Brrr....

Jeez it is officially cold...I only have a short commute (about 5 miles each way) but as I only have a bike and no car I am freezing my t#ts off every day back and forth.. Toying with the idea of getting heated grips but been told that firstly they are an arse to install, second they drain the battery, and thirdly and perhaps most importantly, you lose the feel of the bike on the road quite a bit... Not too good when it's more important than ever to know what goes on underneath with leaves still about and potential frost/ice... Plus what happens when decent weather comes back? Do you / can you whip the chunky buggers off but leave the wiring in place without damaging them?

Also (not being tight it's called being skint) reluctant to spend knocking on the door of triple figures on something I will use two / three months of the year on a bike that won't fetch four figures if I choose to sell it..

Be interested to see what you guys / girls have via experience of this, thankfully the weather forecast for tomorrow is mild!

Hmmm....have to agree it's turned a bit chilly. Also have a 5 mile commute each way to work, and have used the bike these last couple of days. Mind you, it's a push-bike, so keeping warm generally is effected by means of vigorous leg activity. Hands still get bloody cold though, and heated grips not really an option!....

Hi Mevs!

I've got Oxford heated grips on my Cat, and they're a god send especially on longer motorway journeys. I think it took me and a mate all of 30 minutes to install (longest bit was taking the nearside old grip off), can't say I've noticed any huge loss of feeling in the bars and as the bike gets used most days, battery is unaffected. I think they cost me £30 and so far have given me over a year of warm hands. My set have a slight connector issue, but if I got off my lazy rear, that would be sorted in a matter of minutes.

I'd say go for it!

Alf

MevsyD wrote: Toying with the idea of getting heated grips but been told that firstly they are an arse to install, second they drain the battery, and thirdly and perhaps most importantly, you lose the feel of the bike on the road quite a bit... Not too good when it's more important than ever to know what goes on underneath with leaves still about and potential frost/ice... Plus what happens when decent weather comes back? Do you / can you whip the chunky buggers off but leave the wiring in place without damaging them?

They were the best thing I bought! Weren't that expensive and I didn't have a problem putting them on. Once on they are just like normal grips. Spend a little time getting the wiring routed correctly and you'll forget all about them when it warms up. Done the leaves and ice with them and didn't feel any less control.
I got Oxford with the press button control. A bit hard to switch on and off, but it is supposed turn off or not turn on when the battery is a bit low. Best get a relay, and wire it so the grips are controlled from the ignition switch - no bother to remember to turn them off (one day I'll get around to doing this).

You not possibly thinking of those heated blanket type things that wrap around your grips? I'm sure they'll live up to your concerns.

Had a couple of bikes with heated grips fitted. Grips are same size as non heated ones and no loss of "feel" on the bike. You don't need to spend triple figures if you go down the aftermarket route and don't mind a bit of diy electrickery.

Alternatives are heated gloves which have the advantage of keeping the backs of your hands warm too. Or you could consider these!!:-

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] (not my bike!)

I was told by a long-distance commuter that the best way to keep hands (and feet etc.) warm is to keep your core temperature up, which basically means lots of layers on your body, particularly the top half. I didn't believe it at the time, but I've tried to follow this advice and it seems to work. I regularly do 50+ miles (much of it motorway/dual carriageway), usually on a Fazer which has less wind protection than the Cat, and my hands (and feet) are fine.

I use a pair of Hein Gericke's "claw"-type gloves, with inners if it's below freezing. You soon get used to having your fingers tied together, and in fact when I went back to using my old thick winter gloves they felt quite clumsy.

I think one disadvantage of heated grips is that they aren't very effective when you're wearing really well-insulated gloves.

Well, that's my 2p-worth anyway.

Have to say that 'electrickery' is a fantastic word and if it isn't in the dictionary it should be! Thanks for the advice guys and I will be acting on it straight away... I'm not too clever with wiring looms and all that, I asked advice about the dodgy Patriot Spyball I had on mine before on the home site and followed it.. But where are the heated grips on sale for £30?? If that was the case I would snap them up but I'd still have to pay to get them fitted.. Guess that's where the cost comes in..

Nervous about the 'claw' gloves but if I coud get heated fitted for the same brass as a pair of those then that's value IMO.. And to be fair it's something that will be used until March at least. Stevecat I think you are right, it's blankets I've been referred to...

Many thanks all, nice to draw on the miles you all have as someone elses experience can be another persons education...

MevsyD wrote:But where are the heated grips on sale for £30?? ...

Try here:-
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or here

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or even here

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J&S in Bristol were selling them for £30 last winter. As others have said they are a godsend, i have a 20 mile commute and rairly have them on full blast. Definitly worth adding a relay being powered from somthing that's switched on when you turn the key, that way you can add more 'electrickery' bling if thats your thing, or if not a socket to charge your mobile/sat nav up without 'forgetting' to switch them off.