effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

This winter I've only taken the bike out only when I've absoultely had to. When I ride the bike I feel my hands are oing to fall off! it's that cold.

I know I can get heated grips but I really dont want to bother with all that. Besides, it'll remain this cold for a few more weeks only.

After I get off the bike I have to heat my hands on the exhaust for a while.

I've got leather gloves, but I dont like the winter gloves because they are too thick.

Anyway, any ideas on what I can do?

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

If you want to keep your gloves, then heated grips and some sort of hand guards are your only option.

Yes winter gloves are thick but it only takes a few minutes to adjust to them, better big gloves than frozen fingers

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

Have you tried wearing some thin, thermal inner gloves?

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

ow about handlebar muffs? These will keep the cold wind off your hands and increase the amount of time it takes for your hands to get cold. They are unsightly, but they do work very effectivly if you get them on correctly.

Incidentally, what puts you off fitting heated grips? Surely one afternoons work is worth it to enjoy many more hours out on the road, even in cold tempuratures? Also, by keeping your hands actualy warm, rather than just functioning, you will have greater control over the bike and therefore be safer :)

anyway, handlebar muffs - great idea

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

Haven't tried my self. While I was on training some of the other trainees were using them and said they were ineffective, which put me off.

Maybe a second opinion won't hurt; are they any good?

Alpine, I guess you have an excellent point. I saw the wiring diagrams the other day and that kinda put me off. the cheapest ones on the market were £50...which only had one level of heat; and to be honest the heat didnt penetrate my leather gloves so i couldnt even feel it. Plus they would have been very easy to steal off the bike.

I think I might need to get some winter gloves after all. Thanks guys :D

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

Heated grips are great :) ive been told (not experienced as i have yet to own a pair) that heated gloves are the only option for long distance winter riding. On my previous bike i had a pair of oxford heated grips fitted, i ran this bike for three years and used the same pair of summer gloves all year round. Im like you, i like movement in my fingers when riding so the grips were great. Grips arnt only good for winter though, just think when spring comes around, it will be fine during the day but then will drop cool in the evening, if youve been doing allot of miles then your fingers will still get it, with grips its as easy as pressing a button :) your can get some for £30, fitted simply in an afternoon.

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

Don't delude the guy! You with your heated gloves as well! :p




I know you're just trying to come up with easy solutions given the restraints stated, but IMO they don't do a lot.
You need a thick layer of insulation, and even thin inner gloves are just going to be compressed even if they can fit under well fitting summer gloves.

Muffs, or overmittens if you want to avoid electrical solution.

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

Muffs and heated grips.

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

I have heated grips and got silk inners for Christmas. Not bad, but the ends of my fingers still get cold. Stu has a Dakar with heated grips and the hand guards and I think the hand guards are what make all the difference, so I may try and fit some of those.

Re: effective yet inexpensive ways of saving hands?
 

The over-grip options are quite cumbersome. As they wrap around the grip itself, you obviously lose the sensitivity, and feel of control over the throttle in particular (similar, but worse to that of wearing thick winter gloves (which you may still want to be wearing). The heated rubber grip, or heated glove option always seemed a better solution to that.

If you fit them directly to the battery (rather than to the lights system) and have a habit of forgetting to switch them off for a month or two then you'll get quite used to fitting new batteries.

I reckon (though I've not tried it) that the mitt / hand guard option is likely the best. It's the wind on the fingers that really chills the ends of the fingers ... and that's the worst bit for me.

Adrian