My Favorite Cold Weather Dual Sport Motorcycle Hacks, Gear & Tips!

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Hey, thanks for braving the cold with me today! If any of the gear I was using caught your eye and you'd like to help support my content - making a purchase after clicking any of the following affiliate links will do just that! Thanks! Base Layer Shirt: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-performance-base-layer-shirt-p?ref=1042& Base Layer Pants: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-performance-base-layer-pant-p?ref=1042& Mid Layer Shirt: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-mid-layer-jacket-p?ref=1042& Mid Layer Pants: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-mid-layer-pant-p?ref=1042& Balaklava: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/rocky-mountain-atv-mc-logo-neck-gaiter-p?ref=1042& Thin Facemask Balaclava: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-balaclava-facemask-p?ref=1042& MSR Boots: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-adventure-boots-p?ref=1042& Cheaper Heated Insoles: amzn.to/3Zno9V6 Nicer Heated Insoles: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/fieldsheer-premium-bt-heated-insoles-p?ref=1042& Cheaper Heated Vest: amzn.to/3OKcVF9 Nicer Heated Vest: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/fieldsheer-peak-bt-heated-vest-p?ref=1042& MSR Cold Weather Gloves (no heat): www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-adv-cold-weather-gloves-p?ref=1042& Surge Heated Gloves: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-surge-heated-gloves-p?ref=1042& HWK Coat: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KYTPQ2Y/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=swankycatprod-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07KYTPQ2Y&linkId=e41df14be05d6700169072c104948f03 HWK Pants: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0821C8FCQ/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=swankycatprod-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0821C8FCQ&linkId=42fc8111633b32d23a72f8693921f89a Xplorer Coat: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-xplorer-adv-jacket-p?ref=1042& Xplorer Pants: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-xplorer-adv-pant-p?ref=1042& Voyager Coat: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-voyager-adventure-jacket-p?ref=1042& Voyager Pants: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-voyager-adventure-pant-p?ref=1042& Snow Helmet (new version): amzn.to/3HwmaF6 MSR Helmet: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/msr-xpedition-adv-helmet-w-mips-p?ref=1042& Cold Pro Hand Mitts: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/tusk-cold-pro-hand-mitts-p?ref=1042& Tusk Windshield: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/tusk-universal-windscreen-p?ref=1042& Tusk Grip Heaters: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/tusk-grip-heater-kit-p?ref=1042& Oxford Heated Grips: amzn.to/3u0eurL Handguards: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/tusk-d-flex-pro-adventure-handguards-p?ref=1042&

[@dwayneneufeld1696]

Nothing is more important than the book, top left on the shelf👍

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Indeed!

[@Wheelsandwilds]

I'm a simple man, I see Swanky posts, I click. I'll have to try some of these tips 🤔being cold sucks so much though 🤣

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Haha yeah, being cold certainly isn't fun. But if you suit up and ride off road especially, you warm up pretty quick!

[@ericgoodrich593]

I live in Central Minnesota. when the 6 month winter arrives I stud-up my TW200. Riding on packed snowmobile trails and frozen lakes is fun as heck.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

How long are your studs? I tried some shorter grip studs on my TW and it seemed like it couldn't get down though the snow to the ice. It did work ok on the hard pack though!

[@mikefetterman6782]

I was eating breakfast at the local diner, on my way to work when this came on the tv.

[@mikefetterman6782]

For my 6th grade class trip in 1982, our whole class was on the ROOF of the south tower as part of the tour on nice days.

[@Wintersdark]

Source: daily rider in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in temps doen to -25C (-15F ish) Scorpion AT960 helmet has winter kit available including dual pane and heated visors. Instringly recommend heated visors as they are also dual pane - you just dont bother plugging them in unless its necessary. Excellent winter helmet. Lots of others have those options too. Heated gear liners are far better than layering. That said, youre absolutely correct regarding windoroof/waterproof - its absolutely crucial that you have none poses skin and no cold wind ingress. A basic heated jacket liner + MSR gear and youll be warm and comfortable down to those temps. However, if youre going off the beaten path, balance heated gear with something that will still keep you warm if theres a problem with your bike necessitating walking out. Dont buy a heated vest. Buy anheated jacket liner. The heated jacket liners heat your chest, back, arms, and collar, and have outputs on the wrist for heated gloves. FAR superior to a heated veat for the same price. Looking for tires, look for tires with high silica content in their construction. Motoz tires are very good here. High silica content gets you much better grip on water, ice and snow. The difference is stark. My favourite covers for your hands are obr adv 3/4" grip mitts over top of your bikes normal handguards. Not awkward at all, easy to install/remove, and they do the job really well.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Awesome info, thanks!!!

[@goophy30]

Great vid. Today's high of 43°F made me want to ride. Then I saw the salt piles still sitting at intersections. Maybe I'll still go anyway. I just picked up a brand new crf300ls and I only got 14 miles on it lol. I live near you in Marshfield. Someday you will have to do a meet and greet or ride or something. I'd definitely go. I'm going to pick up some msr gloves, I'll use your links. Have a great day.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Thanks man, I really appreciate it!!! Let me know how you like them! Haha yeah, it was nice here today too. I washed my bikes up a bit and was wishing I could hit the roads, but they're pretty messy yet. How do you like the 300 so far? I've always wanted to try one to see how it compares to my old XL250R. I would really like to do some sort of meet up/ride sometime soon. That would be awesome!

[@wudntulike2no32]

I will have to try some of these. I'm a Florida man who moved to Utah 3 years ago. I can't take the cold weather like the natives here.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

It always takes me a while to get used to the cold each year. At first I want nothing to do with it, but after being outside, working in the yard or something, I'll start to get the itch!

[@stephanematis]

I love my Goretex most in dry cold, like winter. The membrane works the best, given how moisture is going to get drawn out due to the imbalance, unlike in humid events, like torrential rains.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Yeah, that is an interesting material!

[@DualSportDoug]

I love your hat!

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Haha thanks!!!

[@retiredwaterdoctor]

That was a cool video......😁😁 Garth

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Haha, thanks Garth!!!

[@mutenroshi109]

thenks for video.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Thank you!

[@davejessee7173]

Winter time is bike maintenance and modification season for me. If we get a nice day I'll take it out for a ride but I'm not nearly as dedicated as you.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

I don't ride near as much as I used to in general, but I definitely get the itch when the sun is out and the roads are dry. Or when the ice is thick and topped with a few inches of crusty snow! It is definitely the best time for mods though!!!

[@Solo_adv]

I moved from Maui to North Dakota recently, Ughh! ❄️🌬️ omg what have I done. I want to buy a new bike NOW... but there is snow on the ground. I bought my first coat last month it was such a thrill!

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Oooh ouch! That must have been a rough change! Haha, I remember buying my first Carhartt coat. Now I've collected coats and bibs for all sorts of occasions. The right gear makes the difference between, enjoying winter and hating it!

[@psavar97]

Have you tried Grip Studs? Ive got some to try out for commuting around town in montana this year. Started motorcycles on a fat tire mini bike that i built last december and road in snow and ice. Honstly i found you gotta be as scared of the gravel as you do the ice. Still lots of fun as long as you take things slow enough.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Nice!!! Yeah definitely need to take things slow. Snow and ice conditions change drastically, sometimes in just a matter of hours. I once rode down a snow covered backroad on a bike one day, messing around and fishtailing, and then in my truck the next. I'm glad I noticed the visible glare, because conditions had changed so much I felt like I was going to end up in the ditch, even with 4x4! I have indeed tried grip studs, both on the KLR and TW (some of the footage was in this video). They really work well off road (depending on how deep the snow is) but I've never tried them on the road.

[@takeaim420]

I love you

[@pavelbarton4653]

what tires would you reccomend, im curently on TKC 80 and im quite happy in the colder weather and in offroad im happy with them considering my novice skill level offroad :-) only in wet weather riding the are lacking but as far as i know its normal for this style of tire

[@SwankyCatProductions]

The TKC 80s I had on my 701 worked well for road and dirt riding, but I did find that they lacked the traction I like for mud and snow. Both of which require something a little knobbier. I don't love the D-Sport Adventure front for heavier bikes on the road, it's also a bit noisy... but that's what I was running in all the clips with the KLR & 701 (note that in a lot of the KLR clips they had GripStuds in them for extra traction). I'm hoping to find something that does better on the road, lasts longer, and still preforms just as well. But I haven't been able to test anything else yet.

[@mutenroshi109]

it looks nice (old clocks, not some vapor computer [{dr650se}I want to install it because of the display of revs and the desire to reduce the weight of the motorcycle, and I want to install it so that the navigation is right above it, not on the tower like in Dakar motorcycles, I would also like do not install the glass, we will see when I buy a DR650 and drive it a few months before the 2 winter months and I am not experienced enough to ride such a motorcycle in winter and this is the best time to work on the motorcycle :) You said that with the navigation mounted higher on the tower, driving is more comfortable because you don't look so low at the navigation.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

Winter riding is most certainly a challenge! Doing mods in winter is also a great use of time though! I'm pretty happy with the DRs navigation and wind protection so far. Ride safe!!!

[@mikefetterman6782]

They all came in across the CANADIAN border. Not Mexico.

[@axxamit]

Another MSR/Tusk crypto ad. Waste of time. It was a cool channel, but it took a wrong turn somewhere down the road.

[@SwankyCatProductions]

It was a channel that I used to post riding videos on in my spare time. Now it's a new business that's struggling to make ends meet. If all you see is an advertisement, your looking at it wrong though. My goal has always been to share my love of riding and the outdoors with others. That hasn't changed.

[@axxamit]

@@SwankyCatProductionsif you’re struggling to make ends meet, being even more pushy about the companies that decided to support you won’t help it, trust me. Try a different format, come up with something original, maybe content, maybe some clever editing. When promoting products, try to give an impression of impartiality. Suggest something else, some alternatives, be more subtle with it. Or simply do your thing, you had some success with that. Turning yourself into a riding ad for two companies is really what you want to be recognised for? If I want to check out what MSR has in their offer, I’ll go to their page… There’s not much I hate more than channels claiming they show you "the best helmet [or anything else] of 2024", and when you ask about a different brand, they reply that they don’t know cause they’re not selling it. How’s that "the best" then? If anything, it won’t make you more money, and you’re more likely to lose some of your subscribers. That’s something for you to think about. Good luck to you! :)