Heated grips or anything else heated.

[grubsie]

Finally got to get my first ride yesterday after our dinner company finally left. Was around 5PM when I jumped on the bike, it was around 50 degrees but breezy so felt cooler. By the time I got home around 8PM it was down in the 30's and quite chilly. the last 30 minutes of the ride, all i could think of was heat, any heat, anywhere I could get it. I know it's only getting warmer, but I am thinking about next fall when we plan on doing more riding than past years, so starting now will allow me to pick at and have it ready for fall.

 

Thinking about it today, I decided to ask all you guru's here about heat stuff. The 2 must haves are heated grips or gloves and heated jacket or vests under jacket or 2 if my bride is with me.

 

With that:

Where do I steal the amperage for this? I read somewhere that some power can be taken from disconnecting the carb heaters since we can get by without them? Planning on going LED on headlight and passing light.

 

I am thinking heated vests or something else that could be worn under jackets. Any suggestions?

 

Heated gloves or heated grips which is better and any recommendations of either?

 

Anything else I should consider?

[bongobobny]

My personal preference is heated gear. As far as where to get the extra power, yes converting every light, especially the headlight to LED is a big power saver. As far as the carb heaters go, that is only a small saving but yes it does help.

 

What can also help is by increasing the electrical reserve of the bike! So, how do we do that you ask?? Switch to a heavier capacity AGM battery and install a high output stator!

 

Heated grips do very little for the rest of your body and heated seats warm your butt which helps but also does very little for the rest of your body. You might want to consider a pair of battery operated heated gloves but don't make the mistake of buying the cheaper ones as they don't work very well. You want a pair that uses the 7-volt rechargeable batteries and plan on spending at least $100 on a pair! Us PGR members up north here swear by them!!! We use them when we stand for hours outside in a flag line...

[Flyinfool]

LEDs everywhere will help a lot, Watch close on the headlights, Some LED headlight bulbs actually use MORE amps than the incandescent that you are replacing and put less light down the road in the process.

Having lots of extra lights all over will also eat up some amps. Make sure that all aux lighting is on switches so that you can turn it off when you are using heat.

 

If you go to a High Output stator, you should really match it up with a High output Regulator rectifier. The bigger battery will help at a stop light but you really do not want to be running off the battery while riding, so the bigger battery does not really help for riding.

[Patch]

Being one that has ridden across country in November I can share this experience with 2 different setups on 2 different bikes.

 

Much of my right side is rebuilt so blood flow elbow down and knee down is an issue in coolish weather; your core heat is first priority, for this I have an oldish vest witch pulls about 2.5A if memory serves I measured it 2 years ago. SK bought a jacket for himself which pulled about an amp less, so they have improved since my purchase!

I wear leathers top to bottom so I don't need the heat down the arms cause it is wind proof. The neck is very important too get a good slip on. The helmet, oh my... it is worth covering the head and having a proper fitting leakless helmet that you can at least vent a bit from the rear!

Hands well cruise helps lots, one bike with heated grips and the other not, shielding in front helps more, the other is for me, those cheap kids wool gloves then my leathers over them. I have really good winter riding gloves but I prefer the other setup.

Boots, well one thin pair and one thicker pair with wiggle room; on really bad days I've slipped on thin trash bags like those used in the motel waste baskets.. Makes a difference.

 

Early morning I found the hardest and usually I'm pulling off around sunsets.

[Marcarl]

Make sure that the clothing you wear fits properly, not tightly and not so loose as to allow air flow through. There needs to be air for insulation but id the air is being exchanged then it defeats the purpose.