stay warm this winter

Tour Master is the #1 rated for heated vest, I bought mine at

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/11/442/10325/ITEM/Tour-Master-Synergy-Heated-Vest-Liner.aspx.

they are the cheapest I found and no shipping. Total $121.00
70/80 mph in 20&30 degree weather is a snap if you can keep your chest core temp at warm temp.
Jim  

I have nothing at all against electric clothing, but most of the bikes I've owned simply could not handle the extra electrical load and I never liked riding behind a fairing or windshield. That led me to the simple discovery several decades ago that, any riding gear that "breathes" is not cold weather riding gear. If your riding gear blocks all air penetration, then it takes only a little insulation to retain enough body heat to keep you warm down to freezing temperatures.

regards,
Joe  

Mostly true. I used to go deer hunting, and had to sit still for hours. If the moisture built up on your clothes, it carried the moisture out pretty quick. Motorcycling is like deer hunting, just with a 60mph headwind.  

When I rode last winter, I found layers were the key. Still looking for really good gloves, though, where my fingertips don't get too cold. Liners helped some and I tough it out, but riding any time it's not wet or icy is always the best.

Ride safe, keep warm...  

Yes, layers are the way to go during transitional weather, but I've found that a snowmobile suit that stays loose in the upperarms is better for extremely cold weather riding. As you add layers, the extra tightness in the upper arms and armpits tends to interfere with circulation and cause cold hands, no matter how well insulated and windproof the gauntletts are.

My layers are okay down to about 40°f for an hour on the road or 50° for several hours on the road, but if it's colder than that it's time for me to take off most of those layers and put on the one piece suit and insulated boots. Then I'm good down to about 20° for several hours on the road.

regards,
Joe  

Dang Joe
You must still have the bones of youth. I'm 67 and I cant sit in open air at 70 mph at 20 degrees..........LOL.    I'm no weather man , but 70 mph wind chill at 20 degrees must be way  below zero. U say U don't like wind shields. What do you do to protect your face in those conditions? I live in FL now ,but was born and raised in WI., I still ride to WI. almost every yr in the winter time ,IF the weather man says no out look for snow. That's 23 hrs straight thru to Janesville WI. ( southern WI ). And yes the weather man has lied more than once on many of my trips.....LOL.
I can remember more than once using my feet as skies. I use two pair of long under wear on my legs, insulated boots, and for the first time this yr, a heated vest with temp regulation. I use two batteries yr around ( one in my rear box ) because of all the equip, I have on the bike, my stator protected by my regulator is putting out a nice 14.29 @27 hundred rpm. Almost forgot, wind bras on my crash bars. I got pulled over  by the IL. State Patrol two yrs ago and asked if I knew what I was doing?, sense I had a FL tag on my bike. He asked me if I ever rode in cold snow covered highways before. He was NOT a happy camper????, I told him I have been doing this sense I was 13 yrs old. I will let you know what I think of the heated under ware ( VEST ) this spring.
Jim  

You're gonna love the heated vest. It gets the heat inside all the insulation, so it has a chance to do it's job.
I've done 7 hours in the snow, I had wicking thermal underware top and bottom, jeans, and full textile pants on the bottom. Turtleneck, heavy shirt, and then a textile jacket with liner. Under the boots, I had regular socks, and a pair of ski socks.
Polar fleece neck gaitor to stuff up under the helmet.

That just left the hands.
Spring for heated gloves, glove liners, or heated grips. The only thing I had was some old charcoal handwarmers.
I got home alive (barely).
Now I just remember to pack enough cash with me to rent a van when it starts to snow.  

Hi JIm,

You're right, I don't ride behind a windshield. My winter helmet is a silver colored full face. The silver coloring means the duct tape over all the vents doesn't show. I haven't had to get it out of the closet yet, this year.

I also have a windproof balaclava that I cut off at the nose opening for an apple warmer. It tucks into both the helmet and jacket or suit, protecting my neck and jaw from the cold. With the air flow deflecting up off my chest, the apple warmer closes off most of the chin opening, leaving just enough air intrusion to prevent visor fogging when I'm moving faster than 35 mph. at 35 or slower, I have to open the visor one notch.

With arthritis in my spine, hips and hands, I can't claim to have young bones any more. My biggest cold problem is my right lower leg. I still have a pin and some additional hardware in there from my 30's. If I let it get cold, I'm in pain for several days.

I used to also have major circulation problems. I couldn't keep my feet warm, even when the temp was above 100°f. That seriously impaired my ability to ride in winter, but the problem went away when I was diagnosed to have high blood pressure and got it under control.

My arthritis forces me off the bike after about an hour of just sitting. Ten minutes of movement and I'm ready for another hour. In the winter, that movement includes climbing four flights of stairs with all my riding gear still on, which stirs up plenty of body heat to carry me through to the next stop. It doesn't slow me down much on a trip. The last trip I took (4,500 miles), I still managed to cover 600 miles a day when I wanted to, without ever exceeding the posted speed limit. It is slightly annoying to have to leave half an hour early to meet the group over in Ft. Walton beach, though. Getting on the road at 4:30 to meet them at 7am for a breakfast ride is harder to do every time I try :-)

regards,
Joe