Cold fingertips!
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,235
Likes: 65
From: Joliet, Illinois
Cold is as much a function of time as it is temperature. Some gloves are fine at 30° for 15-20 minutes, but not for 30 minutes or more.
The only gloves I have found that keep my hands warm for however long I ride, are heated gloves. ...so, add another vote to that camp.
GeorgiaGirl - Cool that you've got an adapter to plug your gloves into the battery tender pigtail! What an excellent idea. My bike has so many pigtails, it looks like Bob Marley!
The only gloves I have found that keep my hands warm for however long I ride, are heated gloves. ...so, add another vote to that camp.
GeorgiaGirl - Cool that you've got an adapter to plug your gloves into the battery tender pigtail! What an excellent idea. My bike has so many pigtails, it looks like Bob Marley!
Madame Moderator
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 25,140
Likes: 12
From: The Peach State
LOL! Easy Peasy. My good friend, Mr. Wizard, made me a convert of these as I was finding it impossible to keep my hands from turning white and numb on cold rides.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 6
From: Portland, Oregon
First real cold snap of the year around here. Rode in today, 32 degrees. I was perfectly warm & comfortable in my Tourmaster over-pants and FXRG fabric jacket. Only part of me that ruined the experience was the tips of my 4 middle fingers.
I was wearing my HD Windshield gauntlet gloves and some glove liners. The rest of my hands (backs, knuckles, wrists) were toasty. But my fingertips started to get numb after about 1/2 hour (25 miles hiway).
Is it just me, poor circulation in my older age? Or my glove setup? The way I grip the grips? The mini-apes?
Any suggestions, or anyone else come across this? It's a drag since I am comfortable riding to work on mornings like this but this numb-finger thing might make me re-think that.
I was wearing my HD Windshield gauntlet gloves and some glove liners. The rest of my hands (backs, knuckles, wrists) were toasty. But my fingertips started to get numb after about 1/2 hour (25 miles hiway).
Is it just me, poor circulation in my older age? Or my glove setup? The way I grip the grips? The mini-apes?
Any suggestions, or anyone else come across this? It's a drag since I am comfortable riding to work on mornings like this but this numb-finger thing might make me re-think that.
I've had the same exact problem and I'm 32 so not sure if its the old age thing. heate gloves or grips will probably be what I do.
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 1
From: Gloucester County, Southern NJ
The only thing that I had very minimal success with was to put glove liners on, then rubber gloves over them, then my winter gloves. But they still got numb, just not as numb. 
Like I said I had very minimal success so I now own a pair of Gerbing T5 gloves. I ride about 30 - 45 minutes each way to work on the Turnpike. It gets cold fast and without heat my fingers get dangerously cold. So cold in fact that I am unable to operate the bike safely and my fingertips hurt for a day or so after. Not to mention this setup feels is very bulky.
Also, according to Gerbing they do not recommend using thier coax to SAE adapter on a battery tender pigtail. I know 12VDC is 12VDC. They claim that the adapter they sell is to be used on the older style SAE heated gear plugs.
I have the battery tender hidden up under the seat (easily accessible without removing the seat when I need it) and the heated coax plug is mounted on the frame next to the fuse box.
I prefer the coax plug because I always forget to unplug before I get off the bike so the plug just comes out easy. I figure by spring I'll get used to unplugging first.
Like I said I had very minimal success so I now own a pair of Gerbing T5 gloves. I ride about 30 - 45 minutes each way to work on the Turnpike. It gets cold fast and without heat my fingers get dangerously cold. So cold in fact that I am unable to operate the bike safely and my fingertips hurt for a day or so after. Not to mention this setup feels is very bulky.
Also, according to Gerbing they do not recommend using thier coax to SAE adapter on a battery tender pigtail. I know 12VDC is 12VDC. They claim that the adapter they sell is to be used on the older style SAE heated gear plugs.
I have the battery tender hidden up under the seat (easily accessible without removing the seat when I need it) and the heated coax plug is mounted on the frame next to the fuse box.
I prefer the coax plug because I always forget to unplug before I get off the bike so the plug just comes out easy. I figure by spring I'll get used to unplugging first.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Cold is as much a function of time as it is temperature. Some gloves are fine at 30° for 15-20 minutes, but not for 30 minutes or more.
The only gloves I have found that keep my hands warm for however long I ride, are heated gloves. ...so, add another vote to that camp.
GeorgiaGirl - Cool that you've got an adapter to plug your gloves into the battery tender pigtail! What an excellent idea. My bike has so many pigtails, it looks like Bob Marley!
The only gloves I have found that keep my hands warm for however long I ride, are heated gloves. ...so, add another vote to that camp.
GeorgiaGirl - Cool that you've got an adapter to plug your gloves into the battery tender pigtail! What an excellent idea. My bike has so many pigtails, it looks like Bob Marley!
I looked hard at the Gerbing battery powered gloves, but they are not really designed to be worn where wind is a factor. ie. fine for hunting, hiking, etc, but they're not made to stop the wind blast effect you get riding, unless your hands are well protected by a faring.
I also just plug into the battery tender connector.
NOTE: In my case, the Gerbing adapter cable that that was listed to connect the temp. controller to the battery tender connector, was the wrong sex on the temp controller end. The temp controller connector and the adapter cable connector cable connector (from Gerbing) were both male.
I found the correct battery tender adapter cable HERE.
Last edited by cHarley; Oct 14, 2009 at 09:49 AM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
At 32* I'm wearing the heated gloves.
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senior experienced all-knowing leader of the unwise
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 351
From: USA
Easy problem to solve. Snowmobile mittens. Windproof, waterproof, cheap and they keep your hands warm. Hands stay warm with temps in the 30's and 40's. Several of us have them now after i got a pair and found they work.
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 1
From: Gloucester County, Southern NJ
Mittens? While I'll agree in general they tend to work better then gloves but I think I'd feel kind of odd not having individual control over each of my fingers. I know the rule is all four fingers on the levers.