Heated Grips

In this motorcycle heated grips review, I have looked at three totally different design concepts. Specifically the product types are the heated element encapsulated in the grip, the heater element inside the handlebar and the wrap around heater element under the grip.

What follows is a complete heated grips review of the top 7 products available on the market today. Where relevant I have included some of my personal tips for you as well as share the advantages and disadvantages of each brand so that you can choose which heated handlebar grip type and brand will suit your needs best.

Product Summary

Heater Element Encapsulated in Grip

This is the best heated grip of the three product types in that this must warms up the hands better due to the heat source being directly in the hand. It would appear that the Trackside and Show Chrome products are actually the same product. The purchased kit includes a rheostatic heat control with adjustable heat knob. Both these products are well made but priced differently so shop around and check with your local motorcycle supplier. They work as well as the Hot Grips, heat up quickly and cost less. The variable heat controller also works well and comes with everything you will need to connect to your bike’s electrical system.

Click here to visit the Trackside product page

Click here to visit the Show Chrome product page

Hot Grips supplies a range of products which are all well made. Their motorcycle heated grips product does not include a rheostatic controller but it is an optional extra. Of all the manufacturers they are the only one to attempt to solve the problem with losing heat to the bars.

Click here to visit the Hot Grips product page

Oxford Heaterz product is very well made and the kit comes complete with everything you need to fit it. The components are well thought out, of high quality, and sturdy, all of which suggests longevity and a good return on the investment. The unit monitors battery condition and will not switch on if battery is under 11 volts and automatically shuts down if left on preventing draining the battery.

Click here to visit the Oxford product page

Heater Element inside Handlebar

The product type reviewed where the heating element is passed through the handlebar is a Symtec heated grips known as Heat Demons. This is probably the third best of the three heated grips product types discussed here, partly due to the time taken to heat the hands coupled with the price. They do perform reasonably well especially if used together with handlebar muffs. Another advantage is that unlike the encapsulated model, should you have an accident no damage will be caused to the heated grip.

Click here to visit the Symtec product page

Wrap Around Heater Element Under Grip

This is the second best of the three product types partly due to having to buy essential parts separately such as the glue insulation tubing, and not being able to adjust the heat other than a hi-lo switch. The element is glued to the bar and then the grip is glued to the wrap round element. The products reviewed in this category are the Dual Star heated grip and Symtec wrap round heaters. They are simple, inexpensive and the installation is straightforward, however if you have no knowledge of wiring or feel you cannot fit this product, or any for that matter, always seek professional help. They will also fit most grip sizes with their slip on style.

Conclusion and My Recommendation

The majority of people will find the encapsulated design to be the option they go for. It may then be a case of choosing based on price and availability. However, summarizing the review of each model, the Show Chrome and Trackside models are well made and come with a rheostat controller as standard. Hot Grips also has a more expensive model which insulates the grip from the handlebar. The Oxford model is pricey by comparison but it is a top quality product. Two other points to mention, if you are on a tight budget consider the Dual Star wrap round heaters or if you think you will tend to slide off a lot then go for the Symtec Heat Demons in bar type.

Click here to read more about the Trackside model

Click here to read more about the Show Chrome model

Whichever design choice you decide to purchase, also consider using handlebar muffs or guards to keep the wind off your hands and maximize the effectiveness of your heated grips purchase.

Stay Warm & Happy Cycling!

I compiled and displayed a product matrix of the most popular heated grips. Some of these include the Trackside, Show Chrome, Symtec heated grips and Dual star. These are also  categorized by the type and placement of the heater element either in the grip, in the handlebar or wrapped around under the grip. Hopefully, this visual comparison will help you make an informed decision on the best heated handlebar grip for your personal situation.

	HEATER ELEMENT ENCAPSULATED IN GRIP
Product	Finish and kit content	Heat control	Time to heat (mins)	Auto cut out	Approx price US$	Power (high) in Watt
Trackside	Good	Heat-troller	5+	No	$59.99
Show Chrome	Good	Heat-troller	5+	No	$76.46
Hot Grips	Good	Hi-Lo-Off Switch	5	No	From $84.95	approx 36
Oxford Heaterz	V good	Push button	5	Yes	$79.95	48
	HEATER ELEMENT INSIDE HANDLEBAR
Symtec Heat Demons	V good	Push button	10+	No	$116.96	40
	WRAP ROUND HEATER ELEMENT UNDER GRIP
Dual Star	OK	Hi-Lo-Off Switch	7+	No	$34.95	36
Symtec	OK	Hi-Lo-Off Switch	7+	No	$46.75	36

Is the debate really about which are more effective heated grips or heated gloves? Perhaps the debate should be what works best depending on the weather conditions. Lots of riders will tell you they prefer one to the other and you will find that preference relates directly to their riding habits.

It would be fair to say heated handlebar grips are more popular because they are more flexible. Plus you don’t have to remember to bring them or stop to put them on. However there may be weather conditions where the heated grips are not quite enough.

Many would argue that the important point here is not what is better or more popular but what do bikers need to do to ensure they stay in full control? That debate would probably result in the conclusion that the solution is the combination of hand guards to deflect the wind, heated motorcycle grips and heated gloves giving total comfort. As one biker said “There is no point in skimping on the most critical points of control contact for a motorcycle…cold hands that don’t work are dangerous!”

For those riders who tend not to ride in particularly cold weather, heated grips with hand guards would be the preferred choice. When temperatures do drop first thing in the morning or at night especially on long rides, the addition of heated gloves will become a requirement.

Only using heated gloves will not provide a complete alternative. Look at the back of your hands and you’ll see your veins. Your arteries are on your palm side. This simply means heat your palms and you’ll warm up, heat the backs only and you will stay cold.

However, as it gets colder it becomes obvious that the heated bike grips only heat your palms. In those conditions the heated gloves, which have no heating elements on the palm side heat the back side really well proving to be an effective combination.

It is true that many bikers have a love / hate relationship with heated gloves because of the bulk, they certainly won’t last as long as heated motorcycle grips, horrible to wear when they are wet even if they are warm, and with the benefit of heated grips, bikers can then choose what gloves they prefer to wear.

Although there are two common and popular types of heated grips for motorcycles – Slip On and Complete Heated Grip Kits, there are significant differences in their design and functionality, as well as their price.

If you are on a tight budget but want to extend your personal riding season you may be drawn to the less expensive of the two. Before you decide, consider how each type performs, how they are installed and consult suppliers who are familiar with both.

Regardless of which option you choose, heated grips are a good investment, convenient, once fitted you have nothing else to remember, apart from switching them on, and they allow you to wear more practical thinner gloves.

The complete heated grip kit uses a single filament and control allowing the rider to regulate the temperature according to weather conditions. The slip on uses a switched dual filament, providing two choices, either high or low.

The major benefit to most riders of the slip on is the choices available and the varied sizes of the grips. Some riders may feel the complete heated grip size to be on the large side with no variation at all whereas the slip on tends to be slimmer and you will find a size to match your handlebars.

You will find the thinking behind the design of the slip on and the complete heated grip kit quite different. The grip kits are complete molded units, effective in that they are isolated from the heat reducing affects of cold handlebars.

A slip on is simply a flexible printed circuit board with adhesive backing and heats the bar or throttle sleeve.

As with most things there are advantages and disadvantages of both these heated grips options.

Both work well and either is a worthwhile investment. However for those riders with smaller budgets, and smaller hands, the slip on heated grip offers a range of sizes to suit and at a lower cost. With only the two temperature choices of high and low, the slip on can’t be as precise as the complete heated grip kit with its regulated control.

Generally, for normal cold riding conditions, the lack of heat control on a slip on may not be an issue. That coupled with the price and its overall performance it represents excellent value for money. The complete heated grip kit was originally developed for much harsher and colder conditions where motorcycle riders need more than just a little comfort when riding.

For most riders, using motorcycle heated hand grips in normal cold weather conditions there may be little to differentiate the value these two different technologies, apart from your budget, handlebars and hands.

One other factor to consider given the significant price difference is the working life of each model and how well each product ages. Again, consult your motorcycle parts supplier who can provide you with all the detailed technical information you require as well as provide you with real customer feedback.

So many bikers lose out on the joys of riding because of their location and severe cold weather conditions. Extending the motorcycle riding season with heated grips is within the reach of all motorcycle enthusiasts even those on a limited budget.

Many of those who are already familiar with heated motorcycle grips are switching to the new fatter grips preferring them to the old ones. These new heated grips make it much easier to hold on to the bars as well as twist the throttle. On longer riding trips this can really help to reduce fatigue. Try them for yourself and you will experience the advantage and enjoy the comfort of the fatter ones.

When extending your motorcycle riding season, the overall effectiveness of  heated bike grips can be increased with the addition of some kind of wind protection for the tops of your hands such as fairing shape, hand guards etc.

Like many bikers you probably have both summer gloves and winter gloves. You may, also, like my self and many of my biking friends dislike having to wear the thick winter gloves for cold weather riding.

Customers of my biking friends who own local motorcycle supply shops have been buying heated grips for years. Many have said that they didn’t want the bulk of a winter glove reducing their ability to use their controls especially in severe winter conditions. The heated hand grips, they say, have allowed them to wear thinner gloves even when it is cold.

However, they also said that when it got really cold the insulation of the winter glove together with the heated grips made them very comfortable.

There are three different types of motorcycle heated grips. You have the choice of the heater element encapsulated in the grip, the heater element inside the handlebar, and the wrap around heater element under the grip. When deciding which may be the best option for you, discuss the alternatives first including installing heated grips especially if you are not technically minded or used to tinkering around with your bike.

Since heated gloves aren’t typically lined on the inside of the palm, the heated hand grips are a great addition to enable you to extend your motorcycle riding season.