Mounting Heated Gear Controller
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 381
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From: East Coast
When I priced the HD and Gerbing controllers last week, they were both the same price ($199) but the HD came with a pouch with clip and the Gerbing didn't.
Is Canada that much more or is it the exchange rate? I remember buying a jacket for the wife and one for me last Christmas. Got two duel controlers for $80 each because we bought the jackets. I thought they were about $100 normally. Granted no pouch, but so far I just tuck it in the top of my chaps while riding.
Is Canada that much more or is it the exchange rate? I remember buying a jacket for the wife and one for me last Christmas. Got two duel controlers for $80 each because we bought the jackets. I thought they were about $100 normally. Granted no pouch, but so far I just tuck it in the top of my chaps while riding.
Thanks for pointing out my error.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: East Coast
I think your on to a good solution although safety pins might work to. You could also have a seamstress sew some loops or tabs to the inside of your jacket to attach things to. The lady at my local dry cleaner will do this kind of thing for $10-$20 which is probably typical most places.
I find what works best is to simply leave everything attached to the jacket when it gets hung up in the closet. When I go riding I only have the one wire, the power lead, to connect to the bike. I'm not a big fan of mounting the controller permanently to the bike unless it is a wireless variety like FirstGear/Warm&Safe make. Why? Because it is easy to get off the bike without remembering to unplug so if you have two leads going to the bike there is more of a chance of something breaking. It is important to be able to make heat adjustments while riding, something you can't do with a controller stuffed in the pocket of a jacket.
I find what works best is to simply leave everything attached to the jacket when it gets hung up in the closet. When I go riding I only have the one wire, the power lead, to connect to the bike. I'm not a big fan of mounting the controller permanently to the bike unless it is a wireless variety like FirstGear/Warm&Safe make. Why? Because it is easy to get off the bike without remembering to unplug so if you have two leads going to the bike there is more of a chance of something breaking. It is important to be able to make heat adjustments while riding, something you can't do with a controller stuffed in the pocket of a jacket.
Thanks for the ideas.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: East Coast
The best heat controller is the remote one by Warm and Safe. The sender unit stays tucked away in a pocket in the jacket, and the control unit can be velcro-mounted anywhere you want on your bike. No wires hanging out and the controller is in plain view where you want it. Especially convenient if you have more than one bike as it's a cinch to move the control unit.
BTW Mine has a nice HD logo on the pouch
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: East Coast
After years of snaking wires down my sleeves and having them ride up my arm and doing the shakee dance to get them back where they belong, I decided to solve that issue. I got rid of the expensive controller which will fail at a time you really need it, and went with the simple on/off switch. I wasn't sure if I would be turning it on and off all the time, but found I didn't have to. Then I ty wrapped the wires to the bars instead of running them down my sleeves, leaving enough slack to plug in the gloves and manuver . When you get off the bike, unplug your gloves and the wiring stays. Then in the spring, I remove the ty wrapped wires and put them away until next fall. I just use the gloves tho.,,
Where do you put the switch?
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Tourer
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From: East Coast
That's a neat setup. I guess you'd have to sell it with the bike if you traded it although at my age this bike will probably outlast me anyhow! Maybe, after adding the liner, I might eventually look into it though. I'll see how often I use it first. Too bad you couldn't buy one with only one lead with two connections for the liner/gloves (separately controlled) - ie one plug-in. Having to hook up to two connections each time must be a pain.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: East Coast
I think I saw that on another post but don't think it had pics. I might be able to pick up a piece from a shoemaker to do something like that. My bike (2010 UC) has the heat shields. I'm wondering about putting a piece of velcro on the inside of the left one to give the clip on the pouch some grip and mounting it there. It would keep the wires away from my tank and help avoid scratching. Don't know if the heat would lift the velcro off. Thinking... thinking...
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: East Coast
Yes, a controller is absolutely necessary. I took the same approach as you. Got the gloves first, and was somewhat disappointed. Mostly because of all the wires that are running all over the place. The next year I got the jacket liner. Makes all the difference in the world.
I have rode with temp as low as 3 degrees. With that heated gear and one extra layer, I was toasty warm taking an 80 mile interstate ride at full speed. And that was on my Sporty. Lots of other ways to help keep the wind off on a UC
I have rode with temp as low as 3 degrees. With that heated gear and one extra layer, I was toasty warm taking an 80 mile interstate ride at full speed. And that was on my Sporty. Lots of other ways to help keep the wind off on a UC
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From: Third Coast, South Texas
That's a neat setup. I guess you'd have to sell it with the bike if you traded it although at my age this bike will probably outlast me anyhow! Maybe, after adding the liner, I might eventually look into it though. I'll see how often I use it first. Too bad you couldn't buy one with only one lead with two connections for the liner/gloves (separately controlled) - ie one plug-in. Having to hook up to two connections each time must be a pain.
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From: Yokohama
I did the same thing but ended up giving the Gerbing gear to my wife, works great for her as a passenger. Warm and Safe also sells excellent liners that have a built-in pocket for the remote controller should you decide to upgrade later. They're a bit more form fitting than the Gerbing as they don't have the knitted cuffs and waist so they're easy to tuck into your riding pants.
http://www.warmnsafe.com/index.php?m...ndex&cPath=101
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Potsdam, NY
The plugs and the electrical requirements of the different brands of liners are identical. You can mix and match different brands of controllers with different brands of gear in most cases.
I very seldom run my liner or gloves at MAX so the idea of replacing a controller with an on/off switch as an earlier poster advised does not make a lot of sense to me. Your choices would be limited to too hot or too cold.
I very seldom run my liner or gloves at MAX so the idea of replacing a controller with an on/off switch as an earlier poster advised does not make a lot of sense to me. Your choices would be limited to too hot or too cold.
Last edited by fat_tony; Oct 5, 2011 at 01:43 PM.