HeatedMotorcycleGear-Articles & Reviews for riding your motorcycle year round-Page 2

Dressing for cold weathering riding by Don Christie

Riding your motorcycle during cold wet weather requires planning, foresight and the right gear. Clothing that seems fine when you are driving your car or walking down the street in the rain probably wont cut it at 70 miles an hour on your motorcycle. It takes the right gear to keep you warm under these extreme conditions. Buy gear designed for motorcycling. There is a difference. Women riders have had a tough time finding gear made for them at an affordable price until fairly recently. Happily myself and other vendors are offering affordable quality gear tailored for women.

CHECK OUT MY STORE FOR THE RIGHT GEAR

DRESS IN LAYERS

COVER ALL SKIN

BLOCK THE WIND

STAY DRY

KEEP YOUR HEAD WARM

THE LAYERS

Breathable Layer: This is the layer that comes in contact with the skin. It should allow body moisture to escape and evaporate more quickly, which keeps the skin dry and comfortable. Use thermal underwear made of synthetic fibers like polyester and polypropylene to wick moisture away from the skin. Avoid natural fibers such as cotton, they tend to hold moisture close to the skin and dry very slowly.

Insulating Layer: The insulating layer creates dead air space between the layers of clothing, trapping warm body air and keeping it around the body. Look for outerwear that is warm, water-resistant and well insulated with a synthetic fiber such as Thinsulate Insulation.

Outer Shell: This layer protects against wind and rain. This is probably the most important layer.

Outerwear Machine-washable jackets retain their waterproofing better than those that require dry-cleaning. Jackets with sealed seams also prevent water from getting in. If you wear a non-leather jacket get one designed for motorcycling. That stylish $300 jacket you bought at the department store probably won't work as well as a $100 jacket you buy from me because it's not designed for motorcycling. Leather is a great wind stopper. A well made leather jacket designed for motorcycling will last for years, keep you comfortable and protect you in a skid.

Look for outerwear containing Thinsulate and similar Insulation, it provides about 1 ½ times the warmth of down and nearly twice the warmth of other high-loft insulators when equal thicknesses are compared. Look for features such as cuffs that close tightly to keep out cold air and snow, zippers with large nylon teeth, and storm flaps over the zippers and double breasted chest openings to block wind and water. Cuffs, pockets and chest closures with multiple closure systems such as zippers and snaps or zippers ,velcro and snaps tend to stop more wind.

Zip out liners are very handy. You can remove your liner when it is warm in the afternoon, store it in your saddlebag and put it back in when the temperature dips.

Add leather or string ties to zippers etc so you can open and close them with your gloves on.

Your neck Nehru or Euro style collars on jackets tend to cover the neck better. A turtle neck sweater will help some. In really cold weather a balaclava or a leather riding mask will make a big difference. Remember to cover your neck! By the time you have traveled a half a mile in cold weather you will know if you forgot to cover that adam's apple!

Legs Protect your legs from the wind. There are a variety of choices for protecting your legs. Chaps, Leather pants and Textile pants. I sell a variety of these items in various price ranges. All of my items are designed for motorcycling. Once again wear layers; thermal underwear and lined pants or chaps to block the wind. When it gets cold a pair of Levis and long johns won't do it!

 

Footwear Wet feet become cold and numb quickly, keep your feet dry by wearing appropriate boots. When your feet become wet (through sweating or immersion) you need to put on dry, fresh socks. Insulated boots help. Wear socks made of synthetic fibers like polyester and polypropylene. Make sure your boots are loose enough to comfortably wear thick socks. Avoid steel toe boots. A pair of cold feet will ruin an otherwise great ride!

Headgear You loose most of your heat through your head and neck! Wear a full face helmet with face shield for optimum comfort. Leather masks cover the neck and lower face. Balaclavas cover the neck, face and insulate your head.

Gloves Waterproof gloves lined with synthetic insulation such as Thinsulate insulation are effective insulators, keep your hands covered at all times. The savvy rider has several pairs of gloves designed for various riding conditions: Fingerless gloves for warm summer riding. This cuts down on vibration, reduces calluses and offers some protection in a skid. Zip Cuff Gauntlet gloves The next choice is usually flexible gloves with thin lining that offer wind protection and a gauntlet cuff to keep wind from blowing up the jacket sleeves. I carry a pair all the time in my saddlebag along with a pair of cotton liners to add when it gets cold. LIKE THESE FOR EXAMPLE They are handy even on cool summer nights.For really cold weather I wear a pair of thick gauntlet motorcycling / ski gloves with thick insulate lining. Gauntlet cuff gloves are very important. They fit over the jacket sleeve and keep ice cold air from blowing up to your arm pits at 70 miles an hour!

Mittens keep hands warmer than gloves but offer less dexterity. They are a definite no-no for riders or passengers. You can't feel the controls and the passenger can't hold on!

Rain Gear

Keep a set of nylon rain gear in your saddlebag for each person on the bike. They don't weigh much but they are a real life saver when the rain or sleet starts coming down.

Just my opinion on heated clothes. They work great when they work! I used to wear a heated vest and heated socks. I stayed warm and toasty even in really cold weather. One day in January one of my heated socks quit working, I didn't realize it. I froze a couple of toes and darn near lost them. That was enough for me!

A few general observations:

Avoid real tight clothing. You loose that insulating warm air layer when you wear a jacket, pants or boots that are too tight.

Dress for comfort and protection. Wearing your beany and a denim jacket when the chill factor dips below 30 only impresses dummies. Surprisingly this occurs at about 45 degrees F at 70 mph!

Bring gear for the worst weather you may run into. You probably will. Those nice 70 degree October days sometimes turn into a rainy 35 degree ride home.

WIND CHILL

The cooling effect of wind at 70 mph is astounding. Plan carefully before you leave. At about 10 degrees fahrenheit you are entering very dangerous territory. Wind chill is not something to fool with:

WIND CHILL @ 70 MPH

DEGREES F-> 50 40 30 20 10 0 -10

WIND CHILL 38 24 9 -6 -20 -35 -49

HYPOTHERMIA

1. Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at

which normal muscular and cerebral functions are impaired." Hypothermia

can creep up on you and seriously reduce your thinking abilities and

coordination.

2. Conditions Leading to Hypothermia

Cold temperatures Improper clothing and equipment, Wetness, Fatigue, exhaustion, Dehydration, Poor food intake, Alcohol intake - causes vasodilation leading to increased heat loss

3. Temperature ranges at which hypothermia can occur on your

motorcycle:

32 DEGREES Below freezing ALWAYS DANGEROUS WITHOUT PROPER GEAR

40 degrees - ENTERING DANGER ZONE: PROPER GEAR NEEDED IF RIDING MORE

THAN A FEW MINUTES

60 degrees - CAUTION! COVER EXPOSED SKIN ESPECIALLY IF IT IS RAINING.

4. WHAT TO LOOK FOR; SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

a. Watch for stumbles, mumbles and fumbles which show changes in motor

coordination and levels of consciousness. Having troubles with

controls, have to consciously think about where the brakes are etc.

STOP AND GET WARM. DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL, THAT REDUCES BLOOD FLOW AND

MAKES IT WORSE. A WARM DRINK WITH SUGAR HELPS.

b. Mild Hypothermia - core temperature 98.6 - 96 degrees F

AT THIS POINT YOU CAN MAKE DANGEROUS MISTAKES; FORGET TO PUT ON THE

BRAKES, OVER OR UNDERSTEER A CURVE. ( ONE TIME I STOPPED FOR A RED

LIGHT AND FORGOT TO TAKE MY FEET OFF THE PEGS!)

Shivering - not under voluntary control Can't do complex motor functions, can still walk & talk Vasoconstriction to periphery

c. Moderate Hypothermia - core temperature 95 - 93 degrees F

Dazed consciousness Loss of fine motor coordination - particularly in hands - can't zip up

your jacket, due to restricted blood flow to the hands.Slurred speech Violent shivering Irrational behavior - Paradoxical Undressing - person starts to take

off clothing, unaware s/he is cold MANY SYMPTOMS LIKE BEING STONED. A person in this condition needs help.

Immediately get them indoors. They may not be able to make good

decisions for themselves. If you or someone riding with you reaches this point reassess your

plans; Make frequent stops to warm up, get a room for the night or park

the bike and get better gear. You are taking a serious risk!

d. Severe Hypothermia - core temperature 92 - 86 degrees and below

(immediately life threatening) You won't have any trouble noticing this stage. The person falls down, curls into a fetal position appears to die!

Shivering occurs in waves, violent then pause, pauses get longer until

shivering finally ceases - because the heat output from burning

glycogen in the muscles is not sufficient to counteract the continually dropping core temperature, the body stops shivering to conserve glucose. Person falls to the ground, can't walk, curls up into a fetal position to conserve heat. Muscle rigidity develops - because peripheral blood flow is reduced and due to lactic acid and CO2 buildup in the muscles. Skin is pale Pupils dilate Pulse rate decreases at 90 degrees the body tries to move into hibernation, shutting down all peripheral blood flow and reducing breathing rate and heart rate. At 86 degrees the body is in a state of "metabolic icebox." The person looks dead but is still alive.

Make sure your passenger is dressed right before you leave. They may not know how to dress. It's up to you to help them make the right choice. And guess who is going to listen to them nag to wear your nice warm jacket on the way home if they don't?

Keep these guidelines in mind the next time you venture out on that motorcycle in cold weather.

You don't have to park that bike when fall rolls around. Just dress right and enjoy!

Looking for some great deals on motorcycle gear and a set of motorcycle saddlebags to carry it in?

Check out my store: http://donscycleware.com

About the Author

Riding motorcycles has always been an important part of my life. I have found that having the right gear goes a long way toward making the hobby enjoyable. I have ridden thousands of miles in all types of weather and enjoy sharing what I know with other riders. I have met some great people both on-line and in person since we opened our on line business in 2003. For bargain prices on all your motorcycle gear check out my Yahoo store: http://donscycleware.com

Heated Motorcycle Gear by Nick Carr

 

Winter is here folks, but that doesn't mean we can't keep riding. How can we stave off the bone chilling wind and cold? Heated gear, of course!

 

Heated gear keeps various parts of your body warm while riding in winter temperatures, so just say no to Hypothermia! I'm a year round rider, and though I've since moved to Austin, Texas where winter riding is pretty tolerable, I used to live in Baltimore, Maryland where winter riding involved below freezing temps for extended periods of time and a good bit of that white stuff. Heated gear is a wonderful thing - trust me on this. I used to own a heated vest and gloves.

 

Heated gear is just that; motorcycle clothing and accessories that use a heating element to create warmth.

 

A few Heated Gear Manufacturers:
Widder
Warm & Safe
WarmGear
Gerbing

 

Many Motorcycle companies also offer their own versions (Harley Davidson and BMW immediately come to mind), which are usually produced by premium manufacturers. Of course that usually means all the quality at twice the price, but that sort of thing is up the individual customer.

 

How Does Heated Motorcycle Gear Work?

 

Most Heated gear uses anywhere from 15 to 100 watts depending on thebrand and the amount of gear you use while riding.

 

You have two types of power output really. You can power it from your motorcycle battery, or you can run it on self contained, rechargeable batteries placed or sewn directly into the article of clothing. That's not to say they are interchangeable so see what kind of power supply it requires before you buy it!

 

I owned the plug in type that ran on my motorcycle's 12 volt battery. It provided unlimited riding hours. The drawback is that this means it ONLY works when riding. Walk away from the bike and you walk away from the heat.

 

The self contained style has a lithium battery (usually 7.4 volt) supply and lasts an average of 4 to 10 hours depending on the heat setting. When the battery is dead you have to plug in to the battery charger and 4 hours later; presto! The self contained provides a little more flexibility and warmth when you are away from the motorcycle.

 

All of the clothes work with a temp. controller that you can manually set to the desired temp.If you use several pieces of heated gear, they usually connect together so that one control works them all, thus preventing you from looking like a science fiction robot reject.

 

Heated Gear Clothing Choices:

jacket liners
jackets
vest liners
arm chaps
glove liners
gloves
pants liners
socks.

 

Prices run from $70 to $300 depending on what heated gear you purchase.

 

Tips for Wear

 

Heated gear is worn as close to your body as you can without actually touching your skin. For this reason, I preferred the vest liner and glove liner to the actual jacket and glove option. Also, I always wore leathers as my outer layer for both wind and crash protection.

 

Always remember that wind chill is as much your enemy as much as actual temperature. The thermometer doesn't tell the whole story, so dress warm. Also, avoid riding for extended lengths of time in the cold as you run the risk of lowering your core temp too much or getting dehydrated - a thing you might not expect to happen in the cold.

About the Author

Nick Carr is regular contributor to http://www.bikerworld.us and a freelance writer of anything motorcycle related.

 

 

Build a Cheap Custom Bobber From a Kit
By Allen Black

If you are a avid motorcyclist and a want to be bike builder, building a custom bike on a budget, should seem very interesting and exciting. The best deal in my opinion is the Kikker "HardKnock" 5150 Bobber kit which starts under $1500.00, which is shipped in 4 boxes and can be assembled in 4-8 hours. The bobber can be easily be made street legal, it is a kit will will have to be registered with your state and also comes with a MSO - ( Manufacture State of Origin ). The MSO will help in the process in receiving a state title.

What attracted me the most was the true bobber authentic looks and the price was not so bad either. It has many add-on features which helps it to fall under the custom motorcycle category. The kit only requires basic mechanic skills and tools, which is very nice. Another great feature is the gas mileage, over 100 miles on a full 1.3 gallon tank. I like the idea of saving money and the enjoyment of riding a motorcycle.

The kit had two choices for engine sizes- 125cc, 4-stroke engine with a semi-auto 4-speed transmission. Also a 200cc, 4-stroke with a semi-auto 5-speed transmission. More standard features include jockey shift & forward foot controls, kick & electric start, front and rear disk brakes, springer front suspension, which is only on the 125cc model. It has a top speed 57 miles per hour- 110cc model and 70-75 miles per hour- 200cc model. It is 80" long and has a seat height 25". Some add-on options are colors- gloss black with 8-ball, all flat black, metallic blue or gold w/rally stripe. Keeping with the bobber design are ape hangers or drag handlebars. Choose between two frame finishes- chrome or flat black. Wheel colors are flat black, red or chrome. Seat cover colors are black, white or leather. How about the cool bobber shifter knobs which are 8-ball or dice and tires choices are black or the classic whitewall. The final options to finish off that custom bike are upturned pipes, speedometer kits, license plate mount kits with LED light and knurled billet grips.

The Kikker Bobber is a great bike for the money. It has the appearance of a very expensive custom motorcycle. Kikker has a great support staff and the parts are readily available. Also being a kit, it would be great to brag on the builder- you. Build a Bobber, today!

Allen Black owner of ChoppersBobbers. Large selection of choppers, bobbers and accessories. For more information visit http://www.choppersbobbers.com, we have free informative articles, pics, videos and more. Enjoy.

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