It's been below average temperatures here in the ATL, but my bike has been crying itself to sleep in the garage because I haven't been taking it out. So I bundled up - sweatshirt, chaps, two layers of gloves - and have been riding.
Damn, I like these heated grips.
6 comments:
Have you tried this sort of thing?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Handlebar-Muffs/dp/B007BKXVIU
I found the heated grips to be of little use without them due to wind chill.
knirr, I'd be a little nervous of putting something that would cover the handlebars like that. Not sure how it would change working the controls.
I also have electrically heated gauntlets, but quite frankly you don't need them here in the South. When I move north I might, but there's a chance that if it's cold enough that you'd need them, there's ice on the road. :-(
Once one's hands are in the muffs then there's no problem - they don't interfere with the controls. I was always a bit worried that I might not be able to get a hand back in, e.g. after taking it out to wipe my visor*, but that never did cause a problem.
I have used these muffs in temperatures close to 0ºC and found them effective, but they're probably not needed if it's more like 10ºC. Luckily the main roads used to be well gritted, so ice wasn't usually a problem, although one day I did get caught in snow on an ungritted road and had to walk home.
* This sort of glove/wiper:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryde-Motorcycle-Helmet-Visor-Wiper/dp/B00BLJHRCI
I am trying to figure out the "two layers of gloves".
I have some deer skin gauntlets and the HD branded Gerbing heated gloves. It has to be in the 30's to break out the heated gloves. The gauntlets work fine down to the high 30's but I am also behind the batwing.
Multiple layers of gloves is ok if all you are doing is cruising the highway, but not so good if riding secondary roads. Noticeable loss of dexterity, which hinders proper control of your bike. It tends to compound the problem with restricted movement and constriction, causing lower blood flow, which cools the hand even more. Better to install a wind deflector of some sort in front of the grips.
I can recall a ride where I had to shift without the clutch, due to so many pairs of gloves I couldn't flex my fingers properly. Used the palm of my hand to control it to get the bike rolling. Throttle was thumb and palm. NJ to FL, it never got above freezing, until near Daytona. GA was 0*F, IIRC. Next time, I put it in my Ranchero to get there.
http://www.sharperimage.com/si/view/product/Wireless+Rechargable+Warming+Glove+Liners/200877
Mine are older and were from Brookstone, but it's the same idea: you wear these INSIDE your winter gauntlet riding gloves.
And a set of National Cycle Hand Deflectors for those of us who don't have batwings. Available all over the place - $90. Been using mine for years. Keeps the wind off my hands - reduces the drain on the electric warmer inserts in my gloves.
The problem with heated grips is that they don't heat up the OUTSIDE of the gloves - and it's my thumbs that get cold.
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