Best winter motorcycle gear

When packing a suitcase for any upcoming motorcycle ride, it's important to consider the local weather.

Welcome to the Cold Weather Gear Guide! This packed article explains how to choose the right kit to ride in the cold, how to layer, all of the different options and systems out there and the very best winter motorcycle riding gear available. You may be looking to ride through the cold stuff on your daily commute, on a mammoth European tour or might come up against it on a RTW trip. Winter motorcycle gear is what it says it is. Someone using winter kit for a commute to work may not need the more expensive pro-laminate kit and can get away with using a heated jacket instead of a layering system.

Best winter motorcycle gear

Are you pouring fuel stabilizer in your tank and locking your bike up in the shed for the season? With this gear, you can keep riding in the cold, wet, dark months ahead. Being cold while riding a motorcycle is utter misery. Are you in top form for quick maneuvers if necessary? Is your brain working properly? Our top 10 product list for the best cold-weather motorcycle gear can help extend the riding season safely and comfortably. Cozy up to some quality base layers. Layering is the building block for keeping you warm all day long. In colder months, always keep cotton away from your skin. If cotton gets wet from sweat or the elements, it can chill you to the bone and actually set you on your way to hypothermia. The best solution is a synthetic or wool base layer. I like these half-zip models because if I ride aggressively off-road or hike to a point where I am warming up, the zippered portion by my neck allows for ventilation. If I do sweat, the moisture is wicked away from my skin to keep me dry and comfortable. A heated vest or jacket is a must-have cold-weather motorcycle gear addition for keeping your core warm.

I prefer a merino wool base layer because it wicks quicker, dries faster and can go longer between washes without smelling. Installing a Pinlock insert takes all of five minutes: Pop off your visor, clean it, best winter motorcycle gear, then clip the interior lens into place.

Disclosure: RIDE Adventures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program as well as other affiliate programs, designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites at no extra cost to you. Please see our Disclosure for more details. If you're gonna ride in the cold, be smart about it. From cozy base layers to heated gloves, the right winter motorcycle gear keeps you riding year-round. Some people ride in the cold for pleasure, while others do it out of necessity.

There is nothing worse than riding while being wet and cold. Not only is it a quick way to get sick, but it may also distract you from riding well. On cold winter days, your hands take a good beating being directly in front of the oncoming elements. If your gloves happen to get wet, the windchill will make it worse, resulting in heat loss nearly as bad as that of exposed skin. And having your hands move too slow when trying to grab the brake or clutch, can create a hazardous situation. High quality, waterproof handlebar hand covers or handlebar muffs like RainSeal Handlebar Muffs or the Rogue by Hippo Hands , will keep the cold and wet off your hands and give you better control of your controls. They offer ample hand opening for ease of access to vital control gear, plus most models come with reflective piping, which makes for increased visibility on the road. There are hand covers for virtually any make and model of bikes and scooters. You can search online for the right model to fit your budget and needs. In freezing temperatures, you may want to consider heated gear.

Best winter motorcycle gear

Disclosure: RIDE Adventures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program as well as other affiliate programs, designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites at no extra cost to you. Please see our Disclosure for more details. If you're gonna ride in the cold, be smart about it. From cozy base layers to heated gloves, the right winter motorcycle gear keeps you riding year-round. Some people ride in the cold for pleasure, while others do it out of necessity. A very select few do it because they'd rather freeze to death than be caught dead in that crusty Toyota Corolla their grandma left them, and we totally respect that. These three purely hypothetical people clearly have their differences, but they also share one thing in common: They desperately need winter motorcycle gear to get from A to B. Cold weather riding gear is a head-to-toe endeavor, and as such, it comes in many forms.

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Waterproof throwovers are excellent for taking the brunt of wind chill and stopping the cold air from penetrating into your riding gear. Because two heated solutions are available, we'll start with non-electric motorcycle gear and then move on to powered products. Our tester also loved its lightweight design, comms compatibility and excellent eye-shading. The Everest GTX boots are waterproof and pack a ton of armor. The right controls allow for moderate temperature adjustment, a luxury among cold-weather motorcycle gear options. On top of the former, a t-shirt is a wise choice. If not, then opt for a fleece or down jacket and then your motorcycle jacket. We're not kidding. In addition to keeping you warm, if they get wet, the natural wicking fibers have the benefit of keeping odors to a minimum — nice when you share a tent or hotel room after a long day of riding. Read more on adventure bike and motorcycle travel gear Thanks for checking out the Ultimate Winter Motorcycle Gear Guide. Layering is an integral part of keeping warm on a motorcycle. This tri-layer design builds and maintains interior warmth while deflecting exterior cold, and protecting you as any riding attire should. Staying warm, dry, and protected helps riders make smooth, focused, and fully-conscious decisions without fatigue. Drinking coffee and warming up at a gas station a local asked me if I was ok. We also consider upgrades and creature comforts for your motorcycle itself as part of the bigger picture, but for now let's focus on what makes winter gear for your body worth buying.

Our editors carefully select every product we recommend.

This balaclava is built around heavy-duty Windstopper fleece, which Klim stitches together in variable-thickness sections for optimized heat retention and comfort under your helmet. The only drawback of the system is that Gerbing sells the required controller unit for the heat separately, but if you're interested in building a full set of heated gear, it's well worth the investment. Grandma's wool from was pretty itchy, but times have changed. Related Posts. What really makes the Junior stand out for us, however, is it's selectable dual-mode system, which allows the unit to safely charge both tradtional batteries and lightweight lithium-ion cells. If you need to use the toilet, stop and go. Down jackets are brilliant optional mid-layers if you get the right one. You should be able to put all of your layers on and move around freely without any restrictions. One reason your fingers and toes get cold is that your body is trying to keep your core at a survivable temperature. A good option here is to invest in Gore-Tex gloves with excellent insulation. In addition to keeping you warm, if they get wet, the natural wicking fibers have the benefit of keeping odors to a minimum — nice when you share a tent or hotel room after a long day of riding. Andy wearing a Keis heated jacket in Slovakia. All rights reserved.