I bought my first motorcycle when I was a teenager in high school, and it immediately became my primary means of transportation. For the next few years, unless snow or ice covered the roads, I traveled by two wheels — which suited me just fine.

On snowy days, or when I absolutely needed four wheels, I was lucky because my father would loan me his car. However, most of the time, rain or shine, hot or cold, I rode the motorcycle.

Few motorcycles back then, other than police bikes and full dress Harleys, came equipped with windshields. My bike, a used 1984 Triumph, did not. I took it for granted that bundling up to ride into the teeth of high winds and bitter temperatures was a natural part motorcycling.

On days when the temperature hovered close to freezing, I’d wear a pair of dungarees over cotton long underwear, and a heavy army jacket over a flannel shirt and hooded sweatshirt.

I usually wore wrist-high leather work gloves. Sometimes I’d pull a pair of heavy gauntlet-style work gloves over a pair of woolen liners to both keep my hands warm and prevent the wind from blowing up my sleeves.

I’d layer wool socks over cotton socks inside a pair of engineer boots or lace-up work boots.

I’d flip up the sweatshirt hood, wrap a scarf around my neck and pull on my helmet to keep my head, chest and neck warm.

The cold would seep into my bones

This bulky mass of clothing worked fine for short trips around town. However, on jaunts lasting more than an hour, the cold would slowly work its way into my bones, causing me to shiver and shake.
My hands would get so cold, I couldn’t squeeze the clutch or front brake levers. I’d operate them by locking my stiff, numb my fingers around the levers and pulling back with my whole arm.

Often, when I’d reach my destination, my fingers were too stiff and unfeeling to grip and undo the buckle on my helmet or the zipper on my coat. Someone would do it for me, or I’d wait until my hands warmed up.

After a long, cold ride, I’d usually spend an hour or more warming up in the bathtub.

Back then, I did not discuss cold weather travel with other riders. But, I’m sure my experiences were pretty much the same for most bikers who rode throughout the year. And I bet, like me, they didn’t give it a second thought. Riding a motorcycle included getting really cold every now and then.

I eventually bought a heavy leather motorcycle jacket with a fur collar and fleece lining. I even bought fleece-lined mittens. This combo really helped to keep me warm.

And when I began taking longer and longer trips, I treated myself to a windshield — even though most sport riders still didn’t use one.

I’m happy to report that during the ensuing years, advances in motorcycle designs and extreme weather clothing have taken lots of discomfort out of cold weather travel.

Now, when I ride in temperatures close to or below freezing, I can stay warm and enjoy myself for an entire day. Where I live in the Northeast, I can stretch the riding season until the snow flies or the roads become icy.

Why ride in the winter at all?

There’s a special appeal to riding through scenic areas after the leaves have fallen and the roads are free of traffic. During a recent ride on familiar roads through the Catskill Mountains, I saw waterfalls, cliffs and rock formations for the first time in areas where I’d traveled before. The trees had hidden them from view.

While I wouldn’t recommend my combination of cold weather riding cloths for long trips in subzero weather, the gear I use works well for me down to about 20 degrees.

First, I put on a set of Helly Hansen LIFA long underwear tops and bottoms. The breathable material they’re made of provides lightweight warmth and allows moisture to escape. This is important because moisture close to the skin and in one’s clothing quickly robs heat. That’s why, for cold weather riding, most of what I wear is a wicking synthetic. Though very comfortable when dry, cotton creates big problems when wet.

Over the LIFA underwear, I wear a close fitting Bergelene fleece polo shirt and Kevlar lined Brother blue jeans. The Kevlar in these heavy jeans provides some protection in case of a fall while it also helps block the wind. I add a pair of windproof and breathable Gortex pants over the dungarees. Gortex clothing is great for keeping the heat inside while letting the moisture out.

Inside my Alspinestars motorcycle boots I wear a pair of Thorlo extreme weather over-calf socks.

I pull on a thermal fleece neck gator. Then, to prevent wisps of cold air from sneaking down the back of my neck, I wrap a scarf over the gator.

Perhaps the best accessory of all

Before I don my thermal lined Vanson Leathers motorcycle jacket, I put on one of the most effective advances in cold weather riding — an electrically heated vest that plugs into the motorcycle’s electrical system. Vanson makes the vest that I wear; however, the two companies best known for high quality electrically heated motorcycle clothing are Widder Enterprises and Gerbing’s.

Until recently, I never considered using an electrically heated vest because my vintage 1981 BMW motorcycle’s electrical system couldn’t provide enough power to warm it up. Also, a few layers of high-tech thermal clothing kept me reasonably comfortable on cold days.

But, when I bought a new BMW R1100RT motorcycle, I suddenly gained enough juice to power a vest. So I got one. I can adjust the heat it produces with its built-in thermostat. If I choose, I could add a pair of electrically heated pants, socks and gloves.

My well-padded, full coverage Shoei helmet does a good job of keeping my head warm. I wear either medium or heavy weight leather gloves to warm my hands.

The good thing about all these clothes is that in addition to keeping me warm, they are neither bulky nor restrictive. If I wore the same gear while hiking or cutting wood, I’d overheat in no time. But for riding a motorcycle, the combination works fine.

The motorcycle protects me from the cold

In addition to my clothing, the motorcycle itself provides outstanding protection from the cold. I sit behind a good-sized windshield that directs the cold away from my chest and arms. The motorcycle’s wide fairing shields my legs and feet from the wind. And a great luxury for me is the motorcycle’s heated handlebar grips that keep my fingers nimble and toasty.

The entire package — efficient cold weather clothing, a warm electric vest and a well-designed motorcycle — work together to create a comfortable cocoon that surrounds me when I ride in the winter.

Most importantly, it helps me to remain alert, keep my mind on my driving and enjoy the ride.