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Heated Gear in the Bay

I used Gerbings jackets/liners for years and now have a Warm-n-Safe liner (fits me better).

What I like about heated gear is that you can maximize comfort and minimize bulk. A heated liner works just like a regular liner when the heat is off, but adds warmth with electricity rather than more bulk when it gets below 50.

That said, I find heated grips / glove liners to be more important. I can tolerate lower temps as long as my hands stay warm.
 
Heated grips, absolutely, for longer rides on colder mornings/days. Other heated gear is not necessary but you will need to be dressing appropriately, and the needed bulk is not as comfortable as a lightweight heated vest as some have observed above. Someday I will get one. YMMV.
 
MCCRASH said:
and the needed bulk is not as comfortable as a lightweight heated vest as some have observed above.
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Absolutely. And furthermore, if you're commuting in the morning, when you dress for freezing temperatures at freeway speeds leaving home, and you get to much warmer and sunny in slow traffic, it's really nice to be able to turn down the heat. For pleasure riding, stopping and adding/removing layers is fine. For commuting, not so much.

The best part about heated gear for me though was the gloves. I simply don't enjoy riding in bulky gloves. Other than Winter or cold mornings in the mountains, my unheated Racer Multitop gloves + heated grips are enough. But before I had heated gloves, I used bulky winter gloves (or froze) for the cold times. And I never enjoyed riding in them.

Warn and Safe Ultimate Sport gloves are uninsulated, but heated. They're flexible and protective. I've seen warmer heated gloves but they were bulkier, and some didn't seem very protective. With the W & S gloves I still use heated grips when it's really cold. But I enjoy riding that way so much more than with bulky gloves. CA sport touring carries Firstgear Carbon which is the same. I've never gotten wet through them. And I have crashed in them. Also Warm & Safe customer service is first rate.
 
Can't speak for much else, but I took the MSF course at 7 am in 40 degree wet weather and balls, it was cold. I could not feel my fingers nor toes. In fact, a few times I pushed down on the rear brake and was wondering why it didn't slow, only to realize that I couldn't feel when I was and wasn't hitting the actual pedal. Couple that with numb hands on your brake, clutch and throttle and it's not just comfort, but safety.

Now, was I wearing the best gear for the weather? No, but it's hardly ever your torso that needs the coverage. You can get cold there, but you won't get numb like the fingers and toes.
I'll probably invest in heated grips when I level up my bike.
 
"Heated gear in the Bay" - not sure if that's gonna work, pretty sure that salty water is going to short everything out :rofl

Having said that, agree with the other comments on heated grips. Godsend.

At this time of year though I'd be waaay more interested in a cooling system. I know there's those vests out there that you either soak or stick in the freezer for a bit, but it would be cool (literally) is someone could come up with a compact 12v driven cooler with a pump to circulate cool water around a vest. I'd pay $$$ for that.
 
dmaxAl said:
I know there's those vests out there that you either soak or stick in the freezer for a bit, but it would be cool (literally) is someone could come up with a compact 12v driven cooler with a pump to circulate cool water around a vest. I'd pay $$$ for that.
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I'm sure I've seen those online. Also phase change cooling vests. I've only tried an evaporative cooling vest and I didn't like it.
 
davidji said:
I'm sure I've seen those online. Also phase change cooling vests. I've only tried an evaporative cooling vest and I didn't like it.
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108 degrees at Thill.

Evaporation vest can spare me a trip to the trackside EMT's/

I am sure the technology exists for a powered cooling unit. $$$$$
 
It depends on the individual. When I was 20, cold didn't bother me much, I was also 40 lbs heavier. At 50, it hurts. Although I just wear heavy gloves and layers, AJ at Ducati of Santa Barbara was raving the other day about his AME heated grips. He really likes them, I might have to give them a try.
 
Wormwood said:
108 degrees at Thill.

Evaporation vest can spare me a trip to the trackside EMT's/
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It would have been OK if it cooled me.

I bought at CG, and they didn't have one that was a snug fit like I wanted. The sales person said the baggy fit was fine. But the cooling didn't take place near enough to me to help, and it just made me hot & wet. Not a big deal. CG accepted it back. Haven't seen one that fits any better. If I buy another cooling vest it will be a different type. No hurry though...
 
Depending on your own core temp and when and where you ride, it can make a difference.

For me, commuting down 880 at 6 AM, the wind chill is unbearable without a heated vest. And when I'd ride the coast in the morning with the fog, I love the heat. I layer a Widder vest on top of a long sleeved sweater, underneath an Aerostich.

It's a huge difference between fighting off the cold with layers and effortlessly being warm.
 
zefflyn said:
, I love the heat. I layer a Widder vest on top of a long sleeved sweater, underneath an Aerostich.
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even better when the vest is over a compression shirt (underarmor) and under the fleece beneath the Aerostich.

mmmmmmmmm, toasty.
 
For most days, one of my underarmor, burton etc thermal long sleeve shirts is just fine; for the colder days I have a snowboarding soft shell jacket that fits under my jacket, and I wear a neoprene lower face & neck ski mask. Tricky to get the helmet on over that but it keeps my neck and face warm. I also have a battery powered Venture base layer. That's warm by itself, a little better when the power is on. I can't vouch for the longevity of the battery.

I mounted Acerbis hand guards on the bars; I'm really not sure about how they look, but they are extremely effective at keeping the wind off my hands.
 
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