If you’re struggling to stay warm on your motorcycle this winter we’ve got you covered.
For the full list of items mentioned in this video click here:
https://www.urbanrider.co.uk/how-to-stay-warm-2023?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=howtostaywarm
00:00 INTRO
01:32 BASE LAYERS
04:32 MID LAYERS
05:22 OUTER LAYERS
06:05 TOP LAYER
06:55 HEATED CLOTHING
Subscribe to our channel for the latest gear reviews from the most stylish brands:
https://www.youtube.com/user/urbanrider51
Like us on Facebook for our latest offers:
https://www.facebook.com/UrbanRiderLondon
Follow us on Instagram for all the latest news and offers:
https://www.instagram.com/urbanriderlondon/?hl=en
Sadly it’s that time of year again it’s starting to get cold so if you’re struggling to stay toasty on your bike that’s why I’m here to give you some tips based on the experience of our team of seasoned all year round Riders firstly a motorcycle rider in the winter
Should be like an onion they stay yes no they should have layers now the amount of which depends on how cold it actually is but you can use any of the items I list in this video in any combination to best suit your needs the goal is to make
Sure that you are comfortable but not sweating if you’re sweaty then your body is actively trying to cool itself down and you’re fighting against yourself to a certain degree it’s not an exact science by any means and you will have to use some form of trial and error but
My general rule of thumb is to aim for a temperature slightly less than the standing air temperature because once you’re actually on the bike and you’re on the Move convection is going to suck that heat away from you a little bit faster that will vary depending on your
Actual speed and the outdoor temperature but it can fit feel as much as 13° C colder to a biker in the winter obviously the higher your speed the bigger that temperature drop will be so bear that in mind now if after putting on all these layers you still find that
You’re cold may I suggest it’s probably snowing outside as well and you should probably leave the bike at home and I say that in all seriousness because I have ridden using these principles in the snow and I was cozy nice and warm ask me if I’d ride again in the snow no
No I wouldn’t I wouldn’t recommend it it’s not safe don’t do it but at least I know this gear Works absolutely fine okay first up base layers now forgive me I’m not going to stand here in my bass layers cuz I didn’t really want to stand here in my underwear but I
Will explain them so the first thing is they are your next to skin layer meaning that they should fit snug obviously they should be comfortable they should also be moisture wicking now this is one of the primary and most important things to do with your base layer because if you
Sweat then you’re going to get moist and if you’re moist lovely word then you’re going to cool down that much faster you know fabric is not good at moisture wicking cotton you know fabric is great at moisture wicking Marino wool I mean think about it when was the last time
You actually saw a cold sheep there are some synthetic Alternatives that can work just as well and typically are a little bit more affordable but we’ve got base layer options from nox from Merlin as I say though the most important things are that they are flexible they are comfortable and of course moisture
Wicking and in that sense they actually can be quite a useful layer to use in the summer as well to keep you comfortable and fresh we also have options from Revit they also have the Infinium underglove if you want to give your hands the same Treatment make sure you’re storing your clothes in a warm place if you stick your motorcycle gear in the garage and it gets cold overnight then your body is going to have to use a lot more energy to warm it up in the first place you’re starting on the back foot so make sure
Your clothing is warm and comfortable top tip from one of my colleagues Laurens is to use a haird dryer just to warm it up before you get riding obviously be careful not to melt anything it’s kind of the same Principle as sticking your PJs on the radiator to
Warm them up when you’re a kid and you know how good that feels so try it if you like it you can thank Lawrence obvious point but make sure there are no gaps now the next item on our list is the humble neck tube of
Which I’m sure you have a few you can get some specifically designed for the winter that are thicker on the bottom so to better insulate or if you’ve been really fancy you can go with a balava to cover your face in the top of your head so that you don’t lose heat through
There and again we have options on the website but whatever you choose make sure you tuck your neck tube into your jacket make sure you tuck your T-shirt into your trousers make sure you wear tall boots because the last thing you want to find is that you’ve got a gap
Somewhere and you’re getting a bullet of cold air shot at you whilst you ride because otherwise you’re going to have to pull over and sort that stuff out and it can get really frustrating when it comes to socks I have tried doubling up on socks in the past and I wouldn’t
Recommend it because they fit your foot a little bit too tight then they’re a bit more restrictive and they tend to actually let the heat Escape even quicker I much prefer having a good pair of thick socks just one pair and a pocket of air around my feet as well so
Make sure you choose the right shoe size so the shoes aren’t too tight either because again that will make the heat Escape your feet even quicker the idea with a mid layer is that it makes a pocket of air that basically takes on your body’s own warmth and further insulates you now
That’s why down works so well if you’ve ever seen a duck on a lake for example and thought why isn’t that duck cold that’s basically down at work in the real world so if you want a down option you can go for the Merlin Yuri that I am
Wearing here or we have synthetic options like the Revit solar 3 that uses primaloft silver to replicate the same thermal qualities of down we also have a wool option in the form of the pike Brothers 1923 Marino turtleneck if you prefer the only thing that’s important though is that your mid layer basically
Fills that gap between your base layer and your outer layer onto your protective outer layer and as a motorcyclist I’m going to assume you’re already familiar with this you’ve probably already got your own preferred jacket but if you do want to update your gear then by all means check
Out the urban Rider website for example I’m wearing my bell staff Brooklyn’s prob but you can substitute that with any waterproof jacket that you like just make sure that you got a comfortable amount of space on the inside for the extra layers obviously your outer layer should be armored and ab Brazen
Resistant when it comes to your jeans the thicker the better clearly because it is slightly colder outside and this is actually where you might find more use out of multi-layer jeans than single layered jeans but you don’t have to stop there I also carry an additional waterproof top layer something like the
Scott Ergo Pro always the trousers occasionally also the jacket I much prefer waterproofing my legs with an additional waterproof outer layer so that I can wear something a lot more comfortable underneath and if it’s cold enough I will stick on the Ergo Pro jacket as well even though my bell staff
Is waterproof the jacket acts as an additional wind break and traps in an additional pocket of air as well every little helps and we have loads of Alternatives if you want to check out some waterproof outer layers now if you’re commuting chances are you’re leaving early in the morning which means
It’s going to be colder when you’re going in than it is when you’re coming home which is why having so many layers is useful because it’s versatile you can take stuff off and because they pack down really small you can fit them in your luggage or your backpack really Easy lastly let’s talk hands now we’ve got fantastic winter glove options and we’re not talking down on any of them but for ultimate hand comfort you cannot beat a good pair of heated gloves that’s personally what I use in the winter I have also been known to use heated grips
As well as heated gloves so as to heat my palm and the back of my hand yeah I know I’m just that fancy the reason I prefer heater gloves over a thicker pair of winter gloves is that there comes a point and I ride all year round so I
Don’t get to choose my Seasons when the size of the glove just takes away the feel at the bars so I like to go for heated gloves CU they typically are a little bit thinner they can afford to be but your hands stay just as warm and I
Absolutely don’t want to compromise on the comfort of my hands or more importantly the safety of being able to move my hands quickly for gloves we have options from the likes of ravit or Merlin or we have a host of new options from the Dutch company macna like the
Pair that I have here and the nice thing about Mna is they also offer heated socks heated trousers a heated jacket all of which connect to one another so you can make yourself a fully heated ecosystem if you want to and power it via either a battery or direct from your
Bike you can check out the reviews for those separately but the benefits of heated clothing are that unlike with the item I mentioned previously where their aim is to maintain your body’s own temperature a heated item generates its own heat so it introduces that to the party this means that generally you can
Get away with a slightly thinner layer whilst maintaining the same temperature and it means that you can more precisely pick the temperature because you can adjust it up or down based on their heat settings and based on the conditions that you’re riding in allowing you to be
A little bit more precise so as you can see there is no reason to put up with the cold this winter whilst you’re out riding now if you want to see the full list click on the link in the description and if you want to see the
Heated items that I mentioned click on the video here and I’ll see you soon bye
27 Comments
One if the biggest challenges when riding in low temperatures if poor traction from motorcycle tires. Most M/C tires have their best grip when warm. Their coefficient of friction drops like a rock with low temperatures. Don't ask how I know this…
Balaclavas: – Make sure there's breathing openings for the mouth and nose. Otherwise that area will become wet, cold, and very uncomfortable. Keep your visor open a crack to prevent condensation inside the helmet.
Jeans: – The cotton in most jeans absorbs moisture, and does little to block the cold air. Best to buy M/C pants with ballistic padding that are also water-proof/water-resistant. Marino Wool long-johns to keep in the body heat.
Heated gear: – Be aware these tend to draw a fair bit of current, and may tax the output from your alternator, especially on a smaller bike. Take shorter rides, and check the condition of your battery after. You don't want to find you can't start after your gear has run your battery down when you're 200-miles from home…
Winter riding is never as enjoyable as riding in warm weather. Sometimes it just makes more sense to take the car…
it can get cold only so much in England
Merino wool based clothes are the best look at 75% and your solid cost allot but you have something good for quit awhile
what are the tips for us americans? i regularly ride 130mph or higher
when I was younger, so much younger than today we didn't have any of these things to keep us warm. If needed we took or bought a newspaper, the thicker the better. a Sunday paper was best. and placed it under our outer jacket and across the chest and that acted as an insulation against cold and wet weather. That still works today but it doesn't cover the arms. If the weather changes and you are caught out in it then a newspaper or similar can help keep your core temperature warmer. Also for cold hands then under the gloves wear a pair of see through diesel gloves. They do help to keep ones hand a little warmer and a plastic bag worn above ones socks and obviously under the boots will help with ones feet.
I noticed that the gloves shown all were worn above the jacket sleeve . The problem with that is that if ones arms are above the gloves wrist fastenings then when wet in rain it will run down the arm and into the glove. That is not recommended. So buy and wear two types of gloves, one that fits above the wrist and over the jacke5t sleeve and another pair that will fit around the wrist and be worn under the jacket sleeve. ok.
Finally at 6.29 we are shown the fitting of over trousers at the lower leg above the feet but we are shown wearing a pair of what can only be described as summer fashion shoes or trainers. They are not to be recommended at all for any form of motorcycling or scooter riding.
I live on the coast but some 10 miles away are the Pennines and there is a difference in temperature and weather summer and winter alike between those two areas. The temp on those hills can be as much as 5/6 deg. colder than at sea level so bear that in mind as to where you will be riding too. or through. Its one thing setting off with an ambient temp of say 15/6 deg. but an hour later you are in single figures. So Bear that in mind and safe riding.
PS. if you do suffer in poor weather conditions don't suffer for too long. Don't try to ride through it. Don' delay and allow yourself to get too cold. Hypothermia, the cooling of the core of the body and brain can kill you or someone else so if you are too cold. Stop regularly and warm up with some food but not over facing the stomach and drink warming drinks but absolutely no alcohol. .
How to stay warm on a motorcycle….
Ride in summer
It's all about layering.
I usually ride nights through Dec-January to the club where I'll be dancing, so I dress very casual and am usually in some light weight pants that the win cuts straight through. Riding in the snow isn't bad around town, but I wouldn't go on the highway. A big parka and 100% waterproof mitts are all you really need, heated glove liner inside to seal the deal. I've gone wearing a skirt and silk blouse during -15c nights in the snow and been well enough to make a 20-30 minute ride across town as long as my hands are okay. Mitts might reduce dexterity but wind cutting through all the seams in your glove's fingers are going to make your hands so cold you can't use the levers in the first place, so I don't bother with gloves. Bonus, I've wiped out a few times in the winter wearing goose down puffers and they don't even tear after a slide, because the road is so slippery from the snow.
Getting cold hands and feet comes from restricted bloodflow to your extremities in an attempt to keep the core of your body warm. If your core is warm, your extremities stay warm.
I gutted a cheap add on heated car seat mat (ALDI) and incorporated the electronics to the inside of an old all weather motorcycle jacket. It has a lead with a fuse and 3 level switch.
Connected the lead to the bike and never had cold hands or feet after that. Directly warming your hands or feet is solving the symptoms, not the underlying problem.
There are aftermarket solutions like this but they cost way more than this €15 DIY job.
LEATHER. I'm old school, and it works. Under-layers, yes, of course, (silk, cotton-weave or electric glove liners).. but othewise, no textiles. Don't believe in 'em. Leather, (including good pants), is hard-shell against wind and offers great abrasion resistance. BUT- at this point in my long riding career, I won't go out.. or certainly very far.. in sub-50 degree F. What FOR? I own a CAR.
The best way to keep hands warm is without a doubt the mitten type gloves, on the large size with gloves underneath.
A heated pad on your lower back is fantastic also.
Merino wool is worth the money.
Its not brave or clever riding in snow or icy conditions, I’ve crashed every year ive done that and the most frightening experience of my life was being caught in a blizzard on the way home from work on the bike on a motorway, unable to see 20 ft ahead with cars speeding past me.
Wow modern bikers are different than in my day, just embrace the cold and wet and bitch about it later. 🤣😂❤️🇬🇧
What a load of tosh.. I've been riding for over 50yrs all year round all conditions and many other countries . Bought most of the the top brands over the years none of it either lasted any reasonable time or lived up to what it was advertised to do. Sick and tired of wasting time and money. just to line fat cat pockets. But on the plus side of being a boat owner .conditions on the open waters too can have bad to extreme conditions. more so than on the roads. so a fair while back I purchased a trawler jacket and have never ever, been dryer or warmer whilst riding my bikes. Bike clothing would fail on the deck of a north sea trawler. its about time people realized. the top brands just want your money. Buy a karra jacket and bottoms Also some seal skin socks and over mitts total cost around 450 job done.
Wonder what your lot adds up to??.
Layers, full face helm, heated grips, don't get wet
I commuted by bike in the early '80s, before I had a car. It was bloody freezing in winter, and despite all my efforts to stay warm, I was no match for mother nature. For me, the best approach was to pass my driving test, and buy a car!
the thing that annoys me is: even with muc off, even with pinlocks, even with helmet inserts, anti fog sprays, water reppelent plastic sprays….. my visor still fogs up to the extent i cant see. i have multiple helmets and tried every option i can find and nothing works. i have to ride with my visor up which defeats winter riding for me. any tips?
Don't be an idiot and ride on cold days 😊
Im in a wheelchair and i use these same tips layers and layers
How to stay warm, buy a car.
I ride down to 20 F (-7 c), the lower temperature my touring tires are supposed to retain pliability and traction. Wool socks with a water proof riding boot to block the wind. Top-wool/poly base layer, long sleeve cotton shirt, wool mid layer under a well treated wax cotton outer layer to stop the wind. Bottom-PCM (phase change material) mid layer under a well treated wax cotton outer layer on the touring bike, I add a wool/poly base layer if on my naked bike. Balaclava and/or aneck gator, Pinlock visor insert to prevent fogging even in drizzly mid 30’s F (2 C). Mylar glove liner in a heated glove leather glove. Typically only need the heat 20 to 30F (-7 to 0 C). Low when on the touring bike, may need high on the naked at highway /motorway speeds. 6 hour/2hour battery life respectively. I have heated grips on the touring bike, only use intermittently as it nears 20F (-7 C) or when the heated gloves are off. I have been investigating hand guards but haven’t found anything I feel is a good fit on either bike. I don’t recall ever turning on the heated seat since I got the waxed cotton and PCM liner. Since the naked doesn’t have auxiliary heated components, I typically won’t ride it if the ride is longer than an hour once under 32 F (0 C), I’ll take the touring bike for rides longer than an hour.
snowmobile suit. Duuuuhh
As an old biker living of a pension, I am on a budget so I have to be creative. Layering is the key and in my case it looks like this:
Thermo legging, Revvit riding jeans, Nordic woolen socks, insulated boots.
Upper body: short sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, light sweater, thick fleece sweater, Dianese hoody, a winter jacket, and to make it complete, long insulated gloves. It’s a bit bulky but it does the job.🙂
Did 25 miles last week in a temperature of 5 degrees without any issues. BTW, I only ride when it’s dry.
Tip 1: grow up and be a man
Did my CBT in December so -1 to -5 I had a jacket inner lining hoodie and t shirt. Jeans pj bottoms boxers. A pair of size 12 socks my regular size 10 socks and my boots. Only part of me that was cold was my hands. Forgot the inner gloves. My pinky finger on my right hand completely froze and went numb and wasn’t moving. Still passed my CBT
How do you think these compare to the revit trench?
Easy…..not ride in the winter
I'm spearfishing. So If I have to ride in extremely cold conditions, my 3mm summer wet suit is perfect . You are always dry and worm . If you are not spearfishing , and you ride often in cold , take this neoprene tip and stay worm. ps: cloves and socks also also neoprene.
if base layer is not a normal shirt, and mid layer is not a normal shirt, where do my normal clothes go? do i change after i go to work/target location