Cold Hands - What's The Solution?

[Lou Girardin]

Ooh err. What's your price on a pair of XXXL silk glove liners?

Can't get 'em anymore. We've got XXL left @ $30.00. Less for KB'ers.

[Lou Girardin]

[QUOTE=scracha]) Brushguards don't do very much to help keep your hands warm (even the posh and very wide BMW ones I had fitted to the TDM). They DO help keep them dry though.
QUOTE]

Mine made a BIG difference down south. My hands got cold, but not numb.

[Dai]

In the UK I used a combination of heated grips, warm gloves and handlebar mitts. The latter kept the heat inside them mostly and most of the water/cold wind out.

Used them for two years despatch riding. Mitts came off at the warmer times and heated grips turned off.

Rode in some really cold weather (-5 + wind chill) and my hands stayed nice and warm.

Hope this helps

[Rashika]

Rode in some really cold weather (-5 + wind chill).....

ONLY -5? .....errr...thats almost a summers day here...at times anyway

[pritch]

I was told by staff in one Auckland shop (not AMPS)that using heated grips with Gore-tex gloves is tricky. Apparently above a certain temperature the heat makes the membrane suck instead of blow, so to speak.


I can't comment, as when it's raining I tend to be wearing gloves with built in visor wipers rather than the lovely lined Spidi items I bought from Lou :-)

[Edbear]

Thanks for the tips, guys. It's time I updated my ancient Thinsulates, but now it's a bit like updating my bike - so many choices! What if cost is a factor, what would be a good cheaper option? Mainly thinking good waterproofing. Of course up this way it doesn't get really, really cold.

[oldrider]

The little brushgard thingies on my Transalp do make a difference and so does sealing your gloves up for the winter. Try a tube of "Sno-Seal"
I ride around in -8c to -10c and I am not a tough guy at all.
I haven't bothered with heated grips yet.
Maybe this year? Who knows. Cheers John.

[Titanium]

Heated grips are the way to go........

[Oakie]

Maybe I'm better off spending my money on heated grips than the new pair of gloves...

For those that have had them fitted. How long would it take? I'd get the shop to do it, so thinking about labour charges...

"About an hour", the mechanic quoted. Don't recall what time I was actually charged for though. Depends if they take shortcuts or not I guess.

[beyond]

Get your blood pressure up. This helps to keep the extremities warm.
Best ways I know to do this, heaps of coffee in the morning then several table spoons of worry about the day and worry about your ride and and of course, worry about finances. Then several teaspoons of riding on the motorway amongst all the mad cagers who try and block your every manouevre as you shouldn't be allowed to get ahead of them.

Then a couple of tablets of anger when some spaz pulls out on you and gives you the finger cos it was your fault after all.

Top that off with a shot of several close calls with wandering stock, diesel spills, cow shit all over the road and farmer brown coming straight at you on your side of the road with his bailing forks around chest level and hopefully by then, you will find your feelers are quite warm and fuzzy.

Oh, if you practice this and get into the habit; waving your hands like the stupid chimp on the telecom add, at offending motorists, also has the effect of getting the blood circulating as well.

[Lou Girardin]

I ride around in -8c to -10c and I am not a tough guy at all.
.

Riding in temps that freeze your visor shut is the definition of tough.

[scumdog]

Riding in temps that freeze your visor shut is the definition of tough.

I've had the dreaded 'snot-icicles' on my moustache at times - hope my skull-mask stops that!

But yeah, hands are still the worst thing to get cold, been almost in tears when they thaw out at times

Still, at least I don't have to ride to work these days - and if I do it's not so far.

[Skyryder]

You forgot d) get hard

Heated grips are the best solution there. People will think you're a soft old man but at least you'll have nice warm hands and have a smile on your face. Another possible solution is surgical rubber gloves under you bike gloves. Main problem is they don't breath or anything so your hands sweat like you wouldn't believe and stay wet. But they also stay warm.

Use the latex type over liners. The latex trap warm air and also prevent moister transfer from leather to liners. The latex acts as a barrier.

Skyryder

[SDU]

I was in Budget's on Wilson's rd recently (CHCH) & they had Oxford heated grips cheaper than the one's Oakie mentioned. They also had Oxford Hothands which are heat pads that wrap over grips. Low drain on battery & easily fitted. Look at the web page under Essentials - choose winter gear.

http://www.oxprod.com/

We have seen overseas people advertising heated gloves which will probably be a great way to go. Some we think (It was a year or so ago) had little pocket battery packs so you can wear them around the camp site.
Reckon if someone imported those we'd be in for some -price dependant of course.

[rok-the-boat]

Never tried heated grips but have had dry-warmth with:

Big handle bar muffs with any light gloves,

Light gloves with waterproof overmittens,

Motorcross lever guards - slightly warmer/dryer etc but you still get wet in the end.