grip heaters, heated grips, heated gloves????

[R1]

what are the options out there?

heated grips?

heating elements that go under the grips?

reliability?

Cost?

discuss.

I am not above spending a little extra for a time tested prduct.

in case you were wondering

i need 2 sets. i refuse to go to ebay, craigslist, and will not buy anything used.

i prefer to go to a certain shop just want to get my shit together before i go and ask them what they think. plus i still value the opinion of NESR when it comes to matters like this.

thanks

Keith
________________________________________________________________

I am going to consolidate a list of the options for future reference if needed.

you know just incase someone does use the search function

http://www.dual-star.com/index2/Ride...d_grip_kit.htm
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...gory_Code=cgid
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produc...fCatId=&mmyId=
http://www.symtec-inc.com/Grip-Warmer-Kits_c_36.html
http://www.bikebandit.com/product/14...8733&WT.srch=1



associated accessories

http://www.castlewholesalers.com/GB-...tch-Cover.html






so far some great suggestions thanks.

[KillBill]

Keith - I'm also looking at doing this. Mike suggested this:

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/681480-post8.html

[R1]

thanks Bill

I seen that they have the controller box as and add-on

I will definitely keep em on the list which i am starting right now.

[stoinkythepig]

I have had Kimpex snowmobile heaters on three bikes and all have proven reliable. My current bike is on it's 7th season with them. I hear dual star heaters are superior in design and would have bought them, had I known.

For $25-30, I cannot imagine why so many people don't have grip heaters. I would never own a bike without them.

I highly recommend adding a relay to the power circuit so that they can only be on after the bike is running. Mine can only come on after the starter has been operated and turn off automatically when the key is off.

[OreoGaborio]

Pretty sure the Dual Star kit is what I have on my bike... it works great from 40-50 degrees.. below 45ish and I'm just putting on my insulated gloves.

If you're gonna be riding in the cold a LOT, I'd go w/ Gerbing or Aerostich heated gear.

[schleppy]

I've had these on my bike for two years:
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...gory_Code=cgid

I wouldn't trade them for anything.

[DucDave]

Seacoast and Motormarket both carry heated gloves, which have always worked really well for me.

[markbvt]

I've got Symtec grip heaters on two of my bikes, and they rock. Keep my hands comfortably warm even on the low setting, even on a 30-degree morning with unlined gloves.

To Pete's point about Gerbing/Aerostich gear... personally I think it's overpriced. I rode a lot in February and March with my Tourmaster Synergy heated vest, in temps down to single digits. That vest rocks, and it's much less expensive than the Gerbing or Aerostich stuff. But I agree with him that if you're going to be riding in the cold, heated gear is a good investment. I think the heated vest was probably the best $100 I ever spent on motorcycle gear.

--mark

[stoinkythepig]

One item you can add to the grip heater kits to improve reliability and looks is: http://www.castlewholesalers.com/GB-...tch-Cover.html With this, you can mount the ugly toggle switch right out in the open with no worries of rain damaging it and you won't have to look at a switch that looks more suitable for a high school science fair project than a modern sport bike.

[stoinkythepig]

Dual Star=Symtec. It's the same kit, near as I can tell.

[Tricky Mike]

My take on heated grips vs gloves is that you won't always have the gloves when you need them. The grip heaters stay on the bike, so even when you get caught in some unexpected mid-summer cold rain, you just flip the switch. I agree with Pete, though... extended cold touring is the domain of heated gear, not necessarily grips.
That said, I regularly commute into the city (about an hour on the bike) in 25 or so degree weather with a pair of Held's and Dual Star heated grips.

[Wanderer]

Personally prefer heated grips over gloves for the reasons others have sated - never without them, and allows me to wear a less bulky glove earlier, while also not freezing

[R1]

[RandyO]

I gotta agree with one thing that has already been posted,
I'll never own another bike without heated grips, too convenient on that cool summer morning and your summer gloves don't quite cut it

also make sure they are powered by a switched circuit

I've had Hot Grips (made in NH , USA) and oem suzuki grips, both, good uniform heat

with the sticky back element type that go under regular grips, you may have to compensate between clutch & throttle side to get even heat

grips are ok for short to medium commutes in cold weather, if your out all day, you probably want heated gloves too

[R1]

the hot grips are exactly what i pictured when i was thinking about these in the first place. I am not to keen on having a heating element on my bars, because then it becomes an issue if i ever change clip-ons.

but i am not 100% on what product ill use. it seems some are loyal to what they use and for good reason while others have tried different products.

i guess my next question would be

does it boil down to personal preference as to how the heat is displaced? where as like was said some are more uniform than others.

so would it be worth buying a cheap pair first to get a feeling for it then trying out different products?



I am gonna check these out a little more in depth later. I am getting one set for myself and one set for alicia.

I do knwo for certain the gloves are out. we do not do winter riding at all, at least not yet and not with these bikes so the gloves would be overkill. so its definitely between the grips and the heating element.

oh one more thing, are the heating elements removable? by removable i dont mean yeah you can get them off i mean can they be reused on a different bike?

[stoinkythepig]

They are 30 bucks, leave them on the bike and buy another set.

Randy, the Daul Stars actually have more power for the left grip to offset the heat sink effect of the left handlebar.

[markbvt]

ith the sticky back element type that go under regular grips, you may have to compensate between clutch & throttle side to get even heat

The trick is to wrap the part of the bar under the left grip in electrical tape or shrinkwrap to insulate the grip heater from the bar, otherwise the bar turns into a heatsink.

Works like a charm.

--mark

[MattR302]

I picked up some Firstgear heated carbon gloves for half price at my local dealer. Havent gotten a chance to test them out on the bike yet, I'm building my own heat controller, as well as building a heated jacket liner. I did hook to the gloves up to 12V on a power supply, and they got warm on the back of the hands.

I think I might buy a set of those $30 heated elements as well though. For the spring/fall days when it will be 45 in the morning on the ride to work, but 70 in the afternoon, so i dont need to carry 2 pairs of gloves.