Heated hand grips

[Hitcher]

Winter is coming and so too is Mrs H's birthday. Top of her list is heated hand grips for her Marauder.

I know squat about this, so wondered what advice you folks could offer? (particularly those with toasty warm hands)

I've seen the Oxford wrap-arounds but these look like they may make the grips too fat for a lady rider with small hands (Marauder grips are already quite chunky).

OTY

[Yamahamaman]

Only problem with heated handgrips is that they only keep the unexposed side of the hand warm.
But I do love my electrically heated vest and gloves from Widder. Wellington Motorcycles used to be the NZ Agents.

[pete376403]

being a cheap bastard I made both my own heated grips and heated vest. The grips were dead easy - following the idea given in Bike Rider Magazine a while ago, two lengths of nichrome wire from Dick Smiths (about $2.50 each), some hook up wire (free out of the junk box), a switch (ditto) and the outer wrapping was large bore heat shrink tubing from an electrical wholesalers (about $10). The BRM design had a high and low setting - I didn't bother with that. The heating element and heat shrink over the top of the original grips increased the diameter by about 1 - 2 mm
The heated vest was made from a sleeveless jacket, and a length of heating wire from an old low voltage electric blanket ("Safasleep"). Sewed the wire in on the wifes sewing machine, using the biggest zig-zag stitch that it could do. Used up a packet of needles but they're cheap. The vest works really well.
Next project is to build a 24 volt regulator tapping into the output of one of the alternator phases. This will allow me to plug in the heated flying suit I got from Surplustronics. It includes heated glove and boot liners.

[What?]

I have used Daytona heated grips in the past. They are marginally fatter than standard, but still slimmer than old pom bike grips.
Yes, they only warm the palms of your hands, but that serves to keep the blood flowing, so your hands do stay generally warmer, not to mention safer. I notice an ad in the latest Kiwirider mag for another brand of heated grips- I think they are cheaper than Daytona, too.

[Holy Roller]

I knew a guy with heated gloves, much better than hand grips, only had to remember to unplug when he got off. He went through a couple of end plugs before he remembered to unplug.
The heated suit sounds great. Years ago I used to work part time at the BP in Waiouru, It was amazing to see these BMW riders unplug and walk in warm as toast while others grabbed a hot coffee to warm their hands.
Being Scottish I still use the old newspaper (vest) and plastic bags (over the gloves) trick.
One day I may catch up with the tech age when I get rich.

[wkid_one]

Just ride a VTR - they vibrate your hands soo much that you don't notice whether they are hot or cold....

[FROSTY:Me]

I know they aint pretty in godzone but a better way to keep cold hands warm is to have barkbusters like on trail bikes. They really keep ya hands a heap warmer

[Holy Roller]

KOSO HEATED HANDLEBAR GRIPS
(Road ~ ATV available) Koso, a company which has been man*ufacturing and supplying parts to the motorcycle & scooter indus*tries world wide for 23 years, have released a heated handle bar grip. The grips are an artificial rubber that has special properties to retain elasticity in heat & cold, wont deteriorate when exposed to the sun or elements nor become colour faded. These are a great way to help keep your hands warm in the cold months ahead. Koso grips come in sizes to suit most motorcycles with 7/8’ handlebars and almost all ATVs. Retail around $89.95

[Blackbird]

My wife bought a pair for my birthday - I think that they're about $140. They have one setting to bring them up to temperature within 1 minute, and another setting is for continuous riding.

They are really easy to fit - took me a couple of hours to wire in and that involved removing some fairing panels too. They recommend using a hard setting adhesive inside the grips but I'm not sure. A mate had his work loose. I used Ados contact adhesive and have had no problems whatsoever.

Extremely happy with the performance.

Geoff