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NZ is not part of Australia!

Winter down here has arived about a month too early. Can't blame the Aussies for it either since the really nasty stuff comes up from Antarctica. The Aussies actually are the ones who send us fine, hot weather. Lovely blokes once you get to understand them.

But the cold weather, coupled with my decrepit old body, is making me aware of winter riding gear as never before. Oh for those happy days of youth when I could surf for housrs wearing just swimming togs. Anyway for our conditions which rarely see me riding in less than 5 C weather, up until now I've been wearing thermal bits under leathers and adding a rain suit over the top. Neck warmer, heated grips and hand guards of course, and cold feet are never a problem on the Breva (and Buell). But now I'm wondering about getting a fabric suit for winter. Questions about them are; how difficult is it to open the way to have a pee, and where to find a suit with bum protection against road abrasion?

Any sensible advice please?
 
GrahamNZ wrote:
Any sensible advice please?
Click to expand...

I guess most of the bigger brands use tissues that give protection that's (almost) on a par with leather. I don't know what brands you can find in NZ though ... Hein Gericke is supposed to be very good.
 
AeroStitch is very nice - though I would imagine the shipping cost to NZ would be a bit stiff. I have had my two piece for about 8 years and will replace it when it wears out. http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/index.html I can layer under it for changing weather, and with an electric vest it has to be really bad before I stop riding - or snowing. Just really good kit.
 
Thanks for the suit links. I'll check out available brands here. We do get a lot of importrd gear, but mostly Australian, Italian, Japanese and from surprising places.

I've yet to spot a suit which appears to have bum protection, but maybe some have Kevlar in there or something?

Peeing when wearing a leather suit is easy - just the usual fly arrangement - but for the fabric suits to be waterproof they seem to need an internal gusset, which would worry me when the weather is cold and every little thing is even shorter than usual. How does one cope then? Since I often pee al fresco at the roadside, I don't want to partly undress in cold weather. Am I imagining there's a problem with peeing?

One of the reasons why I mostly use a flip-face helmet is that I can see what I'm doing when peeing with the helmet still on. My bladder and prostate are fine, by the way. It's not that need to pee often but when I need I must. ;)
 
Graham the weatherproof flaps work just fine and fold out of the way. I've been using one for ages though I'm less impressed with the protective qualities of many of them.
Now with regards to the Tea Tax that seems only fair as it only makes you wanna stop and dive into your nether regions more often. Perhaps rum is the lubrication suitable for the winter months. :whistle:Now it's all coming back to me .. Yeh a rum rebellion I think that might be wot kickstarted things in the right direction over here:woohoo: :woohoo:
 
There are indeed suits with kevlar, but a couple-hundred denier cordura or similar also go a long way.

You've probably read I had 2 crashes between 40 and 55km/h this year. No physical damage to my person, the suit kept up just fine, and only got damaged at the level of 1 zipper and the push buttons ... and of course where I had too much stuff in my pockets.

I'm not sure if you're really planning to go down at higher speeds? :S

For P-ing, any arrangement with a 3/4 jacket and a fly is cumbersome in my opinion, esp. when wearing multiple layers and an unwillingness to open too much of them. I'm voting for a Dune-style still-suit, or some other kind of extension tube :silly:
 
ewe seem have a penis problem ,at your age you should be wearing a waterproof nappy or you could attach a plastic hose to it and run it down the inside your leathers ,and strap it to your boot and you dont have to stop at all: :laugh: :woohoo:
 
Graham confessed (or maybe lamented):

every little thing is even shorter than usual.


OK, let's just say I might be able to empathize with you :blush: I bought an Alpinestars "Drystar" suit last year to wear to Alaska. The pants and jacket/parka are waterproof, and the jacket has a removable winter liner. Protection is abundant in all the usual spots, but don't try to take the pads out for washing without drawing a diagram :angry: I had a devil of a time putting them back in - like a jigsaw puzzle. I had to order XXL when normally a large or XL will fit. The clothing is sized really small, so make sure you go up at least one size from your regular.

The suit performed great with no leaking anywhere, very good insulation and, as I said, good protection. I rode in the rain most of the time on that trip, and I was very impressed with the outfit.

As for taking a leak on the roadside, well, the pants have a gusset rather than zipper fly, and with a little practice, you can get the job done discreetly even if, shall we say, physically challenged:S

It is a PIA, but then you have waterproof pants so it's a tradeoff. I am very satisfied so far, and the price is not horrible compared to some of the better known brands like Aerostitch, etc.

BTW, I have a bladder the size of a golfball, so if I can cope with the gusset, anyone can :laugh:
 
Well lets do this right,
beat the cold weather
Spend the winter in North Queensland riding places like the Gillies Range , Kuranda, Atherton Tablelands just need the rain coat for tropical showers not the thermals :laugh:
 
Thanks for the feedback.

Muley
Great advice, thanks. Alpinestars is a brand available here so I'll check that out. Your test sounds very convincing. "Physically", I'm average on a warm day, but things just seem to wither when it's very cold.

contractor20
Comforting to hear that the flaps can be negotiated OK. I'm a poor enough rider when completely sober so best to stay with tea!

RJVB
Without wishing to start a technical debate, I have more confidence in leather's abrasion resistence from what I've read and from personal testing. While I do try to avoid crashing, I'm ashamed to admit that it did happen just a few years ago at 110kph + when my rain oversuit was totally shredded but the leathers were barely marked. I was sorry to read of your mishaps and I hope all is now remedied OK.

swagzz
When I visited Cairns and environs I was horrified at the way most of the bikers dressed for the heat. T-shirt, shorts and jandals make me pucker at the thought of even a mild off. Must feel good if you don't crash though. Or hit insects. I remember riding naked along one of our long sandy beaches when I was young, fiancee naked on the back too. Now that really did feel good! And it was on a Dominator 99. ;)
 
GrahamNZ wrote:
Sorry about splitting the atom, giving women the vote and conquering Everest first. Whatever will we get up to next?
Click to expand...

Probably wrecking your opportunity to host the rugby world cup yet again :) ;) :woohoo: Just Kidding - from an ex-pat whose been in the land of Oz for 40 years
 
two kiwi buisinessmen where taking a break from setting up shop which was nearly finished one said to his mate 'i wonder when a thick tourist will stick his nose to the window and ask what we're selling,' just then an aussie stuck his head in the door and said '.wots yer sellin', arseoles said the kiwi. the aussie replied " buisness must be good thers only 2 left" :laugh: :laugh:
 
Two Kiwi buisinessmen were taking a break from setting-up shop, which was nearly finished. One said to his mate, '"I wonder when a thick tourist will stick his nose to the window and ask what we're selling?" Just then an Aussie stuck his head in the doorway and said, "wots yer sellin?" "Arseholes", said the Kiwi. The Aussie replied, "buisness must be good thers only 2 left"

It may take an Aussie to spot an arsehole, but a Kiwi to be reasonably literate! ;)
 
double.d wrote:
NZ is not part of Australia !
Never say never :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Click to expand...

Bloody Kiwi ewe bangers ;) everywhere,up here
in the C.Qld coal mines
they wool 'fix' anything for a slab...:laugh:
Seriously,EH,Maybe we (Qld) should play NZ in the state or Origin
..beating NSW all the time is becoming boring...;)
 
G'day fellow Australasian Guzzi riders. I bought my 1100 Sport in Brizzy a couple of years ago and rode it there until bringing it back to NZ last year. Oz was good riding, but long straight freeways give the bike square tyres. NZ is great, lots of places to go, great roads everywhere, good people, and less rain than oz. I ride every day and love it. See ya on the road.
 
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