[mike721]

My first season riding into the cooler weather and intending to ride until the winter shuts me down. I'm looking to get something warm to wear on my legs, the last few mornings the ride to work (70 miles on the Interstate pre dawn) has been pretty chilly with the 50 degree air blowing right through my denim jeans. My textile jacket with liner kept my torso warm, and my new winter gloves worked great, but my legs were freezing.

I was thinking leather to block the wind, ( good idea?) but I'm not sure what to get....
Pants?
Overpants?
Chaps?

I change into a uniform at work so that's not a concern. I ride a cruiser with a windshield if that makes a difference. I'm thinking the pants would be worn with long johns or under armor type stuff under them, but maybe the overpants over the jeans would be better? Chaps over jeans are supposed to be good, but I'm a little worried about the cold getting in through the crotch..am I worrying too much about this?

I'll probably get a leather jacket later to go with them and complete my awesome badass leather cruiser outfit ;-), but for now the pants are what I need.

I started shopping, for discussion purposes lets compare these...
Overpants
http://www.jafrum.com/motorcycle-pants/mens-pants/lp1000
Chaps
http://www.jafrum.com/motorcycle-gear/leather-chaps/lc405
Pants
http://www.jafrum.com/motorcycle-pants/mens-pants/lp500

 

[hogcowboy]

It really depends on how cold you want to ride in. Chaps are just about the cheapest solution. You'll get people saying, they aren't worth it because your butt is hanging out.

That's true but from experience riding down to 15ºF, I can tell you chaps will work. Think about it. You are sitting on your butt and on top of a hot engine. NO PROBLEM.

I will say, once you get below about 25ºF, you might consider pants. But see the short range in which you will be able to use them? 25º to 15º isn't really worth it. Where chaps CAN be worn down to 15º and up to 100º.

Although I personally stop wearing them around 85º. Just because I start sweating too much and swap butt makes you look like you wizzed yourself.

 

[Hollywood-]

My wife and I both wear chaps ! They do work plus Cindy looks good in them....:icon_cool:

 

[hogcowboy]

Yeah, for some reason women look so much better in them.:thumbsup:

 

[Porky]

Chaps are great because they are easy to put on and take off. Those and a good, heavy duty leather jacket and winter gloves, with winter, high top boots, a scarf and a good windscreen will do wonders. Long underware helps too. heated grips and a heated seat are wonderful.

Chaps have one shortcoming though: The riders crotch is wide open to the elements!

Riding east out of Flagstaff, Arizona one summer, on the way to Sturgis from Southern Ca, we rode through a terrible rain storm. A while later, I wondered why my "GUY's" were so cold so I glanced down and my entire crotch area from legs to tank were covered in Hail!

Sam:biggrin:

 

[hogcowboy]

Chaps are great because they are easy to put on and take off. Those and a good, heavy duty leather jacket and winter gloves, with winter, high top boots, a scarf and a good windscreen will do wonders. Long underware helps too. heated grips and a heated seat are wonderful.

Chaps have one shortcoming though: The riders crotch is wide open to the elements!

Riding east out of Flagstaff, Arizona one summer, on the way to Sturgis from Southern Ca, we rode through a terrible rain storm. A while later, I wondered why my "GUY's" were so cold so I glanced down and my entire crotch area from legs to tank were covered in Hail!

Sam:biggrin:

And just where was that? I've yet to make it across Oklahoma without getting hailed on. For some reason that state hates me.

 

[zippywonder]

I have a pair of LL Bean jeans with the flannel lining in them. I've ridden in 30 degree weather (I'm a baby, wont go out much under that) and my legs where the only thing that stayed warm. If they were in the wash, I'd just throw on longjohns underneath a regular pair of jeans. For some reason, I can never seem to keep my neck warm during cold weather, and I can't stand having a cold neck.

 

[anybike]

This place has really good stuff at a really good price(don't tell them its a really good price)

http://www.leatherup.com/c/Mens-Motorcycle-Pants-and-Chaps/2/1067.html

Chaps are better than Long Johns, and it until it starts getting cold you won't need the lj.

If you're going tobe riding in the cold, you will need insulated boots, I have some leather insul boots, but I prefer the rubber insul boots, they are just much better for cold weather and far better as a riding boot...........but if your going to be inside you better have something to change into.

When the time comes that you need LJs with chaps, I just put on a pair of insulated bibs.......these things must've been made for motorcycles.

 

[Metaldoc]

For some reason, I can never seem to keep my neck warm during cold weather, and I can't stand having a cold neck.

Zippy... I'm the same way. I have both of these and they really work in the cold temps.

 

[velisoped]

^^ Yep, I second what Metaldoc said. I have one of those balaclava/baklava thingies, works great.

 

[Stainlesstehle]

Yeah, one of my riding buddies has flannel lined jeans too and loves them. I wear chaps when it gets colder, the only problem I have is the sides of my cheeks catching the freezing wind. If it gets really cold I wear my snowmobile bibs and jacket :thumbsup:
I guess it would also depend on how well you handle the cold. That will be a factor in what you wear in the chilly weather riding

 

[Eye_m_no_angel]

Back when I used to have to ride in colder temps I wore chaps, then as it got even colder I added long John's beneath my jeans. Or a pair of flannel lined jeans. Or both if it was cold enough.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Leather

I have leather pants and leather chaps. The pants are easier to put on over jeans, and are warmer. Cost about the same. Made in India or Bangladesh. But leather is no good for heavy rain. I carry a rain jacket and pants.
Colder still I switch to a pair of bib sailing pants, over long johns and pants warmer than jeans.
Have lined leather ( army ) boots, and have rain covers for them. Then I switch to insulated rubber boots.
I also switch bikes to a lighter XS400.

Unkle Crusty*

 

[Critter]

Look into a product called "freeze out" sold by Cycle Gear. It is a underall to keep your body heat in. Total package has socks, pants, long sleeve shirt, gloves, neck gator or bacala and or beanie. They have been on sale all summer.

 

[Steele11b]

Chaps are great because they are easy to put on and take off. Those and a good, heavy duty leather jacket and winter gloves, with winter, high top boots, a scarf and a good windscreen will do wonders. Long underware helps too. heated grips and a heated seat are wonderful.

Chaps have one shortcoming though: The riders crotch is wide open to the elements!

Riding east out of Flagstaff, Arizona one summer, on the way to Sturgis from Southern Ca, we rode through a terrible rain storm. A while later, I wondered why my "GUY's" were so cold so I glanced down and my entire crotch area from legs to tank were covered in Hail!

Sam:biggrin:

Porky I found your picture! :71baldboy:

 

[Bines]

Two layers of pants < pants under leather chaps < riding pants with insulated liner < riding pants with insulated liner over pants.

The less mesh the better for cold. Even decent riding pants liners though are made to defeat the wind.

I've decided somewhere in the 40Fs is my cut off for highway riding. Sedici mesh gear with liners and a balaclava under my modular helmet make down to high 20Fs tolerable, but even with leather insulated gloves and liners, my hands get dangerously cold. Dangerous as in, they hurt once they warm up enough to hurt. Like was said, highway speed makes for wicked wind chills.

I may try hand guards, better gloves or heated gloves, but probably my winter work commute will be in a cage.

 

[distantThunder]

you could also consider textile pants. not that expensive, excellent quality, very tough, very warm.

dT

 

[mike721]

Thanks for all the advice, I see why I was confused choosing between pants and chaps, they both apparently are workable solutions.

Time to do some shopping...

 

[MONI]

If I'm still cold with my chaps on I put my rain pants on over them. I also put on a pair of under armor long johns before I leave home if it's below 50*.

 

[hogcowboy]

The nice thing with chaps is you can take them off easy if temps fluctuate wildly like they do in Texas. You might be stuck with leather pants unless you wear additional ones under them. Not too practical but could be done. It's natural for chaps.