Heated motorcycle gear: The Solution For Cold Rides.

I love riding motorcycles, but the last thing I feel like doing is having to peel crunchy frozen fingers off my handlebars when I get home. When I started riding 9 years ago, the only solution was heated grips. There wasn't much choice in heated motorcycle clothing back then. And what there was, cost top dollar. Fortunately, nowadays there is a lot more available in terms of electric heated clothing. 

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Benefits of heated motorcycle clothing

The most obvious benefit is of course, heat. No crunchy fingers and no sensation like being in a freezer. But what you may not think about is that this that the warmth provided also benefits your safety. Because the warmth will keep you more alert while riding, lowering fatigue from cold exposure. As a result, you can react faster (especially with warm hands) and the ride is a lot more comfortable. 

What to look out for when buying heated clothing

When looking for electric heated clothing for motorcycles, there are a few things you need to consider.

Elements

There are a lot of different power supplies available. For example, some of these heated clothing pieces work with a power bank of rechargeable battery. While others require a handful of AA batteries to function. The latter is not a preferable option because of the risk of leakage. Another thing to consider is the thickness of the battery. The thinner the battery, the less noticable it will be. 

Battery life

The heating time on a single charge is also very important. Especially when working with power banks as you can easily opt for a larger capacity one. Of course, the heating mode will drastically affect these numbers as the highest setting is bound to burn through your power source a lot faster than the lower setting.

Multiple temperature modes

Most types of heated clothing come with a simple colour-coded mode indication. The colour codes are often white for the lower setting, blue for the middle and red for the highest setting. If your heated clothing has several heating modes to use it will prolong the window for wearing it. As the weather gets wormer you can use a lower setting untill you can eventually just swap it for a sweater of a tshirt.

It's also important to note how the heated clothing seals in the generated heat. With gloves, for example, a wrist strap is not a luxury option. And with a heated vest or bodywarmer, it needs to be snug in the armpits or have a cuffed sleeve to keep heat inside. 

Are you curious about the electric heated bodywarmer I use under my motorcycle jacket? Then read this this blog too!