Winter riding Equipment and Gear

I am wanting to put temporary equipment and gear on to allow winter riding on Norton. Not sleek beauty type stuff , road racer style.....but effective wind protection that mounts easily for Jan-Mar riding weather, say 30-50 DegF days. I am not looking for a "Vetter", but rather a handlebar/fork mounted windscreen. maybe even a screen that extends down to deflect wind off knees/legs. definitely something to cover handlebars. Light weight so fork springs are not an issue.
Here is an example of what I think I want.

Where are you located?

I've got something like that that came off my Commando, but IIRC it doesn't have the hand protectors which makes a difference in cold weather.

Assuming you have decent winter clothing already.
Handle bar muffs are easy enough to find, Hippo Hands is dead apparently, but there are plenty of others. Not only warm, but keep the rain off.

Legs - would you be prepared to go as low as Ural leg guards?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-plastic-Leg ... 0710550834

The French and Italians think nothing of wrapping their legs in stuff like this http://www.urbanrider.co.uk/scooter-leg-covers.html
There are lots of others like this but you can get the idea.

Nationalcycle is about only one that offers something that would please Harley all weather riders. None of these with bar end flairs stick out enough to cover the most sensitive exposed hands so also should add the hand shields too. The mount hardward from National ain't very good, especially the upright handlebar supports so expect to modify or buy separate form another brand or visit bone yards. Peel's full combo made wet 33'F to super dry 20'F riding commutes in completely still air bubble so only need normal ride gear to stay warm and light my cigs at any speed even over the ton. If I stopped to look at scenery I got chilled in a few seconds from the few mph breeze so would take off again to stop the chilling. If ya think a parked Commando gets attention wait til for the looks from cages thought the ice on their glass. I am tall skinny no fat no insulation and not very cold tolerate build but on ice on roads made me take the cage in Peel's hey days. These come in 24" tall size so give venders a buzz to find. I'd also drop heater packs in gloves and boots with last hours longer than most rides so I packed them into a small air tight jar to re-use economically till used up. Some have found the fork mounted shields mess with handling but not Peel's which acted like steering damper to self center if bars slapped and by semi truck blasts but ya do feel the air resistance with more throttle to run at freeway speeds.





http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/36 ... windshield
http://www.nationalcycle.com/catalogue/Classic.shtml

Buffeting & Screens FAQ

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http://faq.f650.com/FAQs/Buffeting.htm#How


http://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewt ... 32#p123732

http://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewt ... 36#p123736

Again, unlike the Vetter faring, the Plexi-Faring III is highly adjustable! It can be raised, lowered moved forward or back and the rake and can be changed significantly.

*I tested all of this at 75-80 MPH on the highway with my half helmet on.

*I initially set the windshield on a rake angle similar to the forks, but installed all the way down the fork with the rubber gasket resting on the headlight. The top line was just below my line of sight. Too much buffeting (and teeth chattering!) :smilie_happy:

*I change the rake angle back 3 degrees and that lowered the buffeting and made the air smoother, but not quite there yet.

*Next, I raised the windshield up and reset the rake angle a bit forward. Again slightly better, but still too much buffeting.

*Next, change the rake angle as far back as it would go against the speedo/tach. BIG IMPROVEMENT! :rocks: :yes:

*Still getting a bit of buffeting over the top of my helmet, but the air is a lot smoother. I am on the right track now that I know which rake angle is smoothest.

*Last change, I raise the windshield as high as the lower straps can go (just under the headlight brackets) and keep the same rake angle. EUREKA!! SMOOTHE AIR AT 80 MPH!!!!

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Peels deal had no downsides for any buffeting nor blow back on my back side unless I shifted far as I could to rear of extra long IS tank seat and had better easier cruise handling in wind gusts and blasts than raw naked but then no one but me seems to have tired the extra large size with bar extensions and lowers. Feet/toes still in wind so they got cold but numb toes ain't a bother like other areas. I se Peel shield to match the fork/bar rake for my sense of looks. Last time I rode Peel was in freezing winter practicing hands off body slam steering at 110 mph trying to understand why Kieth Code was wrong about front being what really steers a cyce, which I found is not primary steering force, lean angle of rear tire thrust is. This was after Peel's over rev 11,000+ rpm event so could no longer shove the shields over 125 on commutes and broke my heart to start a decade of recovery. I used the big screen on Trixie Combat in winter but after a few Peel Graveling crashes on it and deer and animals take downs of Trixie it finally borke up enough to cut it up for streamline Vesco faring light covers on next Peel. Crisp clear cold days are wonderful waste of time on a old clunker that feels like a turbo fan flying carpet.

btw notice the chilled water drops on screen and saddle bags in first photo as rain and hail proof too while moving even 10 mph > so rainy days were fair weather rides on Peel commutes but serious mud flaps needed to hold the road grime blasts away too to back of bike and jacket coated in gritty grime. Only way i can expect some Peel project pay back is all conditions comfort short of totally iced over paths then ice spiked tires go on but only to play around home as highways don't stay iced over long enough. I had Peel's big screen and saddle bags rigs for tooless removal so once the harsh early am conditions cleared and the sports bikers came out during nice part of the day I'd leave the comfort items at clinic and have some smear wiping fun then collect the bulk and head home with my own smirk. Peel's screen has also protected from truck throw fist size rocks as it speed up a hill and I closed in just before a pass, bang. Also deflected birds and stinky greasy mist off gut trucks I closed on before a pass. Even though Peel was best sports bike I've ridden w/o loosing control mostly her use was to act-feel like a big ole Harley beggar cruiser.

Thanks Hobot, Great information, great pictures, thank you very much.

Reima Primaloft and Gore-Tex snowmobile gloves, plastic thermal underwear, couple layers of polar fleece, Aerostich Darien pants & jacket. Bombardier modular sled helmet when it's real cold.

Powerlet heated jacket + glove liners are the Shiz...

Happy to entertain with my favorite thing. Only 3 more positive Peel wind blocking delights that were significant to me. Wind blast only touched top of helmet so looked out over top of the screen couple inches not though bugs or frost glare plus helmet was quite w/o buffeting or shifting. Nil safe sense of real speed w/o the wind blast/noise so must be alert watching speedo entering turns too dam hot for public or wet cold tire conditions or speed tickets. No need to dress up lile a Michelin Tire man unless for hour or more out and need to get off to gas up. I wore chaps over jeans and thick hooded sweat shirt under jacket and mostly insulated gloves that didn't mess with control feel much. About only down side especially with lowers is the increase of obnoxius Norton engine sounds like two mad blacksmiths banging bells with chains. Not so much with IS tank but Roadster tanks for sure. This is where exhaust wrap comes into its own in hobot camp. May tricky compromises to clear headlight and get bar and fork mounts forced into adaption. Hope to see others parting cold wind w/o getting blasted themselves.
Only 4 months here its nice to ride naked then either too cold in am's or dust or so dam hot blocking heated high air is a relief, ugh.

Motorcycle Hand Wind Deflectors version 2.1

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Motorcy ... /?ALLSTEPS

Gotta point out the elephant in the room here... I find that the best all-round winter protection... and overall safest option in winter... in my experience at least... is a car...!

Spot on!

Fast Eddie said:

Gotta point out the elephant in the room here... I find that the best all-round winter protection... and overall safest option in winter... in my experience at least... is a car...!

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Ugh, No fair falling back on real logic that its always more sensible to shun cycles in good or bad weather. Another special Peel wind feature, her under slung mirrors blocked the breeze that hand shields missed that other wise tended to enter up sleeves. Its not how many toys ya get before ya die is how much time spent in fantasy states, some toys just thrust ya into it even against our better judgement. If Peel's one-in-a-row charger drive works out she'll have 600 watts total so 400+ to spare for heaters and stereo. When I put on suit and helmet and saddle up I feel like Buck Rodgers on another planet after asking if a good day to go. Do know that cold body parts hurt more going down unless have to warm up for feeling to return = from rides on naked cycles I thought I was tuff enough to enjoy.

hobot said:

Ugh, No fair falling back on real logic that its always more sensible to shun cycles in good or bad weather. Another special Peel wind feature, her under slung mirrors blocked the breeze that hand shields missed that other wise tended to enter up sleeves. Its not how many toys ya get before ya die is how much time spent in fantasy states, some toys just thrust ya into it even against our better judgement. If Peel's one-in-a-row charger drive works out she'll have 600 watts total so 400+ to spare for heaters and stereo. When I put on suit and helmet and saddle up I feel like Buck Rodgers on another planet after asking if a good day to go. Do know that cold body parts hurt more going down unless have to warm up for feeling to return = from rides on naked cycles I thought I was tuff enough to enjoy.

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Fair play to you Sir Hobot... I used to have similar 'die hard' / 'nothing can stop me' motorcycling determination in the winter (strongly motivated by reading Ogri of course)... but gradually it faded to nought, although I swear my joints are now re-paying me for it... Well, that and a few spills here n there...!

Even despite the personal bodily damage, the damage to the 'sickle' and cost / time / aggravation to put it all right is adequate discouragement.

Some might accuse me of being soft. I'm not gonna argue...

i'm not the boy I used to be either FastEddie so have to reflect on memories while adding old fart comfort items but I lucked out to be a DC and lean how to regrow spine and thereby the rest of aging injured joints and organs so feel up to wild antics or mean recoveries getting the most out of next Peel performance or just puttering around on my 2 other normal cripple cycles. My ends used to burn like frost bite warming back to feeling but last few years having to really practice what I preach on neck regrowing they may go numb but can still use/move than and they just warm up w/o the suffering phase as prior, hot dog. I deal with big wood in winter snow and have more than once had log slip off icey tail gate on toe but didn't notice much till later was sore to see toe fractured and losing nail, which didn't hurt unless I bumped it again. Some day maybe they'd have thermal charger to wrap around header that can heat clothing w/o sucking down battery going slow for conditions.

Without a doubt the second bestest purchase I have made involving Motorcycling has been the Electric vest. (We know all about the first one.. ). It is not polarity conscious being a simple circuit that is blade type fused at the bleed off leads. Heaven. :wink:

Thinking ahead I bought a heater vest but ain't used it yet. Still wondering how to wire to plug in w/o me snagging wire or forgeting to uplug before getting off so maybe just make alu pads I connect to just sitting.

If you get anything electric whether gloves, vest or whatever for goodness sake get one that has a heat temp. control switch otherwise you will be switching it off as it gets too hot and then on again…………..