Cold Weather Riding in the Northeast
California has the highest number of motorcycle registrations in the country. It’s no surprise the weather in much of the state is temperate throughout the year, allowing nearly 365 days of riding each year with few, if any, adjustments needed. But what if you don’t live in California? Can you still ride more days than you already do?
The northeast part of the US and many other parts of the world that experience all four seasons can limit riding. Revzilla shared an article showing that almost half of riders in the US complete <1000 miles each year. Fairweather riding and a perception that 60F is too “cold” is probably responsible for some of the reduced mileage.
But you don’t have to limit yourself to riding just three months a year in the northeast. You can (and should) ride throughout the year. A little bit of prep, appropriate riding and bike gear, and some tips can help extend your riding season from 3 to 6, 9, or even 12 months a year in the northeast.
Studies have shown the mental health benefits of riding, so why limit it to only three months a year? Exploring your area in other seasons might provide new sights to share with others. I often “scout” on my bike and bring my family to those places in the car later.
Parking your bike for 6-9 months a year can adversely affect the bike. Flat spots on your tires, moisture trapped in the engine, and batteries that can drain are just a few downsides of parking your bike for extended periods. Regular riding allows you to keep up with maintenance while enjoying a ride. If after reading this post, you still want to park your bike for the winter, check out our article on what to do in the off-season.
Just wear a warm sweater!
The naive approach might say, throw on a thick sweater and socks & you’ll be fine. After all, just typically going out in cold weather is enough. But other factors make the simple approach not ideal on a motorcycle.
First, unlike regular walking, we are exposed to a much greater apparent wind speed. This wind chill makes it feel much colder than it would be otherwise. While a thick sweater can insulate you, wind can often cut right through a sweater and make you feel freezing. A sweater alone won’t protect against the wind, so we may need different gear to keep us comfortable.
Second, thick layers may not fit under your riding suit comfortably and may inhibit your ability to manipulate the controls or even cause some pressure points that can be exhausting or even cut off some circulation, making you even colder. Specialized gear can address these traditional shortcomings.
Third, it’s tough to warm up while still riding once you are cold. Walking around, we might decide to go inside a heated building. While you can still do that on a bike, adding heat can keep you comfortable for longer.
This article will expand your riding from 1 season to 3 or 4 each year with just a few pieces of additional gear and some planning ahead. We’ll address how to leverage these for various bikes and riding temperatures.
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Fall/Spring
Extending your riding into early fall and late spring isn’t much effort. It’s only a little cooler than the summer months, and there are some great benefits to taking advantage of this time.
Fall foliage in the northeast is a beautiful time of year and provides opportunities for great scenic rides as the temperatures get cooler. In the spring, the new blossoms and leaves appearing on the trees are the first sign that the bleakness of winter is over.
The article will break this down into tweaks you can do to the bike, additional options for riding gear, and tips on what to watch for in the cooler weather. It will also highlight examples of how different styles of bikes can be adjusted to extend the time you can ride them each year.
Fall & spring bike setup
Prepping your bike to extend your riding into fall and spring can be broken down into a few groups:
Wind protection
Heated grips
Luggage
Wind protection
People say they don’t ride in the cooler weather because “it’s too cold!”. Unlike in a car, you are exposed to the outside environment on a motorcycle. The apparent wind that combines any headwind and our road speed can make it feel substantially cooler than it is.
Wind chill at common fall temperatures & highway speed (60MPH)
60F feels like 53F
50F, feels like 39F
40F feels like 25F
Fall temperatures can quickly feel like winter due to the wind chill. Reducing the apparent wind minimizes the impact of wind chill, allowing you to feel warmer on the bike. The kind of bike you have may already set you up for an easier time.
Fully faired bikes like a BMW K1600GTL, Indian Roadmaster, or Harley Davidson Ultra Limited will keep most wind chill at bay. Almost all adventure bikes have a windshield. Scooters, being a step-through design, provide some leg protection.
Other bike styles may need wind protection additions to make fall and spring riding more comfortable. The standard options would be windshields and leg shields. A popular cruiser add-on would be fork deflectors like these from Memphis Shades. Even something as simple as a fly screen on a fully naked bike can reduce some apparent wind, extending the riding temperatures, so don’t feel that you need a massive Windjammer fairing.
Heated grips
As you get cold, your body will remove heat from your extremities, so heated grips are a simple way to extend your riding temperatures. Most European brands have offered heated grips from the factory on much of their model line for 20 years, and other brands are adding them every year. Heated grips came stock on my GSA, R18 Classic & even my S1000R. If your bike doesn’t have them from the factory, you can usually add them. Some bikes can get them added OEM, which offers nicely integrated controls. While KTM received some negative comments on the approach, their 890 Adventure can have heated grips enabled through a paid software enablement. This can be much faster and cheaper than adding the physical elements later on, which can also be a positive. If factory or OEM integrated heated grips aren’t options for you, consider getting one of these aftermarket options.
Luggage
While this might seem better for travel, I recommend some luggage in cooler weather because the temperatures may vary dramatically throughout the day in fall & spring. It’s not unusual where I live for the highs vs. lows to be a 20-30F spread. Carrying extra layers or a spare set of gloves goes a long way in keeping you comfortable.
If you already have luggage for your bike, keeping it mounted on the bike in cooler weather is a good option. But if you don’t, here are a few other ways to add storage space while on the bike.
Backpack
The most universal way to handle this is with a backpack. You can use it on any bike, and it doesn’t require expensive mounting hardware. While some riders try using a generic backpack, I firmly believe in getting something designed for motorcycle use. You don’t want the pack shifting around on you while you are on the bike. And if you plan on riding in varying weather conditions, having something waterproof can be helpful.
I love Kriega’s options. I have two of their backpacks personally. One is the Kriega R25, which I’ve owned for nearly 20 years and is still going strong. It has a simple Quadloc attachment that keeps the pack from moving and is very comfortable. The downside is it isn’t waterproof, just water resistant, so it may not be the best option if you ride in heavy rain or carry any electronics. I also have the Kriega R16, a roll-top providing a fully waterproof option in a slightly smaller pack size. The smaller size means a simpler Quadloc-Lite harness and an additional waist belt to keep the bag from shifting. I prefer the full Quadloc, but with smaller pack sizes, it’s a reasonable tradeoff. Kriega has a full selection of packs ranging from 9-liter capacity on the low end up to 35 liters with fully waterproof options. Many have laptop/tablet sleeves and can also support a hydration pack for summer use. They also can integrate with the US Drybags discussed in the next section.
Tank bag or tail bag
A tank bag or tail bag would be another option. In addition to backpacks, Kriega has some fully waterproof soft packs that are easy to add to almost any bike as a tail bag. The US Drypacks are available in each pack from as little as 5 to 40 liters. These are good options if you prefer something on the bike rather than your back. I’ve had a 10-liter version of these for about as long as my R25 backpack.
I currently have two of the 10-liter packs and one 20-liter version. All US Drypacks can also be combined through the built-in attachment points. On my S1000R, I use the 20-liter mounted on the passenger seat and a 10-liter pack on each side, providing 40 liters of waterproof capacity for long trips. That’s enough to go lightweight moto-camping. They are also perfect add-ons to the back of my R18 or R75/5. For everyday fall/spring day rides, the 10-liter pack is the ideal size for me to carry spare gloves and layers.
Additionally, most of the Kriega backpacks have attachment points to add one of these US packs so you can have a waterproof section on a non-waterproof main bag. So, my R25 can bump to 35 or 45 liters depending on which Drypack I add. There is even a mount to convert a Drypack into a tank bag. This configuration flexibility is one of the main benefits of the Kriega line.
There are many other brands of tank bags & tail bags you can choose from. I’ve had great luck with the Kriega tail packs, but I also use a Giant Loop Fandango tank bag on my GSA all the time.
Fall and spring riding gear
As mentioned with luggage in the bike prep section, layers are the name of the game for your riding gear. I have several bikes with different styles, so some gear is used only on specific bikes. But, often, I can reuse the base and mid layers with the outer layers across all of them.
Outer layer
While some riders ride in street gear, proper motorcycle gear provides abrasion and impact resistance and some wind protection. Some gear even offers adjustable ventilation to adjust to the temperatures.
Adventure
My Klim Badlands Pro Jacket (2022 version, 2023 version) has various zippers to open up ventilation along the arms and armpits that can flow a ton of air in hot weather and close up in cooler weather. The Badlands Pro Pants (2022 version, 2023 version) have similar zippers along the side and back to gain airflow and close them in cooler weather. I’ve had my set for a decade, and while it is a significant investment, the quality is there and can provide many years of use. The styling is aligned for adventure bikes, and the jacket even has a big pocket for carrying spare gloves or shirts. It also has a water bladder holder, so you won’t need an extra bag with this jacket. It looks excellent on adventure-style bikes.
Cruiser, cafe, scooter & classic bikes
I typically use riding jeans from Klim called the K Forty 2 for my cruiser, scooter, and classic bikes. I like these jeans as they have good abrasion resistance and armor at the knees and hips and pass enough air in warmer weather to be comfortable. I use a jacket inspired by British jackets with waxed cotton made by Rev’it called the Livingstone with a removable thermal liner. Rev’it has since revised and renamed the jacket to be called the Denver.
While the jacket & pants combo looks great on these styles of bikes, sometimes I want more protection from moisture, or I’m going on a multi-day trip & I don’t know the weather I may hit. This is when I turn to the Aerostich Roadcrafter R3. It’s a favorite of long-distance riders, and you can wear your regular street clothes underneath it. It’s less than a minute to put on or take off and has excellent abrasion resistance and armor built in. Plenty of huge pockets make it easy to carry stuff. It even has a pass-through port for a heated gear cable. As a bonus, it can fold up and fit under my Vespa GTS 300 seat, making it a perfect option for commuting to work with dress clothes underneath. Yes, people say it’s ugly, but it’s a great option if you ride a lot.
Sportbike
I typically use my Rev’it Tornado 3 jacket & pants on my BMW S1000R. The mesh provides plenty of airflow during the summer months & I use it on all the bikes in sweltering weather. It also comes with a waterproof thermal liner that I add in the cooler weather, turning the mesh jacket & pants into 3 season riding gear. If it’s nearly freezing, and I need more space for layers, I’ll use the Roadcrafter.
Mid-layers
Think of this as an inner jacket or sweater to your protective shell. Some riding jackets and pants offer these with the jacket, typically as a waterproof & thermal liner. I have these with my RevIt Tornado jacket and pants, which extends them to 3 seasons of use vs. just a summer mesh setup. This type of liner also came with my RevIt Livingstone jacket. These can be really warm, so I typically won’t use them until late fall or early spring.
I’ll use my Aerostich Windstopper Jersey in the warmer parts of those seasons. This works well with the Roadcrafter & Badlands suits. In the cooler parts of spring/fall, I’ll add a mid-layer jacket like this one from Aerostich or the excellent Inferno from Klim 2022 version | 2021 version. When the temperatures are on the margin, I’ll throw those layers into my backpack or tail bag to add or remove them as the temperature shifts.
Base layers
If you only wear street clothes when you ride, this is the layer you are least familiar with, but it can significantly impact the bike’s comfort (both in summer and cooler temps). The base layer is directly against your skin, providing the most efficient layer for added warmth. Several of these are in windproof fabric, providing more protection against wind chill. Many offer multiple insulation options to adjust to the weather you expect to encounter. I typically add these once the temperatures hit the 50s, but some may use them even in the low 60s.
Economy option
Premium option
The above are also available in 1.0 (lighter insulation) and 3.0 (more insulation) variants.
For the lower 50s into 40s, I add some windproof socks from Axial. Those socks are no longer available, but Oxford makes a very similar set. Your feet are typically always out in the wind, so these can help a lot.
Helmet & neck gaiter
Don’t forget about a helmet. If you ride in Connecticut, which has no required helmet laws, or wear one of the novelty helmets, your neck and head are right in the wind. Most of the heat in your body escapes through your head, so covering it can impact your comfort in cool temperatures.
You will be more comfortable with a full face or modular helmet to block air to your head and neck and tune the airflow with the various vents. My go-to helmet for fall and spring is my Arai Defiant X. It’s an intermediate head shape like most of Arai’s lids. You don’t need to use an Arai, but I’ve found they fit me the right out of the box best. Unfortunately, the Defiant appears to have been discontinued. The closest similar lids from Arai today would be the Regent X and the Contour X.
My second best helmet was a Schuberth C3 that took several weeks to break in, and those first few weeks were painful. After the break in, the C3 was very comfortable. I’ve owned Shoei & Shark modular helmets, but neither felt comfortable even after substantial break in. I do still own a Shoei Neotec 2, but it’s strictly limited to short rides as it hurts after 30 minutes, so I mostly use it for errands on the scooter. Your experience may differ depending on your head shape.
One advantage of modular helmets is the bottom neck roll tends to provide better air blocking than a full-face, since you put the helmet on with the flip up and then close it down.
Whichever helmet you use, be sure to add in a Pinlock shield. This is like a dual pane window and can help prevent or at least reduce the amount of fogging on your face shield in cold weather.
When it gets really cold, I add a neck gaiter from Axial to block the wind around the neck. I pack the inner part around my jaw inside the helmet so air is blocked from leaking into the bottom of the lid.
Gloves
For fall & spring, I use three different gloves depending on the temperature and the bike.
Classic, cruiser, scooter
For warmer temperatures, I rely on the Rev’It Monster 3. These great leather gloves look at home on any classic-style bike, from cruisers to cafe racers and even scooters. They aren’t suitable for cooler temperatures or rain, so I turn to the Rev’It Hydra 2 H20 gloves later in fall and early spring. When the temperatures are on the median for which gloves to wear, I typically carry the other pair in a backpack or tail pack if the conditions change along my ride.
Adventure
A good pairing with my Badlands Pro jacket & pants is the Klim Badlands GTX Gloves. These gloves have Gore-Tex, so they are fully waterproof, and this also blocks a bit of the oncoming wind to extend your riding without resorting to something with insulation.
What to Watch Out for in Fall & Spring
Fresh leaves, especially wet ones, can create slick conditions in the fall. In the spring, it’s not unusual for potholes to appear from the winter. Any patches could make tar snakes that can be slippery. Watch the weather reports to see the anticipated lows and highs. There can be significant swings, so consider packing some extra clothes. A backpack like the one from Kriega can be a solid option for carrying extra gear on any bike. If you have luggage on the bike, throwing in additional layers can keep the weight off your body.
Fall/Spring example bike setups
Classic bike
My BMW R75/5 is a 50-year-old bike with a limited electrical system, and I don’t do any modifications to the bike. Instead, I rely only on my gear and don’t ride in cold temperatures. Around 50F is the lowest I go on this bike, so it is a three-season bike only focused on early fall and late spring.
Sport Bike
My S1000R is a fully naked sport bike, so there isn’t a lot of natural wind protection. In the fall & spring, I add a slightly larger screen from Puig to take the wind blasts off my chest. Fly screens like this are great options for many naked bikes as they don’t take away from the looks too much but can take some wind blasts off for the fall and spring. My bike has heated grips from the factory, so my hands are good in fall & spring.
Scooter
Like most scooters, my 2020 Vespa GTS 300 has decent leg protection with the shield. I add a Vespa tall windshield as the temps dip into the low 60s. This blocks wind above the headlight, and at my height of 6’4”, I peer through the top so I’m in a nice pocket of air. The screen flares out at the hand grips, providing a bit of a hand guard.
Cruiser
My R18 Classic comes stock with a quick-release windshield. I have it off most of the warm riding season. I replaced the stock screen with an aftermarket taller screen with a flip from 7Jurock using the stock mounts. I add it in the fall, taking some cold blast off the chest. The bike does have heated grips from the factory to extend the riding conditions.
Adventure
My BMW R1200GSA is the Adventure variant, so it comes stock with a very tall screen and some side screens that block more wind. The nearly 9-gallon tank stops a lot of wind at the legs. The hand guards also take much cool air off the bike, and the heated grips resolve whatever is missing. The stock wind protection on the GSA is so good that I removed the big screen in the summer months and replaced it with a small screen to get more airflow. I swap that short screen out for the stock screen when fall or spring arrives. No other modifications are needed.
Winter
By now, you’ve been able to extend your riding to 3 seasons. Winter is brutal, and while the following tips may not let you ride every day in the winter, you can add many more days to the year.
My GSA is my go-to winter bike as it has the most wind protection and a big enough alternator for heated gear. I do an annual New Year’s Day ride that started when I lived in NYC with the Isle of Man(hattan) ride. I may not make it into NYC every year for it, but I always do at least a short first ride of the year. My area has several dirt roads, so I try to hit the first dirt for the year on the same ride.
Winter bike setup
Wind protection
If you already have the wind protection and heated gear from your spring/fall setup, consider winter turning it up to 11.
You should consider extending any wind protection to the next level. Adding a windshield lip extender or fork-mounted wind deflectors blocks more than just your windshield or fly screen. While heated grips keep the inside of your hands warm, the tops can get cold when exposed to the wind. Add hand guards or muffs to block the wind and make your heated grips even more effective. On a scooter, consider a skirt to cover more of your lower body.
Heated Gear
Heated gear is the real unlock for cold weather. The heated grips I looked at for spring and fall extended your riding already. Heated gear takes the same principle but opens it to not just the inner part of your hand.
If you choose this route, you typically add something like a pigtail with a coax output connected directly to your battery. Most heated gear will include an adapter like this with the controller. Something like this from Gerbing would work. You need the controller and the heated items. Most on the market today offer two channels, so you can individually control temperatures to different parts. I usually have the shirt on one channel and the pants on another.
Winter riding gear
The layers I already use for fall and spring continue, but with more insulation and heated gear to augment them. As mentioned, I previously used Gerbing gear with a fully heated jacket and pant liners. These work well, but because they are further away from your body and directly against your outer layer, I found they can lose heat quickly and thus were more limited in the temperature range they worked in.
I replaced these a few years ago with heated base layers from Warm N Safe. These replace the base layers I use in the spring and fall. They are directly against your skin, so they don’t require the heat to be set high for you to feel the effect. Your mid layers help to insulate this additional heat, so again, you don’t need them set very high in even very cold conditions. Warm N Safe even makes skinny heated socks that I use as base layer socks with riding socks on top of them.
I use mid-layers like the Windstopper from Aerostich or a jacket like the Inferno from Klim for the body. A Merino wool shirt is another option for layering. Merino wool pant liners over the heated base layer keep all the heat inside.
With freezing weather, the tops of your hands might be cold, especially if you don’t have hand guards. This is when heated gloves can help. I use the Warm N Safe gloves hooked into the controller on the GS. On the Vespa & R18, I’ll use some battery-powered gloves so I don’t have to wire them to the bike. Most of these are 7v, so they won’t be as warm as the 12v ones directly wired to the bike, and the batteries don’t last forever, so I carry spare batteries for longer rides. Mine are from Klim, and while they support low, medium & high settings, they only stay on high for a few minutes to conserve batteries. Several brands produce battery gloves, and the Radiant from Highway 21 is well regarded.
Switch from a neck gaiter to a full balaclava. I use one from Klim with some windstopper material in the neck region but is a bit lighter around the head. Klim also produces snowmobile gear, so look at some of those options. They have one called the Arctic Balaclava that covers even more of your face. Any balaclava can make your helmet fit tighter than without one, so this may be some experimentation for your comfort.
What to watch out for in winter
Moisture is the most significant danger in the winter months. While some riders will head out in light snow, I set my line at wet and below 40F. This applies to both active precipitation and roads that are still wet. This provides some margin of error for locally cooler areas in shaded spots where the road surface could be closer to freezing and create black ice conditions. I’m trying to extend my riding, not prove my guts, so I avoid them. But this doesn’t mean I won’t ride if snow is on the ground. As long as it isn’t actively snowing and the roads are dry, I don’t mind riding when it’s cold, and the snow on the grass hasn’t melted.
Be aware that there is a potential for salt on the roads that may still need to be cleared. If you ride in those conditions, clean the bike thoroughly when you return home to avoid any oxidation the salt could create on the bike.
Winter bike example bike setups
I don’t use all my bikes in the winter. The charging system of the S1000R isn’t strong enough to support heated gear. I learned this the hard way when I got the bike in the fall & added my typical coax plug. On my first ride with the heated gear, as soon as I stopped, the bike wouldn’t start again…. I’d drained the battery completely & had to use a jump-start battery. Because of the limited electrical options on the bike, I have to use self-contained battery-powered gear like gloves, and I also have the Gerbing battery to give some heated gear for more winter riding. Around 40F is the coldest this bike can support, so this bike is about three seasons and some warmer winter days above 40F.
My R75/5 is 50 years old with carbs. It can be challenging to start when it is cold, so winter freezing temperatures are even more demanding. I store it for the cold winter months, and it only goes out on a warm winter day of at least 50F.
Scooter
My Vespa GTS 300 has the windshield I added for the fall & spring. I will add a Tucano Urbano Termoscud leg cover when winter comes. This wraps around the radiators in the front and covers your legs fully. A small bib covers your chest, held in place by a breakaway cord. This keeps wind drafts off your lower body, and the fleece-lined interior with the captured radiator heat provides a warm air pocket. Any rain is also kept off, so it’s a good addition for all-weather riding.
Before I had the battery-heated gloves, I also added some muffs to go over the hand grips to provide more wind protection for my hands. With the gloves and the partial blocking from the windshield, I no longer use the muffs. I regularly ride my Vespa down to the teens with no problems for local errands in winter.
Cruiser
The only change in the winter to the bike is I use an adapter from the powerlet (BMW) plug on the left side that goes to coax for heated gear. The Powerlet port on the R18 can support up to 5A, so I’m limited to a heated shirt and socks to keep it under that draw. Windproof pants, as used in the fall/spring, can be augmented with fleece base layer pants and thicker winter riding socks. I find the R18 combination is good to about 20F for all-day riding. Below that, the wind chill will overwhelm the gear. But, much of the winter doesn’t get below 20F regularly, so my R18 can be ridden most of the winter.
While I could add a coax lead directly to the battery, the R18 has such a tight battery tray I found this more trouble than it was worth trying to fit extra wires in there. 20F covers a large amount of the winter temperatures by me, so on days below 20F, I can always use my GS instead.
Adventure
I adjust the position of the stock shield through the fall, raising it as it gets cooler. When winter hits, I augment the windshield with an additional lip from MRA to get the blast above my helmet. I also added the Blizzard hand guards that mount over my regular Bark Buster hand guards. These keep a lot of cold off your hands, and I typically don’t need to put the grips on high heat unless it’s under 20F.
The GSA has a huge alternator, so I have no issues using heated socks, pants, shirt & gloves, and heated grips. My current lowest temperature record ridden on the GSA is 3F, and I wasn’t cold for that trip as all the gear worked to keep me warm. It’s not that I couldn’t ride colder… temps below that aren’t common and when they have been, there was too much snow or ice on the roads, so 3F is the coldest I’ve ever tried. But, temperatures in the teens are very common on the GS with no problem at all, so unless there is snow or ice on the roads, the GS is capable of any temps I find in my area of the northeast.
Conclusion
A few additions to your bike and proper riding gear go a long way toward extending the time of year you can ride your motorcycle. With the equipment highlighted, I’ve regularly been able to ride my motorcycles at below-freezing temperatures in the northeast part of the United States.
Early in my riding career, I rode from NYC to Vermont for Oktoberfest. At the time, I only had a heated vest and a small fly screen on my BMW R1200R, plus the heated grips that came stock. When I arrived in the evening at the restaurant, I was meeting my friends in Dover, Vermont, and it was 8F & I was uncomfortable. That shouldn’t be surprising, with over 6 hours in cooling temperatures as the day turned to night and I headed north.
With the improved heated gear available today and better layering approaches, I wouldn’t worry about a similar ride today. I’ve been able to extend when I ride to essentially year-round. Yes, the bikes are parked when it snows, but fall and spring alone add thousands of additional miles each year, and I ride more often in the winter months with these simple gear additions.
Cold weather riding in the northeast needn’t seem like an impossible goal. A few additions to your gear and bike can make it a reality!