Donate!
Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register :: View Members
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
Who has heated gear? (Read 304 times)
Paraquat
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2206

Who has heated gear?
08/29/12 at 09:30:55
 
Fall's coming quickly and it's already rather brisk on my morning commute. My typical Fall attire consists of zipping up my jacket and switching from fingerless to Mechanic's brand gloves.

I'm thinking about getting a heated jacket though.
Some of these Gerbing's are 350 dollars!? Nothing but good reviews, but jeez. Then I looked at some of the knock off brands which are offered in 65 or 90 watt and have backup battery packs so you can dismount and still be warm! Those are in the 150-170 range but are 300 denier. I've read that people are burning through the 5-600 denier range and have heard that a 1150 denier is offered now.

I don't know what I should get. I usually park it by October and I don't want to this year.


--Steve
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Cavi Mike
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Thumper n00b

Posts: 1005
Rochester, NY
Gender: male
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #1 - 08/29/12 at 10:10:02
 
Heated jacket isn't necessary unless you're riding in the winter and even then a few layers will be fine as long as your jacket isn't a textile. It's your hands and feet you should focus on, your extremities will get cold long before your core.

Also, you shouldn't be wearing any type of gloves that don't have a wrist strap. In a crash, they'll slide right off. My roommate wears Mechanic's brand gloves as well and I don't know where this really bad idea came from. They protect your hands from cuts and abrasions under the hood of a car, not road-rash.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Foxman276
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 35
Nova Scotia, Canada
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #2 - 08/29/12 at 11:18:19
 
I both agree and disagree with Mike. Yes, the hands and feet are going to get cold first and the extremities should be your priority, but from what I've heard, a heated vest or jacket liner is luxury when the cold comes. It's all about being comfortable and enjoying the ride, right?

Personally, I'm buying from Gears - it's a Canadian company. I'm looking at a jacket liner and glove liners, and I think I'm going to go with the battery pack because the gear will likely draw too much current for our bikes (at least, that's the sense I have from other threads on here).

JF
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
justin_o_guy2
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

What happened?

Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #3 - 08/29/12 at 11:54:34
 
Insulated coveralls, thermal underwear, Balaclava, snow mobile gloves w/ liner( brown cotton are good)
How far is that commute? How cold you expect to see?
Back to top
 
 

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.
  IP Logged
Johnny57
Junior Member
**
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 76
Minneapolis
Gender: male
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #4 - 08/29/12 at 13:26:34
 
Mad Bomber Hat; Columbia Artic Rated Jacket; Sorel Boots; Thermal Underwear and Snomobile gloves.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Paraquat
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2206

Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #5 - 08/29/12 at 15:45:57
 
The commute isn't far. It's the Sunday morning rides when I can see my breath that are killer.

As for how cold:
New England in November~ish. I won't ride with the white stuff on the road. Had to do it in a snow storm once and kind of ruined it for me.

As for the gear I have:
The Mechanic's glove idea originated in my drawer. I needed gloves, opened it, and they were there.
I have thermals or long johns or whatever you'd prefer to call them.
Long johns, jeans, wool socks, boots, thermal shirt, shirt, and jacket didn't cut it last year. The winter's must be getting colder. I'm definitely not getting softer...

As for the gear I desire:
A helmet is on my Fall shopping list so that covers the noodle.
It really is more of a luxury to get a jacket or vest.

I used to be able to fit a sweatshirt under my leather jacket but the darn thing must've shrunk over the years. It especially shrank around my gut.


--Steve
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
arteacher
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Ride as if your
naked and invisable!

Posts: 2581
London ontario
Gender: male
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #6 - 08/29/12 at 16:29:47
 
Does carrying a flask in your boot qualify? Huh
Back to top
 
 

white '07, Raask exh, Corbin seat, slipstreamer shie, Raptor, Routy's fwd controls, Baron tach, Frisco bars, Isogrips, Headlight and taillight modulators, Dial-a- jet, AME 9 deg chop kit, K&N air flt
  IP Logged
ZAR
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Rock this town! Rock
it inside out!

Posts: 961
Kentucky, USA
Gender: male
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #7 - 08/29/12 at 16:45:41
 
Steve I rode to work most all this past winter. Anytime the temps were above 38*F when I leave at 7:00am. My commute is 45 miles each way. I have a good leather jacket with full liner,a pair of all season/all weather riding pants from CycleGear(their house brand...BiLT I believe)that are waterproof and have the thermal zip-out liner. For gloves I have a very good pair of waterproof and insulated gloves with the long cuff,also from CycleGear. I wear wool socks inside insulated/waterproof work/hunting boots. I won't claim to be cozy but I don't freeze to death! And I'm an "Old Fart" of 58 years old.

The good stuff from CycleGear I catch when it's on 50% off sales so it's a real deal. I do use a baclava(?) under the helmet for colder days to keep my bald head warm and have found that goggles work best for me to keep my eyes from watering.

Larry
Back to top
 
 

Yellow 1996 Jetted and Dunstall exhaust. Dakota Chubby Bags, Memphis Slim shield,Tank Bib from?? Seat riser mod. More to come!
  IP Logged
Paraquat
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2206

Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #8 - 09/10/12 at 05:36:02
 
Maybe it was just the loss of heat from my noodle...
It's 60 degrees now meaning it was mid to high 50's when I rode in to work today.
Following advice I took out my wool balaclava that is usually reserved for when I'm using the snow blower and switched to my Mechanic's gloves. I was fine on the ride in. These gloves are a bit thinner so by the time I arrived I could feel it in the tips and my knees but otherwise my core was fine.
I'm going to get some full finger leather gloves this weekend and I might look at some chaps.
I found the Scorpion EXO 700's on sale for 110. Seriously considering those right now.


--Steve
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Gyrobob
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Posers ain't
motorcyclists

Posts: 2571
Newnan, GA
Gender: male
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #9 - 09/11/12 at 04:48:52
 
I'm going to replace the stock headlight bulb with an HID setup to get more light, but mainly to reduce the load on the electrical system to get some capacity back for the heated grips (yet to be installed) and for the Gerbing jacket I have already.
Back to top
 
« Last Edit: 09/11/12 at 08:46:02 by Gyrobob »  

If you think there's good in everyone, you haven't met everyone.
  IP Logged
Paraquat
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2206

Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #10 - 09/11/12 at 06:15:51
 
I can't get over the prices of that Gerbing stuff.
All my digits were cold up to my hand today and more than just my knees. When I got to work I checked weather.com
It was 46 degrees this morning.
Thermals under my jeans and thicker gloves and I should be fine.
I might still consider a heated jacket or vest for luxury.


--Steve
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Paraquat
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2206

Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #11 - 09/12/12 at 05:58:34
 
50's last night. Just hit 50 when I got to work so assume very high 40's.
Last night was a "warm" 50 if that makes any sense.
Thermals, jacket, Mechanic's gloves, balaclava and I was fine. I was actually super comfortable. That was going down a mountain so maybe the lower I got the warmer I felt and that's why I didn't notice it?

This morning I was a little chilly. The Mechanic's gloes aren't cutting it and I definitely need something with a cuff.


--Steve
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
stinger
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

I love YaBB 1G -
SP1!

Posts: 848

Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #12 - 09/12/12 at 08:22:13
 
I went for a ride this morning and it was maybe 45 degrees out. I used my old 1$ small rubber hot water bottle like those you put on your chest with a cold. Stuck it down the front of my coat and it kept me toasty warm. Good hand warmer also, and I can even make hot chocolate with it on the side of the road.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Serowbot
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

OK.... so what's the
speed of dark?

Posts: 28910
Tucson Az
Gender: male
Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #13 - 09/12/12 at 08:33:44
 
I bought a pair of grip heaters from e-bay, and rigged one of them to a scarf...
Wrapped around my neck,.. I can move the heated patch around under my coat to warm chilly areas,.. usually center torso where the jacket tends to pooch and get a slight draft....
Anyway,... $6 for the pair,.. low draw,.. and basically, an electric hot-water bottle...(without the water)...
Plugged in to a fused battery tap between the tank and seat...
Huh...
Back to top
 
 

Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh...
  IP Logged
srinath
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

I love YaBB 1G -
SP1!

Posts: 5349

Re: Who has heated gear?
Reply #14 - 09/12/12 at 08:53:42
 
2 words for you ...
Magnet wire ...

Get 100 ft, like 20 bucks ... sew it in, done. Google it.
Cool.
Srinath.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print


« Home

 
« Home
SuzukiSavage.com
12/08/24 at 01:35:21



General CategoryRubber Side Down! › Who has heated gear?


SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2!
YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved.