Heated Gear

[Redline2015]

Can anyone give me some tips on what kind of heated vest and or liners I should buy? Was riding home last night and it was pretty cold. Any thoughts on the BMW HeatUp Vest? Thanks!

[RSH]

I use the Gerbing product.

 

I have the in-dash permanent heat controller on all my bikes, so I can just plug in my liner or vest, ride & not mess around with the portable controllers or switches that are dangling from your liners.

 

I think all the different brands would do the job, but I like all the accessories you can get from Gerbings to make hooking up quicker, less complicated & get riding faster. If you are with a group of fellow riders, this makes a big difference.

 

To hook up the in dash controller (so you can just plug your heated gear into the plug that that is permanently affixed to the bike) requires a little electrical ability, but it is very basic. It takes more time to route the wires to the area you wish to mount the plug-in than it does to hook it up to the battery. Solder & double insulate everything too.

 

It is also a good idea to buy a few extra extension cords, they come in handy when you least expect it.

 

"Powerlet" makes nice heated gear too and it works with the Gerbing heat controllers.

 

Good luck!

 

http://gerbing.com/collection/temp-controller-permanent-single.html

[The Rocketman]

There are many options, but I highly recommend Gerbing's. Wouldn't waste money on a vest, when a coat will give you much more warmth on the arms, which don't have as much protection from the cold wind that your torso does from a wind screen. Gerbing's jacket and G3 gloves have served me well for many years, through many cold rides. I'm not a fan of their 9 volt or portable lithium battery rechargeable products. 12 volts hard-wired right into my bike has worked fine. Again, many options...this is just one.

[Skywagon]

I have the Gerbings full jacket liner and gloves with dual controller. The liner is very effective under my riding gear. I've used it down to 15 degrees F and was more than toasty at about half setting. The gloves are equally impressive. I only wear the gloves when really cold because I find them rather bulky, but when it is cold they are awesome. I use the portable dual controller rather than a panel mount because I use the gear on my motorcycle and in my boat. I just attach it to my coat and it is out of the way.

 

I've never used anyone else's heated gear so can't attest to the multiple other brands.

[JR356]

Warm n Safe heated gear.The newest liner is wind/waterproof.

http://www.warmnsafe.com/

 

Yes,as others have said,full liner is best.

 

FYI:Many folks here have the older Gerbings liners,made by the Gerbings family.

The new Gerbings that you see in the store is a different product made by another company.

 

Gerbings family is back in the heated liner business,but under a diggerent name.

http://gordonsheated.com/heated_jacket_liner.html

 

Whatever you get,remember to get the electronic controller to adjust heat output.

You will roast in these garments without a controller.

 

 

JR356

[AndyS]

I guess it's a hard question to answer because if it does the job it is a good bit of kit.

I have used Gerbing and Keis Heated apparel. I currently use the Keis stuff. I think the jacket looks reasonably stylish and it works well. It can be purchased with a 4 stage heat controller and it works well.

As said above, ensure you buy a controller otherwise you will have to add your own switch or keep plugging and unplugging. Either way it would be a real pain in the bum to keep doing!

[eddd]

 

I've had Gerbings and currently use Powerlet, which is similar to Warm n Safe. The Gerbing controller is clunky and looks and functions like it was an afterthought. The Powerlet or Warm n Safe use a cordless controller for jacket and gloves. You only need to make one connection from bike to jacket.

 

The Gerbing jacket also has a band at the bottom of the jacket that will ride up your back as soon as you make any move to get on the bike. This creates an unheated area in the small of your back near the waistline. The Powerlet jacket does not have this issue. The tail of the jacket doesn't creep up and so it keeps the small of your back covered and heated.

[Rob L]

Has anyone tried to use the Warm and Safe remote control with the Gerbing liner? I have a 2 year old Gerbing jacket liner and heated gloves, but I would like to use a remote control instead of the Gerbing control that I use now.

[EffBee]

Has anyone tried to use the Warm and Safe remote control with the Gerbing liner? I have a 2 year old Gerbing jacket liner and heated gloves, but I would like to use a remote control instead of the Gerbing control that I use now.

 

It works. But when ordering the controller, tell them you're going to use it on a Gerbing liner. Depending on the year/model of the Gerbing liner, WnS has different length connecting wires on the wireless receiver in order to facilitate a good fit. Or at least they used to.

[AnotherLee]

Having recently been to the Gerbing website I read this:

Gerbing products are designed to be powered and controlled by using only Gerbing accessories and controllers. Using other manufacturers’ accessories and controllers with your Gerbing product will void the warranty.

It can be found *HERE* under General Warranty. I wonder why they say this.

[Kritou]

I found this on the internetty thing - through this website I think ......

 

Heated26/12/2013 18:59:22

Heated clothing How does Heated Clothing work on a motorcycle or atv? A distinction needs to be made between heated gear, powered by the vehicle's 12 volt electrical system, and portable-battery operated products. For motorcycle use, under extreme cold temperatures (wind-chill while riding), most portable battery operated garments produce insufficient heat output. This is due to the fact that wattage needs to be restricted in order to make the batteries last. For instance, many battery operated gloves produce about 7.5 watts of heat (each) for about 2 hours. In comparison, 12 volt vehicle operated gloves will easily produce unlimited 11 to 14 watts each. Those battery operated gloves are okay at low speeds (small scooter) or non motorcycle related use like walking, wheelchair or working outside. However, new battery technology and improvements in heating elements are now narrowing the gap. Heat Demon's new portable 11.1 volt Li-Ion battery can run heated motorcycle gloves or heated socks well for several hours. 12 volt motorcycle / ATV heated clothing is connected to the vehicle's electrical system. Larger and modern touring bikes usually have enough on-board capacity to power a 90 watt heated liner with pants, gloves and socks all connected. Keep in mind that such a full outfit can easily put you over 12 amps draw. On sport bikes and smaller or older motorcycles, it is advisable to keep the amperage draw down as much as you can. We have 35 and 65 watt (respectively about 2.6 or 4.8 amp at 13.4v) liners and vests available. Using a Heat-Troller controller is crucial. Not only are you controlling heat output to your body but by turning the controller down you are actually keeping power draw on the bike's system down as well. Modern controllers like Warm & Safe's Heat-Troller are true pulse-width modulators, not old fashioned rheostats (rheostats are essentially variable resistors) First step: A battery cord is installed on the vehicle's battery with a COAX receiver plug left somewhere convenient to the side of the bike (on the left side, behind a panel or under seat). This connector can also be used, in reverse, to keep the battery charged. (check your manual if your bike has a CAN-BUS system) Many motorcycles already have a battery lead installed, usually an SAE plug from a battery charger like Battery Tender or Yuasa. You can use this connector but be careful as many battery charger harnesses are not rated high enough to operate high draw heated clothing. Our SAE replacement battery leads use 16AWG wire and a 15 amp fuse. Another solution is to install a permanent Powerlet (BMW-Hella) accessory outlet on your bike. It is like a cigarette lighter/accessory outlet in a car but smaller and designed to power heated clothing. (most cigarette lighter outlets are not designed for high draw heated clothing). Many modern touring bikes have such an accessory outlet factory installed. Second step: A controller is connected between the battery cord and the heated garment. This can be a simple on/off switch or a variable electronic controller. For short trips (20 minute commute) a simple on/off switch can be used but be warned! The garment will receive constant full power, not the ideal setup. With a 100 watt liner or 14 watt glove, you will burn yourself if you do not use a quality variable controller. Invest in a Heat-Troller. Heat-Trollers come in single and dual (for 2 separate control zones) and portable, dash or velcro mounted. Now also available in remote control versions. Third step: That's it. Enjoy a comfortable ride. More on Controllers: With a single controller you can control the vest or jacket liner and any other item you connect to the vest (gloves, pants, socks) as one single zone. If you have multiple heated garments it may be better to control, for instance jacket/vest and gloves, as two separate zones with a dual electronic controller. You may want to turn the vest off while still directing power to your hands. A dual controller is designed to control two heat zones for one person. It is not intended to control two separate garments for two people. Besides the obvious safety aspect of two people, on a motorcycle entangled with wires, heated gear for two people could easily exceed maximum power draw for one controller (10 to 15 amp maximum depending on the controller) How do Heated Gloves work on a motorcycle? Most of the time, heated gloves are connected to a heated liner or vest (see above on heated clothing). If this is the case, you don't need any extra connectors. The gloves are simply connected to the plugs available on each sleeve. However, you can run Heated Gloves separate, without use of a heated vest or liner, by use of a Y-cord and controller. The Y cord is connected to the on/off switch or electronic controller (on/off switch is never recommended but can be used at your own risk). The Y-cord runs up underneath your jacket and through the sleeves to connect the gloves. (never power heated gloves from the controller direct to your handlebar !) New are ultra thin heated glove liners with 3 major advantages over traditional heated gloves. No wires at all (conductive material is woven into the fabric) Use your own favorite gloves and huge improvement on reliability (no wires to break) Large touring and cruiser bikes often have enough electrical power to accommodate full liners, pants, gloves, grips etc. However if your ride is smaller, you may consider going for a vest rather than a full liner. Heated arms are not always necessary and the amp savings are considerable. What is the difference between all the different brands? Some heated clothing is sold under different brand names which makes it all more confusing. Warm & Safe, some Powerlet and FirstGear heated clothing are all made by Warm & Safe. W&S is considered top of the line and is used by many hardcore riders. Powerlet recently introduced it's own, totally in-house controlled, line of heated gear and I am impressed. With their maniacal drive for quality control, Powerlet heated clothing and products are absolute top of the heap. Heat Demon is another reliable brand, putting out innovative and practical products at very affordable prices and top notch customer service. As far as I know, there are only a few dedicated heated clothing brands like Warm & Safe, Powerlet and Gerbings. This means they control the entire design and manufacturing process of their products. Most other heated clothing from OEM's (HD, BMW, Etc), or marketing brands such as Synergy, Warmgear, Tourmaster etc are often made by unknown manufacturers, often heated blanket makers, and have sometimes less features, less quality or both. The Low-Down If you are going to invest in heated gear, buy for the long run. Cheap is not always better value and this certainly applies to heated motorcycle gear. Personally I trust gear, made by riders for riders, over gear made by some far-east heated blanket manufacturer and sold under a snazzy marketing brand. Hence my support to W&S, Powerlet and Symtec - Heat Demon. This certainly does not mean that all other brands are bad but .... you get my point We stock a variety of 12V Heated Jacket & Pants Liners, Vests and Gloves as well as controllers and adapters - hookups for power sport use. Warm & Safe Heated Clothing, from the company that brought us the famous Heat-Troller, is made for bikers by bikers. Mike Coan, Warm & Safe's owner, is a true globetrotting hard-core rider who knows a thing or two about riding under harsh conditions. Warm&Safe has an impressive offering. Both Men's and Women's sizing, low draw products for older bikes and high heat output (higher than any other brand) for most modern bikes. You can combine their Heated Gear with a variety of high quality Heat-Troller electronic controllers. Powerlet, famous for pioneering luggage electrix, has become the industry leader for all electrical components and connectors. Well known for their quality control and useful products they now offer a line of very well made heated jacket liners and heated glove liners. And of course the wide variety of Powerlet cords, connectors and adapters. Symtec is known for their Heat Demon grip warmers and now also brings nice heated vests and foot warmers. The Symtec heated vest comes only in two sizes (S to XL and XL to 4XL) and they manage this with side expander zippers and stretch panels. Unique to Symtec heated vests is that the carbon fiber heating panels can easily be removed for garment cleaning or repair. All our Heated Clothing will connect with standard 2.5mm Coax connectors. This has become the industry standard and therefore most clothing and controllers are interchangeable. Warm & Safe, Powerlet, Gerbings, First Gear, Synergy and OEM clothing like Harley Davidson all use coax connectors. Some brands like GenX use SAE connectors. SAE is another industry standard widely used on battery chargers like Battery Tender and Yuasa. Widder heated clothing (the company closed it's doors at the end of 2008) used a proprietary 2 prong Widder plug. We no longer have adapters available to connect Widder heated gear. If you own a Widder garment, adapting it to the coax or SAE standard would be the better way to go. About Plugs and Connectors COAX 2.5mm connectors are commonly used with most heated clothing manufactures including Warm & Safe, Powerlet, Gerbing, First Gear, Aerostitch, Venture and many others. You will also find this connector on most OEM brands liks H.D., BMW and others. Dimensions are 2.5mm x 5.5mm x10mm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Warm & Safe Heat-Trollers are true pulse-width modulating controllers, famous for their high quality and reliability. This is not an old-fashioned rheostat. Heat-Trollers cycle current on and off in seconds, depending on the setting you choose. They do not heat up and actually reduce amperage draw, on your electrical system, when turned down. SPCOAX stands for Single Portable Coax controller, - 'Single' means you will control your heated gear as one single heat zone. For instance, gloves are connected to the jacket sleeves and both jacket and gloves are controlled as one single zone. In order to control gloves and jacket separately, you need a dual controller (or two separate controllers). - 'Portable' because you will carry this controller on your body. - 'Coax' means it is setup to work with the round coax plug standard found in pretty much all brands of heated clothing. Yes, you can use this controller with your heated gear if it has a coax connector. SAE, the flat 2 prong plug found on some battery chargers and older heated gear, is an other widely used connector. We have an adapter available to use this Coax controller with SAE gear or, if you want to power this controller straight from your Battery Tenderâ„¢ SAE battery harness, we have an adapter for that too. Use PAC-038 to connect SAE clothing to a Heat-Troller or modern coax heated gloves Use PAC-039 to connect a Heat-Troller to a Battery Tenderâ„¢ battery harness Technical Specifications: Size - 1.5" x 2.25" x .85" in or 38 mm x 57 mm x 21.5 mm. Comes with battery harness with covered fuse holder. Use this controller with heated liner, pants and gloves, with coax connector, up to a maximum draw of 15 amps. This model is intended to be portable (not permanently mounted on your bike). A Belt Pouch is available.

 

Admin Edit: Per the Rules and Guidelines, a vendor may answer questions about products that they sell/service, but may not engage in marketing apart from a website link in their signature line. The above now contains only answers and opinions regarding heated clothing.

[JR356]

Having recently been to the Gerbing website I read this:

Gerbing products are designed to be powered and controlled by using only Gerbing accessories and controllers. Using other manufacturers’ accessories and controllers with your Gerbing product will void the warranty.

It can be found *HERE* under General Warranty. I wonder why they say this.

 

 

That is a clause contained in most product warranties.

 

Likely the BMW warranty says the same thing,as does your car warranty,electronics,home appliances,etc.

 

It is a CYA for the manufacturer,since they have no control over the manufacture of the other product and how it interfaces with their product..

 

JR356

[elkroeger]

How cold does it get down where you're at? I'd think an electric jacket by itself would do about everything you asked of it. You might want gloves and all that other stuff for long trips tho.

 

I had an aerostich electric vest at one point, with a simple on/off switch. While it was very well made, it still sucked just because it was a vest. I'd wind up with cold arms and a weird draft under my moto jacket. Also, they get pretty hot when you run them full tilt, and flipping the switch on and off gets to be a drag. So: go for a jacket, and get a controller. You'll be glad you did. Currently, I have a gerbings jacket, and the only thing I don't like about it is that it only has insulation (thinsulate, which is good stuff) near the heating elements. I'd rather have it fully lined. Maybe they've changed their design by now. But gerbings is good stuff. Lots of other good options out there too.

[Rex R]

I found this on the internetty thing - through this website I think ......

 

Heated26/12/2013 18:59:22

Heated clothing How does Heated Clothing work on a motorcycle or atv? A distinction needs to be made between heated gear, powered by the vehicle's 12 volt electrical system, and portable-battery operated products. For motorcycle use, under extreme cold temperatures (wind-chill while riding), most portable battery operated garments produce insufficient heat output. This is due to the fact that wattage needs to be restricted in order to make the batteries last. For instance, many battery operated gloves produce about 7.5 watts of heat (each) for about 2 hours. In comparison, 12 volt vehicle operated gloves will easily produce unlimited 11 to 14 watts each. Those battery operated gloves are okay at low speeds (small scooter) or non motorcycle related use like walking, wheelchair or working outside. However, new battery technology and improvements in heating elements are now narrowing the gap. Heat Demon's new portable 11.1 volt Li-Ion battery can run heated motorcycle gloves or heated socks well for several hours. 12 volt motorcycle / ATV heated clothing is connected to the vehicle's electrical system. Larger and modern touring bikes usually have enough on-board capacity to power a 90 watt heated liner with pants, gloves and socks all connected. Keep in mind that such a full outfit can easily put you over 12 amps draw. On sport bikes and smaller or older motorcycles, it is advisable to keep the amperage draw down as much as you can. We have 35 and 65 watt (respectively about 2.6 or 4.8 amp at 13.4v) liners and vests available. Using a Heat-Troller controller is crucial. Not only are you controlling heat output to your body but by turning the controller down you are actually keeping power draw on the bike's system down as well. Modern controllers like Warm & Safe's Heat-Troller are true pulse-width modulators, not old fashioned rheostats (rheostats are essentially variable resistors) First step: A battery cord is installed on the vehicle's battery with a COAX receiver plug left somewhere convenient to the side of the bike (on the left side, behind a panel or under seat). This connector can also be used, in reverse, to keep the battery charged. (check your manual if your bike has a CAN-BUS system) Many motorcycles already have a battery lead installed, usually an SAE plug from a battery charger like Battery Tender or Yuasa. You can use this connector but be careful as many battery charger harnesses are not rated high enough to operate high draw heated clothing. Our SAE replacement battery leads use 16AWG wire and a 15 amp fuse. Another solution is to install a permanent Powerlet (BMW-Hella) accessory outlet on your bike. It is like a cigarette lighter/accessory outlet in a car but smaller and designed to power heated clothing. (most cigarette lighter outlets are not designed for high draw heated clothing). Many modern touring bikes have such an accessory outlet factory installed. Second step: A controller is connected between the battery cord and the heated garment. This can be a simple on/off switch or a variable electronic controller. For short trips (20 minute commute) a simple on/off switch can be used but be warned! The garment will receive constant full power, not the ideal setup. With a 100 watt liner or 14 watt glove, you will burn yourself if you do not use a quality variable controller. Invest in a Heat-Troller. Heat-Trollers come in single and dual (for 2 separate control zones) and portable, dash or velcro mounted. Now also available in remote control versions. Third step: That's it. Enjoy a comfortable ride. More on Controllers: With a single controller you can control the vest or jacket liner and any other item you connect to the vest (gloves, pants, socks) as one single zone. If you have multiple heated garments it may be better to control, for instance jacket/vest and gloves, as two separate zones with a dual electronic controller. You may want to turn the vest off while still directing power to your hands. A dual controller is designed to control two heat zones for one person. It is not intended to control two separate garments for two people. Besides the obvious safety aspect of two people, on a motorcycle entangled with wires, heated gear for two people could easily exceed maximum power draw for one controller (10 to 15 amp maximum depending on the controller) How do Heated Gloves work on a motorcycle? Most of the time, heated gloves are connected to a heated liner or vest (see above on heated clothing). If this is the case, you don't need any extra connectors. The gloves are simply connected to the plugs available on each sleeve. However, you can run Heated Gloves separate, without use of a heated vest or liner, by use of a Y-cord and controller. The Y cord is connected to the on/off switch or electronic controller (on/off switch is never recommended but can be used at your own risk). The Y-cord runs up underneath your jacket and through the sleeves to connect the gloves. (never power heated gloves from the controller direct to your handlebar !) New are ultra thin heated glove liners with 3 major advantages over traditional heated gloves. No wires at all (conductive material is woven into the fabric) Use your own favorite gloves and huge improvement on reliability (no wires to break) Large touring and cruiser bikes often have enough electrical power to accommodate full liners, pants, gloves, grips etc. However if your ride is smaller, you may consider going for a vest rather than a full liner. Heated arms are not always necessary and the amp savings are considerable. What is the difference between all the different brands? Some heated clothing is sold under different brand names which makes it all more confusing. Warm & Safe, some Powerlet and FirstGear heated clothing are all made by Warm & Safe. W&S is considered top of the line and is used by many hardcore riders. Powerlet recently introduced it's own, totally in-house controlled, line of heated gear and I am impressed. With their maniacal drive for quality control, Powerlet heated clothing and products are absolute top of the heap. Heat Demon is another reliable brand, putting out innovative and practical products at very affordable prices and top notch customer service. As far as I know, there are only a few dedicated heated clothing brands like Warm & Safe, Powerlet and Gerbings. This means they control the entire design and manufacturing process of their products. Most other heated clothing from OEM's (HD, BMW, Etc), or marketing brands such as Synergy, Warmgear, Tourmaster etc are often made by unknown manufacturers, often heated blanket makers, and have sometimes less features, less quality or both. The Low-Down If you are going to invest in heated gear, buy for the long run. Cheap is not always better value and this certainly applies to heated motorcycle gear. Personally I trust gear, made by riders for riders, over gear made by some far-east heated blanket manufacturer and sold under a snazzy marketing brand. Hence my support to W&S, Powerlet and Symtec - Heat Demon. This certainly does not mean that all other brands are bad but .... you get my point We stock a variety of 12V Heated Jacket & Pants Liners, Vests and Gloves as well as controllers and adapters - hookups for power sport use. Warm & Safe Heated Clothing, from the company that brought us the famous Heat-Troller, is made for bikers by bikers. Mike Coan, Warm & Safe's owner, is a true globetrotting hard-core rider who knows a thing or two about riding under harsh conditions. Warm&Safe has an impressive offering. Both Men's and Women's sizing, low draw products for older bikes and high heat output (higher than any other brand) for most modern bikes. You can combine their Heated Gear with a variety of high quality Heat-Troller electronic controllers. Powerlet, famous for pioneering luggage electrix, has become the industry leader for all electrical components and connectors. Well known for their quality control and useful products they now offer a line of very well made heated jacket liners and heated glove liners. And of course the wide variety of Powerlet cords, connectors and adapters. Symtec is known for their Heat Demon grip warmers and now also brings nice heated vests and foot warmers. The Symtec heated vest comes only in two sizes (S to XL and XL to 4XL) and they manage this with side expander zippers and stretch panels. Unique to Symtec heated vests is that the carbon fiber heating panels can easily be removed for garment cleaning or repair. All our Heated Clothing will connect with standard 2.5mm Coax connectors. This has become the industry standard and therefore most clothing and controllers are interchangeable. Warm & Safe, Powerlet, Gerbings, First Gear, Synergy and OEM clothing like Harley Davidson all use coax connectors. Some brands like GenX use SAE connectors. SAE is another industry standard widely used on battery chargers like Battery Tender and Yuasa. Widder heated clothing (the company closed it's doors at the end of 2008) used a proprietary 2 prong Widder plug. We no longer have adapters available to connect Widder heated gear. If you own a Widder garment, adapting it to the coax or SAE standard would be the better way to go. About Plugs and Connectors COAX 2.5mm connectors are commonly used with most heated clothing manufactures including Warm & Safe, Powerlet, Gerbing, First Gear, Aerostitch, Venture and many others. You will also find this connector on most OEM brands liks H.D., BMW and others. Dimensions are 2.5mm x 5.5mm x10mm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Warm & Safe Heat-Trollers are true pulse-width modulating controllers, famous for their high quality and reliability. This is not an old-fashioned rheostat. Heat-Trollers cycle current on and off in seconds, depending on the setting you choose. They do not heat up and actually reduce amperage draw, on your electrical system, when turned down. SPCOAX stands for Single Portable Coax controller, - 'Single' means you will control your heated gear as one single heat zone. For instance, gloves are connected to the jacket sleeves and both jacket and gloves are controlled as one single zone. In order to control gloves and jacket separately, you need a dual controller (or two separate controllers). - 'Portable' because you will carry this controller on your body. - 'Coax' means it is setup to work with the round coax plug standard found in pretty much all brands of heated clothing. Yes, you can use this controller with your heated gear if it has a coax connector. SAE, the flat 2 prong plug found on some battery chargers and older heated gear, is an other widely used connector. We have an adapter available to use this Coax controller with SAE gear or, if you want to power this controller straight from your Battery Tenderâ„¢ SAE battery harness, we have an adapter for that too. Use PAC-038 to connect SAE clothing to a Heat-Troller or modern coax heated gloves Use PAC-039 to connect a Heat-Troller to a Battery Tenderâ„¢ battery harness Technical Specifications: Size - 1.5" x 2.25" x .85" in or 38 mm x 57 mm x 21.5 mm. Comes with battery harness with covered fuse holder. Use this controller with heated liner, pants and gloves, with coax connector, up to a maximum draw of 15 amps. This model is intended to be portable (not permanently mounted on your bike). A Belt Pouch is available.

 

 

 

One word: Paragraphs

[jjg3]

I was thinking just the link ...

[RTinNC]

Have used Gerbings for years now. Originally the old style and now the micro wire stuff and love it!! Have the micro wire full liner and also the vest. While I realize the vest does not provide the full heat the liner does the big benefit for me is the micro wire vest packs up to near nothing so easier to carry on trips when I may not need it but is great insurance. The vest has saved my butt in cold rainy summer days. But when the temps are in the 30's that liner is the king. Oh ... and I may be the only one who does not run a controller. Just plug it in and let the heat warm me. When I need the heat I need ALL of it and it if gets too warm I just unplug it. Simple and one less thing to worry about. My micro wire is the Made in the USA stuff and have had no issues at all.

[bdfbeemer]

Warm & Safe. Great gear and customer service.

[Rougarou]

So far, haven't gotten cold enough to need the heated gear yet and I ride nearly every day.

 

With that said, when I bought the bike, the previous owner from Maine, gave me a Gerbing liner (old style) with single controller. I've worn it a couple of times the first year I had the bike, but found that I really don't need it and haven't worn it in over four years.

 

Layer properly and you likely can go down the temps further than you think

[dirtrider]

So far, haven't gotten cold enough to need the heated gear yet and I ride nearly every day.

 

With that said, when I bought the bike, the previous owner from Maine, gave me a Gerbing liner (old style) with single controller. I've worn it a couple of times the first year I had the bike, but found that I really don't need it and haven't worn it in over four years.

 

Layer properly and you likely can go down the temps further than you think

 

Morning Living the Dream

 

That is the only way we had way back, when there was no heated gear & the bike charging systems couldn't have powered it anyhow.

 

I seldom use layers anymore as that bulks me up & takes time to put all that those layers on.

 

That is why I really like heated clothing-- I can leave home in the morning at 15°f with just a heated jacket liner & regular riding coat over it. Possibly heated gloves if below 25°f.

 

As the temperature heats up I can just dial back the temperature controller to keep up with the rising temps. (no stopping to remove layers or the need to store them on the bike somewhere)

 

Same with riding late afternoon-- I can simply start out with a (non-powered) heated vest under my riding coat with the heat turned off. Then as the afternoon cools off I can just dial in some body heat to offset the dropping temps.

 

Heated gear has really simplified my riding clothing that I need to put on or carry with me. (one heated jacket liner or heated vest pretty well does it all & takes up very little room on the bike or on me)

[AndyS]

I'm with DR on this with the following caveat:

When doing a longre ride, I always carry extra clothing just in case I have a heated jacket failure. I don't like layering but know if I had to, I would. It's way better than hypothermia or worse.

 

[moshe_levy]

A few notes:

 

My heated gear comparo from MCN: http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcnheatedgear.pdf

 

The UNPUBLISHED lab tests and full text: http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcnheatedgearraw.pdf

 

Bottom line: Not much difference in actual gear, but a great deal of ergonomic difference in the controllers.

 

What's new? Venture. http://www.ventureheat.com/11-power-sports I have not run a full test YET, but did try them at the NYC Motorcycle Show. Two standout features: First, they got full hot in 1 minute. Check out the lab reports I posted above and you'll see why that's a pretty radical improvement. Second, the controller is right on the glove itself! Ergonomically, this is the ultimate. No need for a separate controller at all, and the touchpad used to adjust is huge AND well lit, which is the opposite of the stupid, tiny knobs that the current 1990s era controllers use. Give those products a long, hard look. I'd like to run a full test on those, because if they perform well in real life, they would blow everything else out of the water ergonomically.

 

-MKL

[Shaolin Master Sergeant]

I have ancient Gerbings gear that I hooked up to WnS remote controller. I velcroed the remote to the top of my clutch reservoir. A 3 foot power cord connects my heated vest to the power outlet. No wires danggling when I disconnect the power cord to do stuff off the bike. The Gerbings clip on controller is a FPITA to see and adjust. Like Moshe said, the bigger difference is the controller rather than which brand jacket liner. I must add that many complain of lack of heat from Tourmaster gloves

[marc11]

A few notes:

 

My heated gear comparo from MCN: http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcnheatedgear.pdf

 

The UNPUBLISHED lab tests and full text: http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcnheatedgearraw.pdf

 

Bottom line: Not much difference in actual gear, but a great deal of ergonomic difference in the controllers.

 

What's new? Venture. http://www.ventureheat.com/11-power-sports I have not run a full test YET, but did try them at the NYC Motorcycle Show. Two standout features: First, they got full hot in 1 minute. Check out the lab reports I posted above and you'll see why that's a pretty radical improvement. Second, the controller is right on the glove itself! Ergonomically, this is the ultimate. No need for a separate controller at all, and the touchpad used to adjust is huge AND well lit, which is the opposite of the stupid, tiny knobs that the current 1990s era controllers use. Give those products a long, hard look. I'd like to run a full test on those, because if they perform well in real life, they would blow everything else out of the water ergonomically.

 

-MKL

 

Excellent articles and details, thank you for this!

[marcopolo]

A few notes:

 

My heated gear comparo from MCN: http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcnheatedgear.pdf

 

The UNPUBLISHED lab tests and full text: http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcnheatedgearraw.pdf

 

Bottom line: Not much difference in actual gear, but a great deal of ergonomic difference in the controllers.

 

What's new? Venture. http://www.ventureheat.com/11-power-sports I have not run a full test YET, but did try them at the NYC Motorcycle Show. Two standout features: First, they got full hot in 1 minute. Check out the lab reports I posted above and you'll see why that's a pretty radical improvement. Second, the controller is right on the glove itself! Ergonomically, this is the ultimate. No need for a separate controller at all, and the touchpad used to adjust is huge AND well lit, which is the opposite of the stupid, tiny knobs that the current 1990s era controllers use. Give those products a long, hard look. I'd like to run a full test on those, because if they perform well in real life, they would blow everything else out of the water ergonomically.

 

-MKL

 

Moshe, thanks for the tip about Venture. I'm quite intrigued by their products, especially the controllers. If you buy their "deluxe"heated jacket liner, not only does it have a controller on the liner itself, but it also comes with a wireless remote. That said, the controllers are off/low/medium/high, not infinitely adjustable (don't know whether I'd care, given I've been using a heated vest for years which is simply on/off). Also, I've seen a couple of people complain about sizing (seemed to be too tight across the back/shoulders for one guy, and it didn't improve by getting larger sizes). Hard to know about sizing, since there are so few reviews and there aren't any dealers near me (D.C. area) who sell the power sports line.

 

Moshe, you said you tried this stuff on; did you try on a jacket liner, and if so, how was the fit? Anything jump out at you?

[scout6]

I have had a few vests and liners, but am enjoying my Gerbing MicroWire. I did not use their controller though. I really liked the wireless from Warm and Safe. Nice unit, and I can either keep it velcro'd to either bike, or put it in my pocket. Kind of nice. Have had the controller for a year and a half. Love it! Do read the pairing directions!

[moshe_levy]

Tried it on - seemed to fit fine, but again, it was a brief time, not a full ride.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the differences between garments are petty. The ergonomic differences between controllers is HUGE. THAT'S where you find yourself cursing and complaining, in practice. And the "standard" in the industry (namely Gerbing's) is the worst of them all, with a design that hasn't seemed to change in 20+ years.

 

-MKL

[Skywagon]

I have the Gerbings 2 knob dual controller... I actually find it very simple and easy to use. Infinite variability, no digits to punch, no touch pad to go bad, nothing attached to my gloves, just a simple old fashion 2 knob controller that works perfectly everytime. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again if it died. It's still works good as new after 8 years....and it's been through it's share of rain.

 

Guess that's why the word subjective was created.. Heck....I still like analog tachometers.

[DiggerJim]

I have the Gerbings 2 knob dual controller... I actually find it very simple and easy to use. Infinite variability, no digits to punch, no touch pad to go bad, nothing attached to my gloves, just a simple old fashion 2 knob controller that works perfectly everytime. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again if it died. It's still works good as new after 8 years....and it's been through it's share of rain.

Ditto. I mounted the bike end connectors using panel mounts on the side of my RT by my knee (used to have them sticking out between the seat & the tank but it was a PITA to connect the jacket while riding when I figured out I forgot to plug back in when I got back on the bike after stopping). The controller is mounted on the left panel. Marked the min (off) and max (full turn) for each knob with a silver sharpie so I can dial in pretty close to what I tend to find work best for my gloves & socks and for my jacket. The wireless & jacket mount controls are something else fiddly and not nearly as convenient as something hard mounted within easy reach. I can't see trading the hard mounted controls for something I have to dig out of my pockets or hanging from my zipper or something.

[tallman]

Gerbings controller in leather case.

Easily attaches to jacket adjustable waist strap.

Can manipulate w/all gloves.

On/warmer/less/more/off.

Don't have to see it to do it.

YMMV

[mneblett]

Gerbing permanent dual controller on K16 left panel under the radio controls -- hand naturally falls right to the knobs - best set-up yet.

 

Gerbing dual portable controller in the clip-on leather case for the other bikes, clipped on the left glove pocket on my Roadcrafter. This placement puts the knobs facing toward the center of the body, horizontal, perfectly positioned for quick tweaks with either hand, and the wires can exit the other open side of the glove pocket so the clip-on pouch can't easily detach itself - very secure without any additional kit.

[Fathom]

 

 

This is very helpful indeed, Moshe -- thanks for sharing this, both here and in MCN. So far, I haven't tried any heated gear, relying instead on technical clothing that I've picked up over the years for winter bicycling & hiking. That said, I was out yesterday for about 3 hours in Northern Virginia and Maryland in 30 degree (F) weather, and was mostly fine, but my feet were really, really cold to the point where I'm just now regaining full feeling. Yes, I know that's not good! I should mention that I was wearing heavy wool socks with Gore-tex booties on over those, inside Sidi Gore-tex boots. Even that combination wasn't quite good enough, and I'm lucky to have avoided frostbite.

 

So I'm intrigued by the Venture heated insoles appearing at the link you provided, and am hoping that, should you conduct a test on the Venture line, that you would consider including these in your evaluation. While I hate the idea of giving up my plug-free winter riding lifestyle, yesterday's experience may have convinced me that it's time to embrace the technology, especially as some newcomers appear to be raising the bar and shaking up the status quo.

[marcopolo]

Finally made the move from a heated vest to a Gerbing heated jacket liner. Bob's BMW had a 15% off sale last weekend, so that, and the opportunity to actually try on the liner, prompted me to buy one.

 

It's a good thing I was able to try on the liner. I was surprised that I had to get a Medium-Long in order for the sleeves to feel right (I'm 5" 8 " and 165 lbs, so I would have thought Medium would do it, but such was not the case).

 

I did not, however, buy a Gerbing controller. Instead, I opted to get a Warm & Safe dual remote Heat-Troller. This was based on advice from EffBee during a discussion over breakfast at last summer's UnRally. The "remote" is wireless (powered by two AAA batteries) and I can put it anywhere, without worrying about wires. The battery harness connects -- by wire -- to a receiver, which I'll put in a zippered pocket of the liner.

 

I have yet to wire this up, so I can't say how it all works, but it seems like a good setup. The Warm & Safe components certainly seem well made.

[realshelby]

I just reinforced my love of heated gear. You would think living in Houston that I would have little use for it. True, for local rides, although you might be surprised at how often the heated jacket gets used locally.

 

I just made a trip to Hilton Head, SC to see a friend. Bit over 2100 miles total, and at no time did I NOT have the heated gear on! I don't know if I would have made the return trip, at least in two days, if I were just wearing layers of clothing. When I left it was 28 degrees, warmed up to 34 by noon, and about 41 by 3pm. Second day almost the same, till later in the day at least.

 

The difference is how long you are in the saddle. You don't move around on the bike, so little body heat is generated. The difference comes at about the two hour mark. I found myself turning up the heat a bit before that and more after. Once the cold seeps in, it is hard to warm up! I have the older Gerbing jacket and pants. I do get hot spots with them. I would love the newer gear with the new heating technology. But, I cannot justify that with gear that works well now. BTW, the "new" heated insoles I got as a gift over a year ago paid for themselves. Feet were toasty warm the whole trip. I have the Gerbing G3 gloves and with them and a touch of heat from the grips my fingers thought it was 80 degrees. I would not have made the trip without the heated gear. Just would not have enjoyed it. That means the cost of the gear is absolutely worth every penny when I can ride the RT that much more!

[The Rocketman]

Are the heated Gerbing's insoles on the same PDU circuit/controller as the gloves? Do they function the same, as far as not getting too hot, but you just notice your feet aren't cold?

[EffBee]

Are the heated Gerbing's insoles on the same PDU circuit/controller as the gloves? Do they function the same, as far as not getting too hot, but you just notice your feet aren't cold?

 

If you just run power through the PDU (Power Distribution Unit, i.e. the plug in point for the two electrical circuits that are wired into Gerbing's) one circuit controls heat to the Jacket only, while the other circuit controls heat to all appendages (legs, feet, hands). Therefore, the answer to your question is Yes.

[The Rocketman]

Thanks. Have the jacket & gloves, but never considered insoles 'til now. Wonder if they're better than G's heated socks?

[DiggerJim]

Thanks. Have the jacket & gloves, but never considered insoles 'til now. Wonder if they're better than G's heated socks?

I'm heading to Jacksonville in 2 weeks for the annual IBA pizza party and expect I'll be running the Gerbing heated socks for their first extended run. I've done some shorter rides with them but with the weather we've had I'm not expecting anything above freezing until I hit GA :-) With luck I should be able to go the whole distance from CT to FL without an overnight stop to warm up like last time (my feet were freezing).

[elkroeger]

I guess I'd have to look at it, but I don't see where you're gaining anything with a wireless controller. You still have to plug in the jacket.

[EffBee]

I guess I'd have to look at it, but I don't see where you're gaining anything with a wireless controller. You still have to plug in the jacket.

 

Actually, you have to plug in the wireless receiver. Power has to get to it, from which it is routed to the jacket or to the appendages circuit.

 

What you gain is that it's a single plug. When using a wired controller, assuming you leave the controller attached to the bike, you have to unplug/plug two wires each time (one for each circuit), and you have to make sure you get them right, or the circuit that each knob controls will switch on you. If you have the controller attached to your jacket, then you only require a single wire (power to the controller) so in that sense you don't gain anything over a remote. However, one thing you do gain with a remote is that you can mount the transmitter anywhere you want. On your tankbag. Up by your left hand. On the dashboard. It's up to you. With a wired controller, you're limited by the length of the wires on the controller.

[realshelby]

Thanks. Have the jacket & gloves, but never considered insoles 'til now. Wonder if they're better than G's heated socks?

 

I don't know if the socks are better. I debated on which to get. I figured the insoles would be a lot less hassle. You dont even know they are there. YOu replace the boots insole, and aside from making sure the wire is pulled straight when you put on the boot they feel/act just like the regular boot. These are in Tourmaster side zip boots. I cannot imagine wanting the socks now. The insoles performed far above my expectations. Maybe they have the newer heating elements?

[mneblett]

I don't know if the socks are better. I debated on which to get. I figured the insoles would be a lot less hassle. You dont even know they are there. YOu replace the boots insole, and aside from making sure the wire is pulled straight when you put on the boot they feel/act just like the regular boot. These are in Tourmaster side zip boots. I cannot imagine wanting the socks now. The insoles performed far above my expectations. Maybe they have the newer heating elements?

+1 on the insoles. I briefly tried the socks; didn't like walking on wires. I now have the insoles -- love 'em.

 

HOWEVER, they don't work well with my boots, in that there's not enough vertical room in the toe end of the boot, so my toes and the top of the foot immediately adjacent to the toes get painfully compressed. That's not the insoles' fault; with a boot with more toe room it wouldn't be an issue.

 

I purchased these boots with my "normal" white cotton socks on, intentionally not buying over-size to allow for thicker socks (I often ride with thin business suit socks, so over-size would leave my feet swimming). I may invest in a set of "winter" boots that allow comfortable use of the insoles.

 

The point of this too-long response is to make you aware of the potential for "pinching" of the foot in the toe box area with the insoles installed, so you can size/evaluate them appropriately.

[EffBee]

I don't know if the socks are better. I debated on which to get. I figured the insoles would be a lot less hassle. You dont even know they are there. YOu replace the boots insole, and aside from making sure the wire is pulled straight when you put on the boot they feel/act just like the regular boot. These are in Tourmaster side zip boots. I cannot imagine wanting the socks now. The insoles performed far above my expectations. Maybe they have the newer heating elements?

+1 on the insoles. I briefly tried the socks; didn't like walking on wires. I now have the insoles -- love 'em.

 

HOWEVER, they don't work well with my boots, in that there's not enough vertical room in the toe end of the boot, so my toes and the top of the foot immediately adjacent to the toes get painfully compressed. That's not the insoles' fault; with a boot with more toe room it wouldn't be an issue.

 

I purchased these boots with my "normal" white cotton socks on, intentionally not buying over-size to allow for thicker socks (I often ride with thin business suit socks, so over-size would leave my feet swimming). I may invest in a set of "winter" boots that allow comfortable use of the insoles.

 

The point of this too-long response is to make you aware of the potential for "pinching" of the foot in the toe box area with the insoles installed, so you can size/evaluate them appropriately.

 

Have you tried removing the original insoles before inserting the heated insoles? In many boots, the original insoles are a replaceable item and therefore are not permanently glued in place. In others, there's only a touch of adhesive in one or two spots. Easy to overcome. With the original insoles removed and the heated ones in place, the fit is very close to original.

[realshelby]

Yes, let me be clear, I removed the "factory" insole from the Tourmaster boots and replaced them with the heated Gerbing insoles. Really cannot tell they are there, aside from you might notice the wire up the inside of the shaft if you think about it. Even when walking around these insoles feel quite normal. These are at least as thick, if not a bit more thick, than the insoles I took out of the boots. They would be too tight with both in the boot. If you wanted to remove the heated insole for warmer weather, no problem as it is not held in with any adhesive. Install the original and done.

[mneblett]

Have you tried removing the original insoles before inserting the heated insoles? In many boots, the original insoles are a replaceable item and therefore are not permanently glued in place. In others, there's only a touch of adhesive in one or two spots. Easy to overcome. With the original insoles removed and the heated ones in place, the fit is very close to original.

 

Thanks for the suggestion -- I'll try it.

 

I did not mention earlier that I use a couple Dr. Scholls pads, which I remove when I put in the Gerbing insoles. These pads only extend up to just behind the ball of the foot, so their removal didn't do anything to increase the toe box room. Hopefully, removing the original insoles will give enough room.

[mw074]

The insoles are by fall the way to go.

[dirtrider]

Have the jacket & gloves, but never considered insoles 'til now. Wonder if they're better than G's heated socks?

 

Afternoon Rocketman

 

Depends, I have both & they have different but overlapping uses.

 

As someone mentioned above the socks are not nearly as comfortable to walk in as the insoles. It was also very difficult for me to find proper sized heated socks as it seems they were sized for an overseas foot size market.

 

I really like the heated insoles down to around the low 20°f riding, but remember they only heat the foot bottoms, not the entire foot, so they leave my feet lacking heat for 2-3 hour rides at 0° to 20°f range.

 

The other problem I have with the heated insoles is I ride aggressive so usually ride with the balls of my feet on the foot pegs, with the heat turned up on the insoles in colder weather I get hot spots in the areas that my feet are touching the round foot pegs (my heated insoles are actually way more even heating with my feet on a bike with floorboards like my Harley or old Honda's)

 

I also have a slight issue with the heated insoles on long trips in cold weather as the lower part of my feet start to sweat from the insole heat so I have to turn the heat up & that makes them sweat even more.

 

So bottom line for me: Short ride with a lot of walking involved at destination, or in between, & not real cold out then insoles are my #1 choice.

 

For longer rides in very cold weather then I by far prefer the heated socks but I usually take a spare set of shoes or boots to wear once I reach destination, or if packing light, a spare set of socks to put on at destination.

[greiffster]

... for 2-3 hour rides at 0° to 20°f range.

 

Say what!?1? Not this guy. I guess you can't keep some of their motos. Good for you.

[dirtrider]

... for 2-3 hour rides at 0° to 20°f range.

 

Say what!?1? Not this guy. I guess you can't keep some of their motos. Good for you.

 

Afternoon Mike

 

Depends on road conditions, it was 18° below Zero this morning but icy so I walked right past my bike to my truck. I was out a few days ago at 22° below zero but only rode a short distance so didn't bother with heated feet but did have my snowmobile helmet with heated face shield on.

 

Hardest thing for me in extremely cold weather is keeping the face shield closed then keeping it from fogging & frosting up in about 60 seconds.

[Tourmaster]

... for 2-3 hour rides at 0° to 20°f range.

 

Say what!?1? Not this guy. I guess you can't keep some of their motos. Good for you.

 

Afternoon Mike

 

Depends on road conditions, it was 18° below Zero this morning but icy so I walked right past my bike to my truck. I was out a few days ago at 22° below zero but only rode a short distance so didn't bother with heated feet but did have my snowmobile helmet with heated face shield on.

 

Hardest thing for me in extremely cold weather is keeping the face shield closed then keeping it from fogging & frosting up in about 60 seconds.

 

I remember a few years back a guy drove his Oldsmobile ragtop all winter with the top down...broken I guess. When the temps got to the -20 mark he drove around with a balaclava and a snorkel to keep the frost off his face...food for thought?

 

[Rex R]

The other problem I have with the heated insoles is I ride aggressive so usually ride with the balls of my feet on the foot pegs, with the heat turned up on the insoles in colder weather I get hot spots in the areas that my feet are touching the round foot pegs (my heated insoles are actually way more even heating with my feet on a bike with floorboards like my Harley or old Honda's)

 

 

You?! Dirtrider?! Ride aggressively?!! I never would've thunk it!