Heated Grips

Hot Grips Heated Grips

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.

Trackside Deluxe Complete Heated Grips Kit

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.

Symtec Heat Demons Slip On Heated Grips

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.

Show Chrome Heated Grips

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.