I typically wear leather chaps when I'm traveling in the cold or on an out of town trip. Mine zip along the thighs and button down by my boots, easy to take off/put on and keep your pants dry in the rain and good protection from things bouncing and flying at you on the highways. Always weather treat your leathers! I also have leather pants but you can't double layer like you can with chaps. I wear leather pants if I'm just out for a social cruise in decent weather, chaps for all else practical. Synthetic racing gear is nice, but leather vs. synthetic is more a question of style than protection for me.

Yeah I'm w/ you, 30 years ago I rode my bike exclusively while my engine was out of the '67 'Cuda. Back then I had no choice. Never enjoyed riding through bad weather and I had the motor back in before winter.  Now once winter drops into the 50s I lay off until spring.

Panty hose?  That's a twist, but they certainly won't take much space in the saddle bag either  

Gee, I hope he shaves his legs first, there is nothing nastier than hairy legs in panthose  . I wear thermal long johns under jeans for cold weather riding,don't need to shave for them.

I am a relatively new rider - I ride a few times a week short distances for pleasure. Went out to buy some Joe Rocket Ballistic m/c pants for winter riding here on Vancouver Island. Cheapest price was about $CAD200! I figured I could not justify that expense for a few winter rides.

Instead I hunted around and found some brand new snowboarding pants - these are very similar to the Ballistics, but obviously with not quite as strongly weaved cordura cloth. They are lined and waterproofed and the only modification I am doing is to put some velcro on the pants bottoms to tighten them around my m/c boots.

Cost new CDN$69! Check them out at your local sporting goods store - they might do you....

I've got chaps, but for colder temps I've got Gerbing heated pants, also sox and gloves. I used them all yesterday, in temps high 40s, low 50's. Highway speeds on the way to work. Delightful.  

Gerry

With the Gerbing's, if using gloves alone, gloves plug into a 'Y' harness, and the single end plugs into either the connector direct to the battery, or to the thermostat to the battery.

If using gloves in combination with vest or jacket or jacket liner, gloves plug plug into vest/jacket arm leads, and single jacket plugs in to the power.

Lower half of the body works similarly, (sox and 'Y' harness, or sox plus pants or pants liners).

I put the 'Y' harness inbetween jacket and sweater for up top, and for legs, I put the 'y' harness outside my pants, but inside my chaps. When I use the heated pants, of course no 'Y' needed for below.

The thermostat is nice, you can dial up/down the heat. I find I use it ~1/4 to 1/2 power usually, that's plenty.

Gerry