How To Stay Warn While Riding In Cold Weather

Get Behind The Windshield

Choosing a bike with bodywork or a windscreen can add a lot of comforts. Consider adding a small aftermarket windscreen to hide behind for chilly autumn or winter climates.

Keep The Wind Out

This means wearing windproof clothing (leather, textile) that seals tightly around your wrists, neck, lower legs, and waist. Boots and long gloves that overlap your pant legs and sleeves are a must. A scarf or neck gaiter can seal up your throat area.

Wear A Onesie

One-piece overall-style riding suits eliminate the jacket-pants gap. Snowmobile suits are wind- and weather-resistant and offer good insulation. The best advice is to dress in layers, making it easy to adjust your temperature.

Stay Plugged In

Electric gloves, grips, vests, and even socks can turn you into a four-season rider. The best systems feature a quick disconnect between you and the bike as well as a rheostat to control the temperature. Make sure your bike's electrical system has enough juice to power it. And there's always that old biker favourite: a cup of hot coffee or tea to stoke the fires within.

Warm Your Core

Electric vests provide the most bang for your buck—if you can keep your torso warm, the rest of your body will follow. Look for a garment thin enough to fit under your existing jacket. Wear the vest close to your skin and layer over it.

Seal The Deal

Air blowing up your sleeves or pant legs can feel like an arctic blast. Pants and jackets that zip up tight are the answer. Even better: gloves and boots that overlap the gap and let those sleeves/legs tuck in.

Heat Your Hands

Electric gloves may seem like a great idea, but the heating elements tend to break down after being flexed repeatedly. Try heated grips instead. They fit over your current grips like little electric blankets. Even better, try replacement grips that are hard-wired into your bike's electrical system. These will let you ride with thinner gloves, for more dexterity and control.

Turn It Up—And Down

Whichever options you choose, make sure your system includes a rheostat—it's like a volume control for electrical current. For more convenience, hard-wire a quick-connect plug between your battery and the vest—that lets you jump on, plugin, and take off with less hassle. Just remember to unplug it before you get off your bike!

Keep The Warmth In

Several thin layers of insulation work better than thick ones. Even some folded newspaper shoved inside the chest of your jacket can make a noticeable difference in your comfort. Gloves need to be thicker on the back of your hands than on the palms.

Get Some Heat On The Cheap

If you’re trying to save money (or if you spent it all on your bike and gear) there are plenty of ways to keep warm that won’t break the bank.

Want to go old-school? You can also use a hot-water bottle (or the new school version, a CamelBak-style hydration bladder removed from its insulating sleeve) filled with hot water. Slip it inside your jacket and stay toasty for about an hour. Fill it with hot coffee to sip and you get warmth inside and out.

You can also try using a couple of those chemical hand and foot warmers used by hunters and skier