Heated grips

[oldspice]

Since it's nearly 100F outside right now, I thought it a perfect time to talk about heated grips. Who has 'em, how do you like 'em, how easy were they to install? I the Oxford wraps that wrap around the outside of the existing grips, but want something a bit more permanent and elegant.

[TrueBandit]

Mr. OldSpice, I was in fact thinking also about those 12volt warm/hot suit liners for certain days on days like this. Have you or anyone out there lived to tell the story



On a real note: I know they work and you can add them also under the current grips. It is a option available on most snowmobile aftermarket web sites and includes a Hi/Low or Variable. Now if I could only find the ice for my comfort suit. Michigan 98 degrees and humid with humid you walk two steps and are soaked.

[pete roper]

I have Oxford grips on the Griso. Thry're better than nothing but in reality they are pretty ordinary. I've held off fitting them to the Mana as I'm sure there are better alternatives available so I'm all ears here.

Pete

[Ray_Bjur]

I went the heated gloves route instead of the grips. Feedback I had received from users of both was that the grips only warm the palms but the gloves warm the knuckles as well. Considering the wind is always blowing on the knuckles, I felt is was a better option. The added benefit is they're portable between rides.

[vrider]

I did heated gloves as well, for the reasons Mr. Ray Bjur mentioned above. It's just a little more cumbersome getting on and off the bike with the wire for heated apparel, you're tethered to it. I have a Gerbings jacket liner and gloves, one of the best things I ever bought, extends the riding season, I rode all winter this year. Heated grips would be good with hand guards I bet.

[pete roper]

I've heard a lot about Gerbing gear. How pricey is it? Do they have a website?

Pete

[empty]

I opted for gigantic Stelvio hand-guards, and even giganticker (yes, that's a word) gauntlet-style gloves. Any bigger, and they'd prevent me doing fairly important things, like braking or signaling.

[Ray_Bjur]

Gerbing (sp?) heavy gauntlets with controller cost me ~$180 US last January. The vest was 199.

I've heard a lot about Gerbing gear. How pricey is it? Do they have a website?

Pete

[vrider]

Here you go Pete: http://gerbing.com/

I got my gear on a blowout sale, they were getting rid of the old stuff which was being replaced with the new, better microwire technology. I have a dual Firstgear thermostat which allows me to control temperature of the gloves and jacket liner separately, without it everything is always on 10. No more pulling over to put stuff on or take things off as the ambient temperature changes, just turn the knobs while riding. (Oh, I mean pull over in a safe place and make thermostat adjustments, lol) I think the Firstgear stuff may be a little less expensive.

[nygt]

I have a Gerbings heated jacket liner and Gerbings T5 gloves. They are pricey (especially because you have to buy the temperature controller separately) but the Gerbings gloves are way better than the Alpinestars heated gloves they replace. Much warmer and more comfortable too. They heat both sides of your whole hand, including right down to the fingertips. Spent an hour on the highway this winter at 40 degrees F in light rain. Stayed very warm with the jacket and gloves at half power. If I lived in Alaska this is the gear I'd wear on my snowmobile in winter.

[nygt]

OK I just want to clarify that last post. DO NOT shave few bucks off a Gerbings purchase by skipping the dual temperature controller. I got a nice little 2nd-degree burn on my back 'cause without the temperature controller the Gerbings gear only has two settings: "Off" and "Volcano Heat". Also, you'll appreciate being able to control the gloves separately from the jacket.

[oldspice]

Maybe it's just me, but isn't it kind of a pain dealing with all the controllers and wires and whatnots? Isn't easier and more streamlined just to hit a switch on the handlebars? I guess it depends on the level of comfort vs. convenience.

[jauntygrngiant]

I am new to the Mana, coming from a Kawaski Versys. On my previous bike I had some fugly handle bar mitts, but they did the job marvelously. No wires attached, and I could where summer-weight gloves while commuting around. Likely will go a similar route for the Mana, considering I saved the mitts.

[nygt]

Oldspice -

Oldspice -

I typically clip the controller on my leg using the belt clip in a pocket, and connect the controller to the jacket when I suit up and the gloves to the jacket when I put them on.

Then there's just one wire that plugs to the bike when I get on to ride.

So yeah, it's more involved than just flipping a switch for heated grips.

But at least all the pieces of the heated outfit connect together so there's no wires flopping around.

If you're not really that cold to begin with, then heated grips may be great for you. Especially if you have hand-guards to keep your fingers out of the wind.

the site for Gerbings is actually www.gerbing.com - some domain squatter got the URL with the s on the end... and I kindof applaud Gerbings for not caving in to them and buying it :-)

[pete roper]

Well because I'm old and busted-arsed and it's the middle of bloody winter and I've got to ride up to Queensland in a couple of weeks I've flashed out and bought myself a Gerbings jacket and gloves plus a dual heat controller. No, they aren't cheap but they really aren't that expensive either. When one considers what an *Ordinary* jacket and gloves cost and a set of heated grips the cost isn't at all unreasonable.

Stuff costs more here than in the USA and last time I bought a decent jacket it cost me four hundred bucks, gloves, decent winter gloves, will set you back up to $200 so the Gerbings jacket and gloves and the controller and it's little belt pouch for $790 or something US when the $AU is above parity is not bad. Now I just have to hope my measurements were correct but I'm a fat bastard so just ordering the size suitable for the morbidly obese seemed the way to go freight's a killer though!

Pete