I am unashamedly a fan of Keis heated motorcycle clothing. Base layers are a most welcome addition, but I’m all about the heat. None of us wants to be cold – well, OK, I’m sure there is someone who does – but most of us would prefer to be warm rather than feeling like the proverbial brass monkey.
As winter arrives in the northern hemisphere, then takes a break, only to return a week later, there is no shortage of suggestions about Staying Warm on a Motorcycle.
Whereas base layers and the thermal liners in motorcycle jackets are a welcome addition when the weather turns colder, they are not a real step-change in insulation.
The best jacket liner I have is the one in the Helite Touring Air jacket. Yet, despite being the best liner I have, I’ve decided to remove it and get through to spring using my Keis heated jacket as the insulating layer.
Bulk Vs Science
At the risk of repeating myself [You are repeating yourself ~ Ed.] “… without an energy source to create heat, even the very best motorcycle clothing can only slow the rate at which you will become cold. You are going to get cold. It is just a question of how long it takes.”
The air around you is colder than you are, and what your wear provides an insulation layer to slow heat loss, but it can’t make it zero. If you wish to remain warm, you need to replace the heat that you lose.
Base Layers
Base layers come in a variety of styles and fabrics. I’ve seen base layers described as being made from hollow fibres that enhance thermal insulation, and then there are the non-wicking fibres that reportedly do not draw heat from your body. Merino Wool is perhaps the most renowned and the most expensive base layer material.
The debate as to which is the most effective will rage on and on. They all function in the same way. By putting an additional layer between your body and the cold outside air, they slow the rate at which you become cold.
I bought my base layers in Lidl two winters ago. They are functional and help retain my body heat, but in a 60mph wind with a wind chill of -5°C, base layers are not going to keep me from becoming cold.
Quilted Jackets
One of the most successful additions to my winter motorcycle clothing was a cheap but thick, quilted jacket. It was an impulse purchase and made me look like Bibendum (the Michelin Man), but it did help me retain my body heat for longer.
Most quilted jackets use bulk to stop heat loss. If you want something thinner that is also effective, the price tends to rise quite steeply.
Putting an inch thick quilted jacket under my riding jacket was an improvement over the skinny liner my old jacket came with but squeezing it all in without busting a zip was always a challenge.
The most difficult parts were the arms, or to be exact, the cuffs. The sleeves on my jacket were too large to allow the cuff vents to be closed, and then my gloves wouldn’t go over the jacket.
What I needed was something a bit more scientific rather than just stuffing as much padding as I could fit under my jacket.
Unplugged
It might seem odd to wear a Keis heated bodywarmer and not power it on. However, there is a layer in Keis heated motorcycle clothing designed to reflect heat towards your body and another layer that insulates you from the cold air. Add those together, and you get a highly effective insulation layer, even before turning on the heating.
The only downside was that my arms were not as warm as I might have wanted when the body warmer wasn’t powered on. For this winter I gave in and bought – yes, bought with my own cash money – a Keis Heated Jacket.
Gas Mark 3
Even though Keis jackets make superb liners, the most significant benefit comes when the Keis jacket is powered on [You don’t say ~ Ed]. Gas Mark 3 (full power) kept me warm on a recent 300+ mile ride and was especially welcome when the sun went down and the temperature dropped significantly.
As Neil Jewell pointed out in his Winter Skill Fade article – Cold saps concentration. QED: Stay warm. Stay toasty. Stay alert.
As I seem to be repeatedly saying… I have never understood why I needed to be cold on a motorcycle. There truly is no need. And it isn’t just when motorcycling.
A few weeks from now, I’ll be attending an award ceremony, the venue for which is a 16h century cathedral. I’m not sure who thought a stone building on top of a hill and devoid of heating in the middle of January was a good idea, but I’ll be the one staying toasty. Keis G102 heated gloves plugged into my Keis body warmer and all set to a gentle simmer thanks to my Keis portable battery.
But let’s keep that between you and me.
Clarity
The header image is based on an original work by Marcel Strauss, and the Merino Wool image is based on a work by Frantisek Duris. Both are used here under license.
