heated grips again

[Nails]

What grip heaters (element) or heated grips work well on XII? When I searched, I found some recommendations from 4 years ago. Any updates?

My OEM grips need replacement anyway. So while I'm at it, what grips do you like? (I generally like foam.)

Regarding the lame alternator output, I went totally LED, but added LED aux lights. The headlight and two aux lights total 50 watts (high beam on all). No radio; and no other new, significant loads. I'd rather avoid messing with the alternator.

I understand it's hard to find heaters as wide as our grips. But I can roll with that because I got different bars (brought my hands out of the wind). These required different bar ends (no threads in there). I mean, already not stock, and I don't need wide grips in the first place.

So, what do you like these days?

[cranky]

.. what are your enemy's on a cold day... wind and water.. I have a heavy
set of long gauntlet gloves and good liners... and I went out and bought
some heavy duty black latex gloves, Dr gloves - IIRC - 2X large, yeah, the ones
used for that!!! GBG Fits on the gloves quite nice and you wouldn't
even know they're on them....

Not being a fan of cold riding, and now having the protection of a fairing,
I think they are at least fair... 'til ya get what you're looking for.... JM2C

[Nails]

I have neoprene gloves for wet. Not the warmest, ergo heater. (Before retiring, I worked in streams in the winter. Neoprene does the deed.)
The fairing offers tons of protection, especially with my narrow bars. Don't think I need a lot of heat.
(I'm also considering sticking some vents in the lowers to blow engine heat on my lower legs. Of course, they'll have to close well.)

[cranky]

... thinsulate liners? Go to Amazon and find the highest rated for
warm and try that... Stop the air flow and insulate your hands..

[cranky]

.. heated gloves? They'll put the heat where ya need it, on the outside.... JM2C

[HMB Don]

There are two ways to go 1 Electric grips 2 Grip heater kit. I've used both, I like the Grip heater kits because I like soft grips and the electric grips where too hard for me.

On my Voyager 1200 used some elcheapo brand and it's still on the bike, the grips were knock off Grab-On grips. The grips are open cell foam, making them very soft (they wear quick) making them warmer then the hard grips. I also wired a thermostat for electric gloves and long sleeve liner. Never had charging problems with everything drawing power. But best to check all of the grounds on the Voyager 1200 as there getting old. Remove the grounds and clean them (don't just check) I didn't have fog or driving lights on my Voyager 1200.

Now for some pictures of my Voyager 1200 ready for winter riding!

[Nails]

Thanks for sharing these ideas, especially the heat shields. (I can't make that photo out too well on my phone, and my PC died.)
I also like foam grips, but doesn't open-cell foam stay wet?

[HMB Don]

yes they do, but when wet I've got my rain gloves on. Plus when you have the grip heaters on they dry the grips fast.

I have the same grips on my Voyager 1700 and this summer I encountered that problem and the grips dried fast. But in the winter when I've ridden in the snow, my Electric glove are water resistant. The gloves are First Gear and they're the thinner winter gloves. But with the grip heaters and the Electric gloves my hands stay very warm.

[hank43]

Don;

You reverted to a 1200????
From the above post......

".........Now for some pictures of my Voyager 1200 ready for winter riding!"


hank

[Barry]

There's free heat available from the radiator. Just pull the rubber strip off the lower fairing where it contacts the engine cylinders. I remember years ago someone took this idea to the extreme by blocking the lower fairing hot air exhaust ports. Keeping the body's extremities warm in turn helps keep your core warm. I cheat with a home made electric vest connected to a heat-troller.

[Nails]

Funny, I was just thinking of cutting a rectangular hole in the lower fairing and making a door, placed inside the vent. Swing it to cover that hole (summertime) or to cover the vent exhaust (wintertime).

[Barry]

What about removing the tube that leads from the front of the fairing to the lower vents; closing off the hole in the front of the fairing where the tube used to be and closing off the radiator exhaust holes? Bet you'd get tons of heat?

[Nails]

I'm looking for something I can adjust on the road, preferably while riding. I have a mental picture of something I could open while riding, but I'd probably have to get off to close it.

Yeah, a lot of heat available. And don't really need much given the hurkin' fairing.

Plus, I have old leather telemark boots, super insulated and waterproof. I cut off the front of the sole so that they look just like regular boots. I've skied in them at minus a zillion degrees and think they'd work swell. If this door idea works, it'd blow heat on the outside of my calf.

[Nails]

This is another nuthin post, but the blog is dead anyway.

After my first full winter * on the XII, I won't be buying heated grips after all. I got a Hotwire jacket liner from Cycle Gear, but I can't really imagine wanting to use it. It's too hot, even on low -- I didn't make it out of the parking lot the one time I tried it. Coming home last night (45 min ride) in 41F, the only cold I really felt was blowing up my pants legs and around my neck; and I could've put up with that for hours. That's in armored mesh with the rain liners in, thin thermal insulation, that jacket liner, and street clothes with uninsulated leather boots. My hands didn't get cold, even in armored mesh gloves (leather, but the same gloves I use in the summer).

* Well, "full winter" takes into account that for most of it, the lane was too icy to get out in anything but 4WD.

I'm just saying that the fairing works great. I have 2" narrower handlebars, which surely made all the difference on my hands. My windshield is only 9" tall, and my neck did get a little cold. I'll try a thin balaclava next time. For the top of my boots, I'll sew in elastic at the rain liner cuff -- it has a zipped dart that should close fine. Or maybe some waterproof booties (these boots would soak through, eventually). And I'd still like to cut that hole in the lowers, but might wait until next fall.

I know 41 isn't exactly freezing, but I don't plan to ride this piggly beast below freezing. Lots of water across the road during the day, here in the mountains.

And if I have to, I can always turn on the jacket liner.

[cranky]

I have long leather gauntlet gloves and put on 2Xlarge Dr's latex gloves over 'um to keep
wind and water off....

yes on the thin balaclava... also works like a helmet liner...

for legs, I always ride with leather chaps...

for feet, I wear rubber overshoes... the keep my feet warm and dry...
they pretty much meet up with my chaps...

[Nails]

I have full leathers too, but honestly not any warmer. I'm just now going to synthetics for long trips because more versatile. Like the armor -- getting older.