Handlebar gauntlets/mittens/muffs

[Waipukbiker]

There seems to be a bit of discussion on these so maybe its worth a thread on its own. Some very good points have been raised on the safety aspects of having them on your bike. The only ones I have seen have been at the local Suzuki dealer and are made by Charmans motor trimmers in Napier( Who also specialise in recovering/reshaping of bike seats). http://www.charmans.co.nz/component/..../page,inline/ They are Vinyl on the outside and wool on the inside and reach nearly to your elbow. Cost is $45 a pair. Will fit easily over lever guards and barkbusters. These are just 1 example of whats available.

Some of the points that have been raised:

If you dont have guards fitted, will the wind force push the material against the levers forcing you to push it back out with your fingers to grab the levers (Time delay in getting the front brake on). The wind force could even remove the freeplay in the levers.

If you have removed you hand for whatever reason and suddenly need to brake or change direction then there is a time delay problem of getting the hand back up inside the muff to the controls. My take on this is that you should be able grab the end of the bar from outside the muff enough to steer and without guards, be able to pull the levers in, with guards on, no access to levers from the outside.
Solution is maybe just use some common sence as to when you need to lift or drop your visor etc.


If you need to part company with your bike in a big hurry, can you get your hands out easily at differant angles. the ones mentioned above have large arm openings and are very flexable so cant see an issue but I plan to go down to the local shop and ask to try one on a bike and try it at all differant angles.

Catching water that runs down your arm. if your hands are lower than your elbows this could be a prob.

Some links to more info on them:

www.visordown.com/.../handlebar-muffs.../198528.... - United Kingdom

https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=ha...w=1280&bih=901

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/other.....ffs-no-joke.ht...

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r4/tucan...ndlebar-muffs/

[bart]

I think everyone got my views on the other thread, but I'll lay it all out here again.

I've used these on farm bikes. They're great on cold days because you don't need gloves, so when opening gates, reaching for the dog whistle, stopping to lamb an old ewe....brilliant.

Remember, this is all done at 20kmh max.

Real riding is a different story. I've fallen off successfully many hundred times (by success, I mean uninjured). The majority of these have been because I've managed to throw the bike away, or even step off as it's falling. To do this you need the ability to lift your hands virtically off the bars (or some weird sideways angle). You do have quite a bit of movement in these mittens, but buggered if I want anything 'attaching' me to the bike.

If you don't plan on falling off, go for it. I'd rather have cold hands.

[Night Falcon]

Never used them myself but seen em round. Be good for long highway use I spose but hassel if you need to take ya hands on an off the bars?? I'm with bart for anything else though, my riding skills mean i need to able to push the eject button at any moment without getting foul hooked on the cockpit controls

[Waihou Thumper]

I have some large mitten type that fit over the bars and the acerbis protectors. I got two grommets made and the holes fit under the mirror connections. I just undo the mirrors prior to riding, reconnect and I am away. The mittens remain in a fixed position, being stiffer/wool blend on the inside they stay in place. They are fantastic, no issues what so ever, getting in and out of the mittens to hold the bars. Falling off isn't a problem either Great for highway use, in-fact, you could even wear them without gloves, they are that warm

[george formby]

I used muffs, similar to what you have described (waxed cotton), for years when I lived in Scotland. Never had any issues with them apart from the initial fitting & getting used to them. IIR the ones I used had a press stud fitting & popped open in a bin. I used to bin a lot riding on snow & ice. I still wore very big gloves or if it was bitter a double layer of mitts inside them.
Even long days on the motorway were fine, no buffeting or flapping bars at 60 / 70 mph.
They work a treat too, best thing I have used to keep my digits warm.

[NordieBoy]

If you dont have guards fitted, will the wind force push the material against the levers forcing you to push it back out with your fingers to grab the levers (Time delay in getting the front brake on). The wind force could even remove the freeplay in the levers.

As the previous owner of the mighty TT350 found on his XZ550 when the revs were going up but he wasn't going any faster, the wind pressure is enough to push the clutch lever in a bit

Fit hand guards

Actually, I'm tempted to re-mount mine on the DR...



EDIT: Nah, don't like them and my hands don't get cold enough. A cold, muddy adventure ride however may see them mounted...

[Eddieb]

his XZ550 when the revs were going up but he wasn't going any faster

Having owned a XZ400 thats what they do anyway.

[george formby]

You really need to be riding in minus weather getting blasted by sleet & slush for the full benefit. Interesting about the clutch being pushed, you could have gone camping in the ones I used.

[NordieBoy]

You really need to be riding in minus weather getting blasted by sleet & slush for the full benefit.

So should be good for the Dusty Butt 1000 in January then

[Box'a'bits]

Having owned a XZ400 thats what they do anyway.

Shit Eddie, looking at you, you'd never know...Must be just mental scarring.

Remind me to show you what's rusting slowly under the sleepout. Not mine - my bros...

[Eddieb]

what's rusting slowly under the sleepout

If it's an XZ then they also did that naturally. The pipes disintegrate at the first drop of water.

[spsduc]

There seems to be a bit of discussion on these so maybe its worth a thread on its own. Some very good points have been raised on the safety aspects of having them on your bike. The only ones I have seen have been at the local Suzuki dealer and are made by Charmans motor trimmers in Napier( Who also specialise in recovering/reshaping of bike seats). http://www.charmans.co.nz/component/..../page,inline/ They are Vinyl on the outside and wool on the inside and reach nearly to your elbow. Cost is $45 a pair. Will fit easily over lever guards and barkbusters. These are just 1 example of whats available.

Some of the points that have been raised:

If you dont have guards fitted, will the wind force push the material against the levers forcing you to push it back out with your fingers to grab the levers (Time delay in getting the front brake on). The wind force could even remove the freeplay in the levers.

If you have removed you hand for whatever reason and suddenly need to brake or change direction then there is a time delay problem of getting the hand back up inside the muff to the controls. My take on this is that you should be able grab the end of the bar from outside the muff enough to steer and without guards, be able to pull the levers in, with guards on, no access to levers from the outside.
Solution is maybe just use some common sence as to when you need to lift or drop your visor etc.


If you need to part company with your bike in a big hurry, can you get your hands out easily at differant angles. the ones mentioned above have large arm openings and are very flexable so cant see an issue but I plan to go down to the local shop and ask to try one on a bike and try it at all differant angles.

Catching water that runs down your arm. if your hands are lower than your elbows this could be a prob.

Some links to more info on them:

www.visordown.com/.../handlebar-muffs.../198528.... - United Kingdom

https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=ha...w=1280&bih=901

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/other.....ffs-no-joke.ht...

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r4/tucan...ndlebar-muffs/

I've used these quite a bit on my 990. They are the business for cold/ wet riding. I believe they're more likely to prevent accidents than cause them. Think about it, if your hands are warm and dry you're not distracted and you're able to control your bike better. I wear vented summer gloves under these mitts, and if it's really cold I turn the heated grips on The thin gloves allow your grips to transfer the heat to your hands also making them nice and toasty. Never had a problem with getting hands on or off the bars. I run hand gaurds underneath.

[Waipukbiker]

Cheers mate, great to hear some comments from people who have used them, very much an individual thing I think but I for one much prefer the "feel" with the thinner gloves on which, as you say, combine that with warm hands then your reaction time and ability to control the bike better has to ba a plus.

[colsan1]

I used em for years when I was dispatch ridding in the uk and NEVER had any of the problems you are imagining.

I dont really see why you would need in NZ, its never cold enough unless like a previous poster has said you
are riiddng without gloves. Better to invest in a good pair of winter gloves

[dino3310]

im gonna get some for a try even just for the run to work on the frosty mornings and take them of for weekend play time