Help me spec a SV to a winter commuter

Hi

I am going to commute to work through as much of winter as I can, so I need to prep the bike (and myself). I do about 60 miles a day about 50% Motorway and 50% in London.

I have worked out some categories and I would like your help.

Important
Top Box (Givi? Which one?) I know these are not cool but I need clothes/food and a laptop and I currently have a tank bag, tail pack and backpack and none of these are really waterproof.

Heated grip (which ones? Oxford, heard some bad things about them)

Hand protectors (muffs or bar end guards like the DL650 ones?)

ACF50


Nice to have
Scottoiler or is this a necessity as the roads and weather get worse
Touring screen (which one?)
Stomp Pads

Any things else I have missed?

Thanks

I'd suggest somekind of visor insert - fogging is a big pain in the b*tt. And if you wear glasses, try contacts.

[Drew Carey]

I would say the Scottoiler is a must with that kind of mileage as is the ACF-50. Simply clean, apply then let the dirt build up over the winter.

[Taipan]

As good as heated grips are for me they are more heated palm warmers and yes they are better than nothing but I personally wouldn't pay out money for them. I'd like to try heated gloves though. Speaking of gloves try the "lobster claw" gloves from Held or Hein Gericke as I find them effective in colder weather.

If youre goioing to go with bar muffs get Tucano Urbano ones. They are properly shaped and fit to your bar ends to stop the wind blowing them back on your levers like oxford crappy ones.

ACF is good. Also clean your bike with parrafin as this leaves an oily residue on the bike which helps too.

Chain maintenance is a real pain in winter, so yes a scottoiler is a good idea and lengthens the intervals for adjusting etc. I've never had much luck with scottoilers but most folk do.

My journeys only 16miles to work but its majority busy motorway.
Things I needed were: Thermals / mainly in the trouser region but I lasted less than a week into December last year without needing something to warm the cockells lol.

I didnt bother with the heated grips either. Just a decent set of winter gloves and again some thermal inserts, heard far too many horror stories of flat batteries from those grips.

[fastdruid]

Heated clothing. Makes the difference between slowing the loss of heat and being *toasty*, also means that your hands/feet don't get as cold as the body doesn't shut down circulation to the extremities. You will be more alert, you will enjoy riding more (crisp mornings are ace).

Nothing like being sat on the motorway with the external temp being -5 yet you can just snuggle down a bit and feel the warmth, bliss.

Best thing I ever bought for winter riding was my heated jacket. It's so good that if it died (mine is ~5 years old) I'd go out and buy another immediately although I think I'd get a waistcoat next time so that I could fit it easier under my leather jacket too.

Only thing to be wary of is you have to remember that just because you are warm doesn't mean it's that warm out there, couple of times to start with I nearly got caught out in icy weather.

Druid

[jambo]

For that commute I'd say:
1) Scottoiler
2) Top-box (Though bungee nets and bin liners have served me well in the past)
3) Bar muffs & heated grips, or heated gloves.
4) Warm clothing.


Stomp grip couldn't be less of a priority.

Topbox is a good idea - mine has never leaked in even the worst rain fall.

Heated grips are also a good idea, as are handlebar muffs; these not only keep the wind off you, but when its rianing prevent your hands from becoming wet, and therefore cold. Such a set up allows you to carry on wearing summer gloves, therefore retaining the feedback you get. Brand-wise, see what HG do...they have some daytona type ones, which are apparently far better than the oxford ones. I dont like the oxford ones but im lumbered with them really.

Get good textiles, and like FD recommends, a heated waistcoat thingy. I havn't got one, but I will get one.

Some sort of wipes to keep your visor, mirrors and headlights clean

Keep chainlube and WD40 on you

A high-vis jacket; teknik do a good one which zips up, and has some pockets for things. Dosnt get as dirty as quickly as those cheapy ones you get at halfords etc

Totally agree on the visor insert and contact lenses-not glasses.

Good jacket/trousers with thermal lining a good start- perhaps some 'baselayer' thermals and a microfleece should keep most of the cold out.

I've got an HG Oxan jacket- leather, but waterproof lined. Aside from needing reproofing (and a couple of new zips), it's a great jacket for winter- nice and warm with the thermal lining in and keeps the wind out. Got HG Tricky II textile trousers too- will invest in the Oxan trousers at some point.

It's expensive gear (nearly £500 for the jacket and trousers), but well worth it. Need to re-proof it all soon though.

Silk balaclava to keep the bonce warm.

. I used Richa Baltic gloves last year- got a size too big and some inner gloves (thermal fleece- will try silk this year). Was OK for a 30min commute in 0 degrees or less- some A3 (read as motorway) and some local, but started getting well cold near the end, so a 60 mile commute in sub-zero might need something more- never tried heated gloves, but sounds like a good idea.

Maybe some anti mist/rain repellant for the visor. Even with a pinlock, I get a touch of misting by my mouth at slow speeds in cool temperatures- so anti mist will help minimise this. It also forms a layer under all the muck that should make it easier to clean (just think of all that dirty road salt that'll cake the visor soon- looking forward to that!).

Silkolene Pro FST for those winter morning starts- works a treat and reduces cylinder knocking for the first 5-10 mins of the ride.

Oh- and a nice hot bowl of porridge afore ye set off!

[fastdruid]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

Some sort of wipes to keep your visor, mirrors and headlights clean

I forgot that one, when it's icy they will grit and then if it's at all damp on the motorway your visor will be covered in a salty crust within 5 miles.

I used to carry some tissue in my LHS pocket where I could reach in, grab it and wipe my visor, you can get various things to do the same, you can get a thingy to clip to your finger (V wipe??) for example but as I was wearing lobster gloves it didnt' work for me.

I'd also wash my visor twice a day (once at work and once at home) and give my headlight a wipe before every ride. Mirrors I didn't have a problem with but YMMV.

You can see here just how bad it gets

In comparison to clean.



Druid