| Author | Message | ||
     No_rice |
who has it or has used it? what have you used? i am thinking about getting some for this winter(atleast a heated jacket liner) obviously i can get the harley stuff, but even with an employee discount it sure isnt cheap. it's not to far off of the other stuff i have seen though either. also thinking about putting some hand warmers on something, just havent decided what bike yet. probably just set up the blast to commute back and forth to work on for the winter with maybe some hand guards also. although a guy just offered me his gauntlets, the style you would use snowmobiling and put over the whole bar end and controls so you can just slide your hand in there. | ||
| Doerman |
First hands, then feet.. Torso after that. It is amazing how much heated grips allow you to ride in lower ambient temps. Plus you get away from the thick clumsy glove. I have heated grips and have used Widder heated vest. At times I wished I had heated socks also since cold feet becomes a limitation. Asbjorn | ||
| Glitch |
I have a Widder heated vest. It takes the fatigue out of winter riding. Well worth the price. Thanks to a fellow BadWeBber that just got new heated gear, I got the vest for $20!  | ||
| Xl1200r |
A heated vest will actually keep your extremeties warmer. If the body core is warm, it will send warm blood out the extremeties and then you're in total warmth. Socks and gloves may still be needed for fingers and toes though. The coldest I've ridden in has been down into the mid-30s or so. I usually just wear a seatshirt and a t-shirt under my leather jacket, and put liners in my gloves. Flannel pants uner my jeans, and ski socks over my regular socks. The only parts of me that get real cold are my neck and face, and my theighs around the "goods". Everything else is reasonably comfortable. I may try a heated vest this fall though. | ||
| Djkaplan |
First hands, then feet.. Torso after that. Based on the parts of my body that start to turn blue first, I'd have to agree with this. Heated grips make a huge difference even without wind protection over your gloves. | ||
| Tattoodnscrewd |
I can usually get by with just jeans, sweatshirt under the jacket, winter riding gloves and 2 pairs of socks under the boots ... but I hit a 16 degree day last winter .. sure could've used heated gear that day ... Usually all that gets cold is my fingers, toes and knees ... Control those and I'd be good ... Tim - if you find some cheap but good stuff let me know .. Also - Slimey Crud Run is 10/7 ... you coming up ? Great riding that day !! What you went on with us during Homecoming would be considered just OK compared to the roads ridden on the Crud Run .. Come up Saturday .. ride out 7 AM Sunday morning and back at 7 PM or so (to and from my house of course) ... | ||
| Jaimec |
When your core temperature drops, the first thing your body does to preserve itself is restrict bloodflow to the extremities (your fingers and toes). Therefore, keeping your fingers and toes warm is only treating the symptom, NOT the cause. What you really want to do is keep your core body temperature up with a heated vest. If your core temperature remains stable, then bloodflow to your fingers and toes will keep them warm without additional outside heat. By the way, if you wear thick winter gloves and an electric vest and your fingertips are still cold, loosen up your grip on the handlebars. Very often you'll discover you're gripping the throttle side so hard you're cutting off the circulation to your fingertips. Even in the coldest weather on the Buell I found the only heated thing I needed was the vest. | ||
| Jaimec |
More information on this Aerostich catalog page: http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Kanetsu-Electr ics-p-1-c-284.html | ||
| Oldnslow |
I've got heated glove liners. Add a good jacket and below freezing temps are no problem. | ||
| Buffalobolt |
I heated grips on both Buell's and also highly recommend Aerostich's Kanetsu sind-proof heated jacket liner. The heated grips cost around $50 (thats including the cost of new grips), plus a little bit of installation time. This is a must do on any bike as far as I'm concerned! With the heated liner under my leather jacket, layering cloths, a turtle fur baclava (Aerostich item also), and the heated grips, I'm good for most of the day in the teens. I've been out at -7 and got cold (75mph wind chill doesn't help!), but at that point there were bigger problems (throttle freezing, etc.). If your planning on riding much in anything lower than, say, 45 degrees, good gear is not only worth the money, but could be a lifesaver! Too often you don't realize how cold you are until it is too late! My .02 | ||
| Bartimus |
I use Widder heated vest, chaps, and gloves. They keep me toasty, and happy, and required no installation other than just putting them on and riding... (I hate adding gadgets to my bikes) | ||
| Reepicheep |
The $30 I just spent for the polly cartridge heaters was the best money I ever spent on a motorcycle farkle. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I have the Aerostitch vest and would recommend it to anyone. I have had the Polly Heaters as well as the Symtec Heaters. By far, the Polly Heaters were the hottest. Low is hot. High is almost unbearable. The Symtecs are adequate. With the grip heaters and vest, I haven't had the need for heated socks. Heated gear is the only thing that can put heat back into your core. It doesn't matter how much you bundle up, you will lose body heat. If you don't put it back in, your body will work toward hypothermia. | ||
| Henrik |
I'm with Reep - the best $30 I ever spent on MC gear were my heated grips - the stick on rear window defroster type. I also have a Widder vest with snap-on arm chaps and the electronic thermostat. Outstanding stuff. Did a long weekend trip with temps in the 30's. Wore an aerostitch Roadcrafter one-piece (thanks Court) the vest and a bit of fleece. Perfectly comfortable. Heated gear ... worth every penny. Henrik | ||
| Dhalen32 |
NoRice: I use a Gerbings jacket liner and gloves and ride year round as a result. My climate is probably similar to yours. Each bike has a power connection so I can easily move bike to bike. I use a hip mounted temperature controller to adjust the heat as necessary. I believe the Harley branded gear is made by Gerbings. You should be pleased with the function and quality. Don't forget to turn it off/unplug from battery when you stop as it can drain a battery pretty quickly. Dave | ||
| Fly |
I've been very happy with my Gerbings heated jacket, pants, socks, and gloves. Wear what you need (or unplug individual components) depending on temperatures. Variable heat controller highly recommended to control heat and electrical draw. It's essential that outerwear block wind infiltration, or you'll still get cold. The trick is to block all wind, wear heated clothes close to body, adjust temp as needed to stay comfortable (and hope you don't blow a fuse!  ). Actually, I have never blown a fuse, but I have drawn down my battery on smaller bikes. Being completely wrapped in warmness is euphoria. Consider that total warmth is infinitely better than partial. Consider that when you make your investment. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Being completely wrapped in warmness is euphoria. So you're the guy peeing in the pool.  | ||
| No_rice |
lol. im pretty sure i will end up with some sort of heated gear this winter. i figure if im going to keep riding like usual why freeze another whole winter! | ||
| Jont |
Warm and Safe jacket and Harley(Gerbings) pants and Polly inserts. mmmmm toasty. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
rode all year last year with heated gear, only missed three days because there was ice on the road. Rode down to the 20s comfortably. Put the CityX hand guards on, they help alot (I am not running heated grips) Just have the jacket, and a good pair of drysuit gloves, socks and a decent over pant. Bike season is never really over up here, it just gets wet and squishy with all the rain. | ||
| Metalstorm |
My cold weather arsenal consists of: CityX/Uly hand guards. Poly heaters in the bars. Fleece pants. Aerostich electric vest under a snug leather vest under a Roadcrafter suit. Balaclava under the helmet and a wind stopping bandanna around the neck. Tourmaster Winter Elite gloves if it's below 20 degrees. Above 20 degrees it's Lee Park's Deersports PCI (phase change insulation) gloves. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I routinely ride the FLHP in 10 degree weather with the HD/Gerbings heated jacket liner, heated gloves, FXRG nylon jacket, jeans, and underarmor pants under the jeans. I switched to composite safety toe boots instead of steel, what a difference! Plain ol' Haynes sweatsocks underneath. If it's REALLY cold I'll wear a zip up fleece jacket over the heated liner and under the FXRG. I run a dual thermostat, keep the gloves on high and the jacket on med, no problems. I'll see how it performs on the S2 this winter, since I'm spending vastly more time on it now than the ol' FLH. I have to say though - heated gear is easily the best money I've spent on motorcycling. Bar none. I do second the "keep the core warm and the extremities will follow" theory. My hands are notorious for getting cold, but with this stuff I'm perfect. Just for the option of the gloves and ease of addition, I'd go jacket liner over vest since they plug right into the cuff. But I've never needed pants or socks. Buy the stuff. You will not regret it. | ||
| Buell_nm |
I've no complaints about my Widder vest and gloves. Used them all winter long, once I added the heated grips I rarely used the gloves. Heated grips are the bomb! | ||
| Xbduck |
I have a jacket liner from HD, can't remember who made it, heated chaps, and heated grips. Th grips are good for chilly times however I think heated gloves would be better for truly cold rides. I would still keep the heated grips, they are very very nice to keep the chill from your hands when you get caught colder than expected. My grips came from Riderwearhouse Catalog, http//:www.aerostich.com, I got the ones that go on over your grips so I can put them on the Sporty when needed. The chaps were a deal on e-bay and probably the best addition. With the wind hitting the thigh at speed the chaps do the job keeping you warm. So far with this set up I haven't had seriously cold feet, they do get chilly from time to time. Good luck and keep an eye out for ice. | ||
| Pammy |
If you want to stay warm and toasty all year long just move to Fl. I can't even imagine going outside if it got 30 degrees...sheesh! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Yeah, unfortunately in addition to being warm we also like curves. Florida is like Kansas with a beach. | ||
| Mtg |
So I'm wanting to be able to ride my XB9R in the upper 20's/low 30's comfortably for an hour long ride. My fingers getting cold is what limits the temp I ride in currently. Anybody with experience with heated grips and heated jackets want to chime in about which they would buy if you were only going to have one or the other? Keep your core warmer, or heat the grips? Here's my cold weather gear: -Tour Master Polar Tex gloves -Shirt, sweatshirt, leather jacket, with rain suit over jacket as a windbreaker -Base layer "pants", jeans and rain suit pants on the legs. So would you recommend me some heated grips or a heated vest to go under my jacket? Thanks. | ||
| Jackbequick |
You guys have covered it all, I'm an Aerostich person and I add the Kanemetsu full sleeve (not the vest) liner as it cools off in the fall, then I can also plug that in for the torso warming. Another thing I use if I'm going to be riding for an hour or more is a pair of the little self-activating "toe warmer" packets in my boots. Those have a small adhesive patch and I put them on (not inside!) my socks under the curl of the toes in front of the ball of my foot. Those will keep some warmth going for several hours or so and it seems like my toes are one of the first places that feels the cold when all the other stuff is doing all right. I'm a Mainer so shortly before it's cool enough for water to freeze on the roadway, I'm done for the winter and the bike is in the basement. Jack |
