Ok, a brisk 36 degrees F this morning...

It seems to be getting cold quickly here in Upstate NY. This morning some parts of the road had that "sheen" at only 36F.
Commuting ~40 miles each way, I realize that heated grips alone are not going to cut it...And the wife is encouraging me to "take the car this morning...Its really cold out...Your going to freeze up and not be able to react"...

Smart girl...So I've got to start gearing up for winter.

As far as Jackets go. I've heard good things about Olympia AST, seemingly "allot of bang for the buck"...Well under $300.
Any thoughts, recommendations?

Gloves. I've been reading about these Deer Skin gloves by Lee Parks...
http://www.leeparksdesign.com/eshopprod_cat_530-3637_product_148851.DeerSports_PCi_Black__Tan.htm

But then almost $200 for a pair of those or for the same price get a pair of Gerbrings heated gloves...????
Thoughts?

Thanks for any input...
Kutch

I live in Wisconsin, and ride year round. Go with the Gerbings. I use the jacket liner and leather gloves so far.

I may look into the pants and socks this year.....

I'd swear by this stuff.

Everyone I know (figuratively through the internet) swears by the heated stuff. Less bulk. You can move more. I have a first gear voyager jacket. With the liner in (non electric) I am good well into the teens but I like life cold. Keep it that way most of the time. I also wear a pair of goretex gloves. They keep my hands plenty warm but they don't have any "armor".

Last winter I was on a CLC. This winter I am on a GS so I may be looking into some warmer riding gear. Going to go electric. Probably gonna look into building my own vest. Hear that is real cheap and relatively easy. There are some threads here and over at ADV about that. Or I may just wait till Christmas and see if I can't get some Gerbings.

Brian

Kutcher said:

It seems to be getting cold quickly here in Upstate NY. This morning some parts of the road had that "sheen" at only 36F.
Commuting ~40 miles each way, I realize that heated grips alone are not going to cut it...And the wife is encouraging me to "take the car this morning...Its really cold out...Your going to freeze up and not be able to react"...

Smart girl...So I've got to start gearing up for winter.

As far as Jackets go. I've heard good things about Olympia AST, seemingly "allot of bang for the buck"...Well under $300.
Any thoughts, recommendations?

Gloves. I've been reading about these Deer Skin gloves by Lee Parks...
http://www.leeparksdesign.com/eshopprod_cat_530-3637_product_148851.DeerSports_PCi_Black__Tan.htm

But then almost $200 for a pair of those or for the same price get a pair of Gerbrings heated gloves...????
Thoughts?

Thanks for any input...
Kutch

Click to expand...

Get the heated gloves. Heated grips are good but usually there is a digit that gets numb from the cold without the heated gloves.
Get the heated jacket from Gerbing and it will have the jacks to plug the gloves in. They also have a dual controller to adjust the heat independently on each.
The BMW Tourgard or the new Streetgard 2 jacket is the warmest they have because of the Kevlar. I noticed that if you get the Kevlar type material, it is much more resistant to air going thru it. The Aerostich cordura (or any cordura) is too porous to keep out the really cold air in the winter. You end up just cold to the bone after 8 hours heated jacket liner or no. The Kevlar material keeps the cold air out.
Just some observations, reinforced, from riding all day home from the Falling Leaf Rally over the years...heh.

cjack is a wise man

From others I have talked to about Gerbings gear, the dual controller is a "must have"!

The jackets can get really warm (hot).

The ability to independently modulate heat settings between gloves and jackets will provide you with a much more comfortable ride.

another vote for heated clothing. i don't use it often, but when i do, i love it.

spend the $ for independent temperature control of gloves and jackets. (gerbing's deluxe controller)

If you only get the heated vest and the gloves, where do you plug it all in at?

I was looking at the vest at half the price of the jacket.

Thanks,
Brian

Belquar said:

If you only get the heated vest and the gloves, where do you plug it all in at?

I was looking at the vest at half the price of the jacket.

Thanks,
Brian

Click to expand...

The gloves plug into the heated jacket liner. The jacket plugs into the bike. There are some variations if you get the dual controller, but still end up with only one thing to plug into the bike.

So, the message I'm getting here is...

Start with a really good jacket and get electric everything...With dual controller!

BMW Tourgard or the new Streetgard 2 jacket...Just under $700!!!

Wow at that price I should get two

Kutch

Staying Warm & Dry.

Staying Warm is not a Fashion statement and does not have to cost a ton. If you buy something just for bikes its going to cost more period. Having said that; for the image concious you can still look like the BMW Marlbro Man heading to meet (insert you favoright glamor girl)...


I Have just finished a pair of heated chaps and vest for about $50. Do a google search on homemade heated clothing. I could not believe how easy it was. I used an old thin red nylon vest quilted and some old black fleese sweat pants. The most expesive part was the extra outlet for the bike and a BMW male plug.

With the electric addtion I will most likely drop the polypro and replace with thin silk or wlamart 4$ cotton long underware (but keep poly pro packed in just in case).

I purchased a pair of great looking Rocky ATV Black Boots with 700 Grams of thinsilate. They are Dry, Warm and great for riding and cost me $57 At Bass pro. They are the best riding boots I have ever owned!

Military (brown) Polypro long underware $15 (I get them Free. Join up and you can get them free as well)

Whool Socks $12

Gortex Bibs with reinforced Knees and Crotch no name brand no liner Red and Black (googled) overstock.com I think around $60 . I stitch witched in old knee pads from a crappy pair of first gear riding pants. These Bibs have worked for about 4 years on the the bike, ski slope, and hunting small game.

Thin very worn whool turtle neck $1 at good will. (Black)

Red polypro (thin & Tight) stocking cap $10 at Walmart. Its fits nicely under my helmet.

Fleese Black neck gaitter $5 at local gas and go mart.

Black leather Miltary work gloves with green whool inserts $8 at Army/Navy Store. (the leather is treated with saddle soap once a year (very water proof & tuff and flexble) With heated grips and hand protectors on my bike it seems like the hole glove heats up

For a coat I use my trusty Red & Silver Cortec Advanced Sport Jackect (125$) two years ago from Knee Drager.

I ride all year and prefere the winter to the summer but I am a wimp about getting cold.

So for about half the cost of a BMW Jacket I have a complete extreem cold & wet weather outfit.

Kutcher said:

So, the message I'm getting here is...

Start with a really good jacket and get electric everything...With dual controller!

BMW Tourgard or the new Streetgard 2 jacket...Just under $700!!!

Wow at that price I should get two

Kutch

Click to expand...

i think gerbings are a little cheaper. i got the jacket and glove liners with all the fixins for around 400 i think. shop around.

one of the things i really like about the electrics is that when i step inside a cold place, or even when i get off the bike and out of the wind chill, i don't have 42 layers of stuff still keeping me warm. i just unplug, unzip, and i can be inside a toasty warm building and not start sweating.

of course the flip side is that if the electrics fail, i'm gonna be chilly until i get somewhere to buy an extra layer or two.

the glove liners were a real wonderful thing for me on a ride i did once where my gloves got wet. i was able to keep them warm enough that they didnt suck all the heat out of my hands with all the moisture. on that ride i learned an important lesson about looking good while riding - it doesnt matter. now when it rains i whip out a pair of extra large dishawashing gloves as an outer layer. cold, wet hands, besides being a major safety risk, make riding incredibly unpleasant.

Kutcher said:

As far as Jackets go. I've heard good things about Olympia AST, seemingly "allot of bang for the buck"...Well under $300.
Any thoughts, recommendations?
Kutch

Click to expand...

Have one and love it. I had an issue with a snap and sent it back to have it replaced (the snap) without any squabble. Don't live in the frozen waste land of the north but have ridden with it at 30 degrees wearing a t-shirt. Ride a R12RT with heated grips and seat but the jacket is the bomb.

Cheers,
Mike

So what about a AST jacket and an electric vest for underneath along with a pair of heated gloves...?

So a good outer shell (the Olympia jacket or similar, 250-270)
Electric vest for under 200...
electric gloves $$?

Sound resonable?

http://www.bmwmoa.org/flea/detail.php?siteid=794&catid=4
see I just missed a good deal!!!

size 42 might be a bit snug though...44-or 46 incase anyone is thinking of unloading another set like this!!!

Kutch

Don't forget that you can shop for heated gear on ebay. Last season I bought an old style BMW heated vest for well I don't remember, but I do know I got a great deal

I have a Savannah II, with the Gerbing heated jacket, it works fine all 3 seasons. Of course I live in Florida where we have 2 seasons, Hot and Unbearable.
Our riding season is just about to get started.

i have made my own heated clothing, jacket liner, it works and it's cheap, but its not hot or even "really warm". its most noticable between 30-40 F, when riding is "kinda" cold, but not real cold. i can't really feel the jacket putting out much heat when the temps get into the low twenties/high teens.

I got a gerbing heated jacket liner and glove liners last christmas, I love them and am using them already in the a.m. here in Western PA, rode all winter last year when there wasn't snow or ice on the road. A couple of observations. I wish now I had got the leather gloves. I still have to wear something over the liners and it is a little bulky. I also wish I had got the dual controller. I have the single and regulating the heat between the two can get a little tricky. I also found I have to wear thin liners under the heated liners to keep my hands from getting to hot, the dual controller might eliminate that. I wear my first gear 3/4 length leather jacket over the liner with icon body armor. I have roadgear leather pants and seem to do okay on the bottom with BMW goretex boots. If my top is warm the legs don't seem to get as cold. What a relief after years of putting layers on to ride. Enjoy the warmth

You guys have sold me. I have officially put my Christmas wants out to my family this year. All Gerbings. Classic gloves, jacket liner, dual controller, and plug for the bike. Just gonna have to bulk up until then.

HO HO HO

Rasbutan said:

I live in Wisconsin, and ride year round. Go with the Gerbings. I use the jacket liner and leather gloves so far.

I may look into the pants and socks this year.....

I'd swear by this stuff.

Click to expand...

YOURe telling me. i was completely soaked today! walked around all day with wet cold jeans on till i got home. need to find a pant solution for this upcoming rain ASAP.