Keis Heated Gloves and Jacket

[beardyweirdy@me.com_imp]

I bought my Keis Heated jacket in spring and got one wear of it before the summer came. Well, autumn is here now and I was due a 8-10h ride over 2 days to see the olds. It isn't freezing by any means but a 5h stint on the motorway, in the eve, can get a bit nippy. I've recently sold my Africa Twin and while I wait for the replacement Versys, I had no choice but to take the naked CB1100. With no heated grips fitted I knicked the girlfriends Keis 800i heated gloves as well, just to try out.

What a joy! As soon as the sun set I popped on the heating and it's like riding in the sunshine. Apart from the wind blast it made the CB a real winter touring contender. And actually, after the screen on the AT tossing my head around in the turbulence, the clean, constant air on the CB was a real pleasure. Not half as bad as I was fearing.

I can't praise the Keis heated clothing I have, enough. I bought myself a pair of the gloves, today. Expensive but as with all good gear worth it if you use it.

[the Ferret]

Love my First Gear/Warm n Safe heated jacket liner and glove liners for anytime it gets into the 40's.

never heard of Keis. Apparently a UK company

http://www.keisapparel.co.uk/

[kvdv_imp]

Heated jacket liner - best thing since sliced bread Last year the wife and I did a 9 week / 10,000 mile tour around the US from early May to early July. At least a few times we encountered temperatures in the low 30's (fahrenheit), snow, hail and sleet, etc. I was on my beloved (and much missed) 07 Bonnie sporting nothing more than a tiny OEM flyscreen, and she was on a Suzuki Boulevard 800 with the stock touring windscreen. During the really cold runs, we both used our Powerlet heated jackets under our Aerostich gear. I also used the Powerlet heated glove liners, while the wife had heated grips installed on her bike prior to our trip. This stuff made it possible for us to comfortably cover some miles where otherwise we might have had to stop a lot to warm up or just not even ride at all.

When I sold the Triumph and bought the CB1100, I kept the Powerlet harness, installed it on the Honda, and later ordered the OEM heated grips...I much prefer using the grips vs the glove liners; connecting the wires up by the cuffs and donning / doffing two sets of gloves was a bit of a hassle. That said, I still have the glove liners and I suppose I could downright barbecue my hands if I ran them full tilt with the heated grips on at the same time...might come in handy if I ever find myself riding through North Dakota in January or something

Back to my point - to support the OP's comments - I can't say enough good things about a nice heated jacket liner in colder temps. Puts a smile on your face and extends the riding season. I used to think such things were silly or frivolous...not any more!

[beardyweirdy@me.com_imp]

"I used to think such things were silly or frivolous...not any more!" Ha! Me too. I used to think getting so cold I'd be disabled from riding was all part of the experience. I've now realised how getting so cold took my mind off riding. The heated clothes really come into there own on a naked bike. You really feel the benefit.

I hear you about the faff of cables and two pairs of gloves. I dislike extra kit and do everything I can in work and pleasure to avoid having to use extra kit. I find it removes me from the experience. That said, the Keis X800i gloves are a single outer glove. And the cable connection is straight into the short leads that are built into small pockets on the ends of the arms of the heated jacket. That way there is only one connection to the bike, from the jacket, at the waste. I use a pair of Rukka Gloves, really nice gloves, cost me a fortune, that have two different pockets for your hands, one for heat and one for feel, awesome. But the Keis gloves are good enough for me to leave the Rukka's off and use only the Keis Gloves. They offer good protection. Worth a gander...