Heated Grips or Heated Gloves?

mhagen

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Waiting for my new 06 ST to arrive at dealership new week. I'm looking at hand warmth issues. Which do you consider more convenient/efficient: heated grips or heated gloves? I'd like to decide early in case I want him to install heated grips prior to taking delivery. Also, at 6'2" with a 32" inseam, I'll probably set the seat height at the highest setting for optimum leg room. Does this setup justify the installation of bar risers, too?

Thanks for your thoughts! :bow1:
 
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Both.
Heated grips good down to 40F and gloves for any colder than that.

For less than $30 for the symtec heated grips why not both.
 
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I installed heated grips from Cal Sport Touring.... they work nicely with a click of the switch... get real hot... but the backs of my fingers still got cold on long rides in freezing temps.... Moonshine comes to mind,,, so this year I bought heated gear as well!!! Note.... I use the heated grips even in summer when its raining etc.... so I would recommend them!!
 

Gonzo

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As was said, grips work great but the back of the hands can get cold. I have the Gerbing gloves and I'm completely happy with them.

I've only ridden in temps down to 37 F, but still warm after 50 miles.

I did have a warrantee issue which was taken care of right away, too.

gonzo
 
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Both.
Heated grips good down to 40F and gloves for any colder than that.
For less than $30 for the symtec heated grips why not both.
[Carl]: Yep. The first time I tried heated grips, my reaction was "Wow, can it get any better?" A couple years later, when I flicked on the Gerbings, my reaction was "Oh yee-ahh".

Wire a Heat Troller to each -- or -- have a switch within easy thumb reach for the grip heaters.
 

Bones

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Heated grips are always with you. Like Steve, I use mine year round.

If you ride long and far enough in cold temps, heated gloves offer even more warmth...you just have to remember to bring them with you and put them on.

Heated jacket liner...that's the way to stay warm.
 

Viggo

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You'll want both most likely. Heated grips keep you palms warm. The gloves have no heat in the palms, just fingers and the top of your hand. If I could only have one or the other, I'd go for the gloves but others would disagree, I'm sure.
 

Papa

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I installed heated grips from Cal Sport Touring.... they work nicely with a click of the switch... get real hot... but the backs of my fingers still got cold on long rides in freezing temps.... Moonshine comes to mind,,, so this year I bought heated gear as well!!! Note.... I use the heated grips even in summer when its raining etc.... so I would recommend them!!
I agree with everything Steve says. I have both now.
 
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I have heated grips (Hondaline). I think they work very well, but I learned that if you are wearing medium weight gloves it takes a long time for the heat to get through the glove. I can barely stand level 2 if I am not wearing gloves or summer gloves, but with the temp at 29F and medium gloves, I could take level 4 (highest) and wished for more.

You will want bar risers. I have Heli, but MCL also has a good set, and you can get the powerlet outlet included in the center cap if you want with MCL.
 
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mhagen

mhagen

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I appreciate the quick responses so far regarding the heated grips/gloves issue..keep them coming! The more opinions, the better. Could some of you offer additional comments on the bar risers issue as well? Thanks.
 
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I have heated gloves. I will be installing grips. Grips are always there. Gloves can be a pain and you have to remember them. Extended time at 30? and you will want both.

As for the risers I would say wait on this. Ride the bike and get used to it.
After a few longer trips you may decide you want them but they are easy enough to put on yourself. After a few longer trips you may decide that a seat mod is more important. Get used to that and then see about the risers.
 
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I'm 6'1", with a 32" inseam. I installed the two piece Motorcycle Larry risers. They don't provide quite as much rise and pull-back as the one piece unit. This may work better if you have long arms (I wear a 37" sleeve.) The MCL website (www.MCL OUT OF BUSINESS - DO NOT ORDER) has the specifics. As to heated grips, you might want to check into the Symtec heaters from California Sport Touring (www.casporttouring.com) that were previously mentioned. These give you the option of using non-stock grips, and are much less expensive (less than $30) than the Hondaline grips.
 

timmybob4

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I waited about 10,000 miles before I put on bar risers. Now I'm wondering if I should have waited longer. I'm now at 19,000 miles and feel I'm sitting up too straight. (I went with the Heli's.)

Give your body time to adjust to the riding position.
 
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I opted for heated grips because most of the time I'm on the bike for short trips to the store, plus I work about 2 miles from home. I figured that it would be more of a pain than it was worth to deal with the wires for the short trips. If I had a long work commute, I would have gone the glove route. I installed the heat-troller which allows me to dial the exact temp I want. I've ridden a lot in low 30F degree temps, and the tips of my thumbs are the only places I feel the cold.
 
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I have both; I like both. I find the Gerbings (classics) a bit clumsy and only wear them when I need to. If you ride with a quality pair of riding gloves, the heated grips will heat your whole hand by making the space within the gloves hot. I find (as others have posted here) that I'm good to at least 40 degrees (F) with just the grips and unheated riding gloves.
 

acedantinne

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Have heated gloves. Own more than 1 motorcycle. Gerbing.
Have Heli bar. First farkle
 
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juddspaintballs

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I debated this for a while then I finally settled on a pair of widder gloves. At 30 degrees, if I keep them on constantly, they get almost too warm (almost). At 40 degrees they are too warm. At 10 degrees, they are amazing. Heated grips wouldn't keep your finger tips warm at 10 degrees.

I fully intend on buying heated grips in the future, however. As was said, gloves can always go with you, but you have to remember to plug them in. I ran wires through my jacket sleeves under the liner so I can plug them in at my wrists and just plug the harness in near my left hip (via the battery tender plug I have there). Heated grips stay on the bike (unless you spend $100 on HotGrips that you can transfer bike to bike, but not easily) and are great for the warmer cold temperatures. I suspect that spring and fall would be the most ideal time for heated grips (or when paired with heated gloves for cold winter riding). Go out when it's kind of warm on a nice spring ride, and then it gets chilly when the sun goes down and you flip on the grips.


If you go with heated grips, I've heard that the Hondaline ones fail fairly often. Dual Star heated grip kit for $30 is the way to go (so I hear). Spend $100-$150 on heated gloves and $30 on heated grips and have the best of both worlds. Either way, it's probably cheaper than having the dealer put on hondaline heated grips.
 
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