I'm looking for good (excellent) really cold weather riding pants. Not heated and not necessarily waterproof. It seems everything I search for is cold and rain wear but since I never ride in the rain (even when its warm) I don't need such a thing. I simply want the warmest pants made for motorcycle riding.
Carhart jeans with flannel lining, and if need be, insulated leather chaps on top. This layering has gotten me through some "chilly" Colorado winter riding when I lived there.
Back when I was much younger and ran my bikes all year....I used snowmobile pants. The bottoms to a snowmobile outfit - these are MADE for the cold and they work well for bikes. Find a snowmobile dealer and check out their Winter togs.
I have FirstGear HT II Overpants that are pretty warm and can be used as just rainpants. I only wore them a few times @ around 30 degrees and they were just fine with just jeans, no thermals.
Ditto on Cabela's fleece jeans or Carhartt flannel jeans.. Both good stuff.
Add a set of leather chaps or a set of Carhartt insulated bib overalls and you are cozy well into the 20's.
Under Armour "Cold Gear" base layer - keeps you warm and dry. Any moisture = cold.
Flannel-lined jeans or Wrangler insulated jeans. Warm and comfortable.
A wind-proof outer layer like line chaps or snowmachine gear as mentioned before. Snowmachine gear is warm, windproof, well-built, and made for riding. I've seen leather gear even.
Snowmachine helmets are an idea as well. Insulated, well-ventilated (i.e. fog-resistant visors) and the better ones are DOT.
I just purchased a pair of Joe Rocket Alter Ego over pants, I love these pants the fit and comfort is amazing.
The thing that I really like the most other than the protection they are pretty cool looking, they are definently not leather chaps looking more like something a Man would wear .......lol
Lets face it chaps are pretty darn gay looking with your ass hanging out the back :redrolf:
Every one ask me if I'm going snowboarding I just tell them to go F off and die...........lol they know I'm just kidding most of the time.
Not affiliated in any way with Joe rocket,I just love these frigging pants
I bought a pair of overpants, FieldSheer Mercury Pants, through motorcyclecloseouts.com for $80 last September and have used them over jeans while riding in 20 degree weather in Michigan. Work great at a great price. Very durable.
They are waterproof, but that means their windproof too. They have a removable quilted lining. I have never worn them without the lining since if I'm using them, it's well below freezing.
MotoGP Ballistic, lined (removable) riding pants with knee armor. $99 at www.newenough.com
I'm wearing them here. You can't see them well, but I rode about 60 miles that day and was toasty warm. It was Christmas Eve.... Temp was 28* at this point. They go over your jeans.
No one has mentioned Bib-overalls. When I had to be outside for a long time in the cold.
Put on my long johns, pants. Bought oversize bibs to pull over it all. Like all said, you need loose clothing with air pockets between. Carheart does have a great clothing line.
When I got to where I was going to. Pull the bibs off. They sell elastic velcro straps to tie the bottom of the bibs so air dosen't go up your pants leg. JMHO, Dave