Grips or Gloves A heated argument

[BUGKILLER]

It's getting cold in southern AZ and wet the last couple days. I am ordering a heated jacket from warm and safe and wondering about heated gloves vs. heated grips. I like the idea of the gloves cause I have more than 1 bike so I don't have to buy 2 of the same thing. But don't want them to feel to bulky. Looking for opinions what might be the best option. Thanks, Wade

 

[S_Palmer]

After years of wanting them I broke down and bought heated gloves, they work great and I rarely use them. They are such a pain in the ass to put on and get plugged in I won't use them unless it's so cold I can't stand it any other way.

My preference is heated grips, if its really cold add hippo hands.

 

[snakebitten]

Portable heated grips. Best of both worlds for folks that live in random and rare COLD weather.

Aerostich.

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-warm-wrap-grips.html

 

[hANNAbONE]

glove goes with you - grips go only with the bike....

I will be buying heated gloves...

 

[snakebitten]

Ummmm, I can mount them heated grips in 45 seconds.

Not sexy, but keep my hands warm. (Too warm actually) That's the mission.

I admit that if I rode more than just a few days per year in cold weather, I'd opt for a permanent install with a controller.

 

[Bappo]

I have both. I use the heated grips comfortably down to 35 - 40F. They work great most of the time but the thumb can start getting really cold at times and also the backs of the hands. If I am riding any distance in the 30's or when it is in the 20's than it is gloves all the way.

 

[markjenn]

This isn't an either/or question. Heated grips don't replace the need for warm gloves any more than having a furnace in your house replaces the need for having a warm sweater. What heated grips do is allow you to downsize your gloves a full notch, so that no matter what the weather, you can wear gloves with less bulk/insulation and still be comfortable. Which also has a safety angle as winter gloves are seldom as well-armored as summer gloves. Heated grips also allow you get get home comfortably when you get stuck out later than you planned and don't have a warmer set of gloves packed.

Heated grips don't allow you to wear summer gloves in freezing weather - it just doesn't work this way.

I don't know of a single person who has experienced heated grips say they dislike them or who would remove them. Once you have experienced them, the almost-universal reaction is "This should be a standard feature on all bikes."

- Mark

 

[Doug44]

This isn't an either/or question. Heated grips don't replace the need for warm gloves any more than having a furnace in your house replaces the need for having a warm sweater. What heated grips do is allow you to downsize your gloves a full notch, so that no matter what the weather, you can wear gloves with less bulk/insulation and still be comfortable. Which also has a safety angle as winter gloves are seldom as well-armored as summer gloves. Heated grips also allow you get get home comfortably when you get stuck out later than you planned and don't have a warmer set of gloves packed.

Heated grips don't allow you to wear summer gloves in freezing weather - it just doesn't work this way.

I don't know of a single person who has experienced heated grips say they dislike them or who would remove them. Once you have experienced them, the almost-universal reaction is "This should be a standard feature on all bikes."

- Mark

+1

 

[nwrider]

I have both. When the temps get cold enough, the heated grips don't keep the backs of my hands warm--- so the heated gloves take care of that -- just have to turn down the heat on the grips a bit to even out the heat. FWIW a heat troller is the best way to control the grips output.

 

[krussell]

With heated gloves you can:
- ride at any temperature
- ride on any bike
- take your hands of the grips, lay your hands on the bar, etc.
- keep your entire hand warm, not the just the part that touches the grip, vs the outside which is typically coldest

With heated grips you can:
- use any glove you want
- take the edge off when it's cool out, even when you forgot your heated gloves

I've had heated grips on all of my BMW bikes, and I run them occasionally on my K1600. When I'm riding my other bikes that don't have heated grips, I don't really think about it. If they are there, I might turn them on. If it's cold, the gloves are the ticket.

My setup is a warm n safe jacket liner, a dual remote heat controller, and as of yesterday warm n safe ultimate gloves. I have had gerbing gloves for the last four seasons, but they don't work very well in the rain.

It's a bit tedious to hook them up to the power outlets in the sleeve, but after the first couple of November rides it becomes routine. It takes like 10 seconds, it's just another step.

 

[BaldKnob]

On a recent trip in WNC, 25 degree morning temps overwhelmed my A'ME grips and winter gloves. I went to the area KTM dealership looking for HippoHands and found a similar product made by PowerMadd. The guantlets cost $40.00, fit great over the S10 handguards and they kept my hands very warm in cold temps with mid-weight gloves/heated grips (1/2 max). RockyMt ATV has a guantlet ($15) but are much smaller than Hippo/PowerMadd pieces.

 

[justbob]

I have heated grips and heated gloves and I also have heated glove liners.
The heated grips and nice for cool or damp weather. My Gerbing gloves are nice for the really cold days but my Warm-n-safe heated glove liners allow the flexibility of choosing which pair of my gloves I want to wear.

Warm and Safe just announced a recall on their glove liners with a date code of 2012. I have had no problems with mine but they are sending a RMA and a new pair of liners. Great customer service !!

 

[avc8130]

Both. It's difficult to believe but they actually accomplish different missions.

Heated grips take the chill out of your hands when you get caught out with your summer gloves.

Heated gloves let you go ride when it is stupid cold and people look at you funny.

ac

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I don't know of a single person who has experienced heated grips say they dislike them or who would remove them. Once you have experienced them, the almost-universal reaction is "This should be a standard feature on all bikes."

::026:: Heated grips are mandatory for me. Even use them in the summertime. Riding up Mt. Washington in August can get pretty chilly at the top. No worries, just flip on the grips and life is good. Love heated grips.

But if you're going to ride when it's really cold, grips only warm your palms, and god forbid if you cover your front brake while you ride, heated grips do nothing for that. When the mercury gets low I put on the heated gloves and turn on the grips. Yes, the gloves are a minor PITA to thread through the jacket and hookup, and yes, you will walk away from the bike while still connected from time to time, but to ride when it's really cold, I'm only truly happy when I have both cranking.

 

[Rasher]

Agree with most of above.

I have gloves I use on the commuter bike, they work a bit better than grips IMO as they gently warm the whole hand, the Tenere grips burn my right palm, barely warm my left hand and the extremes of fingers get very cold, especially in traffic where I use the clutch a lot, so therefore the gloves are far superior......

..... except my grips are there all the time, and can just add a bit of warmth when it cools a bit more than anticipated, or I am out later than expected, or on changeable weather days when I can turn them on / off rather than stopping and swapping gloves - be far better if the Yamaha ones gave anything close to even heat, but if you get a decent set they are great.

The cabling of heated gloves is not a big hassle, especially for a trip from A-B with no stops (like my commute) but I would go for grips over gloves most of the time as they are just so much more flexible, but if riding in conditions where it is very cold the gloves may do a better job.

 

[Tremor38]

Agree with most of above.

I have gloves I use on the commuter bike, they work a bit better than grips IMO as they gently warm the whole hand, the Tenere grips burn my right palm, barely warm my left hand and the extremes of fingers get very cold, especially in traffic where I use the clutch a lot, so therefore the gloves are far superior......

..... except my grips are there all the time, and can just add a bit of warmth when it cools a bit more than anticipated, or I am out later than expected, or on changeable weather days when I can turn them on / off rather than stopping and swapping gloves - be far better if the Yamaha ones gave anything close to even heat, but if you get a decent set they are great.

The cabling of heated gloves is not a big hassle, especially for a trip from A-B with no stops (like my commute) but I would go for grips over gloves most of the time as they are just so much more flexible, but if riding in conditions where it is very cold the gloves may do a better job.

I don't get the 'uneven heat' with the OEM grip comment I've read from a few members. The only time I feel anything remotely uneven is when I'm covering the brake for extended periods. Even then, it doesn't approach the seemingly hyperbolic description of 'burning my right palm and barely warming my left.' How do people get so divergent on what they feel from the same grips on the same bike? Maybe a difference in the way they're installed? Odd.

 

[rem]

I'd go with both. I think heated grips are an absolute MUST, especially in my neck of the woods. And I had them quit on me once, of course, at the worst possible time. Near froze my little pinkies off and I was a long way from home. So now I also care a pair of heated glove liners. Seriously cold hands are not pleasant. R ::024::

 

[Rasher]

How do people get so divergent on what they feel from the same grips on the same bike? Maybe a difference in the way they're installed? Odd.

Yeah, the ones on my GS were fine (well, until one died entirely) and the Oxford ones on the Mrs V-Strom are good, I am convinced I have a duff left grip, buy my dealer insists "they all do that sir" (I had to go outside and check the sign over the door as I thought I had wandered into the BMW dealer by mistake)

I have tried all sorts of insulation to level it off, but it is still wildly different, tempted to just buy another left grip and see if it is better, but feel I should not have to do so as I already paid £360 for the damn things.

 

[Tremor38]

Yeah, the ones on my GS were fine (well, until one died entirely) and the Oxford ones on the Mrs V-Strom are good, I am convinced I have a duff left grip, buy my dealer insists "they all do that sir" (I had to go outside and check the sign over the door as I thought I had wandered into the BMW dealer by mistake)

I have tried all sorts of insulation to level it off, but it is still wildly different, tempted to just buy another left grip and see if it is better, but feel I should not have to do so as I already paid £360 for the damn things.

Yeah, that's bugger of a situation to be in. Given the same circumstances, I'd probably take flyer of a pair of Oxfords for fear of being out another large chunk of change with the same results.

 

[Maxified]

I'd go with both. I think heated grips are an absolute MUST, especially in my neck of the woods.... Seriously cold hands are not pleasant. R ::024::

Heated grips are a plus even in moderate temperature areas plus they are very convenient. I still have heated gloves for the two weeks of Florida winter and trips north. Supposed to be 39 F tomorrow morning in west central FL...