Heated Grips

[Fuzzy]

Ah I see, that's definitely a useful feature.

You know, I bought them thinking I'd use them but never have done. Even when riding in snow at motorway speeds last winter I was fine. I've always thought that the fairing on the Boxeye is really good at deflecting windblast off the hands but I must be in a minority.

When it's below 5c, I wear thermals, a t shirt, thin jumper + thick turtle neck jumper + good winter jacket with good gloves and I'm usually good to go. And heated grips on longer journeys. Good thermals are a must - I think the key to staying warm is keeping your core body temp regulated and then your extremities, fingers, toes and erm the other one  , stay warm too. Granted a heated vest would do the same but it's not essential imo.

[Punkstig]

I have the expensive 'Antifreeze' thermals which are ridiculously good- too hot if its not below 5 degrees, however, when I've not delivered in Leeds until 8pm and I've got to get back home to just north of Watford a heated jacket has been essential for me, its focin cold in February at 80 mph after 8pm!    And that's in full Rukka gear too!
But I'm a big Wendy when it comes to the cold!  [size=78%] [/size]

[Fuzzy]

The best thermals I've come across yet for all but the most extreme weather is "heattech" by Uniqlo. It's cheap compared to most others but don't be put off by that or the fact that it's from a high st store, it's produced by Toray (who develop materials for many other companies) and it really is the dog's danglies. Bets bit is that they're about £25 for a set,  and are high quality. They're also great if you're in town and have to be off the bike because they don't cause you to overheat and sweat from walking etc which in turns makes you colder later.

Heated vest sounds like a good investment, if only they were more affordable. Same goes for Rukka gear, my eyes are always peeled for them on ebay going cheap! I'm beginning to think that if you're only buying one piece of heated equipment perhaps a heated vest could be better for some than heated grips?

[Punkstig]

Ultimately our choice to ride bikes all year round means we also have to have the right gear for those different weathers and temperatures, personally I have pretty much the best money can buy- Rukka jacket and trousers, Daytona boots, a heated jacket as I may need to travel the country in the same day, and for me is a requirement, just as much as muffs plus heated grips are too,
for an average commuter they could probably do away with the heated grips and just have muffs- the same as having decent thermals and not requiring a heated jacket.
I've accumulated my stuff over several years and am very glad I have it, but couldn't justify buying it all in one go.
Funnily enough I've spent the afternoon 'fixing' my muffs- they've been involved in a few crashes and worn through so I covered them in overnight plastic courier bags and gaffer tape- hopefully they'll survive the winter as I can't afford atm to replace them!

[NotAnotherHill]

What hand guards do you use? I have Oxford muffs and find they press onto the levers at high speed or on particularly windy days. I was looking at ways to prevent this and Hand guards seem a good idea.

I got them tomorrow deefer when he was breaking a fazer for a song but they have no brand name. On ebay search for universal handguard - the bikeit ones for £20 look very similar but any bark guards would keep the muffs off the levers

I have ordered these. I reckon they will work.


http://http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-CNC-Universal-7-8-22mm-Proguard-System-Brake-Clutch-Levers-Protect-Guard-/390666869627?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item5af58f5b7b

[Gav]

Just ordered a set of data tool grips as my index finger always goes numb when riding this time of year, which really is annoying.  Looking forward to toasty hands and warmth to stop the dead finger issue lol.

[NotAnotherHill]

In winter I wear my cycling roubaix thermal cycling tights under my textile winter lined trousers, nice and warm. Likewise my Assos Winter Windstopper jersey is my second layer in winter. Not bulky and it is tight fitting so I can get other layers over the top of it.

[Gingernutz]

I have ordered these. I reckon they will work

Look ideal and a lot better than the set I made out of left over scrap metal I used before the guards.

[DryRob]

Has anyone had any joy with wrap around heated grips? Oxford do a set called hot hands

[mtread]

Has anyone had any joy with wrap around heated grips? Oxford do a set called hot hands

I used to have them fitted. They make the grips very thick and you lose feel. Mine didn't have variable heat and got too hot. Now switched to Oxford standard heated grips.

[JoeRock]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TUCANO-URBANO-HANDLE-BAR-MUFFS-BAR-END-VESPA-HONDA-YAMAHA-GTS-CBR-FAZER-R361-/251341724789?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item3a85225c75

So these muffs do have a frame to keep them off the levers? love my oxfords around town, but by god they're a PITA on the motorway!

As a lot of my riding is from London to Leicester and back as well, I kinda feel as though a pair of muffs might be a bit of a godsend in winter!

[trudd]

They have a piece of plastic that acts as a frame and push onto the bar ends which keeps them in place and holds the shape.

[fazersharp]

Been thinking about this for a few winters---- sorry not heated grips but hand guards, I have winter gloves and if I could only keep the wind blast off I could ride longer. I dont like the ones that fit in the bar ends as I feel my hands are trapped I prefer to have that end open. Question - what size are my standard fzs600 mk1 bars, I keep seeing "will fit 22mm bars" is that mine. I am thinking of these ones . Or can somone recomend others im only going to put them on for winter riding, and will they bend in at warp factor speeds
 
Hope that this is still on topic for the first poster rather than starting a new thread

[Punkstig]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TUCANO-URBANO-HANDLE-BAR-MUFFS-BAR-END-VESPA-HONDA-YAMAHA-GTS-CBR-FAZER-R361-/251341724789?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item3a85225c75

So these muffs do have a frame to keep them off the levers? love my oxfords around town, but by god they're a PITA on the motorway!

As a lot of my riding is from London to Leicester and back as well, I kinda feel as though a pair of muffs might be a bit of a godsend in winter!

No joe- you want the bigger pair for up and down the motorway as I previously posted!

[Gav]

Postman brought me a pair of datatool heated grips.  Just put them on the battery and started the bike to test them. Wooo nice n toasty.  Looking forward to trying them out for real. 
Like the auto charging sensor that switches them on and off automatically

[wickedmonkey]

Just ordered a set of data tool grips as my index finger always goes numb when riding this time of year, which really is annoying.  Looking forward to toasty hands and warmth to stop the dead finger issue lol.

Yes, me too. Really annoying. So far this autumn/winter, just my thumb and first two pinkies on my throttle hand are feeling the cold. My left is fine. Must be the subtle difference in position on the throttle. Only using Legend gloves at the mo. Thinking about heated grips though.

Not sure how long into the winter I want to ride. Don't feel confident about riding on frosty roads first thing in the morning when the temperature dips below freezing.

[JoeRock]

Well I've still got a few sets left so if you want one give me a shout!

[NM_FZ8]

Hello Foccer's, thinking of fitting some heated grips but don't want them to be much thicker. Any recommendations and how much difference do they really make, never had them or rode a bike with them so not sure how effective they are. Cheers in advance. 

I have them on my Concours and while I have used them in the past the back of my hand still gets cold. A better solution is something like Gerbing's heated gloves http://www.thewarmingstore.com/gerbing-heated-gloves.html. One connection on the battery and a variable controller on your bike/belt and you are much warmer. Add a jacket liner and riding in cold weather it much more enjoyable.

[Nosobrut]

I've got Gerbing gloves and heated inner jacket . The gloves attach to cables at the end of the sleeves but I find them abit cumbersome when despatching , so I have Datatool heated grips and you to get the best from them you need handlebar muffs (not oxfords there crap even though I've got them fitted). Went from London to Bruton and Taunton a round trip of 320 miles in fingerless gloves . Got back last night the only thing to get cold was my right foot  .

[Grahamm]

A better solution is something like Gerbing's heated gloves http://www.thewarmingstore.com/gerbing-heated-gloves.html. One connection on the battery and a variable controller on your bike/belt and you are much warmer.

I have these too and they're well worth the money, although I'd suggest getting the three position controller (lo-mid-high) because it's cheaper than the variable one.

As Nosobrut points out, the gloves aren't great if you need to keep getting on and off the bike, but for long runs they're ideal.

[NM_FZ8]

 

I have these too and they're well worth the money, although I'd suggest getting the three position controller (lo-mid-high) because it's cheaper than the variable one.

As Nosobrut points out, the gloves aren't great if you need to keep getting on and off the bike, but for long runs they're ideal.

Bummer, I guess I didn't see the low-med-high controller when I bought my stuff or I would have gotten it.

[bwizz]

Heated Jackets.  I notice that the cheep heated jackets which my partner and myself wear are again on e bay £48 but still a ,best bike related gadget /gear I have ever bought. Their called polar something or other   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[apage16]

I got the 'volcanic heat' heated fleece waistcoat from maplin. £25 I think.

Really not worth it.

Its big and baggy and that's a medium. (I've since had it on the sewing machine and taken the waist in by a good 6 inches). it takes 6 AA batteries on 2 bulky battery packs that are exactly where the belt of my Knox back protector goes. Not comfy.

And worst of all, the heated part is just two small (10cmx20cm ish) elements on the chest. Pathetic really. And the batteries don't even last all the way from home to work (70 miles). So not great. Certainly not volcanic!!

Buy cheap buy twice! (Except expensive enough to be quite annoying!)

I'm trying to find some flatter 4.5-5V batteries to use instead of the AA's. Might even try and wire it into the bike as the warmth is better than nothing.

[bwizz]

I had some volcanic heat battery gloves , absolutely useless, lasted 40 mins if lucky. the polar 12v jackets are really good , best if you put a kidney belt over them , presses the heating elaments nearer to thge body