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Thinking Around the Box (Continued) The feet and knees are always in the breeze. Ski socks are a definite plus. The longer the better too. Insulated boots are really the only way to go. The less wind that can get in the better. A great piece of gear I found was MX knee and shin guards. These are similar to Hockey shin guards. Plastic caps with foam padding and fabric liners. Also makes for another safety alternative. The cool part about these is they are thin enough to wear under loose fitting pants. The plastic blocks the wind very well while the foam helps to retain heat. These are fairly inexpensive too. They can be had for under $40. Some even under $25. For the rest of your lower extremities, double up on pants. Sweat pants, Track pants, thermals, etc. Of course there's always the option of heated riding gear. These can get pricey but if you plan to ride in very cold climates, it's probably a smart investment. The cheaper method is the hand warmer packs. They're fairly cheap and some last up to 8 hours. If you plan on doing some long riding, I would suggest getting some for the trip. You can put them in your shoes to keep your feet warm, in your gloves to help out your hands and any place else you feel is subjected to direct cold. So now that you look like a reincarnation of the Michelin Man, what can we do to the bike that will help you out with out totally goobering it up? Well, again, anything that can block the wind will help. Like stated earlier, your hands are the first line of defense. Dirtbike style hand guards will keep some of the wind off your mitts. If you want to keep them toasty you can invest in some grip heaters also. Now Grip heaters are a bit limited as they really only work the palm of your hand. With the hand guards in place as well your fingers will thank you. Plus, if your bike has that kind of ruff and tumble look going for it, they'll fit right in. Another, idea that struck me. Heated seats. This is actually a fairly simple idea. You can pull them from any factory-equipped car. Try the local junkyards. Just make sure they can bench test them before you walk out the door. You'll want the thermostat control with this, which can be mounted under the tail for adjustment while riding. Basically, heated seats are no more then a heating pad element that sits under the upholstery, a top the padding. The heating elements average about 100-140 degrees F. I did a search for “Upholstery Heating Elements” and came up with some good results and even installation instructions and tutorials for various seats. Both OEM and retro fits. The biggest help of all is going to be getting out of the wind as much as possible. And to do that, we are going to need some sort of windscreen. Now for some, they may not approve of this idea, but there is an upside. This could be a seasonal exercise in restyling your bike. I'm not saying you have to go back to full fairing's, but stretch your creativity and maybe try a simple upper fairing. Restyle a factory upper, or make your own. Even a small fly screen can add a little redirection. When it warms back up, you can go back to your original design. At least you survived another cold winter, and maybe… enjoyed it?! Everyone stay warm out there, and have a safe and happy holidays.
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