I've ridden a dirt bike below 0 with a -30 wind chill, where after a good long ride, a 2 minute break to pee (a dangerous act at that temp) required the choke lever on the ol' Mikuni!

I was MUCH younger then. I now have my first street bike, a Fat Boy. It was windy but 55 degrees yesterday afternoon, and I deliberately cut my ride short to return home and warm up. I had a thin sweatshirt under a really heavy leather jacket, boots, and gauntlet type gloves.

I am in love with this bike and look forward to continued riding, but I guess my blood thinned out quite a bit. I never thought I'd quit before my compensator...

Yes, I was ashamed...

 

I wear a pair of Tour Master pants over blue jeans and what ever else I can put on. The top.... all I can layer and a leather jacket. Of course I wear gloves and boots. The lowest I have ridden is 8 degrees. This year I most likely will not go below 20 because of the drugs I am taking to thin my blood is making me colder natured. I ride a 2006 Heritage. OH a face mask also.

I typically layer well enough that the only thing that can get to me is through my gloves and face mask. I should buy a full face helmet but I am too cheap to do so.

 

I've left for Daytona from Massachusetts in February at 12 degrees. I think the wind chill at 70mph for that is around -15 to -20 degrees. But... I've always been somewhat of a cuckoo-bird.

I dress in layers... no electrics. I have always found what I needed at military surplus stores, like the cold weather polyproplene first layer. My outer layer to the wind however, was pricey but worth it... a Harley heavy duty rainsuit which I bought a tad bigger for fit over the layered stuff beneath. I also have full-boot gaiters if I need them.

Best investment I ever made regarding riding in the cold was a pair of Air Force extreme cold weather gauntleted mitts. I think they were about 20 bucks about 15 years ago. And I don't even use the heavy wool mitt insert that came with them. Instead I use wool Navy flight deck glove liners underneath. I carry a couple extra pairs in the bags in case the ones I'm wearing get wet with sweat.

I'm a serious rider and I think nothing to take my bike on a trip pretty much anywhere in any weather conditions except snow.

 

The coldest I ever rode in was 27 degrees. Normally I never ride when it's cold enough to have ice on the road. You never know where the ice will be.

I wear two thermals on top with a Kilmanjaro Jacket and electric gloves, long john's and leather pants, REI expedition weight socks and a pair of lace-up Harley boots. Also, full face and a scarf.

 

You gotta get yourself a pair of these chaps.

 

I have ridden in 11 degrees,on the Grand Central Parkway,back when I was an idiot. I'm not an idiot now,just a wuss. Hate ridin' in anything but a T-shirt,or light jacket. So I don't ride,except locally, when the temp goes below 70-75. I HAVE, however, ridden in a Cat 1 hurricane (Jeanne,2005) so stuff that wuss crap!!

 

Heated gear is my preference. I've been using it for 2 years and have ridden down into the high 20s. It's not bulky and you can ride a lot longer. With layers & insulation you are just slowing down how fast you loose heat. With heated gear you are actually replacing the lost heat. My morning commute is 40 miles. Before my heated gear it didn't matter what I wore, eventually I got cold and the bulkiness was not comfortable. Now I just turn the gear on & ride. I actually have to switch it of when I stop because it's too hot & I don't have a thermostat but I only have 2 traffic lights on my commute so the switch is fine.

 

In my 20's I used to ride in -2C 28 or so for you yank's and there was usually ice on the roads bu I couldn't afford a truck and a bike so I rode if I went anywhere for about two years. Even got caught riding home from work in the snow a few times. The temp never bothered me just the slick roads…Now thT I'm twice as old an have half the ***** I only ride to 3C or about 37 F and I need a heated vest and chaps. IMO the heated vest is key I got mine (a blackjack) for $70.00 Can probably $50.00 US. Worth every penny.

 

Leaving for the hills this morning...chaps, leathers Mid 40's here....Any colder i will plug the heated gloves n socks til it warms up....Been down to 15 degrees...Bulky and a bit cumbersome but damn it;s fun to ride year round....

 

I dont want to ride in cold weather, did that for a whole lotta years in Minnesota. And I aint gonna tell ya'll how cold it was OR what I wore because most of ya'll would either think I was lying or crazy. Now I wear the state of Arizona to keep warm.