I have been getting more & more back into motos after a long hiatus, but have been exclusively buying and selling local bikes in foriegn countries. Enfields in India/Pakistan, a Hotian 150cc in Tibet, an nx 400 falcon in Patagonia.

I have been mostly wearing lot's of fleece, down & gortex. Not the best level of protection, but better than just trekking pants. I carry this stuff for trekking and seem to need it whether I am in the tropics or mountains.

I am starting to feel like I rather have a set of riding gear, but can't carry several sets for different conditions. I plan on doing some even longer rides and would like to only have a single set of gear for conditions ranging from 100+ F to well below freezing. The modular gear seems repetitive and inferior to the high tech backpacking gear I already carry.

What do you think about this strategy? Getting a high vented summer suit and layering under it with poly pro & fleece and over it with gortex and down as it get colder. Will the summer suits accomodate layering? Would you go for larger & wear down under the suit when it's cold or go smaller & layer the down & fleece outside the suit?

What about back protection? Is it best to have it intergrated into the suit or is a separate back brace a better way to go?


Advice?

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India Himal, 3mo,2x; Kazak/Krygyz/Tajik, 3 mo; Kashi-Lhasa, China 219! 6 wk; Nepal, 4 days/trekked 55; Santiago-Ushuia-Cusco, 7 mo; Peru, 3 mo; Chile-Medellin 3 mo; Medillin-Arica, 3 mo