Maybe a little late for Christmas now
I was going to post this last week before I was poorly
But I got distracted and forgot
Still plenty of winter months when they could prove useful though
I'm not making any recommendations as I have no knowledge of any of them, make of them what you will
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400347910875?ssPageName=STRK:...1436.l2649
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281015522174?ssPageName=STRK:...1436.l2649
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400354686585?ssPageName=STRK:...1436.l2649
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390375134648?ssPageName=STRK:...1436.l2649
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300784274101?ssPageName=STRK:...1438.l2649
only thing I'd say is that when i was insuring my bike i was told that heated grips were classed as a modification. Girl I work with swears by em. I think she uses Knox.
Thanks for your observations Rowanblossom
But, both Knox and Oxford "brands", although well known, are very expensive
For ostensibly the same thing
(some bits of wire with 12 volts running through em )
Non of these sets are more than £30
Which in these economically strained times
Has gotta be worth a look, at least
As for insurance companies, I'm never surprised at the new exemptions/exclusions they promulgate
AS JP says the safety argument can always be made
But some manufacturers fit them as "standard" on large tourers
Would insurers class those as "modified" machines
It's a bit like paper,stone,scissors with insurers, but a little common sense, research and perseverance usually prevails
As always with those "charlatans"
Have your "ammunition" ready and keep your powder dry
These have just appeared and look good value too
I'm gonna blag a pair o these just to have on the "shelf"
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140679718518?ssPageName=STRK:...1438.l2649
I agree with the relay idea. I have fitted a relay next to the fuse box. The wire to the relay goes to the spare fuse and the wire to the coil on the relay goes to the feed to the rear brake light switch, so it only works when the ignition is switched on.
Well I agree with Tim and XJ about the fitting of a "fused" relay
As they draw quite a heavy current (1.5 - 2 Amps )
But wiring them to the ignition circuit in any way is a "bad" idea IMO
I recommend wiring them to a seperate isolator switch
(preferably ulluminated or at least with their own lamp)
This is for two important reasons
1 ... you have to"physically" switch them on so you know you've done it and the lamp tells you so and is a reminder that they are on
(get into a pre/post ride "habit" last on 1st off )
2 ... in the event of a low battery in bad/cold weather, they are not a drain on it (battery) till after the engine has been started
Just my extra 2 pennorth
Have wired both my relay wires into my rear brake light circuit. Ignition off, grips off. I have the oxfords and if the battery doesn't have enough juice to power them they won't come on and the 'on' light for the grips flashes to warn me of low battery. I fitted taco urbano neoprene muffs too, a bit more pricey and designed for scooters, but they are amazing. Have been using oxford and tech7 muffs for years and the urbano just blow them away. Just under 100 mile round trip to work all year and have even had my hands get too hot whilst ice is forming on my visor.
Well I still think that regardless of brand or price
Wiring anything else to come on with the ignition is a "bad" idea
Anything which draws extra unnecessary current from the battery whilst trying to start the engine is just plain crazy IMO
Particularly this American fetish of having the headlights wired in
I know some are supposed to have some kind of isolator to knock the light off whilst the starter is being activated
But that is no substitute for a "light switch"
I've lost count of the number of folk I've watched in car parks (and at home) completely flatten a battery trying to start a car with all the lights,heater,heated screens,wipers, foot on the brake not handbrake and lord knows how many other gizmo's turned on whilst doing so
Just turning all that crap off, on the odd occasion when some have allowed me to help, has got them started
Often the main culprit of low battery condition is short winter journeys
Cranking an engine over till it starts takes a hefty chunk out of the battery
A few of those, combined with very short trips (IE school runs,shop runs ) during winter months when lights are needed more than usual, will soon have a battery groaning
I have been told (by a reliable source) that it can take "up to 20 miles" to put back into a battery what you take out with 1 start
Not everyone thinks about the state of the battery till it cries enough and lets them down
And not everyone has a garage or shed, let alone a battery conditioner
So do your vehicles a favour this year, be it bike car or both, spare a thought for your poor old battery and give it a treat eh ?
absolutely agree emzed, drawing too much current when starting is never a good idea. I was a bit cautious about mentioning brands, or expense as it always causes bad feeling and percieved snobbery but i felt that letting people know of the interesting and useful feature of a battery monitor on the grips and the unusual step of using scooter muffs on a motorcycle outwieghed the possible negativity caused. Looking for the most suitable accessories involves engaging the opinions and experiences of others, and a thread on keeping your hands warm seemed the ideal place to offer my experience with such products. I for one am happy to save up until i have the product that suits my needs, and if it wasn't for garnering honest personal experience instead of sales spiel i wouldn't know what i wanted.
Quite right XJ, regarding Scooter stuff
I've never been a subscriber to the animosity between bikes & scooters
Particularly as it was mainly a fiction created by the tabloid media
I personally started my two wheeled forays on a Lambretta LI 150
There are a wealth of great accessories in the scooter world these days
Many with cross fittment applications to bikes
Pleased to see that you've managed to get what you want without feeling pressured into "bike specific" products
my first powered two wheeler was also a 150 lambretta. the first ptw i came off was also a 150 lambretta funnily enough. great fun in a straight line but never got the hang of cornering the damn thing.
The old "widey" was a bit of a devil on corners
I was forever scraping the footboards and getting the rear wheel airbourne
The worst thing was the "magic wand" gearchange on the handlebars
I spent more time trying to "find" another gear than actually making progress
By the time I'd eventually "got" 2nd gear
It was going so slow I needed 1st again
I got them as standard on the new K1300 first time I've had em, must say wish I had fitted them on all my bikes before....so nice to have warm digits even if gloves get soaked.... You won't regret it but people definitely get them fitted so when you turn of the ignition they also go off....nothing worse than a flat battery....and from your own doing...
i think i may have had a damascus moment. fitting a solenoid allows power to the switch for the grips, not the grips themselves. so when the ignition is off it is impossible to turn them on, or if they are on they are turned off, and when the ignition is on it allows power to the switch so you can turn them on or have them off. it doesn't mean they come on with the ignition.
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