Electric Gear

[Guest]

Try a BMW dealer, they normally carry the synergy stuff, Firstgear is a very thin expensive jacket and the large wires I found not to comfortable, plus controller another $99 thats well over $200

synergy jacket with contoller is only about $175 mail order from Motorcycle superstore and it will ensure you get the lastest controllers.

My BMW still has 3 year old synergy gear on the shelves, I can tell cause its the old controllers.

What size sweatshirt do you wear and do you have a big beer belly?

Thanks now maybe I can head out to the local BMW shop and check out the sizing of the Synergy stuff before I buy online... I wear a large sweater I am a large frame guy 6'3" 235lbs I do have a gut but not to terribly bad ( i dont think!?)...How can you tell the difference in the controllers?? I had heard they had to revise the controllers, if I can tell the dif maybe I can buy strait from BMW if the price is close to online and not have to wait..Let me make sure Im right about the Synergy gear..A controller somes with the jacket and one comes with the gloves also right??? What about the pant liner does it come wth one also, or will I have to use the jacket controller for both??? And the controllers are water proof right?? Im only planning on the jacket and gloves first but I might go back if Im not comfy enough.....I still wish there was a one piece suit I could buy...I am a plumber so I work outside alot so its going to be a pain changing out of the underpants when I make it to the shop and put on my work insulated undercloths, then doing it all over again in the afternoon after work for the ride home..be nice just to zip off a suit and then zip it back on!!! But like others have said it probrably wouldnt work but so well scince it wouldnt be close to the body as the liners, and the fact it isnt made by anyone!!

[Guest]

Oh another question!!!! I dont have a powerlet (YET!!) but I was thinking of hooking the gear to the battery with battery leads, I had seen some of the gear come with those kind of hook ups as an option, what about the Synergy??? Other than it not bieng visually appealingis there any other reason thats a bad idea???

[billyjackjimbob]

Here is another option. Stumbled onto this company at Dick's Sporting Goods on the way home tonight. Anyone know anything much about them? Do the Gerb or Synergy jackets have elements in the neck? Veture has elements in the neck... I can see that being really nice.

Kevin

http://www.ventureheat.com/index.php/compo...p;category_id=8

[marid2apterbilt]

Ok I skipped thru half this thread so sorry if this is a repeat..

I wear Tour master synergy Jacket and pants with Gerbing heated glove LINERS, Works well and keeps you toasty, I have ridden in 14F with the only issue being ICE forming on the inside of my visor...

Now the good and Bad..

The tour master Jacket will connect to most other brands of Pants and Gloves without adding extra heat trollers, The TM jacket comes with a master 3 setting controller that controls everything you plug into the jacket.

If you get the pants and gloves they can be controlled seperately or from the jacket controller depending on how you connect them.. each will come with its own controller or can be plugged into the jacket as 1 piece.. The jacket has a plug in the waist for the pants and a plug in each sleve for gloves, Also the pants have a plug in each leg for adding Socks..

Now the Bad..

the controller for the jacket has a very stiff loom of wires (5 wires) making it difficult to bend to where you want it.

Also if you use the strap that fits around your thigh to hold the controller make sure it rides high on your thigh or if you tug on it to hard by straitening your leg getting off the bike it will pull the Wire loom loose from the jacket, I know this from experience, Upon doing so I noticed that when they cut the sheathing back on the Loom of wires what ever they used makes a small cut in the 5 wires that go inside the jacket, Which I belive is what made mine short out, I have not got around to splicing the wires back together yet..

If your careful with the controller and attached cords the Tourmaster synergy is a good deal at a good price and will surely keep you warm in any temp you ride..

[marid2apterbilt]

TO add 1 more thing (Layers)

I wear a full leather suit year round..

Usually a Tshirt then heated jacket then my 2 piece leathers.

Long johns then heated pants then jeans under my leathers. The heated pants are more like chaps and work well over blue jeans also.

the gerbing glove Liners plugged into the jacket sleeves with teknic full gauntlet gloves.

2 pair of socks with Oxtar TiEvo boots,

And backlava full mask head cover...

Works very well as I usually only havve to set the controller on LOW to stay very comfortable and toasty warm. Anything above 40F and I can turn it off completely and be comfy.

Keeping your CORE warm is the biggest key to staying warm or within a bearable state..

[vfr_steve]

Some great replies so far, I'm just stopping by to add that I’m another happy Gerbing customer - you get a lifetime warranty on all the electrics too which has proved handy for me a couple of. Times. I couldn't live without it. Like others have said it can be a pain connecting everything up and I would be interested to hear of a better design? I ride in temps as low as -6C with no problems, just keep that thing close to the skin on top of a thin jumper and enjoy being toasty warm!!

... There's something sooo nice about riding in the cold when feeling warm, every all year round biker should have one

[dutchinterceptor]

Oh another question!!!! I dont have a powerlet (YET!!) but I was thinking of hooking the gear to the battery with battery leads, I had seen some of the gear come with those kind of hook ups as an option, what about the Synergy??? Other than it not bieng visually appealingis there any other reason thats a bad idea???

I hooked mine to my battery with the harness that came with my Gerbings. It folds away next to the battery during the summer months.

[elizilla]

Here is another option. Stumbled onto this company at Dick's Sporting Goods on the way home tonight. Anyone know anything much about them? Do the Gerb or Synergy jackets have elements in the neck? Veture has elements in the neck... I can see that being really nice.

My Gerbing jacket liner has a tall heated collar. So does the Warmnsafe jacket. My Gr8designs vest does not. Dunno about the Synergy.

[BonusVFR]

One thing I have found after multiple tours in the mountains is that after 5 days on the road you can get pretty cold even in the forties (temps I mean). On the first day I would not need the vest but at the end of the tour my resistance has faded.

Being warm also keeps you on the road too as the Rossi "Rythym" is not there when you are freezing. Nothing like firing up the electrics in the morning to take the chill off....and then you do not need to take the vest off to be comfortable as the day warms ....just turn off the power.

I use a SAE plug off the battery. The plug does triple duty: Vest, Battery Tender, and power for my tour compressor.

[Guest]

Hey thanks everyone, youve all been great help..this forum is the best group of folks a biker can be apart of..hats off.. :cool: If i can get some time tomarrow Im going to head up to the BMW shop to see if they got the Synergy stuff instock..Cold is almost here so a review is on the way ASAP...THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!! :huh:

[spud786]

Try a BMW dealer, they normally carry the synergy stuff, Firstgear is a very thin expensive jacket and the large wires I found not to comfortable, plus controller another $99 thats well over $200

synergy jacket with contoller is only about $175 mail order from Motorcycle superstore and it will ensure you get the lastest controllers.

My BMW still has 3 year old synergy gear on the shelves, I can tell cause its the old controllers.

What size sweatshirt do you wear and do you have a big beer belly?

Thanks now maybe I can head out to the local BMW shop and check out the sizing of the Synergy stuff before I buy online... I wear a large sweater I am a large frame guy 6'3" 235lbs I do have a gut but not to terribly bad ( i dont think!?)...How can you tell the difference in the controllers?? I had heard they had to revise the controllers, if I can tell the dif maybe I can buy strait from BMW if the price is close to online and not have to wait..Let me make sure Im right about the Synergy gear..A controller somes with the jacket and one comes with the gloves also right??? What about the pant liner does it come wth one also, or will I have to use the jacket controller for both??? And the controllers are water proof right?? Im only planning on the jacket and gloves first but I might go back if Im not comfy enough.....I still wish there was a one piece suit I could buy...I am a plumber so I work outside alot so its going to be a pain changing out of the underpants when I make it to the shop and put on my work insulated undercloths, then doing it all over again in the afternoon after work for the ride home..be nice just to zip off a suit and then zip it back on!!! But like others have said it probrably wouldnt work but so well scince it wouldnt be close to the body as the liners, and the fact it isnt made by anyone!!

Every peice of synergy gear comes with it own controller, jacket has tall collar , gloves plug into sleeves. I think it run 20 or 30 watts hotter than Gerbings , which is the main brand for most.

The gear used to run small but around 09 model they enlarged to a more true size. I wear a 16 dress shirt in regular fit and have the extra large vest, has alittle extra room but I run sweat shirt underneathe, could probably could wear the large . I never wear xlarge in anything, but the large was alittle snug, but I think that was pre 08 i used for sizing that ran small. Not knowing they enlarged the o9 model sizing, plenty of room on the xlarge. The large would probably be snugger.

THe electric connection is a direct battery type, but not a traditional Power port, full cord direct from battery plugs into bottom of jacket

[Knife]

I have the Tourmaster Synergy jacket liner and pants, Gerbings electric gloves, and electric socks (I forget the brand). I have my gloves and jacket on one controller, and my pants and socks on a second controller.

I just got back last night from a ride: Downingtown, PA to Syracuse, NY; Syracuse NY to Bar Harbor, ME (through the Adirondacks, Green Mountains, and White Mountains); and then back again on different roads (Kancamagus Highway, for example). It was quite cold at times, ranging anywhere from 34F to 59F.

Most of the ride was in the 41F to 54F temperature range during the day (lower in the early AM and after dark). I used my heated gear on the return trip only to get a comparison with my trip out without heated gear. I was pretty cold without the heated gear, but managed by layering up. But the heated gear wins the contest, hands down!

My voltmeter normally reads a bit above 12 at idle, and a bit above 14 at speed. With all heated gear on at once, on high, the voltmeter read a bit above 12 at idle and also at speed (?). I only had to run the gear on low or medium during the ride to stay very comfortable, only occasionally bumping it up to high for short periods. I wore UnderArmor underneath the heated gear (a thin base layer works best for heat distribution).

It was a pain running the wiring and controllers through my one-piece suit (had to cut a hole through the left pocket). I'm going to order a real travel jacket and separate pants for my next cold weather trip to make it easier to get in and out of my gear, and to be able to take a leak in a hurry.

The right arm of the jacket did heat better than the left arm. Not sure why, but no biggie. All in all, I'm sold on the heated gear. I could ride all day (and night) in comfort. It worked well in the pouring rain, and in the snow flurries we went through. Concentrating on riding rather than how cold I am is worth the price of admission, which is pretty low anyway!

By the way, the scenery was absolutely spectacular, as were the roads. We hit Rte. 17 in Vermont on the way back, and it was almost as good as The Dragon! And absolutely no traffic! What a fantastic road! We are probably the only two guys in existence that didn't know about it, so I'm happy we stumbled upon it by chance. There's a pull off at the top and there were about a half dozen or so bikes sitting there waiting to hit it again. We just rocketed right past and kept on going!

Sorry to get a bit off topic, but I wanted to report on the heated clothing. Hope it's helpful. :fing02:

[Guest]

^^^ Hey thanks for the report....And sounds like some great riding!!!

Well today I went out and bought a Firstgear Thermosuit and even though it wasnt exremly cold today, 47f rainy, it done really great considering I didnt have anything on underneath but a t-shirt and jeans ( I will be wearing gear underneath from now on as I did feel out of place with no protective gear). That tells me with some insulated undies it should do very well in much colder weather..I still plan on buying the Synergy jacket &gloves, as a matter of fact I was going to buy the gloves while I was there but they only had large which was to small for my hands.. And which this brings me to my next question, what is the difference in the leather vs textile Synergys..benefit vs each fault?????? I know the leather is more $$$ but only a small amout..I emailed Tourmaster with the same question to no response ( 2 DAYS AGO)....Right now Im using Frank Thomas winter (waterproof) gloves, and their ok but I can tell they wont do 40-f degrees for an extended amout of time...I am excited about the Thermosuit though I may end up not even needing the Synergy jacket if all the hype Ive heard is true, we shall see..Im not going to hold my breath though, it only cost $142.00 INCLUDING TAX!! The gloves will (Im sure) be an required item!!!

[elizilla]

And which this brings me to my next question, what is the difference in the leather vs textile Synergys..benefit vs each fault??????

I like the leather better than the synthetic because it's more protective. I don't think it keeps your hands any warmer, though.

[Guest]

I have the Gerbing and really like it. My suggestion is to find a quality BMW dealer as most of them keep this stuff in stock. That way you can try it on right on the spot and get the proper fit. Might have to pay a little more than mail order but you don't have to wait for UPS just to find out it doesn't fit, etc.

I wear Gerbing underneath a 3/4 length Tourmaster Jacket (the one with a zillion pockets). Katherine is correct, wear something light underneath so the heat is near you. Long sleeve T shirts or I think Under Armor is making winter gear now.

Heated grips in my opinion are worthless. They keep one side of your fingers warm and your palms. The outside of your fingers will still get cold.

I run a dual controller on my ST. One for the jacket/gloves and the other for the pants/socks. I fasten it to the clutch master cylinder with a big tie wrap and you just reach up and dial in whatever you want. Like riding down the road in an electric blanket

I am convinced that a special Nobel prize be awarded to the inventor of electric socks. They are better than sex when it get's down in the 40's and you're 250 miles from home.

Depending on what part of the country you live in, check out snow mobile shops. That is where electric clothing originated.

[Guest]

Most serious long distance riders I know use one brand, Gerbings.

I love my Gerbings liner; it has never skipped a beat in 10 years

[Guest]

And which this brings me to my next question, what is the difference in the leather vs textile Synergys..benefit vs each fault??????

I like the leather better than the synthetic because it's more protective. I don't think it keeps your hands any warmer, though.

I would have to agree with sound advice, the leather would offer more protection..I just wonder why they offer both, especially scince the price dif is minor...Have you worn you leathers in the rain, and if so are they water proof???

[ccvfr]

The Synergy Jkt with Gerbing leather gloves is what I use. so far works GREAT!...also check mawonline.com and bid on the jkt I got mine for around 140.00 shipped.....Curt

[bmv]

SO many good responses ....

Thought I would chime in. Rode to the store wearing my electric vest. About an hour from my place in +1 celsius (34F). Shoulders, arms and hands were cold. Even with extra layers. My core was fine. Legs cold.

Rode home with my new Tourmaster Synergy jacket and gloves, same trip, same temps. WOW. What a difference having a full heated jacket, collar and gloves. Best acquisition in a long time.

Yep, gloves are sized to the small side. But work incredibly well.

+1 for Tourmaster Synergy.

Safe riding .....

[elizilla]

And which this brings me to my next question, what is the difference in the leather vs textile Synergys..benefit vs each fault??????

I like the leather better than the synthetic because it's more protective. I don't think it keeps your hands any warmer, though.

I would have to agree with sound advice, the leather would offer more protection..I just wonder why they offer both, especially scince the price dif is minor...Have you worn you leathers in the rain, and if so are they water proof???

The leather gloves? They're supposed to be waterproof, but I think every problem I have ever had with claimed-waterproof gloves letting my hands get wet, stemmed from errors in layering that allowed water to run into the gloves. No amount of waterproofing helps with that. Make sure you wear the cuffs of your rain jacket over the gauntlets of your gloves.

I almost prefer a glove that's not trying to be waterproof, because even if they really are waterproof you will sweat in them, or put them on when your hands are wet, or water will enter at the cuffs when you foolishly take them off outdoors. Non-waterproof gloves will actually dry out before they get moldy. Nice roomy glove covers help with keeping water from running in at the cuffs and they work well over any gloves.

As for the MAW recommendation up thread, I have had one interaction with them and I don't recommend shopping there. Look them up at the Better Business Bureau and you'll see what I mean.

[Guest]

And which this brings me to my next question, what is the difference in the leather vs textile Synergys..benefit vs each fault??????

I like the leather better than the synthetic because it's more protective. I don't think it keeps your hands any warmer, though.

I would have to agree with sound advice, the leather would offer more protection..I just wonder why they offer both, especially scince the price dif is minor...Have you worn you leathers in the rain, and if so are they water proof???

The leather gloves? They're supposed to be waterproof, but I think every problem I have ever had with claimed-waterproof gloves letting my hands get wet, stemmed from errors in layering that allowed water to run into the gloves. No amount of waterproofing helps with that. Make sure you wear the cuffs of your rain jacket over the gauntlets of your gloves.

I almost prefer a glove that's not trying to be waterproof, because even if they really are waterproof you will sweat in them, or put them on when your hands are wet, or water will enter at the cuffs when you foolishly take them off outdoors. Non-waterproof gloves will actually dry out before they get moldy. Nice roomy glove covers help with keeping water from running in at the cuffs and they work well over any gloves.

As for the MAW recommendation up thread, I have had one interaction with them and I don't recommend shopping there. Look them up at the Better Business Bureau and you'll see what I mean.

Even though Ive never had that problem with any of the waterproof (resistant) gloves Ive owned in the past, that is sound advice thanks. Your a wise beyond your years!!!! :biggrin:

[Ryanme17]

The leather gloves? They're supposed to be waterproof, but I think every problem I have ever had with claimed-waterproof gloves letting my hands get wet, stemmed from errors in layering that allowed water to run into the gloves. No amount of waterproofing helps with that. Make sure you wear the cuffs of your rain jacket over the gauntlets of your gloves.

I almost prefer a glove that's not trying to be waterproof, because even if they really are waterproof you will sweat in them, or put them on when your hands are wet, or water will enter at the cuffs when you foolishly take them off outdoors. Non-waterproof gloves will actually dry out before they get moldy. Nice roomy glove covers help with keeping water from running in at the cuffs and they work well over any gloves.

The vast majority of waterproof gloves do not have stitching holding the liner to the outer layer (stitching lets in water) and so when you pull them off, the inner layer comes with.

But back on topic, I would go with the leather heated gloves over fabric. I don't see any advantage textile would have over leather.