Staying warm and dry on a motorway one

[Deadpool2]

My commuting days are over and usually I don't tend to ride over winter but needs must and I have to do a trip to Basingstoke (60 miles each way for me). I have an old heated vest and a fleece, but I still struggle with the cold. Anything I can really do to stay warm other than take the train.

other gear includes a winter jacket, motorcycle jeans and short boots. Obviously winter gloves with the petrol station liners, various scarfs etc

cheers

[Cousin Jack]

Long johns under the jeans if you have them. Or the wife's tights at a push. And/or waterproof overtrousers.

[Skub]

Get the heated vest as close to you as possible,don't put layers between you and the heat.

Handlebar muffs for the win on keeping your jazz bands warm.

[gremlin]

Thermal layers. Lidl actually do decent sets for not much money from time to time.

And a big furry muff is always welcome.

[Count Steer]

As above, base layer.

If you aren't in a rush, plan a stop for a coffee and a thaw out en route.

[Horse]

A touring fairing?

Or a handlebar fairing. Or even a higher screen if the bike already has a vestigial screen.

Keeping wind blast off not only keeps you warmer, it's less tiring too. And if the screen is the correct height (just see over it) it will keep your visor cleaner too.

However, not the easiest / cheapest solution!

Layering for heat, with a heated vest.
Waterproof and insulated gloves x2 pairs (for when one set is sodden)
Waterproof boots
A good set of bike gear, waterproof, with insulation depending on how much you feel the cold
Consider a thin oversuit over that on very wet days to stop your suit getting sodden

If you're not used to long, wet, cold, journeys, don't underestimate how horrible they can be.

Will you have somewhere to hang wet gear?

[Noggin]

I know everyone says about base layers etc - they are right

But I pretty much Always used one of those hi-viz motorway worker jackets over everything. It protected from wind chill as well as adding the prevention of the warmth leaving through the layers!!

[Horse]

PS how many journeys? One or two, a few dozen? And how close is your destination to the station?

For the price of all that ^ , take the train and taxis if it's just a few.

[Rockburner]

Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.

Also - what Horse mentioned - is there somewhere to hang your gear? "Wetted-out" bike gear will drip at least a litre or 2 of water over the course of the day, and still be damp and horrible to wear on the way home. If your gear isn't laminate, get the water-proofs on ASAP if it starts raining on your way in.

[Noggin]

Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.

If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?

[Rockburner]

Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.

If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?

That's why I asked.

[Buckaroo]

Newspaper is very good as a base layer when placed across the front of the body.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Use a car or catch the train, or better yet, don't go, it's Basingstoke

[Horse]

Use a car or catch the train, or better yet, don't go, it's Basingstoke

Apart from being a great place to be a learner, because it has so many roundabouts

[Horse]

Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.

If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?

That's why I asked.

And why I asked about number of journeys and general wussness

Another point is sealing the joins:

- good neck seal, you don't want water seeping in
- neck tube / buff, for warmth (but, see above, can wick)
- wrists, no 'short' gloves
- wrists; depends on angle of forearms. If sloping down to bars, you need jacket over gloves to stop rain running in. And vice versa.
- wrists; cold dry day? You want gloves cuff over the jacket sleeve, to stop wind
- wrists #4! ... Ideally, if getting new kit, get a jacket with 'storm cuffs' which have an inner that goes inside the glove cuff and outer sleeve that goes over the glove
- ankles, wind blast up your trousers leg will get old very quickly
- I am a wuss - I've noticed the difference when a jacket storm flap wasn't poppered down and was letting wind in to the zip!

PS I was told once that I think about things too much. eg left glove on first. Can work out why?

[Dodgy69]

Might be a nice day.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Might be a nice day.

Have you been to Basingstoke, it could be beautiful weather but it would still be Basingstoke, though anywhere with Swingle Swangle Lane can't be all bad

[Rockburner]

If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?

That's why I asked.

And why I asked about number of journeys and general wussness

Another point is sealing the joins:

- good neck seal, you don't want water seeping in
- neck tube / buff, for warmth (but, see above, can wick)
- wrists, no 'short' gloves
- wrists; depends on angle of forearms. If sloping down to bars, you need jacket over gloves to stop rain running in. And vice versa.
- wrists; cold dry day? You want gloves cuff over the jacket sleeve, to stop wind
- wrists #4! ... Ideally, if getting new kit, get a jacket with 'storm cuffs' which have an inner that goes inside the glove cuff and outer sleeve that goes over the glove
- ankles, wind blast up your trousers leg will get old very quickly
- I am a wuss - I've noticed the difference when a jacket storm flap wasn't poppered down and was letting wind in to the zip!

PS I was told once that I think about things too much. eg left glove on first. Can work out why?

Are you left handed?

I always do right glove first because I'm more dexterous with my right so I can do up the left with a gloved right hand more easily than the other way round.

[Horse]

Might be a nice day.

Have you been to Basingstoke, it could be beautiful weather but it would still be Basingstoke, though anywhere with Swingle Swangle Lane can't be all bad

Swing Swang

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Screenshot_20260212-204526.png (548.19 KiB) Viewed 428 times

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And where Rodney from Only Fools went to college

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Might be a nice day.

Have you been to Basingstoke, it could be beautiful weather but it would still be Basingstoke, though anywhere with Swingle Swangle Lane can't be all bad

Swing Swang

.Screenshot_20260212-204526.png

.
And where Rodney from Only Fools went to college

It's probably 20 years ago that I saw it, it put a smile on my face