Table of contents
to travel
Winter equipment
Winter equipment
Antifreeze coat
Freezing motorcyclists are to blame: after all, there are really warm things for ice-cold winter days.
Michael Schroder, Immo Dubies
01/05/1996
Everyone knows it: the right hand twitches, the thoughts turn into curvy swarms, then the sprint into the garage and a look under the dusty tarpaulin at the logged off bike – in short: winter withdrawal symptoms, year after year, usually between November and April. It is great to ride a motorcycle on a sunny winter’s day despite the freezing cold. It doesn’t have to be the rock-hard trip to the Arctic Circle. Every now and then a short drive through the white splendor, which lies like powdered sugar over the house route, brings variety to the dreary winter months. Provided the streets have been cleared – and clothes and equipment are correct. However, two rules should be considered before choosing the appropriate clothing: The best insulation is achieved by several layers of appropriate clothing, between which there is still space for a warming air cushion. In addition, the clothing must be wide enough to ensure optimal freedom of movement: you freeze faster if the blood circulation is obstructed. Therefore, special underwear, such as those offered by every sports or trekking retailer, is suitable for winter trips: particularly warming materials also transport sweat away Body to the outside and ensure a good indoor climate. If the sweat dries in the clothing, this can lead to the driver cooling down, especially on longer journeys. For the second »layer«, fiber fur or fleece clothing is ideal. The latter consists of a warming synthetic fiber on the inside, through which the body moisture can evaporate to the outside. If you then step into a driver’s suit with a Gore-Tex membrane, even the coldest days can do little because the breathable material also transports sweat into the ambient air. Furthermore, the textile suits are waterproof and offer a certain level of security thanks to protectors. The disadvantage: corresponding textile combinations cost a lot of money. The classic, not only for the occasional winter driver, is therefore still the cheaper thermal suit (1), which can be easily pulled over and easily worn over a leather suit. The wide cut of the thermal suits offers a high level of comfort and allows you to wear warm fleece clothing underneath. From 200 marks there are various models in motorcycle dealers, which are always sufficient for excursions in our part of the world. However, these suits keep the sweat in the clothing and offer little protection without a leather suit. The Yukon vest (2), which costs 375 marks, guarantees a permanent feeling of warmth, together with the alpine chaps for 340 marks from Schmidtler. Both parts are electrically heated and even fit under a leather suit. Only the uncovered parts of the body such as the buttocks and arms cool down quickly, otherwise you can ride a motorcycle for hours in icy temperatures with this combination. A cold butt can be prevented by Meier’s heated bench (not shown). An assembly kit costs 219 marks, for 375 marks the system is built into the bench that has been sent in. The driver and front passenger seats can be separated and heated with two temperature settings (10/35 watts). The 849 Mark expensive, two-piece heating suit from Vuranok (4) also fits under a leather suit and kept MOTORRAD testers at 90 km / h and temperatures of for several hours minus four degrees comfortably warm. The heating output is 120 watts, and there is a temperature control for an additional charge. Jackets and trousers are available in sizes 44 to 58 and also as individual items (450/430 Marks), but the poor fit tarnishes the good overall impression. Feet and hands are one of the critical areas on winter trips that are most likely to cool down and therefore also the give the subjective impression that the whole body is cold. The driver’s ability to concentrate quickly declines at the latest. With good ski stockings (3) from the appropriate specialist retailer, for example, Gore-Tex boots can be worn down to freezing point. Tip: if your feet are cold, drive slowly and let your legs dangle. After a while, an air cushion forms around the feet, which then warms up a little. It’s better to ride with heated insoles (7) for 249 marks from Eddi Bike. Unfortunately, the soles are only suitable for extreme temperatures, because already in the first stage (16 watts) the temperature of the sole rises to a measured 40 degrees. The top of the foot still remains cold. The foot heating is available in shoe sizes from 36 to 47. The winter rubber boots (6) by Hein Gericke, lined with a woven fur, are ideal. On the one hand, the “Six Day Boots” only cost 89 marks, on the other hand they keep your feet warm for hours – without electrical aids. In addition, the boots are completely waterproof. If you then use an insole made of lamb fur, your feet can hardly be cold. More is really not possible. Thick winter gloves should not only provide warmth, but must also guarantee the driver the greatest possible freedom of movement and protective function. Although handlebar cuffs (5) keep the fingers warm in combination with good gloves, they should only be attached when other aids are no longer sufficient. The cuffs, which are fixed to the handlebars, significantly restrict the rider’s freedom of movement and, in the event of a fall, may prevent the rider from getting off the motorcycle in time. A combination of wind-repellent enduro hand protectors (11) and electric heated grips (8) is more sensible. Hein Gericke offers two-stage handle heating for 99 marks: 48 watts for quick heating and 15 watts for economical continuous operation. Better, however, are the single-stage heated grips for 69 marks, whose output is a more appropriate 21 watts for continuous operation. The 379 Mark expensive heated gloves from Baehr (10), whose heating output can be continuously adjusted up to 25 watts, are ideal. In addition, the gloves, which are available in eight sizes, are completely waterproof and offer the same freedom of movement for the hands as conventional all-round gloves. In thick three-finger gloves (13), two fingers warm each other. Operating the brake and clutch, however, takes a lot of getting used to because the freedom of movement is significantly restricted. The heated kidney belt from Combike (9) for 139 marks is quite cheap, but it heats up too much: the temperature rises to over 40 degrees, which can be very uncomfortable in the long run. In addition to the on / off switch, continuous regulation would be very desirable in this case. The neck is also particularly at risk in winter. Scarves are of little use because, in addition to the supply of fresh air, they also restrict freedom of movement. The wind also pulls through the coarse rope. Balaclavas with a long neck collar are much more effective (12). Breathable winter storm hoods cost between 20 and 35 marks in motorcycle shops. A useful addition are neck ruffs with chin and shoulder protection, which in this combination keep out any drafts. Actually, nothing stands in the way of an extended winter tour. If you want to go to Norway or Austria now, you should definitely have spikes (14) installed in the profiles of Enduro tires on site. Tips on this in the info box of the Norway travel history. In these bitterly cold regions, even the best engine struggles with cold start problems. This can be remedied by a conventional start-up spray (15), which is sprayed into the air filter. The spray lowers the flash point, which means that the mixture ignites even at lower temperatures. Especially in winter, dirt, moisture and road salt attack the motorcycle more than in summer. It is advisable to wash the bike thoroughly after a long ride: conventional total cleaners (16) are suitable, which are simply applied and rinsed off with a water jet. It is important to take care of it afterwards. For this purpose, there are sprays such as Total-Pfleger S 100 (17) for around 17 Marks or special corrosion protection sprays (18) in specialist shops. This gives all metal parts a new shine and provides lasting protection against rust. Like a sip of cough syrup (19) that prevents the driver from having sleepless nights after long winter tours.
Contact addresses for winter equipment
Baehr, Marktstrasse 2, 66957 Vinningen, phone 0 63/50 04; Combike, Schwenkgasse 6, 73240 Wendlingen, phone 0 70/66 23; Eddi Bike, Bahnhofstrasse 35, 67586 Hillesheim, phone 0 67 33/16 90. KFZ-Technik Meier, Auf dem Quabben 51, 27404 Zeven, phone 0 42 81/4300; Schmidtler, Wilhelmstrasse 14, 80801 Munich, phone 0 89/39 28 17; Voranok, Von-Kettler-Strabe 4, 51061 Cologne, phone 02 21/6 40 13 91;
Related articles
-
Presentation of electric heating aids for winter drivers
mps photo studio clothing Presentation of electric heating aids for winter drivers Presentation of electric heating aids for winter drivers Hot shots…
-
to travel Winter trip Upper Bavaria Winter trip Upper Bavaria Slip festival Snow and ice shine on the streets, the house route is barely recognizable…
-
Product test: winter equipment
Artist clothing Product test: winter equipment Buying advice: winter equipment Equipment tips for frost and snow Let’s not kid ourselves: winter has only…
-
to travel Winter tour Winter tour Caught cold In winter through the mountains on two wheels ?? a real challenge. And in the saddle of an almost…
-
Winter motorcycle clothing for cold days
Schmid 9 pictures MPS studio 1/9 Thermoboy 365+: 59.90 euros, MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory. MPS studio 2/9 BMW PCM undersuit: 240 euros, MOTORRAD…
-
Winter trip to the Bavarian Forest
Iron ham 12th pictures Iron ham 1/12 Where piles of motorbikes park at the Arberseehaus Biketreff in summer, piles of icicles await in winter. Iron ham…
-
Siepmann to travel Winter tour Finland Winter tour Finland Ice age on the motorcycle To explore one’s own limits and those of the 34-year-old Guzzi was…
-
Rev’it Sirius 2 H20: tried out winter gloves
Jorg Kunstle. clothing gloves Rev’it Sirius 2 H20: tried winter gloves Rev’it Sirius 2 H20 Tried winter gloves The Rev’it Sirius 2 H20 is a motorcycle…
-
to travel Winter destinations Winter destinations Where to go in winter If you don’t want to do without motorbike fun in winter, you need imagination, a…
-
clothing Classic motorcycle equipment Classic motorcycle equipment Legend without end? Fackelmann station wagon, Elefantenboy, Pichler disguise: What…