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Now that I’ve covered most of the major cold weather gear, it’s time mention some of the minor but nonetheless significant items that will make a dent in your cold weather riding.

A simple cotton bandana is a wonderful device at any temperature. It’s great at fending off flying debris and slowing dehydration in the summer, but at temperatures below about 70 degrees the insulation of your carotid arteries (they run up your neck on either side of your windpipe) which supplies warm blood to your brain, makes a noticable difference! This simple piece of fabric can make a chilly ride much more comfortable and can make a miserably cold ride bearable. I like to fold it in half and tie it bandit-style and pull it just under my lower lip. Since they can also be used to clean facesheilds and sunglasses, protect hands from hot parts, soaked in water it acts as an evaporative cooler or even cleaning up liquid and semi-liquid messes. It’s such a useful piece of fabric, I keep one in my jacket pocket all the time ….. because you never know when. When the temperatures start really dropping, you should find a more insulated neck covering. I like to combine a bandana underneath with a polar-fleece sleeve also known as a Turtle Warmer.

Amazing what a thin piece of cotton and polyester can do!

Any physical barrier you can put between you and the perpetual headwind will make a substantial difference on how much of a factor windchill plays. If your bike doesn’t have some type of a windscreen, you’re pretty much taking the hardest hit. The aftermarket does offer many choices if your bike doesn’t come with a stock screen and if it does, you can get taller versions or extensions. Anything that keeps the wind off you helps tremendously! Another excellent item is brush guards, those plastic covers that fit in front of the levers on dirt bikes. While these are primarily designed to protect hands from hits by rocks and tree limbs, they are also great at reducing the effects of windchill on the hands. Together with heated grips and gloves, this combo is amazingly effective in the coldest conditions.

While earplugs can perform wonders related to your auditory comfort, thy also provide an additional layer of insulation over one of your biggest heatsinks. Ever wonder why doctors take your temperature in your ears these days? It’s one of the easiest ways to get at your 98.6 deg core temp. Plug those holes.

One of the best ways to insure that warm feeling is to make sure your internal furnace has a plentiful supply of the fuel it needs. Your own personal energy/chemical factory needs to be near the full mark to carry on the processes required to keep you warm from the inside. Staying well fed and hydrated is the best way to assist all your exterior systems.

In the next installment I cover some of the indirectly related items that won’t keep you any warmer, but may keep you safer.

Rhino