| Author | Message | ||
     2000m2 |
Anyone have some recommendations on heated vests? What are you guys using and enjoying? Living where it's cold now, and I want to ride! Thanks! | ||
| Bigeasy |
Gerbing heated jacket or vest, worth its weight in gold. Easy install directly to the batt with a plug comingout from under the seat. I rode in 15 degrees on the highway for hundreds of miles and it was awsome! Make sure you buy the thermostat with the jacket, cause that sucker gets hot. You can find them online or I bought mine at a BMW motorcycle dealer. If you want they also have pants, socks and gloves. All of these attach to the jacket and the jacket has one cable to hook into the batt. Hope this helps. Art | ||
| Ray_maines  |
I recommend the jacket liner rather than the vest. When you get something electric you'll take off about three layers of sweat shirts and that's fine around your trunk but your arms will get cold if you only have a vest. | ||
| Mbsween  |
I have the older aerostitch model, works nice, cooks you pretty good even when the temps in the teens and the speeds are above 75. Also handles abuse pretty well. Its reversible, so you can have the heating element close to your body or a ways away. Nice garment | ||
| Gomo  |
Check out http://www.areostitch.com for heated vests, liners and even the air vest (which I have read does a good job, but haven't tried yet) | ||
| Chainsaw  |
I bought the Aerostich vest last month and I'm loving it. Should have done it years ago. Cold arms are not an issue with me, so I went with the vest. I don't have the thermostat yet, it would only be helpful on warmer (above 40) type days. The SAE connectors are compatible with most battery tender connections. The short collar and fleece construction were the major selling points for me. | ||
| Dale |
I use the H-D electric jacket. Use a small switch on handle bar through a relay for the jacket. Switch on and off as needed. Or a small Switch on the tank bag through a relay. Beats fumbling for a reaostate with gloves on. | ||
| Cataract2 |
Gomo, you miss spelled it. http://www.aerostich.com/riderwearhouse.store Careful guys. The first link takes you to some hijack site. | ||
| Henrik  |
I have a Widder System 2 Lectric vest. I will be adding a set of Lectric Arm Chaps to the set-up. I like the way the arm chaps snap to the vest without the need for more wiring. The arm chaps has leads for the heated gloves built in as well. Decent styling = you won't look like a *total* dork just wearing the vest (gotta remove the chaps though  ). Quality workmanship. Add an electronic controller for optimum comfort. Widder uses different plugs from most other manufacturers - some hate'm (right Josh  ), I like them, since the older version was field serviceable. It looks like they've added strain reliefs to fully molded plugs now?? However, they do sell an adapter that will allow you to hook up your vest to the pigtail you use for your battery charger. I would have bought the Aerostitch heated vest, if they at the time had had it in a color different from the funky blue. But I'm happy I got the Widder instead. Henrik | ||
| Fdl3  |
I also use the HD-branded electric jacket and gloves. I think Gerbing makes the electric clothing for HD? | ||
| Fly  |
Gerbings jacket liner (and their separate heated pants, socks and gloves) with a thermostat. All these items are designed to easily interconnect. Electronics (not fabric) guaranteed for life. Been running this setup for 5 years, still works great, highly recommended. | ||
| 2000m2 |
Awesome, thanks for the help fellas! | ||
| Dck996 |
I've been using Widder System2 vest with the arm chaps, Eclipse leg chaps, and Widder's solid state controller. This gives me lots of choices regarding heat, current draw, and fit with other garments. The only time I use full power is temp in the 30's, on the highway, with no sun. I changed the Widder's connectors to match the connectors for my Battery Tender. Now, everything plugs in the same. I used an Eclipse vest for several years, but wanted the arm chaps. The vest should work with even wind blast on arms and chest (big or no fairing). The smaller fairings I use leave my arms out in the breeze, needing the extra heat. I don't get enough blood flowing to my arms to keep them warm with just insulation. I discovered a good comparison at the following website: http://www.motorsports-network.com/ProdTest/electric/summary.htm Widder used to have a good discussion, but it's gone from their updated website. | ||
| Geofg |
Of course, if you're electronically inclined, you could always role your own: http://www.wsaa.net/e_vest.htm -Geof | ||
| Gowindward  |
I purchased stuff off the net today to roll my own. :-) I was telling my wife about it and she looks at me with this real puzzled look and asked why would I want heated gear. I just said never mind you just wouldn't get it. | ||
| Geofg |
Good deal, Loren. Please let us know how it works out. -Geof | ||
| Reepicheep  |
I would be interested in knowing where you ordered the wire from... | ||
| Oz666  |
Another fine spring morning (17° @ 8:00AM) - ruh... pause, ruh... longer pause, wheeze... Aaahh, OK, hot starter's right over here... WHOA gotta' watch that ice patch when I pull out ah yeah, clips on, power up, I'll give her a few minuets 'ta warm up the old sealed paste get that ol' internal temp up 20 or 30 'il double ma' crankin' PLUS the jump... WhOOAAH OW!! f@$$#$#in' ice... better watch THAT one, too! A-ruh, (fast potato, potato, potato) - clips off, goood, ease the idle done to 1K... Any more rack-a-frassa new ice patches in here? BOOGER, forgot to take off the disk locks... probably left the forks locked, too 'ya big dummy - yep (sigh) OK, disk lock are off, ease the idle done to 1K... hmmm how's that valve cover feel? Still cold as a well digger lunch bucket... My eyes are burnin' You love the smell of unburnt hightest (17° @ 8:30AM) Cover's still got frost on it... but she'll start by herself now. Shut down quick and unlock the forks, key back in and - r,(potato, potato, potato). OK, DON'T forget those ice patches, no feet, no front tyre - nobody here to get the bike off me This is gonna' be GREAT!!! Outside, sun shining, ease the idle done to 1K... (17° @ 8:45AM) extra shirt, extra, extra shirt, jacket, neckband, helmet, zip, zip, zip, zip, zip, gloves on - WWAAAHHOOO COLD SEAT! Brakes, check - work the clutch, sidestand up and A FREAKIN' SIX FOOT FREAKIN' SNOW DRIFT, RIGHT DOWN THE FREAKIN' DRIVEWAY!!!!!   Oz | ||
| Ocbueller  |
OZ, Please include pics of you jumping the Buell over said 6 foot drifts.  SteveH | ||
| Oz666 |
 (thanx to Newfie) Oz | ||
| Gowindward |
Here's a source for the wire http://www.newark.com/NewarkWebCommerce/newark/en_US/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp ?SKU=02F5934&N=4 Also see for battery wire harness and plugs. I went with the coax plugs and bought a Gerbing dual heat controller. http://www.warmnsafe.com/motorcycle_accessories.php | ||
| 99x1  |
(I posted this before somewhere?) The attached picture is a CT scan of my heated vest - the bright spot at the top is the zipper pull: it was zipped up around a couple of pillows. Hopefully, it shows wire placement on a commercial vest. Prior to purchasing a vest, I had an idea of weaving a lot of wire into a kidney belt, and running about 75 watts into it - thinking blood flow would warm the rest of my body. I wore it while driving in my car for about 3 hours with the windows down - sweating slightly. Arrived at the hospital I was going to work at, cooled down, and had my back go into painfully spasms. Doctor laughed when I told him what I had done - seems this frequently happens to elderly people who fall asleep on electric heating pads (heat rigor). Killers have warmed bodies up to bring on rigor mortis sooner to throw off the time of death estimate - so don't overdue the heat!  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks windward, just ordered a spool. Even if I don't use it for heating, thats great stuff for misc electronics work. Thanks for the picture 99x1... very cool! | ||
| Gowindward |
I wired up the inside of my Joe Rocket jacket liner with 40 ft of 30 Ga. wire. I just did the front and back, I haven't had enough time to do the sleeves. I road to work this morning with the "HEAT" and it was 31 degrees outside. I still need gloves and and it will be nice to have the sleeves done too. The vest part of the jacket had the right amount of heat in it. This is COOL!!!!! or should it this is HOT!!!!! Oh ya...I'm using a Fog City liner on my helmet face shield. No more fog and ice on the inside of it. | ||
| Stubby |
Yep. Gotta love my Ural hack for winter time riding... 2 wheel drive for ice, and it does better than my front wheel drive car in inclement conditions. NO PMS for this boy. Regards, Stubby |
