Cold? Not me!

[tngw1500se]

The wife and I have rode with heated jackets on for years now. I also always install Oxford heated grips on my bikes. I can't say enough good stuff about the Oxford grips. They heat up fast and get really hot. I have to run them on low.

The jackets we have a Gerbing brand but they're and older version that they no longer make. Gerbing still makes jackets and jacket liners but I can't tell you how well the new stuff works. I'd expect that they do a good job. I also use the Gerbing thermostats on both bikes to control the jackets and socks.

We keep meeting riders who say they are cold and they don't know about heated gear. This is just a reminder the stuff is out there. I even have heated 12 volt socks. I rode 150 miles at 27 degrees once. People thought I was nuts but it's like riding down the road in a hot tub. The stuff will cook you.

 

[drdubb]

I have oxford grips and a first gear (warm and safe) jacket. I love them. I took my jacket on my western tour in June and was amazed how much i used it. I also like the Smart wool products. I have the 3/4 length long johns and a long and short T
Love them...very comfortable.

 

[City Rider]

The wife and I have rode with heated jackets on for years now. I also always install Oxford heated grips on my bikes. I can't say enough good stuff about the Oxford grips. They heat up fast and get really hot. I have to run them on low.

The jackets we have a Gerbing brand but they're and older version that they no longer make. Gerbing still makes jackets and jacket liners but I can't tell you how well the new stuff works. I'd expect that they do a good job. I also use the Gerbing thermostats on both bikes to control the jackets and socks.

We keep meeting riders who say they are cold and they don't know about heated gear. This is just a reminder the stuff is out there. I even have heated 12 volt socks. I rode 150 miles at 27 degrees once. People thought I was nuts but it's like riding down the road in a hot tub. The stuff will cook you.

Heated gear can extend riding season for several months. I'm riding with heated jacket/gloves/socks using two controllers. My limitations are ice and/or salt on the ground. Otherwise I'm riding on

 

[tngw1500se]

Heated gear can extend riding season for several months. I'm riding with heated jacket/gloves/socks using two controllers. My limitations are ice and/or salt on the ground. Otherwise I'm riding on

I use two thermostats too. I found that the socks were cooking me while I still wanted more heat in the jacket. Two thermostats work well. I use the one that controls two garments using one thermostat.

 

[nm4_dude01]

Heated gear is fantastic!

Warm and Safe is my current gear. Used to have Gerbing, but had a dead panel and the latest Warm and Safe was thin enough to wear with my normal riding jacket and Klim jeans.

Warm and Safe also has a great 2 channel heat controller that is wireless. I linked the circuits for the jacket liner and socks and the other channel is pants and gloves. Since I usually only need jacket liner and gloves, this works out well.

For heated grips, I always use Hot Grips out of New Hampshire. They are a larger diameter because they have a dead air space between the bar/throttle tube and the grip. This allows the grips to warm up without the metal handlebar acting as a heatsink. This allows the grips to use less power. I also prefer the thicker grip.

Most heated gloves only heat the back of your hand, so if you have thin grips over a metal handlebar, your hands can still get cold as the cold bars just sucks the heat out. Riding with thick gloves makes feeling controls hard, so heated gloves and heated grips are a nice mix.

I easily get comfortable down to single digits. What is nice about the Warm and Safe liners is that when they are not heating, they don't add a lot of insulation. This allows me to dress, and just dial up heat from cold mornings to war midday to chilly evenings without stopping to change. I've ridden from 5 degrees to 65 degrees with my Olympia Nomad jacket, Klim jeans, Warm and Safe liners, and just a long sleeve synthetic t-shirt and synthetic boxers underneath.

The only other thing I've found needed is a good seal between the jacket and helmet. Tried all kinds of things and most either don't work, or are far too bulky. The best I've found is a gaiter from Rukka. It is a wind stop material, so it keeps the outside air off, but is thin enough to allow you to move. A long cowl tucks deep into the jacket and a high neck to tuck up into the helmet.

 

[StratTuner]

The "Cheap Bast**d" approach....

SEAT:
was to buy a $40 seat heating element from Amazon [HERE] and install it myself. Once you get over the worry about UN stapling the seat cover, it goes well.

GRIPS:
$20 buys heated grip elements from Amazon [HERE]. $5 for a metal toggle switch mounts on the left handlebar just above the grip...

JACKET:
$25 buys an automobile heating pad [HERE]. I put in an extra female car outlet under the rear seat. I connect the heating pad to that and lay the pad on my chest inside whatever jacket I'm wearing.

Learning to install a RELAY made all this possible, and I'm grateful for those who helped me do that.

 

[mike5100]

Heated gear is fantastic!

Warm and Safe is my current gear. Used to have Gerbing, but had a dead panel and the latest Warm and Safe was thin enough to wear with my normal riding jacket and Klim jeans.

Warm and Safe also has a great 2 channel heat controller that is wireless. I linked the circuits for the jacket liner and socks and the other channel is pants and gloves. Since I usually only need jacket liner and gloves, this works out well.

For heated grips, I always use Hot Grips out of New Hampshire. They are a larger diameter because they have a dead air space between the bar/throttle tube and the grip. This allows the grips to warm up without the metal handlebar acting as a heatsink. This allows the grips to use less power. I also prefer the thicker grip.

Most heated gloves only heat the back of your hand, so if you have thin grips over a metal handlebar, your hands can still get cold as the cold bars just sucks the heat out. Riding with thick gloves makes feeling controls hard, so heated gloves and heated grips are a nice mix.

I easily get comfortable down to single digits. What is nice about the Warm and Safe liners is that when they are not heating, they don't add a lot of insulation. This allows me to dress, and just dial up heat from cold mornings to war midday to chilly evenings without stopping to change. I've ridden from 5 degrees to 65 degrees with my Olympia Nomad jacket, Klim jeans, Warm and Safe liners, and just a long sleeve synthetic t-shirt and synthetic boxers underneath.

The only other thing I've found needed is a good seal between the jacket and helmet. Tried all kinds of things and most either don't work, or are far too bulky. The best I've found is a gaiter from Rukka. It is a wind stop material, so it keeps the outside air off, but is thin enough to allow you to move. A long cowl tucks deep into the jacket and a high neck to tuck up into the helmet.

I could have written that myself word-for -word. Except I have gloves and jacket on one circuit and socks and long johns on another (might try your way though).
Interesting about the Rukka thing as my BMW Tourshell suit came with something similar. It's amazing stuff and despite being ultra thin keeps me warm in the depths of winter. I have tried to buy extra ones from BMW for when I'm not wearing the tourshell but they won't sell me any. Maybe Rukka will.
Mike