How To Stay Warm Without Heated Gear
- Motorcycle Gear Reviews
- Feb 1, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 15, 2023
Knowing how to prepare for a cold weather ride is the best way to extend your riding season. With the right gear, riding season never really ends. If you are going to be doing a lot of cold weather riding, heated gear is the best choice, but it is expensive. If heated gear isn't in your budget, check out our tips to staying warm without breaking the bank.
Focus On Your Core
No, this is not a fitness article. When you get cold, your body will direct more blood flow to your core or torso to maintain function of your primary organs. By doing this, it means that your extremities will get cold faster. By keeping your torso warm your body can keep your blood flowing to your limbs and keep them warmer.
Layer Up
Wearing multiple layers of clothing will keep you warmer than wearing a single thicker garment. Layering clothing creates spaces of air, which acts as insulation and can trap your body heat in to keep you warmer. Layering several thin layers also allows you more mobility than a one thick layer. A best practice is a base layer, a mid layer and an outer layer.
The base layer should be form fitting and provide a layer of warmth. There are many great options in motorcycle specific base layers, but long thermals (top and bottoms) are a good choice as well.
The mid layer should be snug, but comfortable. You do not want to wear something too baggy as it will bunch up under your outer layer and be uncomfortable. For mid layer pants, a pair of jeans or riding pants are a great choice. For the top, there are a lot of great options. A determining factor in choosing the mid layer top is often how cold it is. If it's not bad, a long sleeve tee shirt might be sufficient. A little colder and a flannel might be a better choice. Dixxon makes some great flannels that are perfect for riding. If it's really cold, you could wear both. Other options could be a sweatshirt or a softshell jacket, as long as they are fairly snug.
For your outer layer, you should choose a quality riding jacket and either over pants or chaps. The outer layer should help retain your body heat, but the primary focus is blocking the wind. When riding in cold weather, wind is your enemy! So, a summer riding jacket that is perforated is not a great choice.
Hand and Fingers
When riding in cold weather, your hand and fingers are usually the first to get cold. As the temperature drops and speed increases, the tips of your fingers can start to hurt and your joints get stiff. It's kind of important that your joints aren't so stiff that you are unable to pull in the clutch or brake. So, it is important to keep your hands warm while maintaining dexterity. A thick pair of ski gloves might do great at keeping you warm, but a pair of gloves that is too thick will not allow you to work the controls of the motorcycle. Without getting heated gear, the best option is a thin glove liner and a quality pair of insulated Gauntlet gloves. The glove liner provides additional warmth without adding much bulk. A good pair of gauntlet gloves will keep the wind off your hands and provide additional warmth. The cuff portion of gauntlet gloves go over your riding jacket to keep the cold air from coming up your sleeves.
In addition to gloves, anything that keeps the wind off of your hands will make them much warmer. So, if you have a fairing on your motorcycle, you are already ahead of the game. If not, there are still a few other options. Hand guards can be made from a variety of materials and are common place on dirt bikes. They easily attach to the handle bar and can deflect the wind from your grips, keeping your hands warmer. Another option are handlebar gauntlets. These are really designed for snow mobiles, but work fine on a motorcycle. They are usually made with a nylon outer shell and a fleece lining. They side over your grips and levers and attach to the handle bar. You slide your hands inside of the covers and they keep your hands very warm. If looking good on the motorcycle is your primary concern, these aren't for you. They are ugly, but they work great!
Feet and Toes
In my opinion, keeping your feet warm is probably one of the easiest parts of riding a motorcycle in cold weather. You might vary your approach based on just how cold it is. In most cases a good pair of cold weather boot socks and quality riding boots are all you need. If it is really cold, you could layer a tall pair of athletic socks under the boot socks. Just as before, layers add an area of air that acts as insulation. Another great trick to keeping your feet warm is to add lowers or soft lowers to your motorcycle. Soft lowers slide over your highway bar and attach to the frame of the motorcycle. Not only do they help block the wind, but they also retain the heat from the engine, keeping your feet and legs nice and toasty.
Head and Neck
Obviously, a full face or modular helmet is the best option for riding a motorcycle in cold weather. It will keep the most wind off of your skin and help retain body heat. Your neck will still be exposed. Some helmets offer a neck scarf that can be attached to the helmet, usually by a zipper. This is a piece of material that can be tucked in under your jacket to keep the wind off of your neck. They work great, but can lead to the shield fogging up. You could also wear a balaclava or face mask that covers your neck. A balaclava is a great way to stay warm on a motorcycle. They are usually made from fleece, wool, or neoprene. It is a form fitting face mask that covers your entire head with an opening for you eyes and sometimes nose. Just be sure you select one that extends low enough on your neck to tuck in under your jacket. I have ridden in 12 degree weather with a half helmet and balaclava. Just do not leave any exposed skin.
I hope you found our tips helpful. Just remember, riding a motorcycle in cold weather can be more that just uncomfortable, it can be dangerous. Bulky clothes that inhibit your mobility will make it take longer for you to react in an emergency. Cold and rigid fingers can make it difficult to work the controls of the motorcycle. So, be sure to have the right gear before heading out on the road. If you find that your getting too cold or it becomes difficult to move your fingers, Stop! There is no shame in pulling over for a break to warm up and bit. Grab a cup of coffee and warm up. Most importantly, enjoy the ride!