), then the 3 layers of the Tourmaster jacket. On the legs I will wear long underwear, then jeans, then leather chaps. For rain, I put on a pair of Tourmaster rain pants and sometimes boot covers. Add a good pair of gloves with heated grips and a neck scarf (the one piece tube that slips over the head), and an open face helmet with a visor.

My wife and I ride lots of long weekend trips 2 up and at least one week long trip a year. Until recently she wore a Joe Rocket jacket with just a wind/rain liner. Under that she wore 2 to 3 shirt layers. A couple months ago she bought a Tourmaster Air Intake 2 jacket. The last two 3 day weekend trips we did just happened to coincide with cold fronts coming through the area we were riding. She kept saying she had no idea how warm I was on our earlier trips wearing my Tourmaster jacket and she just thought it was normal to be as cold as she was before. Thought it was just part of being the tough motorcycle wife that she was. Almost to the point of wanting to beat me over the head for letting her be so cold while I was nice and warm in my Tourmaster. I just thought she was sufficiently layered with shirts that she was as or nearly as warm as I was.

So now we are both sold on Tourmaster Air Intake jackets and though we both found ours at discounted sale prices, would readily buy them again at full price if needed.

Cheers,
Randy
 
#18 ·
I love my Aerostich suit.

http://www.aerostich.com/

I have a two-piece Road Crafter set that I have owned longer than I care to admit. A little pricey up front, but well worth the money. I threw away my leather jackets and rain suits when I bought the Aerostich, and never looked back.

Good comfort. Good ventilation. Good rain protection. I have ridden in some torrential downpours and stayed dry.

I use the jacket by itself, most of the time. When it gets cold or wet, the pants zip onto the jacket to make a one-piece set. Nice.

I just bought two Nike Pro-Combat Dri-Fit shirts. They fit well under the Aerostich and make a noticeable difference on the cold morning rides to work.

A also have an old pair of Danner combat boots with a Gore-tex liner. They are good for cold and wet, too. Got them from Cabella's.

It was in the 30's this morning, when I left the house. I need to break out the insulated gloves, now. My fingers were pretty cold when I got to work. I will ride up until the snow falls, and the salt trucks come out of hibernation. Then, I'm done. :cool:
 
#19 ·
All this proofs me to 25degF on my XCT. I'll try colder weather this week it looks like. Takes 3 min to dress down to jacket only in the parking lot at work, and the XCT has plenty of room to store it all + my laptop, coffee thermos, 2 extra pairs of gloves, extra sweatshirt, etc... :D
--Don't forget I have heated grips on the XCT which help a lot with the hands - though the heated seat isn't a deal breaker for me w/ the insulated pants.

+Tourmaster Rincon Jacket (removable insulation) $129 @ MotorcycleSuperstore
+Fieldsheer Mercury Pants (removable ins) $99 @ MotorcycleCloseouts
+Columbia Omni-heat snowmobile gloves $90 @ Dicks
+NorthFace neck gaiter $39 @ local outdoor shop
+cheapo thin baclava for under the helmet on those coldest days $6
+3/4 face helmet with face sheild (neck gaiter dams the bottom)
+Gortex, full-tongue 10" boots w/ 1200g thinsulate (cold/wet days)

I swap out my gloves for days in the 30's...and drop the baclava and winter boots as well:
+Firstgear riding gloves (100g thinsulate) $39 @ local dealership

I drop the pants and neck gaiter when temps get near the 50's.

NOTE: All this extra stuff changes the way I ride just a bit. Especiallyu sensitivity to all my levers...so I'm sure to practive slow manuevers when I start to don that gear.

cheers
 
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