Originally posted by KP OK I will probably regret this but I have had two R1100S's. Last one was a boxer cup replika (trying to justify myself here!).
Anyway, being a BMW it came with heated grips. Being BMW it came with two settings, hot and meltingly hot.
However if I wore thicker gloves for the winter, it stopped the heat coming through. If I wore thinner gloves, my hands were nice and warm on the palms but cold on the back.
I settled for medium thickness gloves (Alpinestars gortex) on a hot setting and found them pretty good. BUT I agree, pointless if the rest of you is cold.
Having been used to them I would be lying if I said I hadnt considered them again, but I dont ride my Ducati enough in the winter to warrant it.
On prevous bikes when I was commuting all weathers I tried 'Oxford Muffs' and found them no good at all.
Heated grips work if you get decent ones, I have tried cheap ones and they dont work & look crap too. If you are going to get them, get the proper ones, even see if BMW fit them, and get a heated vest. That combination would see you through most things I would have thought.
Now I will await the onslaught of having been a BMW rider with heated grips. Bring it on!!!
I had a few hours where i considered a GS, even went as far as phoning the dealer for a test ride. After I was released from the Psychiatric ward the urge had gone, bought a KTM supermoto instead so whatever they'ed given me worked
Fully agree on the thiner gloves, i would rather have control of bike and be able to feel bars with a thin glove and heaters than a thick pair numbing the feel.
"Fully agree on the thiner gloves, i would rather have control of bike and be able to feel bars with a thin glove and heaters than a thick pair numbing the feel."
Think you are right. I would go with that.
And yes I was born in the fifties, mentally in the seventies - you are as old as the woman you feel!!:P
Gizmo, you might try contacting Overipe & Keen either through here or on Multistrada.net as he had some heated grips attached to his Multistrada. I am sure he said he had got them through a company that supplies them for those snowmobile type things. I know I laughed at the time but I met up for a ride out with him last winter and had a go on his bike and they were excellent. I think he only paid about £30 for them. I really did not want to swap bikes back they were that good! I hate thick gloves and have tried those silk inner gloves which help a lot but still lose a lot of feel with them.
I use the velcro'd, Oxford "Hot hands" on my 998, so I can easily take them off for summer, and I think they are the one thing thet help me to keep riding all year round. I use the same leathers all year round (euuwww, must wash them next year too) and just slip a thicker t-shirt on underneath if tis below 5 degrees outside. Heated waistcoats! PAH! Whatever next, hot-pants