| Author | Message | ||
     H2opatrol |
It's that time of year again to ride as late in the season as possible without freezing to death. The boss man is pulling back all of the take home vehicles Nov. 1st for the year and I hate driving my 17mpg truck 84 miles every day. I think I have the wife convinced this will pay for itself the first year. Any suggestions on setup/brand/type? Any issues with the charging system? Thanks! | ||
| Ulykan |
I've used Gerbing gear for several years and really like it. No issues with the charging system using the jacket and gloves. I've been tempted to buy a pair of pants but haven't yet done so. Their outlet store is a great money saver if you can find your size and a style you like. Here's the link: http //www.heatedclothingoutlet.com/index.shtml | ||
| Ejbeert |
I use the old style gerbing pants and jacket and thermol base layer plus street clothes and aerostich suit; mittens and muclucs, no heated gloves or socks and the charging system works fine although that is the only non stock load I put on it. I also have a cali sci shield fitted to madstad brackets. I do not ride much when it is below freezeing. 2006x with upgraded 77 connector. This is not my primary mode of travel and my trips are seldom over 50 miles. Primary case access covers usually get that milky white goo on the inside as well. | ||
| Barocky |
+1 on Gerbing. Used them for 10years now. Tried gloves from another brand and they only heated up in spots and burned backs of my hands | ||
| Fr8trane91 |
I've got a vest and gloves from EXO2 -http://www.exo2theheatinside.com | ||
| Ratbuell |
Gerbing heated jacket liner. Gerbing heated gloves. Buell heated grips. Kuryakyn LED voltmeter. Only time the V drops is at idle, with ALL the gear on, plus my halogen aux lights. Idle, all gear, low beam only? No dip in V. 06 Uly, just shy of 30k miles. Factory original battery. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Very timely post, thanks for starting this thread. We have no heated gear yet, but Mr. Twisty and I have been strategizing ways to carve out more riding time in the mountains  , and obtaining heated gear is next on our wish list. In Florida, I ride the bike an hour each way to work year round. And, at o-dark-thirty in the winter, it's a bit brisk. In Minnesota, rides along the north shore, even in July, can be chilly. Leaning towards Gerbings, starting with vest or heated jacket liner, and adding more as budget/needs dictate. My understanding is if you keep your body's core warm, the extremities are less likely to chill. It's been awhile since I've spent more than ten days at a pop in a "cold" climate other than summertime. When I was living in a cold climate, I had no heated gear. Heated gear veterans, is keeping the body's core warm key? BeLinda. | ||
| Sharkguy |
I'm in FL and ride year round (big deal), I being the wimp I am about the cold, have a gerbings vest. That and the heated grips are enough for winter time FL. I have used both in the fall in NC and N GA. It's all about layering too. Stay away from cotton, it holds the moisture in, and allows your body to cool faster. Silk long underware, layered with some of the tech fabrics and thin fleeces, will get you a long way. Especially if you have good exterior riding gear to stop the wind from entering. FL can get cold. It's not unusual to experience low 20s in N FL. The good thing about the heated vest is it does keep your core warm, it also cuts down on the amount of bulky clothing you would have to wear without it. Once you own it you'll wonder why you went without for so long. | ||
| Hooper |
This is my year for heated gear as well. Jacket: multiple layers under my Olympia gear usually keep me warm, but the idea of shedding a layer or two and reducing that "Michelin Man" feeling is very interesting. So, I'm most likely going with the full heated liner (I want the heated sleeves and collar!) from FirstGear. Ridegear.com had the best price I'd seen so far, especially with the occasional coupons I get from them. Gloves: as nice as the heated grips and my winter gloves are, they just can't do the job on days below 40-45 degrees, especially on my fingertips. Most heated gloves I've seen don't have real armor - that's a must for me. I WAS going to go with the FirstGear Carbon, but the EXO StormShields look even better (and more expensive). The only bummer is not being able to try them on first. I've tried on the FirstGears...they're a bit stiff and tight, but would be okay for those occasional supercold rides. Socks: not going there yet. We'll see. Controller: probably going with the Dual Heat-Troller. I've also got a voltmeter coming - my voltage regulator was just replaced (it failed after about 17,800 miles) and my bike has never started more strongly. | ||
| Barkbuster |
Got the warm&safe gen 3 jacket liner and temp troller. Wear it under my Teiz lombar v2 one piece suit. Used this combo last fall till thanksgiving and then the roads turned wet and icy till march but was caught riding home in the teens a couple mornings. with the ulys heated grips I stayed warm and could have traveled a couple hrs if needed. My commute is 26 miles one way and work 2nd shift so its cold when I go home. The gen 4 stuff just came out when I bought this last year and it has finer wires and a bit more stylish. ck em out here: http://www.warmnsafe.com/index.php?main_page=index &cPath=105_112 | ||
| H2opatrol |
Thanks for all the good info everyone | ||
| Pons |
I think the best investment I've made in riding gear is my Aerostich. I wear a Gerbing vest/socks and gloves all heated underneath. Coldest trip was in 2007 from Tombstone Az. to Dallas in January. It was 19 degrees when I started out and never topped 45 degrees. Heated grips help a lot even with heated gloves and handlebar guards. | ||
| Dynasport |
Even though I am a big guy with more insulation than I'd like, I seem to be pretty sensitive to cold temps on the bike. The only reason I don't already have heated gear already is that I live in Florida and am on a tight budget at present. I keep thinking I don't need heated gear in Florida, but every year I end up freezing on my bike at some point. I've just got to suck it up and buy some gear. One question, why do people buy heated vests instead of the full jacket liner? It would seem the full liner would be warmer, plus if you end up with heated gloves, it seems it would be easier to connect gloves to a full liner instead of the vest. I'll probably end up with the Gerbing stuff unless someone can give me a compelling reason to buy a different brand or unless someone can point me to a much better deal. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
"One question, why do people buy heated vests instead of the full jacket liner? It would seem the full liner would be warmer, plus if you end up with heated gloves, it seems it would be easier to connect gloves to a full liner instead of the vest." I've wondered that myself. And as far as "if" you will end up with heated gloves once you've taken the plunge with vest or line, I think it becomes a matter of "when". Once you get a taste of heated gear, people may tend to be ALL IN. Mmmmm...now I can be toasty warm. Why did I not do this sooner? So glad to see I'm not the only Floridian that thinks it gets cold enough to justify heated gear here! | ||
| Ulykan |
I don't know about those of you who ride with only a heated vest but my arms get cold too and heated sleeves just feel good and complete the process. I've tried riding with a insulated vest but it simply doesn't work for me. I like my heated jacket with heated sleeves. YMMV | ||
| Etennuly |
I have a heated jacket with long sleeves also. The only reason I can see for wearing the vest vs the jacket is wearing short sleeve shirts under them. On long winter trips I wear a long sleeve shirt under the heated jacket, then my big thick BUD sweatshirt over it, then my riding jacket.The sweat shirt holds the heat in better than just having my Buell riding jacket over it. And it is a layer that is easy to remove. I used to live in Florida. 40F degrees there is like 30F degrees in Tennessee because of the humidity. My last ride to Daytona was a cold one. I left Tenn at noon, it was 32F. Highest temp I saw all day was about 48F for about an hour in the late afternoon. It was 28F in Southern Ga when I stopped for the night. The gear got a work out that ride. Heated grips and gloves, along with the jacket. Next up, I am getting the pants. | ||
| 7873jake |
If I can keep my core warm (vest) and hands warm (grips), I tend to be able to keep my arms comfortable. For some odd reason, when my arms get warm, I begin to feel too warm and get that sleepy, heated, nestled in for a nap feeling, not something I'm a fan of in the saddle. | ||
| Portero72 |
I have the Tourmaster heated vest and factory heated grips. Not as snazzy as other brands, but gets the job done well, and much less expensive. Vest with the heated collar is worth the extra 15 bucks or so. | ||
| Barkbuster |
I figured if it was cool enough to need a heated vest a jacket would be even better and it is. My windshield doesn`t completely keep my arms and shoulders out of the airstream so the jacket was a no-brainier. | ||
| Crusty |
I have a Gerbing's Jacket liner and Firstgear (Warm-n-safe) heated gloves. While both are warm, I think I prefer a good pair of insulated non-electric gloves. I just don't care for the feel of the cord coming through my jacket, then into the gloves. For many years, I didn't use heated gear, I just dressed for the weather and temperatures. It was a bit bulkier, but I never had to worry about what it was doing to my charging system, or what would happen if something should fail, and the gear wouldn't heat. Last year, my wife's left sleeve quit working 150 miles from home in 25° F temps. Her ride home was uncomfortable, and we made extra stops to warm up. Electric gear reduces some of the bulk, but I still feel like the Michelin man from Thanksgiving to Spring. | ||
| Xdigitalx |
I have the tourmaster vest and also have heated grips and mitts. I've commuted in 17 deg without any heated gear before (never again) and the vest and grips were a great addition to my commute. (125 miles rt) Then I added some ATV mitts and now use my summer gloves in winter. (no more big bulky gloves) (Message edited by xdigitalx on October 13, 2011) | ||
| Scooter808484 |
One word answer: Gerbings Last year my 7 year old jacket had one of the glove wires develop an intermittent open circuit. They took it back and replaced it with a new one inside two weeks. That new micro-wire stuff is quite an improvement as well. Gets warm much quicker and stays hotter with a lower thermostat setting. | ||
| Bbird |
+1 on EX02! They use less current and I haven't needed a temp control with mine! I use the vest and love it! | ||
| Tachout |
I also live in fla and ride all year long.Two years ago bought the gerbings heated jacket and gloves. Best money i've spent in long time.I just useed the jacket last friday very early morning going into birmingham.I know a little wimpy but it was only 48 degrees. |
