Triumphrat

BornAgain · 12-30-2007

I've got a little cash for Christmas and have been looking at electric clothing. Choices have been narrowed down to Gerbing or Widder. I've seen the Gerbing liners and gloves at a shop here in Houston stuff got pretty warm on the display they had setup. There's a couple of dealers in the area that carry Widder and I would like to take a look before I make a decision. I like the idea of being able to use just a vest and gloves as it usually warms up quite a bit here in the afternoon and I usually ride with just a long sleeve Tshirt and insulated vest under my leather jacket. Some monings I get pretty doggone cold like this but by the afternoon it works well (hands still get a little chilled). What do you like dislike about either one of these (Gerbings or Widder systems) or experience with electricly heated clothing in general.

Thanks

rodburner · 12-30-2007

I`ve only tried the Widder and Gerbing at the motorcycle store. I did buy one of these at Thanksgiving and it works pretty good for me.Kept my back and chest plenty warm enough for a 30 mile ride in high 30 degree temps.The battery life depends on the setting of course,with medium being good for 3 hours or so.
http://www.ajprindle.com/products/sku-12522.html
I liked it enough to buy the wife and I the matching jackets for Christmas.

ATGATT · 12-30-2007

I have the Widder vest. It's alright but has always done the trick even when riding on long trips in the 20s. Gerbing puts out more wattage so it should be warmer, but you pay for that warmth in your alt putout and wallet. Make sure the vest fits you snug.

Over a week ago I bought the Widder gloves. I had a four hour ride and when I left home it was 30 degrees. For the first 2 hours the gloves held up but then I had to stop and rub my hands to warm them. When I stopped I added glove liners and that really helped.

I wrote to Widder about this and they said the gloves should have kept my hands warm at the temp and they'd check them out. So they're there and hopefully I'll get them back soon.

Gerbing gloves are double the cost. They can (I've read) burn your hands. They also don't give the feel that Widders do. Widders have good insulation even when not plugged in. Gerbings don't. Gerbings I've read wear out quick too.

Widder gloves don't give you a warm feeling as the vest does. When you read reviews on them people wondered if the gloves were even on, but that is how the glove is designed. Good insulation with a steady low amp to fight off the chill.

Even if the Widders come back the same, I'd be happy with them to just add the liners when below freezing. I just want to be sure they are working correctly. Keep in mind that no glove I had before could keep my hands warm even in a few blocks at that temp. I always had to resort to mittens.

So, even though I've never owned Gerbing, going strictly by what I've read in reviews and trying the Widder, you can't go wrong either way, unless of course your alt can't handle the Gerbing's wattage needs, and, you don't want to spend so much for Gerbings.

If you go with the Widder gloves, get the newer design with the rain covers included. You also then will get a glove that is more true to the size listed rather than the older ones being large for the size listed and no rain covers.

sweatmachine · 12-30-2007

I have a widder vest and I love it! It zips up to your neck (high collar) and there is a heating element in the collar so your neck stays warm too. It gets very warm and last year I was riding in Flagstaff, AZ in the upper 20s and I was warm!

Another nice thing, and the Gerbing may be this way, is that there is no wiring necessary. The vest comes with a wire that mounts on the battery terminal and is about a foot long, I left mine hanging on top of the left side cover. The vest has a removeable cord that connects to the lead, and there are options for a simple on/off switch, or a temp setting.

I'm happy with mine, it works very well, the price was right, and Widder's customer service is 2nd to none!

Scot03Bonnie · 12-30-2007

I have a used a set of the Gerbing glove liners for two years, and just got a pair of their G3 gloves. Either can burn your skin if you don't use a device to regulate the power, but the glove liners more so especially if you wear gloves over them that are too tight. (ask me how I know)
I have the Gerbing single controller, which only pulses the gloves even when turned up full and does not allow continous full power flow. It does not allow the gloves to get as warm as they would if simply plugged in. I also got a Gerbings on-off switch which allows full power flow and lets the gloves get all the way hot, and you just reach down and turn it off when you need to. I commute on my bike, and on sub-feezing mornings at 75 mph on the freeway, I found I need the on-off switch to allow full power to the gloves or my thumbs get cold. Anything above freezing, the pulse controller works fine for me. I have the controller installed on the jacket with Velcro, and keep the on-off switch in a pocket for when I need it. Managing the harnesses ins not a problem.

Gerbings includes a battery terminal power supply harness for the bike that comes with fuse plus a glove and sock harness whenever you buy one of their products. I have the battery harness installed year round on both of my bikes and have the plug tucked in above the side cover so it's easy to get at. With the glove and sock harness I took some time and strung it through the jacket using some elastic cord so it stays in place and the plug ends stay where I want them

I've not found a need yet for a heated vest. On those really cold mornings, I just use a Thinsulate pullover under my Triumph Tri-tech jacket, and a good head sock. That jacket came with a nice fleece zip-out liner, but I never use it, prefer the pullover instead as it is not as bulky and gives me something down my arms. The only thing that gets cold now is my eyes!

Pauljo · 12-30-2007

I own both. I have the Gerbing jacket liner and gloves. I have the Widder System2 vest and gloves.

The Gerbing combo draws 104 watts max. The Widder combo draws 55 watts max. And that's why I own both. The 500 watt alternator on my Burgman 650 handled the Gerbing outfit fine, as did the 360 watt alternator on my Suzuki VStrom. But the 180 watt alternator on my People 250 is happier with the Widder gear (it doesn't develop that full 180 watts till 5500 rpm). The alternator on my new T100 should handle the Gerbing stuff fine - output is a tad better than the VStrom.

The Gerbing garments definitely get hotter - you need the thermostat controller. I never turn it all the way up. I did buy a thermostat controller for the Widder gear, but I do run it a max a lot of the time. I could have probably done OK with the simple switch cord (much cheaper).

Both upper body garments have heated collars, which are nice (the Widder System1 vest lacks that). The Gerbing jacket liner has heated sleeves too, nicer still. Although the Widder gloves do keep my hands from hurting, they never feel as warm as the Gerbing gloves.

I've learned to always carry a heated vest when touring. Even in August, I've run into unexpectedly cool mornings or evenings when that nice perforated Summer riding jacket I wore didn't cut it. The Widder garment takes up a little less room in the luggage.

The older Widder gear had lousy electrical connectors. They've fixed that. I think the overall quality of both brands is quite good. Gerbing gives you a battery harness with each garment. The jacket liner has the connectors for the gloves built in. With Widder, you have to buy the battery harness and the wires to connect the gloves to the vest separately. That boosts the price of the useable Widder outfit into Gerbing territory. If you have a Powerlet outlet on your bike (Triumph's accessory outlet) you'll need the appropriate power cord or a converter piece. Gerbing is natively coax, Widder is natively a proprietary two prong connector. Both companies do sell appropriate converters for Powerlet on their websites.

Unless you have additional electrical accessories on your bike (lighting, heated grips, etc) I'd recommend Gerbing. But if you need to reduce electrical draw, or catch a sale on Widder gear - its a very good second choice.

ATGATT · 12-30-2007

Pauljo, you said what I expected. At times I wished I had the Gerbing vest so I felt warm rather than "I can at least bear this upper 20s stuff."

If my regular commutes were under 2 hours, Widder is pretty good, but from what you are saying, I'd wish I went with Gerbing.

Still, fortunately in Texas, it seldom gets into the low 20s for long. By daylight it's in the upper 20s or somewhere in the 30s at its worse.

I owned a People 250 for about 3 months before I decided to get a motorcycle. If I were rich like you are, I'd have loved to kept the People and own a bike too. Kymco makes top of the line scooters. My wife still has her GrandVista. I just cleaned hers up today.

Pauljo · 12-30-2007

I'm NOT rich! But I recently bought a sweat shirt, a coffee cup, and a mouse pad - all with pics of my Wineberry colored People 250 on them. Now I've got to keep it until all that stuff wears out! I also bought a black long sleeved TShirt with 'US Department of Homeland Scootery' in big official block letters across the front. Can't waste that either!

BornAgain · 12-30-2007

Thanks Pauljo thats what I needed to know. We don't get temps below freezing that often but on long rides in cool temps (30 -40's) my hands really suffer, as well as the rest of me. It takes serveral cups of hot coffee before I can stop shivering and feel normal again. Think I might take another look at the Gerbing stuff. I really liked the gloves.

2005SM · 12-30-2007

[quote=ATGATT;907682]

Over a week ago I bought the Widder gloves. I had a four hour ride and when I left home it was 30 degrees. For the first 2 hours the gloves held up but then I had to stop and rub my hands to warm them. When I stopped I added glove liners and that really helped.

I wrote to Widder about this and they said the gloves should have kept my hands warm at the temp and they'd check them out. So they're there and hopefully I'll get them back soon.

/QUOTE]

I had a similiar experience as you, ATGATT. I took a ride up to Oklahoma riding in mid 30 to low 40 temps adn the gloves worked fine. They were nowhere near as warm as the vest but did keep my fingers from freezing. After a couple rides the gloves just stopped working, period! I just got them back yesterday from Widder and I hope this isn't a reaccuring problem.

kevin...