Heated Grips or Heated gloves

[fjrsochs]

Well, I'm gonna ride until December (icy conditions permitting). So, I'll need heated something for my hands.

Which is best grips or gloves? Assume I won't be buying any other heated gear but the grips or gloves.

What is the simplest way to power them (gloves) and least costly?

Battery powered gloves?

 

[FJRay]

My wife has the Widder gloves and is happy with them. I have the Hot Grips with Vstrom hand guards and while they work ok the backs of my hands still get cold. If I could I would go with Gerbings gloves to go with my jacket liner.

 

[gregarious]

I have both, purchased wired gloves first, then my wife bought me batttery powered gloves for skiing. I find I use the battery powered more often, since I usually don't do long rides during the winter. If you don't plan on riding for more than 5-6 hours, get the battery powered. JMHO

 

[ricks.06]

Gloves. I've had good luck with FirstGear. Around $125.

 

[MojaveFJR]

Installed the factory heated grips. I like them enough as I also have the vstrom handguards as well.

What I don't like about the heated grips is when the throttle tube expands twisting the throttle becomes a little more of an effort and holding it does too. Have throttle locks and use them alot as the road to work is straight as the day is long.

Over all happy with the set up.

 

[C&C]

Gloves for me; 1st Gear with heat-troller.

 

[VanHarlan]

I have both . . Warm & Safe gloves (same as FirstGear) . . . and heated grips. The plan being this: if it's cold enough that I need my heated liners and socks then I'll wear the gloves. If it's just annoyingly chilly then I'll use the grips to take the edge off. I also have the Vstrom Hand Gaurds for cold weather as well.

 

[fjr vfr]

I would have heated grips even if I were to get the gloves. You will never be on a ride and wish you hadn't forgot to bring your heated grips! I'm sure the gloves are warmer, but you need to have them with you all the time. There have been many times I've ridden in warm weather and didn't get back before it started to cool off and get chilly. I just turned the grips on and didn't need to pack bulky gloves or stop to dig them out. I've also rode to higher elevation where the temps dropped, I didn't need to stop, just turned on the grips. Other times drooling down the interstate for hours when the temps were in the 50's I could keep the grips on and fight off hypothermia without wearing thick gloves. And if heading south and the weather starts warming just turn off the heat. Basically what I'm saying is the grips have many more practical uses than the gloves. You might still want some heated gloves for the extremes but, I'd still get the grips in any case. They are always with you and ready to use!

 

[ahchiu]

I had heated gloves and now have heated grips, I prefer the heated grips with bars covers like Quadrunners,Hippo hands or Watershed. I don't care for the bulky heated gloves and find the heated grips with bar covers are great, I can wear thinner gloves and the covers keep the rain and cold wind off the back of my hands.

 

[Fred W]

Heated grips are great. They are so convenient. You never have to think about them until you need them, and then they are right there.

But when the temperature drops to the mid 30's and below, the grips won't be able to keep your whole hand warm, and you'll start to lose manual dexterity. That is when you either need hippo hands or heated gloves. For the few number of times that I require them, I have a set of Gerbings snowmobile gloves that I bought used from a fellow forum member. I wired a cable in parallel, off of my heated grips controller and placed the cable end up near the ignition switch. I can just plug in the "Y" cable there and plug the gloves into the y cable. This is really the best of both worlds as you still get the warmth of the grips in your palms and the gloves take care of the rest of your hand.

 

[Wolfhound]

ditto on the Warm N Safe plus using the wireless controller . . . Liner & Gloves makes it quite easy to ride in 30 + degrees weather. Be prepared & never leave home without gloves.

I always carry gloves (wearing & extra) on the bike as you never know what you may run into riding. One light pair and one elec pair = excellent riding conditions for the hands . . .

 

[escapefjrtist]

Have both grips and gloves. If it's cold enough to use the heated gloves then generally I'm wearing the heated jacket too. Makes the connection a little easier / less bulky too.

Using the Tourmaster gloves...set #2. First ones didn't heat worth a damn, had them replaced under warranty with current ones. Doing it over again I'd get the Gerbings and be done with it.

--G

 

[DeweyIsgod]

I've had Gerbing's gloves for one season and really like them. I don't find them bulky. There are times when it's cool but not cold that I'll use those gloves without plugging them in simply because they're well insulated.

I chose gloves over grips because I have multiple bike ambition (please Santa bring me an FZ1!) and grips are very hard to move from bike to bike.

 

[FJR Flyer]

I have the factory heated grips and the Gerbing microwire gloves. I've found the grips work great down to about freezing or so. Below that I break out the gloves. Below 20 deg F, I need both. I've got the gloves wired into a power strip under the seat.

 

[fjrsochs]

I think I'll do gloves - The Widder system looks interesting -especially the prices.

What about heated liners vs heated gloves ?

 

[CAJW]

I think I'll do gloves - The Widder system looks interesting -especially the prices.

What about heated liners vs heated gloves ?

I'm in the camp for both. Heated grips are cheap ($30) Dual star and Warm n' Safe Warm n' Safe gloves (made for FirstGear, sold at CycleGear) makes a great product with awesome Customer Service. Liners IMHO are a pain as you've got to stop to put them in when it gets cool and adds bulk, making for less contact with the controls, but heated gloves can be turned up or down as needed.

 

[jim oneill]

I had heated gloves and now have heated grips, I prefer the heated grips with bars covers like Quadrunners,Hippo hands or Watershed. I don't care for the bulky heated gloves and find the heated grips with bar covers are great, I can wear thinner gloves and the covers keep the rain and cold wind off the back of my hands.

just ordered hippo hands. Folks say you have to add brush protectors or hand guards to prevent the covers from interfearing with the clutch and brake levers. Do you find that to be true? or can you use handlebar covers alone?

 

[ahchiu]

I had heated gloves and now have heated grips, I prefer the heated grips with bars covers like Quadrunners,Hippo hands or Watershed. I don't care for the bulky heated gloves and find the heated grips with bar covers are great, I can wear thinner gloves and the covers keep the rain and cold wind off the back of my hands.

just ordered hippo hands. Folks say you have to add brush protectors or hand guards to prevent the covers from interfearing with the clutch and brake levers. Do you find that to be true? or can you use handlebar covers alone?

I use the Quadrunners and they are stiff enough to keep it's shape, I also have a set of Watershed and they tend to touch the levers at speeds but never hard enough to cause any problems, but I tend to ride covering the front brakes so I adapt. if you dont have a dash shelf you can use a brush covers to keep open, with a dash shelf you don't have enough clearence for the guards. I would try it without the guards and see how you do. The main thing I would make sure is that you can get your hand back in the Hippo hands quickly if you have to take them out when your riding, also you will need to get comfortable riding without seeing the bar controls.

 

[CAJW]

I had heated gloves and now have heated grips, I prefer the heated grips with bars covers like Quadrunners,Hippo hands or Watershed. I don't care for the bulky heated gloves and find the heated grips with bar covers are great, I can wear thinner gloves and the covers keep the rain and cold wind off the back of my hands.

just ordered hippo hands. Folks say you have to add brush protectors or hand guards to prevent the covers from interfearing with the clutch and brake levers. Do you find that to be true? or can you use handlebar covers alone?

You are probably referring to these. Fjr Tech Personally, I bought a set, but never installed them and sold them to a forum member. I'm very happy with my heated glove/heated grip combination setup. Guys that have the hand guards swear by them as they do provide invaluable protection from the cold and road debris. To each his own, I just never liked the appearance of the hand guards, but I'm sure a precisely placed rock tossed by a passing vehicle would change my opinion of the looks.