Heated Grips or Gloves?
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
From: Western North Carolina
Ya gotta remember that the heated grips only heat the palm of your hand, the backside is hanging out in the wind not being heated.
With heated gloves you heat the entire hand.
I have heated gloves (and jacket liner and heated pants an socks) and can ride alday with temps in the teens.
Left Western NC at Christmas break a couple of years ago and the temps on the front porch was 12 deg F when I left, didn't see above freezing temps until I was almost to the Fla line. I was comfortable and warm the whole trip.
With heated gloves you heat the entire hand.
I have heated gloves (and jacket liner and heated pants an socks) and can ride alday with temps in the teens.
Left Western NC at Christmas break a couple of years ago and the temps on the front porch was 12 deg F when I left, didn't see above freezing temps until I was almost to the Fla line. I was comfortable and warm the whole trip.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 425
Likes: 0
From: Lima, Ohio
I saw an Ultra the other day with pouches(I'm not familiar with the correct name of these things) that are held on with verlcro. He just slid his hands inside the pouches. They looked like they would block the wind and keep the hands warm. Does anyone know the correct name for these things and do they work?
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
I've installed heated grips on an 04 FLHTC and my current 07 FLHTCU. Pain in the *** to install. In over 40K miles I haven't had any problems with 'em. But as others have said, they only keep the palm warm.
After 40+ years of riding, including cold weather riding, I just started using a heated vest. If I were to do stuff over, I'd go with the entire heated gear set - gloves, pants, jacket. Plus easier to pack for traveling.
My riding buddy (wife) has Gerbing gloves and jacket and absolutely loves it, especially for her bike without a lot of wind protection.
After 40+ years of riding, including cold weather riding, I just started using a heated vest. If I were to do stuff over, I'd go with the entire heated gear set - gloves, pants, jacket. Plus easier to pack for traveling.
My riding buddy (wife) has Gerbing gloves and jacket and absolutely loves it, especially for her bike without a lot of wind protection.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 14
From: Yokohama
I recommend both.
The heated gloves are great for winter riding when it's cold all the time. The one thing I don't like about my Gerbing heated gloves/heated jacket combination is that they work off the same heat troller (the gloves are plugged into the jacket), but when my jacket's at a comfortable temperature, my hands are sometimes too hot, depending on the outside temperature.
The heated grips are excellent when in spring/fall when it's chilly in the early morning and at night, but warm the rest of the day. And you can wear whatever gloves you like. If you can handle the looks, a way to greatly increase the effectiveness of heated grips is to use them in conjunction with handlebar muffs (like hippo hands). With this kind of set-up I can ride in winter using my summer gloves because the heat stays in and warms my whole hand, not just my palms. Also keeps the rain out.
The heated gloves are great for winter riding when it's cold all the time. The one thing I don't like about my Gerbing heated gloves/heated jacket combination is that they work off the same heat troller (the gloves are plugged into the jacket), but when my jacket's at a comfortable temperature, my hands are sometimes too hot, depending on the outside temperature.
The heated grips are excellent when in spring/fall when it's chilly in the early morning and at night, but warm the rest of the day. And you can wear whatever gloves you like. If you can handle the looks, a way to greatly increase the effectiveness of heated grips is to use them in conjunction with handlebar muffs (like hippo hands). With this kind of set-up I can ride in winter using my summer gloves because the heat stays in and warms my whole hand, not just my palms. Also keeps the rain out.
Last edited by Twinrider; Oct 18, 2008 at 12:48 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From:
If you can only do one, go with Gerbings heated gloves and their jacket liner. The grips are nice when its cool out in the AM, but once it gets cold you need the gloves. Heated grips only warm your palms. The gloves stop the cold that rolls over your exposed hand. Add the jacket liner and heat troller and your in business.
I had liner and gloves on both my beemer and ultra. Teh wife and I ride all year round here in the northeast, as long as the roads are dry. We are toastie warm as we have the heated pants also. Why let $40k worth of motorcycles sit when its just a little cold out?
I had liner and gloves on both my beemer and ultra. Teh wife and I ride all year round here in the northeast, as long as the roads are dry. We are toastie warm as we have the heated pants also. Why let $40k worth of motorcycles sit when its just a little cold out?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,929
Likes: 1
From: Grayland, WA.
Bluesssman has it nailed. I've had heated grips on a metric and they just keep your palms warm, thumbs would still get cold. Heated gloves and whatever else you want...
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: Birch Bay, WA
My bike came with heated grips. They do the job but the dial does not work very well and they just continue to heat up. I have to turn them off to not burn my hands. If I was to do it over again I would probably start with heated inserts for my gloves (hand warmers) and go from there. They are cheap and you don't plug them in.
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