stupid question

[Jerry D]

for winter riding i have seen several adds for electric heated clothing. where do you plug them in? are they battery operated? do they plug into the bike some place, do you run a really long extension cord form your house? the adds so far seem to be a little hazy on that part or i am missing it. which is possible, i am not the sharpest tool in the shed.

[fireguzzi]

I believe they usually connect to the bikes battery. Personally haven't owned any electric gear though.
I can tell you this, one of the keys to staying warm is wind proofyness. (yeah I can make up words) You will find real quickly when riding in cold weather where the wind leaks through your gear. Fixing wind leaks will make a ride much more bearable. Overlapping gloves and stuff like that really makes a difference.

[jstark47]

Some bikes have built-in auxiliary power outlets, my wife's BMW for instance. For bikes without, while you can run them directly from the battery, I recommend you install something like a Powerlet outlet (see http://www.powerlet.com/shop-by-product ... its/SKTKIT) That way you have a fused circuit, and it lets you install the outlet in a convenient place instead of having pigtail leads dangling from under your seat (or wherever your bike's battery is.) I put outlets on both my Trophy and V-strom and I'm not especially handy, so if I did it, anyone can.

Suggest you check how much current the clothing you want draws, and how much electrical output your bike makes. Not all bikes have the excess capacity to run a full set of electrical clothing and still charge the battery.

[sapaul]

Not a dumb question, many Europeans will not venture out without their electrically heated suits. Best to install a fused outlet as described obove though

[storysunfolding]

I've had quite a few options over the years: homemade, store bought, battery powered and bike powered. I agree with jstark- make sure your bike can handle the draw before you install a socket. If you're not handy enough to install an outlet, $100 at most motorcycle shops will take care of it for you.

Home made gear is a great cheap option. I built a jacket for $40 that was super warm and toasty. However, it had a few weird hotspots that became uncomfy over time and didn't fit quite right. However, with an understanding of Ohm's law, some spare wire and being handy with needle and thread you can have a nice cheap toasty garmet.

Store bought gear is a great option. I've had custom tailored Gerbing and Widder electrics. Both fit like a glove but Gerbing distributed the heat better and in the best spots. The problem is that the jacket costs a bit and doesn't come with a rheostat (an extra $30 min, or $75 right from Gerbing). However, with the ability to plug gear into each other (pants, gloves, jacket, socks) and the ability to control other zones, it's really nice. With their new fabric, if you have the money Gerbing is the way to go.

Luckily many other brands are getting into the heated gear market. Tourmaster and fieldsheer are making a great cheap product. It's not custom tailored so the heat isn't held as close, but they still do a great job. Even better, they still plug into other garmets (pants, socks, gloves etc) AND they come with a rheostat for free! The rheostat isn't as good as the options you can buy for Gerbing, but with a snip here and a solder there you can still use whatever you like.

Ultimately while electrics are nice fireguzzi hit it right on the money. No matter how much heat you ADD, the goal is to RETAIN as much heat as possible. Make sure you block the wind, insulate yourself with fleece/wool and cover as much of your skin as possible (balaclava).

Hope that helps

[Jerry D]

i am not really sure if i'll get anything like heated gear, i was just curious. i've been looking at different kinds of available equipment and came across the electric stuff. i'm probably going to aim for wind proofyness. some thing nice and warm with a vapor guard. at the moment i am leaning toward textile clothing with plastic inserts for the shoulders, elbow and keens. wile i prefer leather i really really really don't like jackets that only go down to my waist. waist jackets are a deal breaker. i like them to go down to my mid thigh. so far i have only seen textile ones like this.

i did a google search for armour this came up. would it be over kill, should i look for some thing else.