Riding When It's Freezing & Below

[90GTVert]

I'm having a hard time dealing with the cold this year. It seems like I'm kinda OK to 35-40 degrees... not comfortable, but bearable. Below that, it's painful... namely my fingertips. It doesn't help that 75% of my riding is at night, so there's no sun to help me out at all. I can deal with most other areas. My legs stay a bit cold, but I need more than just cheap, thing, thermals and jeans. Better thermals and/or some overpants/ski pants would cover that easy enough. I don't even think it would be an issue, but my legs are actaully taller than the front fairing and beside that I have to sit with my legs open to the wind to some degree to be comfortable and steer very much. I wear a tshirt, flannel, and my Joe Racket Ballistic jacket with the liner in and that works pretty well for me. One pair of regular socks and one pair of thermal socks will do the trick as well. A neckwarmer works wonders, coupled with the fabric on my better helpmet that joins up to it. My cheap helmet has nothing there and it sucks for real cold riding. If I can manage to keep my visor closed without fogging up, my fat head keeps itself warm. lol My real problems are my fingertips.

I rode a whopping 8 miles one night when it was 30 degrees with 25MPH winds and I had enough. Being pushed around in the road by wind didn't help me enjoy that ride much either. Last night I rode 20 miles at 29 degrees with only 4-5MPH winds. By the time I was 10 miles in my fingertips hurt. Not long after that it really started to feel like being stabbed in the fingertips, very unpleasant. When I read reviews, so many people talk about their fingertips getting numb in the cold. I wish. My fingertips numb, but then I get more feeling than I want.

I am using a set of First Gear winter gloves. I think they leave a bit to be desired. They have a guantlet that closes over my jacket and most of my hand is warm, but I feel like I need more protection from the wind to help my fingers. I think leather would keep the elements out a little better. It appears everyone goes to heated gloves below 40, at least from what I gather in reviews and motorcycle forums. I really don't wanna add anything to my elctrical system though if it isn't completely necessary. I think a lot of the gloves run 30 watts or so. Sounds like a bit considering I run no battery on the Venus, and it already has a 30 or 35 watt headlight. The ones with battery power don't get great reviews. It appears they work OK at first (though not as well as plug in 12V types), then the battery life starts dropping off after much use and you'll need to buy replacement batteries.

All of that leads me back to trying to keep some of the wind off of my fingers. So, how stupid do you think these would look on the Venus?

www.rockymountainatvmc.com/productDetail.do?navType=type&page=2&webTypeId=191&navTitle=Handlebars-Control&webCatId=12&prodFamilyId=19215

Here's a pic if it helps you visualize... lol


There are also products that you put your hands into, just as ugly, but I don't know that I'd like having to find my way into them because I move around a bit. They do look like they might provide better protection from the elements though. Installation would be simple. lol Not sure exactly how I feel about these...

www.rockymountainatvmc.com/productDetail.do?navType=type&webTypeId=191&navTitle=Handlebars-Control&webCatId=12&prodFamilyId=9653

Experience, advice, and opinions are welcome and appreciated. ;D If you own a set of gloves that perform well below freezing, I'd definitely like to hear about them.

[stepthrutuner]

Here's some input on gloves.

www.motorcyclecruiser.com/accessoriesandgear/cold_weather_glove_comparison/index.html

The Orina Style 118 from Germany sound like the best value to me.

[90GTVert]

I actaully read that this morning. My problem is that the review never tells temperatures. When I go snooping about on other forums and sites it seems a lot of folks are pleased if a glove performs well at 40 degrees F. Makes me wonder what the reviewers are riding in. I can ride at 40 OK. Its that freezing point and below that really tests out your gear.

[stepthrutuner]

These sound like they may be worth a try. I heard of these several years ago so they are probably not a gimmick. The testimonials sound encouraging.


www.soundfeelings.com/heatbands.htm

[WT100]

I'm looking for solutions on this too. My Thinsulate gloves are good down to about 50F at 50mph. Lower than that and my hands freeze. At fuel stops i hold my hands on the pipe till they start to burn then head off again. Not a great solution.

I think the "wind wings" may be a big step in the right direction. Ugly or not i may have to do that too. The "insert your hands" things scares me. Don't wanna be that confined.

[90GTVert]

One thing I thought was cool is some bikes and older scooters have had windshields available that protrude out to cover the hands. Not a fan of the look of a windshield either, but that would be nice. Haven't seen anything like that lately. Prob expensive if they are out there.

Heatbands are a neat idea and a differnt thought than I've seen anywhere else. I would kinda assume they'd make a better crutch for a mildly failing hand protection manner than soemthing that freezes your fingers in 15 minues. I may be all wrong though.

[WT100]

Here you go!

www.scooterworks.com/Windshields-Kymco-C591.aspx

[90GTVert]

Nice find. The bad thing there is none are universal. They even say they won't fit other Kymco models. Kinda troubling when they are over $100. Then, even as good as the idea is, I look at them and kinda cower away. lol When you go to the universal ones, you're back to these...

www.scooterworks.com/Windshields-Other-Brands-C593.aspx

[90GTVert]

Closest universal I've found so far...
www.chineseatvonline.com/windshield-21-for-chinese-scooters-p-14316.html

It's on the short side though. It's 22" tall... but most that measure around that start from above the bars up. Just look at my avatar and you can see why I'm thinking I should go pretty tall if I end up with a windshield I think. It says it's designed to direct wind above teh rider's head. For someone my size that prob means it hits me in the face worse than ever. lol

Something like this w/handguards for this price or less would be nice. lol
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Slip-Streamer-Scoot-50-Windshield-23-1-2-x-23-1-2-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem33629912bfQQitemZ220697531071QQptZOtherQ5fVehicleQ5fParts

Any of the windshields are really more than I wanna spend, but cold nights are the only time I can depend on being able to get out of my house so I'd go $100ish for a little sanity. lol Then I'm thinking, gloves, liners, and handguards or big windshield... possibly big windshield + handguards if I can't get a 1 piece w/guards. I have no experience with a windshied on a bike so I really have no idea how much difference it would make to decide if they're worth it for my purpose. Thinking out loud here so I end up rambling... as usual. lol

[90GTVert]

Price is right on this one, just wonder if it's as cheap as the price? If it were decent I could get the guards and still be under the price of the Scoot 50 windshield posted above.
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Scooter-Windshield-Universal-Handle-Bar-Clamp-Mount-/390184115541?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5ad8c91d55

[jimh]

I ride with a pair of Gor-Tex ski gloves, probably 20 years old. They work well in the cold but do have a limit when it's in the teens and low 20's. Hippo Mits are what a lot of guys used to use...ugly as hell but effective, no more frozen digits. Try Heeters Performance for handlebar mounted windshields.

[90GTVert]

Thanks. I saw the touring windshields at heeters earlier, but every one is sold out.

[90GTVert]

I was looking at my gloves carefully. Can't say I really have before. There's not much to the fingertips at all and I'd say they're a medium weight glove at best. I'm sure it seems odd to just now figure this out, but they were a gift last year for Christmas to replace the leather gloves that got ripped up in my wreck. Since my hand was broken, I never really got to try them out in really cold weather too much till just now. I looked 'em up and they get similar reviews to what I'm saying. Most say they are good to 40s. Some say 50s-70s. lol Maybe I should start with a real winter glove? lol Would be nice to avoid a bunch of accessories. I looked up the reviewed gloves that interest me. Of course all the companies make a new line each year so reviews from last winter are useless. Luckily the big sellers have lots of customer reviews to check out. Definitely going leather or partial leather agian.

[shakerdriver]

i've got factory mounted handgaurds on my rally. and if you look at the pics they don't look like they would be worth a darn with the holes in them, but believe it or not they actually work quite well with a pair of medium gloves. i know your not fond of the look brent but it might be something worth considering in the colder weather and take back off in warmer weather.

[90GTVert]

I've been looking around and I can pick up a pair of Olympia Gore-Tex/Leather gloves for about $80. I was able to find lots of reviews saying they ride into the 20s with these gloves, although that's very much their limit it seems. Even a pro reviewer (webbikeworld) checked them out and said this...

"At the lowest temperature observed (0C/32F), the fingers, depending on circulation, can get chilled after an hour or so, in wet or dry conditions. "

An hour? Wow! Over 10 miles and I'm in pain now. lol

www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/37/685/ITEM/Olympia-4100-WeatherKing-Extra-II-Gloves.aspx

Thanks for the info shaker. I might still end up with hand guards. Average rides when I'm not frozen are a couple of hours, so yeah, I could use more help even if these do their job as reviewers say. I actually don't mind the guards on your scoot Jason. They are designed with the bike. Sure, I'd prob end up ditching them cause i get crazy and turn everythign to bare bars lol, but that doesn't mean I don't like them. I don't really think universal ones are gonna look too cool though. Even if I don't like them, I guess at least I ride in the dark. lol