Jackets Best dedicated winter jacket - non-electric

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jcpollman

I am looking for the best winter jacket which is non-electric. By "best" I mean not only good weather protection, but very good crash protection as well. Currently I use a Fieldsheer Hydro with liner, and it is not too bad on the ST, but I also have a Falco which I can not ride below 40 degrees longer than 30 minutes with the Fieldsheer. I am currently leaning towards a Motoport with full liners, but $600 is a fair amount of money. Note: I already have good summer/spring/fall gear, so I am looking for a dedicated winter jacket.

Thoughts?

JC
 
You specify non-electric, but if you have already good gear for fall or spring, an electric liner will address the cold very effectively. Food for thought.
 
dedicated winter sounds like you're looking for something thick and bulky. A better option is layered, vented, weatherproof and mobile from freezing rain and blasting wind to decent weather. layers off the top of my head: Moisture absorbing breathable layer (shirt), temperature maintaining layer (heat/cool vest), insulating layer (liner), weather breaking layer(jacket).

If you're looking for the best aerostich seems like the golden standard.
 
You might try a down vest under what you already have. I wore one under my Motophoria jacket this morning and kept toasty warm for 30 minutes at 27 degrees. Heated grips, seat and oversize windshield may have helped also.:-)
 
I'm with Bones. I've been riding for 30+ years and just bought electrics a couple of months ago. I said the same thing everyone says when they first get them, "I should have done this long ago."
I say get a jacket liner and dual heattroller, because you will want to add gloves soon. I got mine from Warm and Safe. If you wear one of the larger sizes, they still have some "2nd's" left for $85! The Dual Heattroller will set you back $100. Cycle gear has the liners on sale for $179.
For $300 (or $200 if they have your size) you will be warmer than the Motoport and have $300 left over for more farkles!

http://www.warmnsafe.com/index.php?...03_102&zenid=93c75b4fb54d8fe66e5e294d0d5279e7

http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=5000&L2=4&L3=141&L4=&item=TUC_51-2785_G
 
I winter ride with Firstgear Kilamanjaro in the winter. Inexpensive but effective in weather and cold. I believe I found it on sale for around $150 &I live in Minnesota where we know cold. Ps I also have a Gerbring vest to supplement when the temps dip in the low 40’s Oh and StIHrke when does it get to 27 in Mississippi :*)
 
The New First Gear stuff is really good. They have it broken up in layers so you can mix and match. Check them out at the website. I can hook you up if you know the sizes you need. I can have it dropped shipped right to you.

Heated grips are the bomb just installed some Saturday and rode today in 30 degree weather for an hour each way. No problems. OH yeah Tourmaster jacket(liner and shoer sleeve shirt) First gear overpants.
 
I was born and raised in Minnesota, so I know cold all too well. Currently I live in the DC area, where, except for a few snow days, you can ride year round with the right gear. I own a Motoport air mesh jacket already, and it is outstanding until the temps go south of 50. I also have heated gloves which are essential for me when its 40 or lower. Unfortunately both my bikes are a bit under powered for electrical stuff, so I am hesitant to go more than just gloves. Another option I have been thinking about is using a down jacket I own (which feels like it has a nuclear reactor in it) and getting a separate set of armor - Motoport sells an armored shirt reasonably cheap. I was trying to avoid this, and the electric vest, as the ride to work is only 30 minutes and I do not want to spend more time gearing up than the ride.

As another possibility, I am also looking for a good leather jacket with reasonable armor and solid insulation, but I have not found anything even close to acceptable.

JC
 
I wear a First Gear Kilimanjaro when the temps are below 50 and it works well down to 35 with good long underwear and a sweater. I bought a heated liner and gloves this year with dual heat troller; wore a regular light sweater, the liner under my Kilimanjaro in 25 degree temp over 100 miles and was very comfortable. The heat troller was only turned up about 3/4 of the way!

The Kilimanjaro is heavy and appears to provide quite a bit of protection but gets quite warm over 50 degrees even with the liner removed.
 
I have this jacket. On the fully faired ST on my 55 mile commute into the office with the jacket liner in over a Gerbings jacket and a short sleeve polo I don't turn on the Gerbings unless it gets down to 40 or below. Some sort of really warm sweater under it ought to be comfy down into the 30s on a calm day on a fully faired bike without resorting to electrics. On a cross windy under 50 degree day where the still air pocket is collapsed I'd not leave home without the Gerbings. The blue and white jacket pictured also comes in a really nice black/charcoal color.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/belstaff/challenger-jacket/
 
Olympia AST - I wear this Summer and Winter. I have the Hi-VIS Yellow because getting hurt at my age means I don't eat, my bills don't get paid, I won't have a house, and there is only one income - mine since I am self employed. This AST has some fantastic ventilation. I have 3 different mesh jackets, but I can say the AST actually flows more air through it's adjustable venting system than the mesh. On Summer mornings in the mountains, I have to close-off the arms because I get too cold. It's so easy to adjust as the day goes on, you just open the sleeve and pocket zippers to control the airflow. The exit vents are in the back and those make the whole system work. This AST has been the perfect companion to the Gerbing full liner too. They come with a nice removable liner that can be worn by itself, but the Gerbing wins the liner race in the sub 40's temps.

Yes, the AST will be hot standing in stopped traffic. I don't spend much time stopped so the visibility and protection is 10 times more important to me. I would suggest one of these to anyone looking for 1 jacket to do everything.

Regards,
Gordon
 
I have an Oly AST jacket as well as Motoport Kevlar Air Mesh II with liner... I use the Oly AST during the winter with the Motoport liner... I can ride in the low 30's no problem.

If it's 20's, it's the AST with electrics on :bow1:
 
Your question was about Jackets... but I have to mention that when it is really cold (under 30) I have found that my insulated bibs are at least as important when staying warm if I don't want to use the electrics. Mine are inexpensive ($130 +/-), but they are heavily insulated, and waterproof. They were actually made for a snowmobile. When sealed up they add an extra layer to my belly and lower to mid back- where I get drafts otherwise.

I have put them with an standard issue insulated motorcycle jacket and been very comfortable for extended time. NOW, that said, I did invest in a jacket liner and heated gloves, made some heated pants and heated insoles and together with my heated grips, I just love them to death.
 
Bought a TourMaster Epic last year and it has worked very well - hi Viz, insulated liner, nice collar and decent armor - good down to the 30's. Add a Gerbing liner and I'm good into the teen's. Any colder than that and I'm happy using the truck!
 
Best jacket I have owned has always been the Belstaff line, I have a Discovery jacket and it's on season #5. Still does the job.

British Motorcycle Gear makes the Discovery now. I compared mine to theirs and no difference I could see.

Great jacket overall for cool to cold temps even better with a heated vest.
 
+1 on the First Gear Kilimanjaro! Rode today (35 degrees) for about 90 minutes. Warm and dry! Started to rain/sleet about 10 minutes from home.
 
I can't believe nobody recommended the Aerostich Darien jacket. It's superb cold weather gear. Blocks the wind very well, is highly moisture resistant with minor upkeep, and is Gore-Tex lined. It's available with a variety of liners, both fleece and electric. Excellent padding and protection, and it's repairable in the event of a get-off.

Pop out the liner, opent the vents, and it does an amazingly decent job of flowing air in the warm weather, too.

FWIW,

Don
 
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