Foul-Weather Gear

FOUL-WEATHER GEAR

SPECIAL SECTION

HOT COUTURE AND THE WELL-DRESSED RIDER

"THE CLOTHES MAKE THE man," or so goes the old Latin proverb. A bit trite, perhaps, but there's more truth to that little banality than you might expect, especially for motorcyclists. And the time to find out just how much truth is before you get caught in a toad-strangler of a rain-storm, or in a cold snap that'll turn you blue as a druid. In short, the right clothing can make the difference between a comfortable ride through Nature's worst, and a ride that takes on all the aspects of a forced march.

To that end, we've assembled this special section on foul-weather gear to help you dress, if not in the height of fashion, at least in the warmest, driest gear available. Unlike some other buyer's guides, though, this one takes into account that wintering in, say, Buffalo. New York, is somewhat more demanding than in San Diego, California. Consequently, we've put together a dozen product evaluations of clothing that approaches the same basic problem-that of staying warm and dry—in different ways.

That problem is of special concern to motorcyclists, because, apart from the obvious discomfort, being cold and wet can lead to hypothermia, a deadly serious business. Although humans can survive for days w ithout food or water, they cannot live for more than a few hours without warmth; as the temperature of the bodv's core (the trunk and head) drops, bodily functions slowly grind to a halt. Indeed, a drop in core temperature of only 3 or 4 degrees results in extreme shivering and reduced mental faculties, and the body starts shutting down blood flow to the extremities to protect the core.

Moreover, motorcyclists are prime candidates for hypothermia. For instance. at a road speed of only 45 mph in 45-degree weather, wind-chill factor makes the temperature feel like the equivalent of 17 degrees. In addition, rain often accompanies cold, and water has a thermal conductivity 240 times that of air. A w inter rainstorm, then, provides a mechanism that can suck away an unprotected rider's body warmth at a frightening rate.

Obviously, a motorcyclist needs something more than just his Calvins between him and winter’s worst. But what, and how much? Different climates make different demands, and overdressing can be as bad as underdressing; the w rong choice of clothing is a worse faux pas than wearing cut-offs and flip-flops to a formal ball. The idea is to dress intelligently, to get the most protection for your dollar, and that begs more questions. How sev ere is your winter? How wet? How far do you ride? The longer you're exposed to the elements, the more protection you need. With answers to those questions, you can use this guide as your personal valet, to start making smart choices and And gear that's tailor-made for your requirements.

More than likely, you'll look good, too, because if you feel marvelous, chances are you’ll look marvelous. And even if you don't subscribe to the notion that clothes make the man, surely you'll agree that clothes can make the ride.