Discussion
I'm planning on buying some heated gear this weekend so I can continue to do some longer rides through the winter months.
Probably a long sleeve jacket to wear under an existing textile jacket and also some gloves.
I'm looking at Keis.
I don't really fancy shelling out an additional £50+ for the battery so I plan to power the gear from the bike.
The bike is a 2021 R1250 GSA - it looks as though the only option is to wire the jacket directly to the bike's battery terminals, run the cable so it tucks out the front of the seat, plug the jacket in and out when getting on / off the bike and then run the gloves off the jacket.
The whole thing seems like a monumental faf, but from what I've read the DIN outlet to the left of the seat on the current GS/A is limited to 5A output which won't be enough to power both jacket and gloves, and I think I'd also need to buy an additional male DIN connector to hook it up that way.
Can anybody running a similar (or alternative) setup offer any wisdom based on experience?
TIA
Probably a long sleeve jacket to wear under an existing textile jacket and also some gloves.
I'm looking at Keis.
I don't really fancy shelling out an additional £50+ for the battery so I plan to power the gear from the bike.
The bike is a 2021 R1250 GSA - it looks as though the only option is to wire the jacket directly to the bike's battery terminals, run the cable so it tucks out the front of the seat, plug the jacket in and out when getting on / off the bike and then run the gloves off the jacket.
The whole thing seems like a monumental faf, but from what I've read the DIN outlet to the left of the seat on the current GS/A is limited to 5A output which won't be enough to power both jacket and gloves, and I think I'd also need to buy an additional male DIN connector to hook it up that way.
Can anybody running a similar (or alternative) setup offer any wisdom based on experience?
TIA
I found that heated gloves alone was sufficient to keep riding down to -6C for a 40 mile commute around the M25.
My Gerbing setup had a Y connect lead which I pulled trough my existing textile winter jacket and DIN plug to the battery. Worked well but you need to remember to unplug yourself before you get off the bike.
My Gerbing setup had a Y connect lead which I pulled trough my existing textile winter jacket and DIN plug to the battery. Worked well but you need to remember to unplug yourself before you get off the bike.
I have heated RST gloves - really good - but I use the battery ones.
Not the answer to the question you asked but I also have a cheapo Amazon heated vest which plugs into a phone powerbank. It doesn't look amazing but it's very effective. For my use, it's sufficient and has avoided any hard wiring.
Cheers,
Rob
Not the answer to the question you asked but I also have a cheapo Amazon heated vest which plugs into a phone powerbank. It doesn't look amazing but it's very effective. For my use, it's sufficient and has avoided any hard wiring.
Cheers,
Rob
Rob_F said:
Not the answer to the question you asked but I also have a cheapo Amazon heated vest which plugs into a phone powerbank. It doesn't look amazing but it's very effective. For my use, it's sufficient and has avoided any hard wiring.
Cheers,
Rob
I have one of these as well and it’s made a huge difference to my winter riding.Cheers,
Rob
I get about 8 hours run time on the hottest setting which is more than enough for my needs.
The benefit of it not being wired to the bike is that if I’m riding anywhere and staying outside when I reach my destination it’s still powered up and keeping me toasty.
I find that I wear it when working in the garage, walking the dog etc … now.
Great but of kit.
I initially bought a Keis jacket but the amperage it needed was something ridiculous. Replaced it with a waistcoat and it’s much more reasonable. I can’t remember the numbers but I really didn’t want that sort of power being taken.
Also - don’t wire direct to the battery: fit a relay. It’s really very very simple when you look at it.
Also - don’t wire direct to the battery: fit a relay. It’s really very very simple when you look at it.
Do you have a connection for a trickle charger? If its a SAE connector you can get adapters that interface with that.
Other than that though, i think its direct wiring to the battery.
As an aside, i used to be 100% Keis but i've moved over to Gerbing. Carefully look over the heater clothing wattages, I think Keis have scaled them back recently to allow for dual power sources, and they were not great on really cold days. Historically i had an older Keis jacket and it was roasting.
Gerbing are +12v only so much higher wattage, i've yet to need higher than setting 3 of 5.
Other than that though, i think its direct wiring to the battery.
As an aside, i used to be 100% Keis but i've moved over to Gerbing. Carefully look over the heater clothing wattages, I think Keis have scaled them back recently to allow for dual power sources, and they were not great on really cold days. Historically i had an older Keis jacket and it was roasting.
Gerbing are +12v only so much higher wattage, i've yet to need higher than setting 3 of 5.
airsafari87 said:
Rob_F said:
Not the answer to the question you asked but I also have a cheapo Amazon heated vest which plugs into a phone powerbank. It doesn't look amazing but it's very effective. For my use, it's sufficient and has avoided any hard wiring.
Cheers,
Rob
I have one of these as well and it’s made a huge difference to my winter riding.Cheers,
Rob
I get about 8 hours run time on the hottest setting which is more than enough for my needs.
The benefit of it not being wired to the bike is that if I’m riding anywhere and staying outside when I reach my destination it’s still powered up and keeping me toasty.
I find that I wear it when working in the garage, walking the dog etc … now.
Great but of kit.
I've used Gerbing gloves for a few years. Heast wise they're very good but the waterproofing totally failed at this years dragon rally - SBS managed to replace them for me.
I've since got a secondhand Gerbings vest - believe this is quite old - and dual controller for only £45. It's absolutely roasting hot and means I can wear summer gear in the winter and not have to look/feel like the Michelin Man.
I've always had them wired to the bike - and yes it can be a major faff, especially when the cables don't stay in place and you have to rethread them. I've just ordered a 12v battery pack off of ebay to try out with the gloves on shorter journies which is about 1/5 of the price of the equivalent Gerbing battery unit.
I've since got a secondhand Gerbings vest - believe this is quite old - and dual controller for only £45. It's absolutely roasting hot and means I can wear summer gear in the winter and not have to look/feel like the Michelin Man.
I've always had them wired to the bike - and yes it can be a major faff, especially when the cables don't stay in place and you have to rethread them. I've just ordered a 12v battery pack off of ebay to try out with the gloves on shorter journies which is about 1/5 of the price of the equivalent Gerbing battery unit.
Rather than heated gloves, you could get some handguard extenders, e.g. https://www.bahnstormer.co.uk/product/gsgsa-lc-xr-...
I suffer a bit of Reynaud's, so tend to get cold hands, but I found that GS heated grips with a set of these extenders kept my hands pretty warm, even with relatively thin gloves, as they block a lot more windblast than the standard guards. I need to get a set for my current bike..
Topping that off with a heated waistcoat and you should be fine, as long as your jacket is windproof and fits tightly.
I suffer a bit of Reynaud's, so tend to get cold hands, but I found that GS heated grips with a set of these extenders kept my hands pretty warm, even with relatively thin gloves, as they block a lot more windblast than the standard guards. I need to get a set for my current bike..
Topping that off with a heated waistcoat and you should be fine, as long as your jacket is windproof and fits tightly.
my heated clothing lead is direct on the GSA - no issues, just tuck it away when not in use -
look at warm n safe; had gerbing, keis and suffered from burns/hot spots
now use w/s jumper, heated trousers, socks, inner gloves with water proof summer gloves
you can get in GB but equally you can by direct from the USA very little hassle comes via UPS
look at warm n safe; had gerbing, keis and suffered from burns/hot spots
now use w/s jumper, heated trousers, socks, inner gloves with water proof summer gloves
you can get in GB but equally you can by direct from the USA very little hassle comes via UPS
However you look at it and whatever kit you use there are two options to power it:
1. Own battery - Has limited charge life. Has extra bulk of the battery to be carried.
2. Powered from the bike. Needs wiring connected to the bike while kit is in use so needs to be unplugged when you get off.
Option 2 has a number of different approaches that would work:
a. Existing BMW DIN socket - limited amps available but easy. Buy kit to suit amps available.
b. Additional socket added to the bike either directly wired (fused) to the battery or switched on a relay with the ignition.
If you are adding an additional socket then it could be:
i. Tamiya connector - as used by most trickle chargers
ii. Cigarette Lighter Socket - allows connection to many other things and can carry decent amps.
iii. USB Socket - Can be used for a large number of different devices but low amps only.
iv Custom connection. - single use only.
If you have a trickle charger already then, I'd go with that option. If not, I'd suggest fitting a Cigarette Lighter Socket, possibly alongside the existing DIN socket.
1. Own battery - Has limited charge life. Has extra bulk of the battery to be carried.
2. Powered from the bike. Needs wiring connected to the bike while kit is in use so needs to be unplugged when you get off.
Option 2 has a number of different approaches that would work:
a. Existing BMW DIN socket - limited amps available but easy. Buy kit to suit amps available.
b. Additional socket added to the bike either directly wired (fused) to the battery or switched on a relay with the ignition.
If you are adding an additional socket then it could be:
i. Tamiya connector - as used by most trickle chargers
ii. Cigarette Lighter Socket - allows connection to many other things and can carry decent amps.
iii. USB Socket - Can be used for a large number of different devices but low amps only.
iv Custom connection. - single use only.
If you have a trickle charger already then, I'd go with that option. If not, I'd suggest fitting a Cigarette Lighter Socket, possibly alongside the existing DIN socket.
Take a look at the Powerlet kits, for instance: https://bmwsupershop.com/products/powerlet-socket-...
I mounted the socket on the frame just under the seat. Gerbings heated gear can be connected all together so you just have to plug in a single cable to the socket which I could connect/disconnect whilst sat on the bike.
I removed the existing BMW Canbus socket installing the Powerlet.
If you still want/need a CanBus socket, BMW used to sell a kit to provide an additional socket.
I mounted the socket on the frame just under the seat. Gerbings heated gear can be connected all together so you just have to plug in a single cable to the socket which I could connect/disconnect whilst sat on the bike.
I removed the existing BMW Canbus socket installing the Powerlet.
If you still want/need a CanBus socket, BMW used to sell a kit to provide an additional socket.
Edited by boxedin on Thursday 24th November 14:47
Fullook said:
Dog Star said:
Also - don’t wire direct to the battery: fit a relay.
Why's that better?How often have I heard of people leaving heated grips on when they’re wired straight to the battery….
Plus wiring them direct is just plain poor attention to detail, but I’m funny like that.
Dog Star said:
Fullook said:
Dog Star said:
Also - don’t wire direct to the battery: fit a relay.
Why's that better?How often have I heard of people leaving heated grips on when they’re wired straight to the battery….
Plus wiring them direct is just plain poor attention to detail, but I’m funny like that.
I've been using Gerbing gear for years. Have the latest heated jacket and gloves now.
Have a fused lead straight off the battery, comes out at front of seat and tank between my legs. Get on bike plug myself in. Then gloves. Works a treat. No hassle and I'm toasty warm.
Don't overthink it OP it's very simple and works. Never be chilly again.
All this relay business is total overkill. Yes I get it for aftermarket grips as you could accidentally leave it on. But with the Gerbing plug even if you forget to unplug the design soon pulls the plugs apart. And with the latest gloves having the socket on the actual gloves theres no leads to fail which is what usually kills heated gloves in the end.
Good kit. Apart from the lining of the jacket is a bit s
t and needs the odd repair with a needle and thread.
What's also good about Gerbing is the heating element is mesh as opposed to wires which in my experience ultimately fail especially in gloves with so much movement.
Have a fused lead straight off the battery, comes out at front of seat and tank between my legs. Get on bike plug myself in. Then gloves. Works a treat. No hassle and I'm toasty warm.
Don't overthink it OP it's very simple and works. Never be chilly again.
All this relay business is total overkill. Yes I get it for aftermarket grips as you could accidentally leave it on. But with the Gerbing plug even if you forget to unplug the design soon pulls the plugs apart. And with the latest gloves having the socket on the actual gloves theres no leads to fail which is what usually kills heated gloves in the end.
Good kit. Apart from the lining of the jacket is a bit s
t and needs the odd repair with a needle and thread. What's also good about Gerbing is the heating element is mesh as opposed to wires which in my experience ultimately fail especially in gloves with so much movement.
Edited by Harry H on Thursday 24th November 16:17
Thanks all for your replies.
I think I'm going to go with Plan A - i.e. run linked jacket and gloves directly off the battery using the Keis connector that comes with + probably their power / heat controller too. Thanks again for all the input.
pozi said:
I found that heated gloves alone was sufficient to keep riding down to -6C for a 40 mile commute around the M25.
That's quite impressive - can't see it being enough for me though, I must run colder than you, certainly for longer trips & most of mine will be multi-hour jobs.Rob_F said:
... a cheapo Amazon heated vest which plugs into a phone powerbank. It doesn't look amazing but it's very effective. For my use, it's sufficient and has avoided any hard wiring.
I did look at those, but I definitely want to go gloves + vest / jacket - also the Amazon jobs looks a bit hit & miss in terms of coverage.StreetDragster said:
Do you have a connection for a trickle charger? If its a SAE connector you can get adapters that interface with that..
I use the BMW charger which plugs straight into the OE DIN socket. Unfortunately that socket's only rated up to max of 5A output which might run some vests but I don't think will cope with jacket + glovesoutnumbered said:
Rather than heated gloves, you could get some handguard extenders, e.g. https://www.bahnstormer.co.uk/product/gsgsa-lc-xr-...
I suffer a bit of Reynaud's, so tend to get cold hands, but I found that GS heated grips with a set of these extenders kept my hands pretty warm...
Reynauds is a problem for me too - when it gets really cold the clutch and brake levers through the gloves are enough to set if off for me even without the windblast. So I agree that blocking the windblast helps but I think I'm going to have to go heated.I suffer a bit of Reynaud's, so tend to get cold hands, but I found that GS heated grips with a set of these extenders kept my hands pretty warm...
black-k1 said:
Lots of useful stuff
I won't go the charger socket route for reasons above, but your comment has helped clarify the thought process - thanksDog Star said:
All my accessories are ignition switched.
How often have I heard of people leaving heated grips on when they’re wired straight to the battery….
Plus wiring them direct is just plain poor attention to detail, but I’m funny like that.
Strongly suspect your attention to detail is a lot better than mine! No plans for any other accessories at the moment so given the jacket & gloves should be leaving the bike when I do, hopefully should avoid any issues.How often have I heard of people leaving heated grips on when they’re wired straight to the battery….
Plus wiring them direct is just plain poor attention to detail, but I’m funny like that.
I think I'm going to go with Plan A - i.e. run linked jacket and gloves directly off the battery using the Keis connector that comes with + probably their power / heat controller too. Thanks again for all the input.
Fullook said:
I'm planning on buying some heated gear this weekend so I can continue to do some longer rides through the winter months.
Probably a long sleeve jacket to wear under an existing textile jacket and also some gloves.
I'm looking at Keis.
I don't really fancy shelling out an additional £50+ for the battery so I plan to power the gear from the bike.
The bike is a 2021 R1250 GSA - it looks as though the only option is to wire the jacket directly to the bike's battery terminals, run the cable so it tucks out the front of the seat, plug the jacket in and out when getting on / off the bike and then run the gloves off the jacket.
The whole thing seems like a monumental faf, but from what I've read the DIN outlet to the left of the seat on the current GS/A is limited to 5A output which won't be enough to power both jacket and gloves, and I think I'd also need to buy an additional male DIN connector to hook it up that way.
Can anybody running a similar (or alternative) setup offer any wisdom based on experience?
TIA
I have a Keis vest and it's fabulous. It's wired exactly as you describe, and it's hardly a monumental faf at all. Get on bike, connect cable and set heat, tuck controller into jacket pocket then start up and ride off. Literally the additional time it takes to pull on and zip up the vest, and another 15 seconds connecting it. They pull hardly any power - Keis spec of the current vest model is 18W, which is only 1.5A from a 12V source.Probably a long sleeve jacket to wear under an existing textile jacket and also some gloves.
I'm looking at Keis.
I don't really fancy shelling out an additional £50+ for the battery so I plan to power the gear from the bike.
The bike is a 2021 R1250 GSA - it looks as though the only option is to wire the jacket directly to the bike's battery terminals, run the cable so it tucks out the front of the seat, plug the jacket in and out when getting on / off the bike and then run the gloves off the jacket.
The whole thing seems like a monumental faf, but from what I've read the DIN outlet to the left of the seat on the current GS/A is limited to 5A output which won't be enough to power both jacket and gloves, and I think I'd also need to buy an additional male DIN connector to hook it up that way.
Can anybody running a similar (or alternative) setup offer any wisdom based on experience?
TIA
I don't have heated gloves though - for me, heated grips combined with decent gloves and handguards provide enough heat. I've ridden in sub-zero temps very regularly and have never once needed the vest turned up beyond Medium.
My main tip would be to buy one that is too small. They need to really hug you to provide warmth, it's designed for close contact rather than heating the air inside the jacket, and Keis sizing is generous. My Alpinestars jacket is size XL and snug with it, but my Keis vest is size S.
Harry H said:
I've been using Gerbing gear for years. Have the latest heated jacket and gloves now.
What's also good about Gerbing is the heating element is mesh as opposed to wires which in my experience ultimately fail especially in gloves with so much movement.
I'd pretty much settled on Keis (mainly because I know there's a physical stockist near me & I fancied actually trying some stuff on before buying) but I'll have another look at Gerbing, thanks.What's also good about Gerbing is the heating element is mesh as opposed to wires which in my experience ultimately fail especially in gloves with so much movement.
Which Gerbing gloves do you have? - they've got a slightly bewildering breadth of choice.
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