heated gear

I know there are ongoing topics related to this, but?...

I just asked my dealer about heated gloves/gear.
He was inclined to disregard all heated gloves ...for heated grips. Especialy for dual sport.
He felt regular thermal wear and heated grips would be my answer.

I will do something for the cold...but not sure where to invest.

Electric or not?

I carry a big pack , so whatever...light clothing with heat would be nice too.

Is wanting electric clothes the wrong direction for comfort and reliability?

mucker wrote:

I know there are ongoing topics related to this, but?...

I just asked my dealer about heated gloves/gear.
He was inclined to disregard all heated gloves ...for heated grips. Especialy for dual sport.
He felt regular thermal wear and heated grips would be my answer.

I will do something for the cold...but not sure where to invest.

Electric or not?

I carry a big pack , so whatever...light clothing with heat would be nice too.

Is wanting electric clothes the wrong direction for comfort and reliability?

Dude! You're in N.S.! It gets COLD there. I have heated gloves, jacket and pants and I live in Arkansas. I'm installing heated grips for trail riding but the gloves work better at highway speeds. The jacket and pants are lightweight and provide enough heat that my feet don't get too cold.

I know electric heat works...but will the gear stand up to my , ignorant, abuse , off road?

I use both heated grips and heated gloves. The grips for the palms of my hands, and the gloves for the backs and fingertips. I ride down to about -5C, even lower sometimes. I'm finding as I age that my fingers can't take it as well as they used to. Been frozen too many times. Canadian, eh?

what wire are you guys tapping into for your heated gear?i have a jacket and gloves i'd like to use.
cheers,
jon

rideonjon wrote:

what wire are you guys tapping into for your heated gear?i have a jacket and gloves i'd like to use.
cheers,
jon

I installed a switched power block that draws right from the battery. A relay connected to the front running lights (turn signals) switches the block on when the key is on. I have a lead connected to that power block for my heated vest, and another lead that feeds the heated grips.

I have a very low tech solution to cold hands. I use the chemical heat packs like "Hot Hands" and writ sweat bands to hol one pach on top and bottom of my wrist. I have heated grips on the V Strom but heavy gloves limit there effectiveness. The heat packs warm the blood going to your hands. I also have an electric vest from aerostitch which is very effective. The spiral cord has had enough stretch for my get offs and I have had the vest for many years. If I was buying electric again I would go with a shirt that has heated sleeves and bury it under layers with a wind proof outer, keep using my Klim snowmobile gloves and the Hot Hands with wrist bands.

Jim

I have a heated shirt with sleeves, and it works very well. I just bought some big waterpoof gloves I'm going to try. I have some heated grips that I havn't installed yet. I'm still thinking about heated gloves also, so I'm watching for some good replies.

I say hook the heated gear directly to the battery with a fuse. It is not like there is much danger of leaving it on when you are away from the bike.

I have been less than impressed with my heated grips, but then again I did get a cheap set.

My palms stay nice and toasty and enough heat fills the gloves to keep the backs of my hands and up to the first knuckle comfortable. My finger tips don't get any love though. I wish I'd spent the money on heated gloves for the sake of my finger tips.

I wear Klim Inversion gloves (wind and water proof) and the heat transfers well. If I wear my heavier winter gloves (tourmaster Cold-Tex) my hands get cold cause the thick palm pad blocks all the heat from the grips.

As a Florida resident I've never tried either gloves or grips but I'd bet gloves by a mile. I'd question your dealers reasoning and incentives. No gloves in stock perhaps? More money putting grips on?

Thing is...some times it is annoyingly cold....sometimes its too cold.
Depends how often you push it...as to how your opinion will lean.
Kind of like, gloves or mittens....when, real men wear mittens...

Anywho, stay dry and warm

I've ridden in some pretty cold weather on my KLR. Rode it from Ohio to Florida last March. It was in the low 20's (F) when I left.

I have a heated vest from Areostitch, which I connected direct to the battery. My heated grips go through a switched fuse block. In addition, I was wearing synthetic thermals from Land's End. Over my winter gloves I wore Goretex glover covers also from Aerostitch. Stayed pretty warm with this setup.

Of course, the KLR has a fairing and a pretty large windshield which did a good job of directing the arctic blast around me, otherwise I don't think it would have been very pleasant.

Up here in Canada, its pretty snarlin' cold still! during the winter bike show in Toronto, I had a impulse control loss and bought a powerlet heated jacket and gloves package with wireless control

http://www.thewarmingstore.com/powerlet-rapidfire-heated-motorcycle-clothing.html?gclid=CIDD0eyJzb0CFeZDMgodgzIAYg#.U0HrtqIVDiE

The deal is I tour on two bikes, and i was having a bear of a time getting an affordable rig for my BMW K75. I also have a small headlight faring on both bikes. I figured I could take less clothing and not put on a faring on the K if i was warmer. Haven't tried the street bike, but I've been out all week with the WR! there is still piles of snow, and the temperature occasionally goes above freezing, but I'm smug as a bug with the controls in the 25% to 40% range. I'd bake if I put it to 11.

It's a little bit different feel with the liners in my gloves, but I probably wouldn't need liners in if I was doing anything technical. I just wanted to keep my spirits up (and concentration) when it's really filthy cold, and I've got miles to go.

Now I'm looking for something besides a scarf to stop icy wind from going up under my chin into my helmet. If I don't find something soon, I'm going to design something..