I am in need of heated grips for my bike. Any suggestions for a 696? What are the best grips for the money and where should I get them? And how do I hook them up? I know, lots of questions, but instead of trying stuff out and not getting it right the first time I thought I would ask the experts.

I have never bought nor installed a set before so I need some guidance. What's the best set up in your opinions? The rest of me is warm, but my fingers are numb by the time I get to work after the 40 minute commute to work.

I would forget the grips and go for heated gloves like these:

http://www.warmnsafe.com/heated_glove_specs.php

Much more effective.

The only advantages to heated grips is they are always on the bike.

Quote from: howie on October 11, 2008, 07:45:43 PM
I would forget the grips and go for heated gloves like these:

http://www.warmnsafe.com/heated_glove_specs.php

Much more effective.

The only advantages to heated grips is they are always on the bike.

+1 on the gloves. That and gloves do let you take a hand off the bars and have it stay warm.

If cost is an issue try a pair of snowmobile gloves. I have ridden in 40 degrees(over an hour to work) with them and been pretty happy with the results. I have a pair with deer skin palms and fingers, they are bulky but I can still ride fine and manipulate the controls.

Heated gloves will keep your fingers warmer.

Thanks to a few seasons of frostbite (somehow, my high school mountaineering buddies and I got it into our heads that it was "preferred" to climb without gloves and that frostbite might actually make girls at school more interested in our tales of alpine exploits. It didn't.), the circulation in my fingers sucks.

I'm really interested in heated gloves, though the price of the total system -- looks like at least $250 or more once you add up gloves & wiring if you don't already have your bike wired for electric clothing -- is a little daunting. Until I've saved up enough, I've had pretty good luck with Joe Rocket winter gloves with a pair of those disposable chemical hand warmers slipped into the back. One thing to be aware of if you try this yourself -- pick a pair of gloves that AREN'T really well ventilated in the back, since at highway speeds you'll end up force-feeding oxygen into the warmers & they can get painfully hot pretty fast as the chemical reaction speeds up.

And in case any moto garment makers are monitoring this thread, I've got a nice pair of Burton ski gloves that have a zippered pouch in the back specifically for those warmers -- a motorcycle version of the same (since I'd hate to test the crash-worthiness of the Burtons!) would be pretty sweet.

they say 15 mins in the cold everyday keeps your hands blood ciruclation well in the cold. Not sure if theres any truth to it. certainly a few hours is more harm then good! Personally speaking, winter gloves with heater grips are pretty good for me down to 40degrees. Ive done it down to 20, but the back of your fingers get cold REAL QUICK. This winter im gonna find a way to add windguards. heatergrips cost $30 (add $5 for a radioshack relay) and winter gloves of your choice, mine are cheapie first gear leathers, for $25 on newenough.com

but heated gloves are probably the best.

If you have heated grips I have found that you can ride with normal gloves covered by the Fieldsheer rain covers down to pretty low temps...like in the 30s. The rain covers block the wind, and the thinner summer gloves (Held in my case) allow the heat from the grips to come through to your hands better. I don't wear winter gloves with heated grips because the bulky gloves don't let the grip heat get to your hands...or it takes a LONG time for your hands to feel the heat. Winter gloves are also too bulky for my taste.

http://www.fieldsheer.com/2009site/IE/product/overglove.htm

I ride about 40 minutes each way, to and from work. I rode the other day in what seemed to be 38 degree weather (at least that's what my outside temp gauge said on my bike). About 3/4 of the way to the office, my fingers were numb. And after all your suggestions, it sounds like heated gloves are really the way to go. it seems like an expansive solution, but the right solution. And if I go with heated grips, it doesn't really cut down the wind on the top of my fingers, unless I get some shields...which I don't want to do.

Anyway, I think I am going to head to the shop and get a Gerbing's set up. I need some decent pants too, so I might as well get the gloves and pants together, and set the bike up so I can plug it all in. My biggest thing is, I want gloves that aren't bulky...

thanks everyone!

-theo

+1 on the heated gloves.
Rode a friends BMW with heated grips and it works great  but the gloves address the real issue which is the back of my hands is what's getting cold. Firstgear gloves with the heat troller, not too bulky and you can micro-adjust the temp. 28f is the coldest I've used them, warm and toasty!

The nice thing with heated grips is that you always have them with you, in case you were caught in colder weather than expected.

That said, I wish I could use heated gloves as well, but they don't come small enough for me.

I use heated grips AND heated gloves. I'm a super wuss (and kind of old).

Quote from: somegirl on December 11, 2008, 01:20:36 PM
The nice thing with heated grips is that you always have them with you, in case you were caught in colder weather than expected.

That said, I wish I could use heated gloves as well, but they don't come small enough for me.

i remember someguy asking about this for you, why dont you guys just make a pair?

Quote from: He Man on December 21, 2008, 04:29:33 PM
i remember someguy asking about this for you, why dont you guys just make a pair?

I  think we decided it would be too hard to fit the wiring into gloves that small.

I have a hard time finding any warm gloves that fit, let alone heated ones.

Quote from: He Man on December 21, 2008, 04:29:33 PM
i remember someguy asking about this for you, why dont you guys just make a pair?

I can't sew on a button, I'm not trying to make protective, heated leather gloves that fit well.