5 Gear Tips For Cold Weather Motorcycle Riding

5 Gear Tips For Cold Weather Motorcycle Riding

Winter is coming, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop riding! If you live in a climate where you have to deal with a full four seasons, don’t hang up your helmet on account of the cold if you don’t have to. With a few tips and tricks from Brandon, you’ll stay warm and comfortable on winter rides. It’s all about being prepared for the unique challenges winter poses. Anticipate them, and you’ll never have to stop riding!

Start with Your Core - 0:21
Protect Your Hands - 1:05
Cover Your Head - 1:42
Consider Waterproof Gear - 2:21
Block the Wind - 3:05

[RevZilla]

For more of the best motorcycle content online, head on over to RevZilla's Common Tread online magazine.

[Dathduo]

Just gonna talk about my personal setup for anyone who cares to read it or needs some ideas/a starting point;

I ride a 2007 Yamaha R6, mostly year-round; every day in Spring, Summer, and Fall, and a few times each week in winter (unless it snows) down to about 30 degrees (to avoid ice), 45 minute commute to work and home in the afternoon and night, usually.

I wear full leathers in fall/winter; helps block quite a bit of wind, even if they're perforated. I also wear a sweater and pair of jeans or sweatpants under my gear to help fill out the perforations and keep more wind out. Some might not be able to do this, so you could try something like wool underwear/long-johns under your gear instead, or if you want the pricey option, try checking out some winter under-layers online specifically made for bikers.

I wear a full-face helmet, and use a balaclava I bought on Amazon to cover my face/neck, and it works great, just like this video suggests. You may need a thicker one if you ride under 30 degrees though, and helmet size might get in the way of that so be careful.



As for hands, (the worst part of cold riding until I found these imo), I use Highway 21 heated gloves. These are absolutely amazing because they are battery-powered (so no annoying cords or plugging into the bike!) and reliable. I've seen reviews on nearly all the other heated gloves and noticed that many have issues with battery life or shorting out/dying quickly. Not so with Highway 21 gear. I wear these gloves between 45 and 55 degrees F without turning them on, and about 35-45 on setting 1, and around 28-35 on setting 2, and I bet they could go even lower, especially with glove liners. They are one of the most expensive sets of gloves I've ever bought at around $200, but you definitely get what you pay for here.

My other gear: Alpinestars Roam WP boots which i've worn every ride for 4-5 years now, and either Bull-it Covex riding jeans, or AGVSport Willow pants if it's colder or i'm riding harder/faster.

[oso_nomada]

I live in the PNW and ride all year around...pending ice and snow of course. I commute 40 miles each way everyday and use my ScramblerXE 1200 for everything else outside of commuting too. Errands, day trips, camping, fire roads, etc. Hell, my car and truck usually need the “short term storage” treatment...not my Bike! Anyhow, after 15+ years of cold weather riding...here’s how I ride.

Head to toe, I rock:

-Dainese EVO WS Balaclava
-Pinlock visor (is an absolute must) on my Bell MX-9 helmet
-Layers of work flannel, long sleeve shirts and a zip up (pull over suck for a quick add/delete a layer) hoodie (with hood cut off...been doing this for years and works awesome.)
-Jacket - Either my trusty leather ICON Motorhead2 or Triumph Beck Waxed cotton. Motorhead2 is great for cold weather and running around town (easily into the upper 20s) and the Triumph Beck is my go to for ColdCold weather/off road/rain commuting.
-Gloves: Dainese MIG summer gloves...heated grips and HippoHand Alcan covers keep my hands dry and exceptionally warm no matter what the weather. The HippoHands are an amazing tool to stay riding all year...and although they don’t “look cool” to most people, at least my bike isn’t in the garage wrapped up till Spring😄.
-Double panel Carhartt work pants (part of the daily job as a Weld Supervisor) are the ticket to and from work everyday, the thick knee pad inserts offer additional wind blocking too.
-Forester Logging Chaps (yes, you read right) offer a lightweight, easy on and off, waterproof nylon, layers of wind stopping awesomeness AND they’re much cheaper than “Motorcycle Chaps”. I use the HiViz green with reflective strips...because why not! They work great for keeping the cold off my legs and in light rain, they offer enough protection that I don’t need to stop and slap on the real rain pants.
-Boots are TourMaster EPIC boots, waterproof, super comfortable, warm and have never had a breach in the wet stuff.
-If the wet stuff is inevitable, a North Face DryVent jacket fits close to the body and is 100% waterproof...and the low profile hood fits perfect up over my head and under my helmet with no bunching or encroachment on my eyes. Rain pants are Bilt Waterproof seam taped cheapies that work great, have lasted longer than anticipated and won’t be replaced with anything more expensive.

Make sure to increase your chain maintenance intervals! Rain and road grime build up and make chains messy...keep on it!

Riding in cold/inclement weather over the years has made me a better rider...and a hardier person in general. I’m an outdoorsman, so I enjoy and appreciate being in the elements every chance I get.

Ride’em...Don’t Hide’em!

Ride on!

[WhiteGravey]

best thing about the cold is all the squids go into hibernation

[jacobkrause]

I would also add pinlock to that list, Lord knows riding cold months without one is darn difficult.

[timothycoyne]

Great tips! One thing I’d add is to make sure you get a balaclava with a “Windstopper” neck. Not all balaclavas have windproof necks, as some are just thin fabric and won’t keep you as warm, especially at highway speeds. Go for a decent name brand, designed for motorcycling or snowmobiling.

[oliverrojas]

Appreicate how you explain beating the cold starts with protecting your core and then follow it up with some great options.

[hvymtal]

The waterproof overgarment has been a great cold-weather hack since I started riding. Works just as well at keeping wind out as it does water, and the highlighter-yellow color works just as great for being seen in winter (when drivers don't expect to see motorcycles) as it does in rain and at night (when drivers don't expect to see motorcycles)

[lrume]

Barkbusters work wonders in terms of warm hands

[ThaKenMan]

My heated jack liner was the best thing ever for chilly/ frozen rides.

[Scooter_built]

Still good tips for 2024.
Thinking about what I’ll be wearing this winter already.

[XxmecaxX]

It's my first winter and after the ride yesterday, I noticed really quick what I need. My neck, hands and legs need better covering. I need some waterproof gear too, good idea.

[jaynamsallis]

I just bought those gloves you had on. Found them in my size on clearance for $43! I would like to add those wind blockers for my hands. That would help a lot. Thanks for posting just in time for our weather changes in Virginia!

[ytascoobs]

I find that there's my knees are one main cold spots.
Neck, hands and knees.
So Balaclava, winter gloves, Adventure jacket and pants, boots and you got a good set up👍

[Pk_Ok_Oo]

Excellent video covering all the topics I was concerned about. Thank you.

[vasel]

I have a ball riding in the cold. The best set up is thermal base layer top and bottom. Top mid layer. Next a armoured jacket and a hi-viz waterproof jacket. Bottom riding pants. Motorcycle boots. I also wear a balaclava with my helmet. Do not feel the cold or the wind. 😊

[harshgulati]

A very good video. No BS, straight to point and very informative for a new rider like myself.

[PatsAdventuresTravels]

Heated grips are a must!! I'll never own a bike again without them.

[ubergregmoto]

Long sleeve fleece under your wind-resistant moto jacket is an ace combo. Anything below 5 degrees C / 41 degrees F gets the heated jacket treatment. Heated grips/gloves also a must!

[Roy_Godiksen]

You can also get liner gloves pretty cheap. I got a pair of thin wool liner gloves, and they work well under my full gauntlet racing gloves. Not good enough for colder then 10 degrees Celsius though. But i also have rain proof mitts to go over, and that does the trick all the way down to freezing temperatures.