Anybody wear leathers through the winter?

[c_dug]

I need to replace my damaged gear from my accident, I have to ride right through the winter.

Will I freeze to death in leather trousers? I am going to keep my textile jacket as it came out of the accident in pretty good nick. Obviously water proofs will be a necessity for the rain and snow, but in terms of coldness will I notice a huge difference?

I don't remember ever noticing my legs being cold in textiles but then I had the thermal layer and a pair of trousers on underneath.

Only reason I'm asking is that I wasn't particularly impressed with how the trousers worked in a slow crash, and a large proportion of my riding is on motorways. Seems like an ideal time to get leathers sorted since I don't really have the money for both.

Or am I crazy and I should just buy textiles again and hope I don't crash too fast?
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[SamJL]

Get some thermals to wear underneath, and a rain suit to wear over the top.

Thats what I do, the rain suit is tiny, it goes in a tiny bag round your waist.
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2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[pinkyfloyd]

Honestly couldnt tell you. I have leathers for the summer and textiles for the winter.

I have new textiles for this winter and it looked miserable today when I had to go out for a run so I thought I would try them out...... U fkin cooked in them!

Bring on the winter, I'm ready for you!
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[johnsmith222]

I rode through last winter with suit style trousers, leather RST jacket and quite a lot of the time, no gloves.

I coped ok but I wouldn't do it again. Gloves, textile trousers and defo need a winter base layer under the leather jacket or just use a textile one instead.

The bike cops seem to wear textile jackets and leather trousers. I think that seems like a decent compromise especially if you have a faired bike.

[chris-red]

I'm fine in Leathers in the winter, personally though textiles are better, water proof and you can wear jeans under them which means getting to work you can just rip them off and be ready rather than faf with leathers and undersuits.
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[locked]

I rode through last winter in my leathers as I don't have any textiles but I do wear some thermals underneath and its been working fine for me so far.
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[c_dug]

No gloves!?

My hands were frozen with winter gloves AND a pair of woolly gloves inside.

Then again I was travelling for over an hour at 70mph to work and back, the cold was bound to get through.

This year I am travelling less than half an hour each way so hopefully it wont be quite so chilly!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[doggone]

Textiles are a relatively new thing, you need an extra layer or two under the leathers which might mean you need a second jacket if not trousers for winter with a bit more room inside!
I used to ride a lot through winter with just one of those thick padded shirts under a good leather jacket and was usually toasty unless it was literally freezing and then who wants to go far on a bike?

The only problem is say you go into town shops you are boiling since they have the heat on about 28C.

As above, if it's damp fairly lightweight waterproofs over the top.
Most of the keeping warm is done by stopping the wind getting in, leathers do that pretty well unless you have trendy perforations.

[c_dug]

I have always been told that wearing layers inside the leathers (I mean chunky layers not just thermals) stops them working so well in an accident as they aren't as tight or something?

Am I worrying about nothing with that?
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[johnsmith222]

[stinkwheel]

[SamJL]

I always find the biggest problem in the cold is my hands, I don't really notice it anywhere else!
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2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[c_dug]

As much as I try not to come off, it is pretty inevitable since I have to ride in even if the road is solid ice.

Last year even with textiles and several layers, I still found myself getting to work so cold that I would have to sit out the back of the shop for at least half an hour before I could work. Using the brakes and gears took serious effort, life savers even became a struggle.

But like I say, this years commute is a huge amount shorter so hopefully it wont be so bad, plus I know what to expect a little better.

Last year I found that my feet and hands were the worst effected by the cold, even with several pairs of socks and gloves on. Maybe I have bad circulation
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[stinkwheel]

This being the case, I'd suggest you need some heated clothing.

For most people, a heated vest/kidney belt would be best. If your body is warm, your extremities will stay warm.

I fitted syntec grip heaters to the girlfriends CB500 after advice from this forum. She has a circulation problem that means she needs lots of direct heat onto her hands. I have to keep switching the damned things off if I borrow her bike because my hands are sweating and uncomfortably hot (and that's on the low setting). They only draw 3 amps.
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[L4Isoside]

My hands where terrible last year, alpinestars 365's where always a bit chilly in the cooler weather but even with a thermal lining underneath, going in to town and back my hands where almost like ice (and travelling for an hour, which i have done at night, was awful even if the rest of my body was fine.)

Heated grips helped alot, so the tips and back of my hands still a bit cold, but the warmth ment the often times I had pretty bad pain stopped... meaning i could actually use the clutch and front brake with out too much effort.

This year if i need to commute on the bike, it'll be leather bottoms, textile top, warmer gloves if i can afford it (or failing that 365's liners and grips) and my water proof boots. Possibly thermal base layer for my legs as well.

Oh and a neck warmer, really makes the difference that does.

[locked]

[Paxovasa]

[pinkyfloyd]

[ginllfixit]

I wore two-piece FT leathers all through winter last year. The cold wasn't a problem; I have my work clothes on underneath, heated grips, and it's only about a 9 mile commute each way.

The leather was fine for light showers, or only being in the rain for a few minutes, but getting caught in any substantial rain was a bit of a bugger - couldn't always get them dry in time for the next day.

Have you thought about a cheap waterproof oversuit to keep you dry?

[DrDonnyBrago]

I don't own textiles/warm clothing for winter, have been out in some pretty dire winter weather wearing leathers and it isn't that bad.

Only your hands, feet and neck get REALLY cold, the rest isn't that bad so some warm gloves, more socks and a neck tube should do you ok for winter.

[Paxovasa]

[kawakid]

I ride in leathers all year round.

But I do have waterproofs to go over the top.

I never did get a good pair of textiles, that kept me dry, they always failed. My water proof over coats do keep the elements out.

With regards to cold, I do have heated grips, I wouldn't mind a heated vest or something like that.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[doggone]

It might be just me or my bike style, but I often feel a chill coming in on upper arms first.
It's hard to get enough insulation on arms without restricting movement.

[Walloper]

Get a big plate of porridge inside ye ken.

You can run about nothing more than BMX pads then.
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