Heated grips or winter gloves?

listermint

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Muffs?

Muffs.

Muffs...

Have had heated grips a few years now and they're an absolute godsend. But I've finally cracked and ordered a set of muffs from Aliexpress (to see how I fare with them) and I'll pick up a pair of Richa Cold Protect after Zubair's recommendation above. The reviews echo what he's said about them.

what ones did you get of ALI ?

The Tetrarch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxlTac226fo

I'm thinking of getting these. Very expensive, but you always forget the cost after a while.

About 40 years ago I drove 150 miles from Dublin to the west of Ireland in early January on an unfaired bike. The temperature was just above freezing.
By the time I had driven 50 miles to the lakes at the far side of Mullingar I had stopped twelve times, sat at the side of the road each time with my arms hanging down waiting for the pain to return to my hands. Much of the rest of the trip I drove with my left hand behind my back to get it out of the wind chill.
Shortly after that I went to Northern Ireland and bought a fairing.

The Tetrarch

Price: €119.90 at wunderlich.de

two wheels good

I have Tucano muffs. Italian brand. Good quality. Still in great cond. after many winters. Bound to be cheaper than W-lich.
Hand guards are of great benefit for secure fitment but I noticed a Tucano model recently that had an eyelet for attachment at bar-end.

Richard tea

two wheels good wrote: »

I have Tucano muffs. Italian brand. Good quality. Still in great cond. after many winters. Bound to be cheaper than W-lich.
Hand guards are of great benefit for secure fitment but I noticed a Tucano model recently that had an eyelet for attachment at bar-end.

Ive been trying to source Tucano urbano R365 muffs for a while but seem to be out of stock everywhere. Any suggestions?

two wheels good

Richard tea wrote: »

Ive been trying to source Tucano urbano R365 muffs for a while but seem to be out of stock everywhere. Any suggestions?

NippyNormans maybe. Or they could check if they're still available. I see Infinity sell Tucano too. Would another model fit or adapt?

nlrkjos

https://www.silvermans.co.uk/collections/motorcycle/products/gloves-r4-police-issue-mc?variant=4194255939

I use these, great winter glove with good wind/rain protection. If the cops use them then they have to be good, I find them great, but two winters and they need replacing.

CJhaughey

two wheels good wrote: »

I have Tucano muffs. Italian brand. Good quality. Still in great cond. after many winters. Bound to be cheaper than W-lich.
Hand guards are of great benefit for secure fitment but I noticed a Tucano model recently that had an eyelet for attachment at bar-end.

Probably the R334 with a window as well?
Half the price of the Wunderlich ones...
https://www.urbanrider.co.uk/tucano-urbano-bar-muffs-r334-universal-fit.html

Richard tea

two wheels good wrote: »

NippyNormans maybe. Or they could check if they're still available. I see Infinity sell Tucano too. Would another model fit or adapt?

Im not sure about another model fitting. The site suggests the R365 for my bike. Those wonderlich posted above look the biz though. Expensive but I suppose they can be used on a new bike when needed.

Breezin

61 posts on heated grips, gloves or muffs? You've got to be joking!

Surely these are meant for continental climates with massive distances,and where extremes of cold are savage compared to our mild conditions?

Richard tea

Breezin wrote: »

61 posts on heated grips, gloves or muffs? You've got to be joking!

Surely these are meant for continental climates with massive distances,and where extremes of cold are savage compared to our mild conditions?

Ive a 1 hr commute from the midlands. 80% motorway. It doesnt take long for the fingers to freeze when its 4 degrees and under.

Richard tea

Gets cold pretty quick

ZX7R

Richard tea wrote: »

Gets cold pretty quick

Wind chill is the real killer

ZX7R

Breezin wrote: »

61 posts on heated grips, gloves or muffs? You've got to be joking!

Surely these are meant for continental climates with massive distances,and where extremes of cold are savage compared to our mild conditions?

Sounds like a fair weather biker

Max Headroom

ZX7R wrote: »

Sounds like a fair weather biker

Probably a young lad with good circulation.....:P

Breezin

ZX7R wrote: »

Sounds like a fair weather biker

As we all are in Ireland, 98.5% of the time, which is my point

Max Headroom wrote: »

Probably a young lad with good circulation.....:P

I'll take that

ZX7R

I worked most of my life on building sites my hands are in bits( +back knee evt),one day I was around 18 years old the weather heavy wet sleet I was stopped at the traffic lights in kilcullen hitting my gloves against the handle bars to knock the ice from between the fingers of my gloves.
If I'd known then what I know now,I would have looked after my hands better both in work and biking.
I riding bikes since 16 years on roads all year round.looks and style are not everything.
Comfort warmth dryness are if you're going to use a bike for life look after the body.
I love muffs ,and would love a heated body vest if anyone wants to be rid of one ha ha , there out of my price range at present time.

Max Headroom

Ditto....been on bikes since the black and white days....:o....frostbite,numb knees, snotcicles...the lot.....too proud to wear the muffs back then...till I started couriering...then my cop on kicked in...never go a winter without them now....even in the car...:D

zubair

ZX7R wrote: »

Sounds like a fair weather biker

+1

Max Headroom wrote: »

even in the car...:D

XD

conor2469

Breezin wrote: »

61 posts on heated grips, gloves or muffs? You've got to be joking!

Surely these are meant for continental climates with massive distances,and where extremes of cold are savage compared to our mild conditions?

I wouldn't be considering them except for over the course of last winter it got very uncomfortable some mornings.

Whats your current grip/guard/glove set up? How long is your commute and how much of it is motorway?

Max Headroom

Theyre not for everyone, so dont dismiss them if you never tried them...Love or hate them they do work and anything that keeps the wind/rain off yer hands is a good thing...now, wheres me Derri boots......:)

Richard tea

Well I have ordered a pair of tucano Urbano so we shall see how they are.

Jimmy Bottlehead

listermint wrote: »

what ones did you get of ALI ?

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/Fatnjt4M

Hopefully that works!

And I only just now realised I've feckin' bar end mirrors
Might have to whack the old mirrors back on if I'm gonna go down the muff route. Heh.

Hotblack Desiato

Breezin wrote: »

61 posts on heated grips, gloves or muffs? You've got to be joking!

Surely these are meant for continental climates with massive distances,and where extremes of cold are savage compared to our mild conditions?

Yeah thanks for the quality input :rolleyes:

ZX7R wrote: »

I love muffs

QFT

Had heated grips on my Triumph and wouldn't be without them - fitted Oxford ones to the SV yesterday. Means I can wear my summer gloves except on wet or very cold days.
Also removed a bloody big nail from my 300km new back tyre :mad:

honda boi

Had muffs on my deauville when I used to commute to Dublin from the Midlands everyday,also heated grips. Was the best investment.
Now after years of being off a bike ,I'm back commuting but up to Cavan on the n3 now instead.
Hands getting fairly cold now on the gsx 1400 with no fairings.
Need to rummish through the attic to find the muffs and will be getting heated grips when the bank manager gives me the ok.
Believe me when your on your bike in cold,rain,snow,wind I think the fashion of the bike are the least of our worries

Breezin

conor2469 wrote: »

Whats your current grip/guard/glove set up? How long is your commute and how much of it is motorway?

Current setup is Ricah street gloves. Bit of an indulgence but got them for a steal online and very comfy. I'll change to something sturdier in a little bit. I used Lidl/Aldi ski gloves for a good while: I might upgrade, but only for reasons of vanity :cool: and won't be spending big.

Otherwise muffless, guardless, heat-gripless.

My commute is occasional now, was more regular on a previous bike. 18k across city traffic. That can actually take 45-50 mins on a bad day. I could take the M50 but I avoid m/ways if at all possible.

I'm very much a fair weather biker by choice, but I will be put off more by stuff like today's horrible rain than a bit of bracing chill.

macplaxton

I've done mega-miles in the past and still commute year-round. I've had one pair of muffs ages ago. I've always preferred to attach (or buy one with) a melted bus shelter up front and sit in the still air behind it.

I do have heated grips because they're already there. If it was down to me to fit them they'd be still in the packet in the shed.

listermint

For anyone looking with bank balance worries.

These always come very highly rated. And the price of a few pints


https://www.amazon.co.uk/R-G-Heated-Motorcycle-Grips/dp/B005FU89QM

listermint

macplaxton wrote: »

I've done mega-miles in the past and still commute year-round. I've had one pair of muffs ages ago. I've always preferred to attach (or buy one with) a melted bus shelter up front and sit in the still air behind it.

I do have heated grips because they're already there. If it was down to me to fit them they'd be still in the packet in the shed.

Wind shield dont keep the chill air off your hands. Ever.

I've a givi airflow on mine. Great. But performs no action in low single digit weathers. Unless your driving around for half hour stints .

Hotblack Desiato

The Oxford ones are only €100 and well worth it imho. Easy to fit and no faffing about with relays - they go off automatically with the engine and the switch draws something silly like 70 microamps in standby. And they are HOT. Much hotter than the OEM heated grips I had on the Triumph ST, even on the coldest days you wouldn't have these on 100% for long. 9 heat levels and they draw 3.6A on 100%, 5A fuse.

They come with a tube of superglue and, once you're able to fit the grips easily enough dry with a bit of twisting - can take a few attempts and a bit of sanding and cutting off the odd dangling rubber bit inside the grip - the superglue will cement them in place. Rock solid. Many people recommend hairspray as a grip lube/adhesive but it's not designed to be that sticky and I didn't want to embarrass myself by asking the mrs unless I really had to :pac:

I'm often not too impressed by the quality of Oxford gear but these are well worth the money.

listermint

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

The Oxford ones are only €100 and well worth it imho. Easy to fit and no faffing about with relays - they go off automatically with the engine and the switch draws something silly like 70 microamps in standby. And they are HOT. Much hotter than the OEM heated grips I had on the Triumph ST, even on the coldest days you wouldn't have these on 100% for long. 9 heat levels and they draw 3.6A on 100%, 5A fuse.

They come with a tube of superglue and, once you're able to fit the grips easily enough dry with a bit of twisting - can take a few attempts and a bit of sanding and cutting off the odd dangling rubber bit inside the grip - the superglue will cement them in place. Rock solid. Many people recommend hairspray as a grip lube/adhesive but it's not designed to be that sticky and I didn't want to embarrass myself by asking the mrs unless I really had to :pac:

I'm often not too impressed by the quality of Oxford gear but these are well worth the money.

Have the Oxfords myself for past 4 years. Can't fault them.

Just for budget conscious I've only heard good things about the R&G ones. Small bit more work but for the price difference.

zubair

Probably worth reminding people that motorcycle live is on in a month and would be a good place to purchase gloves, grips, muffs or any other winter gear.

zubair

I'll tell you what lads, I saw a set of barkbuster muffs on an f800 today that I wouldn't actually mind on my bike, they were like very large hand guards more than muffs, you would still need gloves with them but for me they weren't that bad looking. Form and function all covered. I suspect they were blizzard muffs having a quick google.

Aceso

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Has anyone ever had an issue with the Oxford heated grips coming lose after a while?

Yep, has happened me but, that was after a considerable amount of kms in bad weather so, I was happy to repurchase.

As others have said, they're not going to keep your hands dry, you need weatherproof gloves for that. For me the grips are more for comfort as I have carpal tunnel syndrome and long journeys kill my hands but the heated grips help a lot.

I've used those ugly over bar muffs, which are very effective. A combination of good gloves, heated grips and muffs made long journeys in wintertime manageable (when I was commuting 3 hours a day).

For anyone looking for a cheap pair of gloves to get you through shorter wet journeys, I can recommend https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/33557. I wear these on colder days when I'm just driving in and out to work and they're absolutely fine.
I have a pair of goretex 100% Held gloves for the longer journeys.

ZX7R

zubair wrote: »

Probably worth reminding people that motorcycle live is on in a month and would be a good place to purchase gloves, grips, muffs or any other winter gear.

Have my flights booked

IrishGrimReaper

zubair wrote: »

I'll tell you what lads, I saw a set of barkbuster muffs on an f800 today that I wouldn't actually mind on my bike, they were like very large hand guards more than muffs, you would still need gloves with them but for me they weren't that bad looking. Form and function all covered. I suspect they were blizzard muffs having a quick google.

After seeing your post I took a look at these in the hopes it might be suitable for my CBF600. So far they fit pretty well and I think they are a good option for a bike with very little options for these sorts of things.

I had chinese plastic guards but they're far too big and get in the way when turning the handlebar.

You'd still need a waterproof glove/jacket that covers up the wrist of your hand as it's still exposed a bit.

Also bulky gloves aren't ideal either. My Knox Zero 3's aren't a good choice to use for these at all.

Bought a pair of Held Race-Tex which landed today and I love them already. They fit under my cuff and provide good dexterity of the fingers and fit inside the Barkbusters with no issue.

JCbiker

Recently opted for oxford heated handgrips with winter gloves.

Picked up a set for €60 with free delivery.
(Were €110 to buy in shop in Dublin)

https://www.motorcycleshop.ie/oxford-hotgrips-premium-sports-heated-grips-of692-76110-p.asp

two wheels good

Pair of Tucano Urbanos for sale on Adverts. Suitable for bikes with hand-guards.
Not mine.

Max Headroom

two wheels good wrote: »

Pair of Tucano Urbanos for sale on Adverts. Suitable for bikes with hand-guards.
Not mine.

bit overpriced, new but a few years old...

newmember2

TL;DR ...Muffs - yer only man in winter.

Max Headroom

newmember? wrote: »

TL;DR ...Muffs - yer only man in winter.

Was working in Paris a few years back over a winter...don't recall seeing ANY bike without them...common sense over fashion....:P

newmember2

Max Headroom wrote: »

Was working in Paris a few years back over a winter...don't recall seeing ANY bike without them...common sense over fashion....:P

Yeh, I remember being over there in the 90s and seeing weather aprons for the first time - almost every bike had them fitted. There were none in Ireland at the time and even now you don't see too many - almost exclusively only on step-throughs. I bought an Urbano one myself a few years ago when I was on the bike all the time, but my job changed and I never got to fit it to see how good they'd be at keeping the weather off me. I'm only commuting now so the muffs along with a good rain suit are enough for me.

H_Lime

A city that understands the effectiveness of motorised 2 wheel transport. Not on the agenda over here.