The Secret to Enjoying Cold Weather Rides

I saw a motorcyclist out riding this weekend. It was 42 degrees at the time.

It made me think about riding. More specifically, it made me think about riding in cold weather. Doing so can be less than enjoyable if you're not prepared. So what is the secret to enjoying cool weather rides?

Controlling wind chill!

When it's 40 degrees F and you're riding at 60mph (with no wind), the effective temp is only 25 degrees Fahrenheit (danger of frostbite in 30 minutes!). Check out the chart below showing just how much wind affects the ambient temperature.

Bundle up all you want, but if you can't get the wind off you, it's not a fun ride. Bundling up also makes it hard to operate the controls and isn't really all that effective if the wind is still getting through key spots on your body.

There is so much to say about this topic that we’ve broken it into several parts. In this post we’ll get started – from the top down (that would be your noggin for you southerners)…

Head

In cold weather, there’s no way to get around the most common-sense item: a full-face helmet. You can keep your half-helmet or 'beanie' helmet for warmer weather, but make the investment in a full-face helmet if you expect to ride in cold or wet weather. Our advice: get one with good venting.

For those who argue that their full-face helmet fogs up in the rain or cold, we have a solution for that (and it's less than $20): get yourself an Anti-Fog insert. Problem solved.

Neck

Yep, this deserves its own category. Because when it gets down into the 40’s and you're going 70 mph, you don't want ANY skin showing. A neck warmer or balaclava is just the ticket. It will also keep rain water from sneaking down your neck. Simple but effective!

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