Figured I'd put this up here, I went out a few days ago on my bike and it was a hot day and just had my helmet, jeans and 2 shirts on(tshirt and a button up shirt over it) and boots. Yea I know I need better gear so dont say it just have a leather jacket for now and was too hot. Anyways, I took off around 6pm and it was hot out so i didnt take a jacket or anything. Was later than i expected when I went back home(around 11:30pm) and the temp wasnt that cool but I still FROZE on the way home. Eyes started watering(half helmet) and I stopped halfway home but by the time I got home I was so cold i was shivering! Which wasnt a good thing! Shivering and steering a bike dont mix! I guess this thread speaks for itself, lessons learned, i'll ALWAYS strap a jacket to my backseat from now on if its going to be after dark when I head back!

In my not so humble opinion, every rider needs some kind of a bag, semi-permanently mounted, that is just big enough to hold a few bunje cords, a rag or two, a tire gauge, a rain resistant jacket and a baseball cap. If you go very far from home, then a real rain suit too. Oh, and some kind of plate to keep your stand from sinking into hot ashphalt. Anything more than that is "trip planning" to me.

Amazing what a little wind chill can do for the body. Get some permanent storage on the bike for your health and safety. I always have a rain suit(top and bottom) which will cut the windchill considerably and help maintain your body temp.

I agree with all of your comments, I never leave home without my rain suit and boot covers in my saddle bag. I've been caught out later than expected like you a few times and it's amazing how much warmer you are even with just a rain jacket on than without something. Glad you made it back okay, good lesson to learn, 60 degrees and 60 mph can cause major loss of body heat in only a few minutes of riding.

Good advice about the rain gear being used to stop the wind even when it's not raining. I am packing for a day trip up towards Lake Erie and it is always way colder up there than home, even though it is only a couple hours away. I was packing my rain gear (lake effect also bad) and was trying to jam as many warm layers in my pack as possible and never thought to use rain gear as one!

Jessica

Thats why I can't use one of my saddlebags. It's full of what you've just mentioned.

Even though it never gets below 10ºc/50ºf over here I still need to wear my leather jacket at the lower end. Fine when riding, then sweating when stood at lights.

While not the most stylish or "cool", the high tech ballistic nylon jackets available these days have a lot to offer. I just did a coast to coast ride, and never had to take mine off due to weather, varying from 20 to 88 degrees F, and with rain, snow, and high winds thrown in for good measure. The link below is to the one I wear. Mine is in the high-viz color. There are similar jackets from other vendors available.

http://www.olympiamotosports.com/ast_mens/ast_mens.htm

Advantages:

Safety: In addition to being virtually impossible to wear through due to pavement abrasion, they have stiff and strong elbow, shoulder, and back protectors.

Weather: They are waterproof and breathable. Unlike other rain gear, you don't wind up just as wet from your own perspiration. And it keeps rain out better than any dedicated rain gear I ever tried.

Flexibility to alter with conditions: They have a removable high tech liner. It has a fair amount of warmth, but if you take it out and stow it, which takes very little space, you are left with a fairly light shell. There are vents that can be opened in the arms, chest, and back (so the air really can flow). In the opened up configuration I rode at highway speeds at 88 degrees without discomfort. The light color reflects the Sun's heat. I don't think I'd have been any cooler in a tank top. And in any of its configurations you have the most protection that you can get against road rash and impact, short of a car.

They don't give this type of equipment away. But I would have to say that, apart from the bike and a good helmet, it's the most useful single piece of gear you can have.

Isn't the can of drink that you have to finish in one shot cause your that thirsty meant for this??

I tend to get drinks in plastic bottles; it takes two or three shots to finish.....and then is pretty much useless as a stand reinforcement. I carry a 75 cent electrical box cover.

[/quote]I carry a 75 cent electrical box cover.[/quote]

Good idea I was thinking about going to a machine shop and getting a couple small peices of diamond plate aluminum but I like your idea better and would be alot cheaper.

And Ive been thinking, Ive seen on here some use a radio while riding which would pretty much drown out alot of the noise so Im thinking ill go to a full face helmet instead of a half even though Id be deaf in my left ear with it as I have a cochlear Implant in that ear and wouldnt be able to use it with a full face helmet. And get a fork bag and cram a small outdoor breathable jacket in there I already have plus my cargo net and that cover if it would go. Thanks for the tips theyll be used!