Heated cold-weather gear

Gerbing's

Gerbing's carries a complete line of heated gear for motorcyclists. They have everything from socks and pants to gloves and jackets, along with the controllers and accessories needed to make them work.

Widder

Widder electric gloves and vests are recommended by many club members. They can extend your riding season a full month at both the beginning and the end of the season.

The Competition Accessories and Twisted Throttle catalogs have them listed. Your local shop should have them, too.

The electric thermostat is the recommended one, as the old style cycles on and off, so you get cool periods. The new one is constant and reduces flow from the battery as you adjust it down.

Widder products come with a harness, with a connector lead to the battery. You can snake the lead under the seat from the battery out to the tank, then plug it in or out when you get on or off the bike. The battery connector lead can also be used to attach to a trickle charger.

If you get a vest, fit it snugly so you feel the warmth directly on the body. You want to wear it close to the skin, over a turtle neck and under a fleece. The vest with the collar can be bulky at the Aerostich (or jacket) collar closure. The new collarless vest has a higher neck than the old one had.