Heated grips

[JulesMaximus]

I was riding to work this morning and realized my hands were a little cold and then I thought to myself, I'll turn the heated grips on! I sometimes forget I have them on mornings like this when I'm buzzing down the freeway at 80mph with temps in the high 50s.

It really is a nice feature on a motorcycle... not sure why more bikes don't have them quite frankly. It's one of those things you don't realize you're missing until you own a bike that has them. I don't think I could own a bike without them now. :wub:

 

[ISAslot]

ooh! i want some for my bicycle during the winter.

 

[xBiffx]

Helped a friend wire some of these on. Pretty neat but the aftermarket install can be tricky depending on their current draw.

I've heard the plug in vests/jackets are nice too.

With either, I'd be worried about starting a fire under my ass though.

 

[CZroe]

Dirt cheap to add to any bike. I would insult you for thinking you need them in San Diego but there were definitely a few midnight rides where I needed them during the few years I lived there with a motorcycle as my exclusive transportation.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Jesus Jules, living in Cali has turned you into a full on wuss.

I've ridden a MC when it was -20F and didn't have any fancy heated grips.

Perhaps you need to demand your governor cover all roads and highways with roofs to keep rain off them -- and you...


Brian

 

[JulesMaximus]

Jesus Jules, living in Cali has turned you into a full on wuss.

I've ridden a MC when it was -20F and didn't have any fancy heated grips.

Brian

Awe... Is that supposed to make me to feel sorry for you?

I bet you had some heavy duty gloves on during that ride. All I have is Dianese leather gauntlet gloves. No lining, just leather gloves. You would have frostbite within minutes riding in -20F with the gloves I wear on a daily basis. Heated grips on low setting is mighty nice in cool temps on a 50 minute commute. I've ridden up in the local mountains in temps down into the low 40s. That's about the coldest I've ridden in. I'm not sure why anyone would ride a motorcycle when it is -20 out quite frankly.

Perhaps you need to demand your governor cover all roads and highways with roofs to keep rain off them -- and you...

It so rarely rains here that I don't own rain gear so I generally don't ride when it is raining although I have been caught out in it a number of times.

BTW-I just checked the weather and it was in the mid 50s here this morning. It is 68F right now.

 

[xBiffx]

I like the idea of heated grips. When it gets cold here and I break out my winter driving gloves, I loose a lot of feel in the riding experience. Takes some getting used to every time. Might even be a slight safety concern for some due to the loss of dexterity.

Oh and anyone who rides their bike in below freezing temps is a complete moron in my book. So much for acting cool.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I like the idea of heated grips. When it gets cold here and I break out my winter driving gloves, I loose a lot of feel in the riding experience. Takes some getting used to every time. Might even be a slight safety concern for some due to the loss of dexterity.

Oh and anyone who rides their bike in below freezing temps is a complete moron in my book. So much for acting cool.

I know exactly what you mean. I've purchased gloves that I immediately knew were not going to work because they didn't give me proper dexterity.

Totally agree on the freezing temps thing too. That's what cars are for.

 

[JulesMaximus]

ooh! i want some for my bicycle during the winter.

What's the amperage output of the charging system on your bicycle? Might want to review that before trying to wire up heated grips.

I don't have that problem. Mine came with them stock.

 

[LTC8K6]

I use the heated rear seats in my Jeep to keep food warm.

 

[Fenixgoon]

heated grips aren't hard to install. not quite as good as heated gloves, but a pretty damn good compromise if i say so (better protection since you can use regular gloves, but not quite as warm)

 

[angminas]

Reminded me of the seat heater game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ftrk9cjJgw

 

[CZroe]

heated grips aren't hard to install. not quite as good as heated gloves, but a pretty damn good compromise if i say so (better protection since you can use regular gloves, but not quite as warm)

How effective are they without the hand guards you bike has?

 

[WT]

They come in handy on ATVs rides. I had them factory on my old Sportsman 700, but my King Quad 700 doesn't offer them. Was looking at a set of Symtec Heat Demons that mount inside of the bars, so they are very easy to install. Only downside is I'm probably going to sell the quad in 3 years when I hit 50 and get a SxS - easier on the body, and better protection with a roll cage.

 

[Fenixgoon]

How effective are they without the hand guards you bike has?

i have a ninja1000 - no handguards. the oxford heated grips i used..i'd say they were good down to about 30F with the gloves i had on (alpinestars apex drystar).

30F and 75mph is....really fucking cold. a solid pair of leather gloves would have done wonders. the drystars are waterproof breathable, and quite warm, but that breathability really hurts when it's that cold outside.

 

[JulesMaximus]

i have a ninja1000 - no handguards. the oxford heated grips i used..i'd say they were good down to about 30F with the gloves i had on (alpinestars apex drystar).

30F and 75mph is....really fucking cold. a solid pair of leather gloves would have done wonders. the drystars are waterproof breathable, and quite warm, but that breathability really hurts when it's that cold outside.

I have been riding for many years wearing Dainese leather gauntlet gloves as my primary riding glove and I can tell you that leather by itself doesn't do jack shit for keeping your hands warm on a motorcycle. I have some gore-tex lined textile gloves that are WAY more effective.

 

[CZroe]

I have been riding for many years wearing Dainese leather gauntlet gloves as my primary riding glove and I can tell you that leather by itself doesn't do jack shit for keeping your hands warm on a motorcycle. I have some gore-tex lined textile gloves that are WAY more effective.

That's why he said "solid" as opposed to "perforated" or "ventilated." With heat I would probably use leather gloves with minimal insulation and silk liners.

In 2008 I crossed the country in late December on a Ninja 250 with ventilated gloves and no heat gear. I got some silk liners at Walmart but they were useless under insulated gloves. On day three it started raining and I added some latex gloves over the liners. Suddenly, I had a little warmth. I still had to stop and warm my hands on my exhaust several times a night, but I made it.

The absolute biggest difference was made from stopping the airflow. As PC tech enthusiasts, it should be obvious why. If non-perforated/non-vented gloves with heated grips work well enough to get away with thinner gloves, I'm all for it! If I have to add hand guards to ride comfortably in 29-degree weather then I'll just stick to thick winter gloves.

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's why he said "solid" as opposed to "perforated" or "ventilated." With heat I would probably use leather gloves with minimal insulation and silk liners.

In 2008 I crossed the country in late December on a Ninja 250 with ventilated gloves and no heat gear. I got some silk liners at Walmart but they were useless under insulated gloves. On day three it started raining and I added some latex gloves over the liners. Suddenly, I had a little warmth. I still had to stop and warm my hands on my exhaust several times a night, but I made it.

The absolute biggest difference was made from stopping the airflow. As PC tech enthusiasts, it should be obvious why. If non-perforated/non-vented gloves with heated grips work well enough to get away with thinner gloves, I'm all for it! If I have to add hand guards to ride comfortably in 29-degree weather then I'll just stick to thick winter gloves.

Mine aren't perforated. These are quite honestly the best gloves I've ever worn on a motorcycle. This is my second pair and I've had them for a couple years now but by themselves they are completely ineffective at keeping your hands warm on a cold day.

 

[Brian Stirling]

I like the idea of heated grips. When it gets cold here and I break out my winter driving gloves, I loose a lot of feel in the riding experience. Takes some getting used to every time. Might even be a slight safety concern for some due to the loss of dexterity.

Oh and anyone who rides their bike in below freezing temps is a complete moron in my book. So much for acting cool.

When I rode my RD350 in -20F temps it was because I needed to get to school and had one way to get there. Heated grips might have helped but the RD had a crappy electrical system and likely wouldn't have been able to power them.

Thankfully when I went to ride home it had warmed up to about 5F -- positively balmy...


Brian

 

[Noo]

I was riding to work this morning and realized my hands were a little cold and then I thought to myself, I'll turn the heated grips on! I sometimes forget I have them on mornings like this when I'm buzzing down the freeway at 80mph with temps in the high 50s.

It really is a nice feature on a motorcycle... not sure why more bikes don't have them quite frankly. It's one of those things you don't realize you're missing until you own a bike that has them. I don't think I could own a bike without them now. :wub:

I would like heated grips but only if it's factory installed. The coincidentally, the Honda VFR have factory installed heated grips :wub:

 

[Noo]

heated grips aren't hard to install. not quite as good as heated gloves, but a pretty damn good compromise if i say so (better protection since you can use regular gloves, but not quite as warm)

Aside from completely hacking away your factory grips with no way of returning the bike to its factory state; or the fact that you have to hack-job glue to make sure the heated grips doesn't slip...yea they're easy to install :whiste:

I like heated grips but there's no way i'm going to install heated grips on my bike.

 

[Brian Stirling]

I would like heated grips but only if it's factory installed. The coincidentally, the Honda VFR have factory installed heated grips :wub:

I have a 2004 VFR but it doesn't have heated grips. Not sure if they were available back then, but since I bought it in Florida it's not terribly likely there would have been many shipped to FL with heated grips even if they were offered.


Brian

 

[ringtail]

I was riding to work this morning and realized my hands were a little cold and then I thought to myself, I'll turn the heated grips on! I sometimes forget I have them on mornings like this when I'm buzzing down the freeway at 80mph with temps in the high 50s.

It really is a nice feature on a motorcycle... not sure why more bikes don't have them quite frankly. It's one of those things you don't realize you're missing until you own a bike that has them. I don't think I could own a bike without them now. :wub:

Only because my home place is a PERPETUAL 67 degrees F, I never think about heated handgrips and always ignore that as a "feature" in bike adverts. However, I appreciate that guys in truly cold places like Sweden or Buffalo could be helped by heated grips. Like you said, it's one of those things you don't appreciate until you're in an environment where it'd be a nice crrature comfort. (Do heatyed grips really help THROUGH GLOVES?)

 

[Fenixgoon]

Aside from completely hacking away your factory grips with no way of returning the bike to its factory state; or the fact that you have to hack-job glue to make sure the heated grips doesn't slip...yea they're easy to install :whiste:

I like heated grips but there's no way i'm going to install heated grips on my bike.

there's nothing hack jobish about it.

take off left grip, put on glue, put on left heated grip. take off right grip, file down protrusions, clean, put on glue, put on heated grip.

this isn't anywhere close to a hack-job. now if you said "using a screwdriver to put a hole in my exhaust to make it sound better..." then yes, THAT is a hack job.

and returning the bike to factory state? just buy an OEM grip set and throttle grip thing. can't be more than $50 from bikebandit.

 

[CZroe]

there's nothing hack jobish about it.

take off left grip, put on glue, put on left heated grip. take off right grip, file down protrusions, clean, put on glue, put on heated grip.

this isn't anywhere close to a hack-job. now if you said "using a screwdriver to put a hole in my exhaust to make it sound better..." then yes, THAT is a hack job.

and returning the bike to factory state? just buy an OEM grip set and throttle grip thing. can't be more than $50 from bikebandit.

OEM grips are wear items anyway. I've had to buy new grips a few times just because they were looking ratty and getting smooth (less grippy). Gel-based ProGrips look and feel better but wear faster. It's not really much different than buying a steering wheel cover or sun shade for your car. OEMs encourage it. Every dealer sells grips. Hell, most dealers also sell heated grips.