So I’m riding around freezing. Not enjoying that. I’ve got some budget to get good gear, and since it’s going to last 5-10 years, I’m willing to go pricey if necessary.
So - any recommendations from happy customers? I’m 5’10, 160 lb, if that helps.
My thoughts so far -
Jacket / Pants - Dainese Stradon - expensive (very), but excellent reviews
Gloves - need heated, with battery pack (can’t be bothered wiring anything else onto the bike)
Heated vests?? Kidney belts??
And anyone have good tricks for knowing when the road temp is below 36F?
I wear a heavy leather Belstaff Trialmaster in the winter. It keeps me very warm around the hips up to chest and shoulders. Pants, good luck. My Triumph is unfaired and the BMW’s fairing doesn’t help (the engine jugs do, kinda…) I wear long underwear under my Dainese Yamato riding pants. I had to get them, they are named after the greatest space battle cruiser ever.
I’m in CA so I’m not much help on the gloves, etc. I once had a BMW R12RT that had heated grips and seat tho…
I’ll check out Belstaff - although I’ve shied of leather due to its absorbtive properties!
My Triumph (snap!) is a Daytona, so fairing helps. It’s core body temp and stiff fingers that are bugging me!
I’m getting itchy though - after seeing the Scrambler (?) in Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary special, it pulled on my heartstrings. And then, there’s the Ducati 899 just released … sorry kids, only two meals a day for a while!
I have a Scrambler too. I think the Doctor has ridden his in other episodes as well. Been busy customizing it but most of the changes aren’t cosmetic. I have got to say, of all the bikes I’ve owned the Scrambler is my favorite (the arrow 2>1 plays a large role in that, however.)
The Belstaff is a classic. Watch ebay and you can find a great one used for far less than new.
Other bike is an old BMW R75/6 with an R90S bikini fairing. It doesn’t keep you warm at all.
Heated grips! Easy to install, and really, really worth it. Watch out which circuit you use though. Most bikes don’t have a spare one, so you’ll have to co-opt one. It’s not just the amps, it should be a circuit you can do without on the road if it should fry after all. I.e. not the ignition, not the headlights, etc.
I wear gear by BMW (manufactured by Klepper), must be some 15 years old by now. Nylon with a detachable Gore Tex inlay(?). If that’s not enough I wear a fleece jumper.
My next gear will probably by Rukka, in a couple of years.
Yep. After watching revzilla’s vid and the vid on the Dainese stuff, I’m a Rukka man all the way. @jlw Really, really good reviews. Top class. and Kreiga - the price you pay, the time it lasts, it’s extraordinary value! Tough amazingly well put together stuff!
I’ve never laid eyes on this vehicle, and I spent most of the 80’s in Metro Detroit. Is this some sort of UK build? It combines the 70s muscle look with a slim 80s profile–tasty, as Lane Meyer’s ex-gf would say.
Being morally opposed to the oil industry is no fun sometimes. Well, bicycles are more fun to commute on (given non-nasty weather) but driving a fine auto is the tits sometimes. And my art training combined with my Detroit blood cannot ignore the spectacular look of a ride like the Capri.
Oh yes. How could I forget? They were always driving a Ford, weren’t they? I think the car smashing through the window in the opening sequence was a Cortina. And now I remember Escorts. And they always had the London A-Z handy. [rambling on about a TV show that was a highlight of his week in teenage times]
Just one quick thought: If it’s cold enough that you’re worrying about windchill, it may be cold enough for unexpected icing, and may be time to put the bike away for the winter. Two wheels and ice are not a happy combination. (Four wheels and ice aren’t great either, but at least the vehicle doesn’t slide out from under you.)
You’re quite right. When it’s 3 deg C or lower, consistently over a couple days, the bike sits unloved. In very dry weather it’s ok, but here in London, not so common. Also not so common for it to be <3C for a long time!
I’ve been commuting to a town outside London for a month, and getting very upset at feeling cold. The trains, bless them, are impossible to use whilst retaining any measure of sanity.
