Morning all,

I have a 2006 RK and doing the winter riding season. I am warm all around except my hands. Would it be more effective to have heated gloves or heated grips?


God Bless

 

Gloves, the back of your hands still get cold with grips. Unless you wear heavy gauntlet gloves with grips, then what's the point.

 

For the best result, I prefer heated gloves as the heating goes around the back of your hand as well as the palm.

However - because you have to plug the gloves in (unless you get battery operated ones), heated grips are easier to use....

If you are only doing rides of hour or so, then battery operated heated gloves may be the way to go. I have some Gerbings ones that can use us battery or hard wire, but I haven't bought the battery packs so can't say how long they last - but I wouldn't imagine it would be much more than an hour or so....

 

I only have experience with one of the two options, because that one made more sense to me. Gloves. No major installation, no cosmetic changes. I ran my lead from my battery to out from under the front of my seat and with 12v gloves and a controller, my hands stayed warm for hundreds of miles in below freezing weather on the lowest settings. I never had to use anything higher than 3 of 5, and could only stand that for short intervals.

I don't have any experience with the lithium battery gloves either, but I don't see any reason I'd ever need them vs. 12v.

 

This. I've got heated glove liners that I've used 2 times in the last 3-4 years. They worked really well BUT they made my gloves tighter, even though they're thin.

 

I have both.
Heated Grips by themselves are good for mid 40Fs. I added National Cycle hand guards. These take all the wind and rain off your gloves. Therefore the heated grips work well into the high 30Fs, maybe 38F. Below that, warmth cane be felt on the palm, but your hands will still get cold. What I like most about heated grips is that I can wear thinner gloves year round. Often late or early season, as soon as the sun drops behind the trees, it gets cool. Turning the grips to 1 or 2 makes a huge difference in my ride.

But, once we are in the 30Fs, especially below 35F, there is nothing so comfortable as a heated jacket liner and heated gloves. I ride down into the low 20Fs. Actually, 22F is the lowest I've ridden. My experience is this. Below 38F, heated gloves are the answer to comfortable and safe motorcycle operation. My experience is that heated gloves that might feel bulky on your hand at 50F, feel light and wonderful below 40F.

If a motorcyclists chooses heated gloves, I would recommend they get a heated jacket liner and dual controller. 1. running wires down your arms or even across the tank to your gloves is a pita. A jacket liner has the cords already run. The dual controller allows you to adjust your gloves and your body temp to perfection. Off/On switches mean you jump from lobster to snowman back and forth. The dual controller allows you to focus on the road as you may end up adjusting the heat rarely as the day cools off. Mine are variable, meaning I can get the perfect amount of heat all day long.

In the Pacific Northwest, riding all seasons, if I had only budget for one, I'd get the heated gloves and heated jacket liner with dual controllers first. That said, I love my heated grips in combination with the hand guards and if I only rode three season, into the 40Fs, but did not ride below 36F or so, my heated grips would be my choice. The reasons, they are always there and just rotate the **** and instant palm warmth. But when it is cold, they fall short on keeping the hand warm.

 

Heated grips are great because you do not have to stop to utilize them, good for that day that started out OK but gets colder. Just turn them on with whatever light gloves you were wearing. Think mountains or sunset in the Fall. But overall heated gloves are more effective.

 

Can't speak for bike but I have Heat Demons Grip heaters on my 4x4 ATV for plowing snow & cold weather riding. Work great Hi/Lo setting.

 

I have had headed riding gear for 8 years now. Pants, jacket liner and gloves. They really work great, but I absolutely HATE plugging it. Unless it is under 40 degrees I usually do not wear it. I have found other options that I like to wear better.

I had never had heated grips before we bought our 2016 Limited. All I can say is WOW, they are awesome. I really never had any idea how effective they are.

Frankly I would prefer both heated grips and gloves. When it is really cold the gloves are a must. I use the grip at 60 degrees and below and love them!

Ride safe.

 

I like heated grips because I never leave them behind, they're easily adjustable while riding, they're one less thing I have to remember to plug in, and they work well enough to keep me comfortable down to the temps where I normally stop riding.

I think having a fairing helps keep the wind off so I'm not so bothered by the heat on the inside vs the outside of my hands.

I tried the heated glove route and I never could get the adjustments right so my jacket liner was warm enough and my gloves weren't too hot. I didn't really want to mess with a separate controller just for the gloves.

So... heated grips for me, I'll never own another bike without heated grips.