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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflectors
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Message started by John on 08/16/12 at 13:28:15

Title: Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflectors
Post by John on 08/16/12 at 13:28:15

With fall\winter rapidly approaching, I am now starting to ponder the best way to keep my hands warm. I have a 45 commute to work, riding at 60 for 30 minutes of it. I have gloves that, if I put a liner inside of them, will last me into november\december. This past winter was my first time with my suzie, and there were a couple of days where, even with thicker gloves, a walmart hand warmer, and a glove liner, my hands were stick pricky\numb when I got to work. So, I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about being warm. Everything else on my body stays warm due to solid clothing\layering, except my hands. I live near memphis, if that helps. I'll take any suggestions. Based on my subject post, which is better, grips, gloves, or hand deflectors? Or are there really good winter gloves out there where you don't have to do the "heated" route?

Title: Re: Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflecto
Post by arteacher on 08/16/12 at 13:42:11

To my way of thinking, heated gloves would be the way to go. Heated grips only heat the inside of the hand, and deflectors don't heat anything.

Title: Re: Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflecto
Post by Digger on 08/16/12 at 19:12:06

Hi John,

I've done LOTS of cold weather riding in the past. In addition, I live in Colorado Springs and don't own a car.....my Savage is my "daily rider." I've run errands around here with temps in the single digits F. I've also, in the past, ridden entire days where it never got warmer than 25 degrees F. A few years back, I rode over 100 miles in single digit F temps.

Note that I've never owned or used grip heaters, so I cannot comment on them.

Having said all that, here's what I would recommend:

First, get you some hand deflectors to keep the wind off. Here's what I use in the winter around here:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/Digger109/HippoHands-2E.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/Digger109/HippoHands-1E.jpg

They are fabric rip-offs of Craig Vetter's Hippo Hands that I picked up at a garage sale. I think these ones were made for use with ATVs. They work to keep the majority of the wind blast off of my hands.

Then, invest in a decent pair of electric gloves. I've been using Widder 'Lectric gloves for years, but the company has since gone out of business. I really haven't kept up with the latest, but I know that Gerber gloves work well. They are quite dear, but carry a lifetime warranty (AFAICR). In my experience, nothing, but NOTHING beats electric clothing.....

Lastly, keep the electric gloves in a heated area until you are ready to put them on. That way, they'll be warm when you put them on and will stay that way....

Title: Re: Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflecto
Post by Cavi Mike on 08/16/12 at 19:28:29

Hand deflectors are HUGE for keeping cold off your hands. When I switched to a "naked" from a fully-fared bike, I couldn't believe the difference. Even on a 40degree day my fingers would be in pain by the time I got to work. I think hand deflectors look terrible and make bikes look like enduros so I had to get winter riding gloves. Did the trick for me but my commute was only 7 miles at the time so I can't comment on how well they'd work for some of the 30min+ rides some of you guys commute.

Title: Re: Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflecto
Post by John on 08/17/12 at 13:45:31

Along the lines of the hand deflectors, it looks like something like the below, coupled with some winter gloves and liners, should do the trick. and they are cheaper than hippo's.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/4/22/263/25861/ITEM/Moose-Racing-Paws-Gauntlets.aspx

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/5/18/173/21047/ITEM/Kwik-Tek-ScootR-Logic-Hand-Mitts.aspx

Thoughts?

Title: Re: Heated Grips Vs Heated Gloves Vs Hand Deflecto
Post by teabowl13 on 08/18/12 at 08:24:22

Those mit covers seem like they'd be the warmest solution for the money, and definitely the easiest to install. I don't know how strong the charging system is on the Savage, but other older bikes I've had didn't make enough juice to run heated grips or clothing unless the engine was revving up to speed most of the time; not good for in-town commuting or long red lights.

I did have heated grips on one bike I owned for a little while, and they really worked better than I thought they would; only problem I had though was that they needed to be set on HI to really work, and at that setting, the glue used to attach them under the grips would get soft. I'd be riding along and all of a sudden my throttle would start backing off all by itself because the tube underneath was slipping... never found a solution, just sold the bike.

Heated gloves/ glove liners with hand guards to block the wind would be my first choice. Mits for when it gets below freezing, but I try not to ride when it's below freezing. Around here Black Ice is all to real of a problem, and too much risk for me...