[tytek]

What constitutes of a winter setup for you? When do you switch to it?

Do you put on a larger windshield? Handguards? Heated gear or an extra 12V plug socket?

How about gear you are wearing? Balaclava? Winter gloves? Heated socks/vest/gloves? Aerostich Roadcrafter suit or equivalent?

Any other ideas?

I plan to ride my Wee this winter as long as temps are above freezing and would like to know how to best keep myself from getting hypothermia... :yikes:

 

[OydnaR]

#1, I won't own a bike without heated grips, they are nice even in the summer

I ride year round (no commute, home office) when the destination is a longer ride than the time it takes to get dressed for the ride... when it gets below freezing, then it's usually 25-30 miles minimum

all depends how cold, the basics, silk or high performance synthentic long johns & long sleeve turtleneck. First gear 90w jacket liner, HT pants & liner, Kilmanjaro jacket & liner, in real cold, gerbings gloves, not so cold, I got some nice warm appear to be snowmobile gloves but are constructed like bike gloves for twist throttle instead of thumb and thinner on palms so the insulation doesn't block the heat from the grips
I have 3 different balaclavas one silk, another slightly thicker cotton/poly and my windstopper

on my feet, insulated wolverine boots & wool socks down to the mid 20s, below than, my Sorel Superiors (no longer made but similar to 1964s but with higher performance liner) me feet are always warm even in -80° windchill

down to about 10° I wear my Shoei TZR, but below that, its a Bombardier snowmobile helmet

fwiw, RoadCrafters are only as warm as what ya wear under em, one of the reasons their so good in the heat is that the wind blows right thru them

when its frigid, single digits or colder, I find it wise to seal any leaks, when your travelling 50-60mph, windchill is -50°, exposed skin will fristbite quickly, a roll of duct tape works . youl find, th ecolder it is, the lower you have to keep your sustained speeds, even a snowmobile helmet won't keep you head from freezing if you ride 80mph in 25 below all day, and remember your tires won't stick as well

if you want to ride in more inclement weather, I've had good luck with studded metzler Karoo T's, and for riding in anything, a studded Karoo in front and winter car tire in back :beatnik:



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[PTRider]

Bigger windscreen--I used a CalSci before; now have a Givi and the CalSci is available (from a wee I'm selling).

Heated grips. Strongly considering Hippo Hands. Winter gloves. Or wool or fleece glove liners inside industrial rubber gloves. (I've never had leather or fabric gloves stay dry, even Gore-Tex gloves.) Maybe electric gloves. (Have some chemical hand warmers available in case you need them. They fit inside your gloves on the back of your hands where they warm the blood flowing to your fingers. Chemical toe warmers are also available.)

Thin fleece helmet liner. Heated vest. (Keeping the head warm is #1. Keeping the core warm is #2. Hands, feet, legs are #3. Hypothermia takes away brain function, then takes away movement.) I haven't felt the need for a balaclava, but some like them. There are add-ons that seal the bottom of your helmet around your neck, but they'll also seal in moist breath.

Thick wool socks. Expedition grade long underwear pants. Down jacket under the m/c jacket. Winter liners in coat & pants.

Snowmobile double pane face shield (available from the helmet makers for certain helmet models). Fogging is a big problem. A breath deflector inside the helmet may help. Eyeglass wearers have an bigger fogging problem. The best antifog stuff on glasses works about half as good as I'd like. Ventilation, breath deflector, built-in antifog or PinLock on face shield helps; the double pane is the best yet. Electric heated face shield is the only thing that'll work if you hit freezing fog or freezing drizzle.

Keep in mind that even if the road is dry, cold tires don't stick like warm tires.

 

[Illinois]

What constitutes of a winter setup for you? When do you switch to it?

Generally swap out the OEM bugscreen for a Givi when it gets in the 40's. Layer up the clothing and throw a balaclava in the luggage. Have some knock-off Hippohands that work well. Don't forget the insulated boots. Pretty well ride as long as the roads are relatively clear. Once you get out in the weather you will find what works for you. :mrgreen:

 

[mcdstrom]

Get a heated liner. I went without one for a few years, layering up until I looked like the michelin man or staypuft marshamallow man. Got the liner last year. Wow, what a difference. One layer, keeps me comfy and is adjustable to fit changes in temp.

BTW - Roadcrafter is not a cold weather suit per se. Until you add your own liner. See above.

Heated grips. And finally got Hippo Hands and am looking forward to having them this
year.

I use a Turtle Fur neck gaiter (got it from REI - but it doesn't look like they carry my model any more). Will be trying one from Schampa this year that has a velcro like connection so that I don't have to pull the helmet to get it on/off.

 

[DougInKY]

Remember, I live in the south. That said, this is what I do.

I wear a long sleeved tee on top covered by my electric vest. Over that my 3 season riding jacket. Wear insulated underwear on bottom covered by my riding pants. Thick merino wool socks and my boots. If my legs and feet start getting cold, I will put my rain pants and boot covers on, they will take care of that. On my hands I wear Harley Davidson Winter Gloves and wool liners if I need to. I have a windstop baklava that keeps my throat and head warm.

Do try and stay out of the wind as much as you can. I have an Adventure Windscreen and a Madstad bracket on the Wee and can adjust it to where I am really almost in a still pocket. I have the Suzuki Hand Guard set to help keep my hands out of the wind. Also have chemical hand warmer packets to place in the back of my gloves if needed. On my Honda Pacific Coast I use Hippo Hands and have a tall winter windscreen. I find that I am more protected from the elements on the Honda than I am on the Wee.

I have found that if I keep my body core warm, the rest is pretty easy. Hence the electric vest. It really works well.

I don't ride in sub zero temps at all. If something like this would happen on a trip it is either a hotel until temps come up or a U-Haul truck to take me and the bike home. I have had frostbite and don't plan of ever repeating it. I will ride if the temp is between zero and freezing although I try to limit it as I don't ride with spiked tires and it is too easy to hit an icy patch at those temps. Above 32 and I ride pretty much as often as I would in the summer.

 

[bwringer]

In the winter, I switch over to Shinko 705 tires (amazingly good in the cold and wet).

I also put the handguards back on and remove the Grip Puppies (thin foam grip covers) so that the grip heaters will work better.