Modern Vespa

Greetings

I live in NY and choose to ride as long as it's not cold enough for there to be ice. I have seen some things that cover legs etc and latch on to the bike etc.....Can someone share a link of what that is? Are they comfortable? Do they work well? Seems like it could just fly off????? Also, any other recommendations of MUST HAVE winter gear would be great. ......

This guy…
https://scooterinthesticks.com/2018/11/cold-weather-riding-the-tucano-urbano-apron-on-a-vespa-gts/

heated grips and/or gloves, layers and I often wear flannel-lined jeans.


if it's 45 or less I'll have thermal (waffle-weave) top and bottoms, the aforementioned flannel-lined jeans, hoodie and hefty leather jacket. merino wool balaclava under the helmet, and my GTS has heated grips. if it's really chilly or i plan on speeds over 35-40mph, I'll have the heated gloves ("Iron Jias" off amazon) to negate the wind on the back of the hand.

i also don't go below 40* because I have a GTI with heated seats and a lovely and highly effective heater installed.

They're called Termoscud leg covers. They're used all over Europe. My wife got one for her Kymco. She found it somewhat useful but really didn't use it much. I don't know if you can find them in the US. We ordered ours from overseas.

https://www.tucanourbano.com/en/collections/termoscud-leg-covers

I've ridden my Primavera 150 with temps down to around 12°F.
I don't use heated gear here in Alabama.
When it is below 32°F, I put on my fleece PJ's under my regular clothes.

Thinsulate gauntlet gloves.

I've found that a good set of handguards or a windscreen, like the Givi, with the extra width to cover my hands from wind make a huge difference.

Arthur and passing eons make it more difficult each year.

flannel lined jeans work great!! Long as the road is dry and its sunny and not too windy, I will ride below freezing for around 50 miles or so. I dont really get cold below the shoulders, if you tuck your knees behind the glove box is does a good job of keeping the wind off your lower body. I have a heated jacket with sleeves that plug into gloves (gerbing brand) that keep me warm and a full face helmet.

Not as nice as warm weather riding, but fun for winter riding when there may be weeks that you cant ride....

Could be, never seen any but here in Rome, Italy. Here they are common, just like tall shields.

Hell I've seen them in London where they all panic about end-times if it gets below 10*C Germany and Belgium as well.

They're huge in Italy (where they wear down parkas below 18*C ), but I suspect some of that is due to a lot of dealers offering package deals (and it keeps their stylish trousers clean and dry in inclement weather).

The Thermoscud is mostly used because it is waterproof, not because of cold issues. Unless you are driving hours on a Vespa, your legs are not going to get cold because the wind is deflected by the kneeshield - and furthermore the Thermoscud is a bit of an impediment to your feet/legs when you are in stop and go traffic.

The parts of a body which get cold while scooting are: hands and face. So winter biking/skiing gloves, and a full-face helmet are the way to go. Heated muffs or heated gloves is only necessary if you are on the scooter for long periods of time.

I love Steve !!!

I wear fur-lined underwear for cold-weather riding -- squirrel fur is preferred because it always puts a smile on my face and keeps the nuts warm.

Waterproof layers on the outside... fleece leggings under my jeans... thicker gloves with hand warmers inside... extra layers on top... fleece neck snood that tightens at the back to prevent the wind getting down your neck... thicker socks or 2 pairs of thinner ones... it's all about the layers.

I respectfully disagree with regards to usage for cold issues.

On the BV350, there are vent slots on the back edges of the kneeshield to vent the heat from the radiator. The Thermoscud is installed in such a way that the heat that is vented out from the kneeshield is "trapped" under it, keeping the legs warm. I'm unfamiliar with how Vespas radiator setups are, so I can't speak to how effective a Thermoscud would be for trapping the heat from it.

I found that the Thermoscud made a massive difference when riding in the cold. I was comfortable underneath it, even when riding in near-freezing temperatures.

I am down south from you (Westchester Co.). I use a Thermoscud all winter for my commute. Makes a tremendous difference in keeping me warm. Riding with it is a breeze.

Is there a certain one or is it one size only?

You should buy the specific one made for your model of scooter. It is made very specifically for each model.

My NYC area winter commuting gear, in rough order of utility/effectiveness:

* a "scooter skirt" - a lightly-padded apron that handles around the neck and straps around the waist. Amazing windbreaker in cold but also nice during unexpected light rain.
* heated grips - it is awesome to flick these on "low" on a chilly 60° evening, and below. These make you feel like you own the climate.
* handlebar muffs - with these and heated grips, you don't need heavy gloves until well below freezing
* neck warmer - it's incredible how much body heat gets stripped from the zone between the helmet and the riding jacket
* USB battery-powered heated vest - best utilized under a close layer like a sweater or sweatshirt
* heated seat pad - aka "the Baconator," very soothing to the nether regions
* long johns - they don't seem like much but they really help
* wool socks - big difference under riding boots

These were all $30 and under on AliExpress or Amazon. The vest might have been $40.

The Thermoscud is brilliant but is significantly more complicated to rig and derig, and is more expensive, than this stuff. I don't think its superheating function works with air-cooled scooters - it can only move heat from a front radiator.

I'm also not a fan of clothing that plugs into the scooter.

every rider has their own needs for cold gear, what works for 1 person doesn't work for another.
lots of great ideas and different things to choose from.

personally if my hands and feet get cold I am more miserable than I am normally miserable.

So heated grips are a must on all my rides, never ride with out them, cant lose them and they are only a switch away.

Feet , well if I am approaching colder weather riding I keep a couple packs of those instant pocket warmer packets in the pet carrier. When I can feel the temps dropping I put a pack in the boots under the insoles so they radiate more of the boot and not as direct to my feet. works good for me, might not be worth a crap to others.

The heated vest that use the usb battery packs are awesome as a layer under your normal jacket. the usb recharger on them only takes a few hours but they last and work for 6-8 hrs on high, which most of the time is TOOOO much, for me, usually run the vest about 25-50% .

that about it for me. if it really drops temp its Hotel time.

I was out cycling yesterday, 48 miles 1 deg C ~34 deg F. One of the lads had the instant pocked warmers mentioned above. One in each of his socks ( on the top of his feet) and one each inside his gloves. They were tiny, barely bigger than a large tea bag. At the end of the ride eg four hours after setting off he showed me one from his gloves. It was still toasty warm! Apparently he gets them from Amazon and uses them on all cold weather rides.

Tucano Urbano Termoscud as others have mentioned. Yes they work, I have had mine since 2011. I put it on every year after the first day temps drop below 50F.
Between heated grips(Koso), Windscreen, Tucano Muffs and the termoscud I am pretty comfortable riding all through winter, only time I don't ride is if it has snowed, I wait till the roads feel less salty.

Best base layer for my core and chest - is to start with a Heat-Tech "Ultra Warm" knit turtleneck from UNIQLO.

Some kind of Japanese designed clothing engineered for warmth. Bought mine from Japan years ago for about $40. I was skeptical.....

But, man - if you don't get outside in just a few minutes you are going to be roasting if you've started your layering with one of these shirts!

It is NOT electrical - or battery operated. Just some sort of closely woven blend; thin and stretchy - but surprisingly heavy in your hand.

From about mid 30's down into the high teens, I'll wear it as a base layer on every ride. Below those temps - I'm too far out in the sticks before dawn to be doing a smart ride!
https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/men/innerwear/heattech

O.S.

I purchased the Scooter Kilt from ScooterWorks. You'll feel like the singer for KORN the first few times you put it on. Anyways, works as advertised.

For cold riding I really like the tall and wide windshield. It keeps cold air off my face and body. Also has what amount to handguards so hands also don't get cold. I have a pair of zip to hip insulated Carhartt overalls and on top I wear a fleece under my Aerostitch coat. I have an open face helmet, but with the tall windshield I am good to the low 30s. Below that the temp is not the issue but I get paranoid about coming around a bend and finding ice.

Upper body is easy to layer under a good lined riding jacket. For legs I have a pair of Under Armour cold weather leggings I wear under my jeans. They are very thin, but very effective. Under $50.

I also will opt for some HEAD brand mittens with glove liners. Much warmer than even my heated gloves.

Thumbs up emoji.

I've used several generations of HEAD gloves and mittens for skiing over many years. They're very good and are sold at Costco, seasonally (including now) at prices so reasonable that Costco now puts limits on how many pairs you're allowed to buy.