GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Ok so i know i posted on this topic before.  I like keeping my hands warm during winter riding but i hate bulky gloves and heated handgrips.  Anyhow i got some handlebar mitts from a local bike shop for $30.  Aesthetically they don't do much for the bike but functionally they rock.  They do not impede my use of controls even with my "all weather" gloves on and i was doing 70 in 29 degree weather a couple of days ago and my hands were fine and happy.  Since i have bar end mirrors i had to slit the ends and sew on some velcro so i could seal the mitt around the mirror. I'll take a pic when it stops raining but here are some photo links to similar products.  They look like these ATV mitts but are wider allowing easier hand entry so lets say...pull down your face shield while moving. A definite improvement in the quality of cold weather riding.  :)


http://www.allroadtour.fi/levi2001/kuvat/KUVA1.jpg

http://www.discount-sporting-gear.com/p/Classic_Accessories_Atv_Handlebar_Mitts,_Black.html

Just a little bit of info for those of ya who ride year round.. ;)  :P

haha omg the second picture looks sooo funny

Ya want funny..?? Here's funny for ya...

http://www.whitedeath.com/frostbite.html

:P

I'd like to see the second picture, but all I get is a white screen. :(

Quote from: juggernaughtYa want funny..?? Here's funny for ya...

http://www.whitedeath.com/frostbite.html

:P

bahaha that IS funny! sucks to be him tho

Sorry Scratch...it shows a pair of ATV mitts.  The ones i have fit the same way except they are a bit shorter in length and wider at the opening allowing quick access for a gloved hand on and off the bar.

I just did a search on Yahoo: "ATV Handlebar Mitts" and came up with the picture. Cool! So, yours are a little shorter. Can you, safely, take your hand off and put it back on the bar? Safety is my biggest concern.

I ordered the MSR handguards, you mentioned in your previous thread, and they're HUGE! Unfortuneatly, they will flap in the wind and kinda interfere with the clutch (they rest on the lever), and will definitely interfere with the choke cable slack. On the throttle side, you can get away with it, if you route the strap between the handlebar and the throttle cable. So, I declined to keep them.

Looking into some from Acerbis. Will post back.

i was wondering the same thing.  isnt that kinda like taping your hands to the grips w/ duct tape? lol

ok, now a cheaper salution, grab an old nylon jacket that your not gonna wear, cut the sleaves about mid bicep,  discard jacket,  sew into the sleaves were you just cut an elastic band so it will close over forarm snug but not so hard you cant get your hand out fast.  remove your mirrors slip the original cuff over the controles just past the mirror mounts, use a cord, wire, or zip tie on the cuff to keep it tight, now you have a home made motomit and you recycled an old jacket, fact, you can now use the jacket as an additional vest for warmth Under your other gear, just stich the short sleeve edges.

Blue...you are the Martha Stewart of motorcycling.  Minus the hard time.  An excellent idea and i have lotsa jackets to choose from.   :cheers:  :thumb:  :o

Tip:247

wrap your orange peels in aluminum foil and place them in tail compartment under seat, thiswill give you about 4 days of citrisy aroma, kinda like the pinetree on rear veiw mirror.


next week, join us for engine cooking on the run. Air cooled is air cooked, and without needing non stick spray.

Scratch-  I looked at the webpage for the Acerbis handguards but could not figure out how they would connect, and if they would interfere with the GS controls.  Please post anything you find out as they look good...just not sure if they will work.

The left guard will work fine. You will have to remove the rubber covering the clutch pivot and cable adjuster. And will give you good coverage.

The right, however, will need some cutting to fit and then will only cover two fingers. I was displeased with this result and have ordered the '02 DR400Z handguards, p/n: 57300-05820-019. You can see them on Suzuki's website. These may still not fit! I will get these next week.

I could have made the Acerbis (pronounced 'ah-ker-bee' I found out) fit with some more creative cutting, but it would have been a lot of cutting, and I may still not obtain the coverage I desire. If the DR handguards do not do the job, I will go back to the Acerbis as they are less expensive. The black seems to look best.

I used a pair of acerbis handgaurds on my 03 sv650 last year when I rode from austin to seattle. I made the journey in late feb so the weather was a bit chilly. the handgaurds did make a difference. although heated grips would have been way better. I did have to do a bit of cutting to make them fit but they worked well and stayed in place fine. i may still have them lying around if you want i'll take a look and see. maybe i can send them your way since the bike they belonged to was so rudely taken without permission (stolen) (i'm still bitter bout that), anywho i'll take a look and see if i still have them.

Here are some pics of the ones i have.  Fortunately it's warm here today so i won't use them   :P

(http://mysite.verizon.net/vze24q56/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/105_0560.jpg.w300h225.jpg)

(http://mysite.verizon.net/vze24q56/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/105_0558.jpg.w300h225.jpg)

The hand opening measures 10 inches in width and the entire mitt is about 15 inches long. i've taken my hand out while doing 70 mph. to adjust my visor without a problem.  And the nylon is rigid enough to keeps its shape and angle when secured properly.  And i use the same Firstgear gloves i've been using since late summer.

How neat!

Gs2sv - Thank you for the offer! Are you sure you wont get another SV? Or, use the handguards on your wife's GS?

hey juggernaught....where did you get those and how much were they?

Picked these up at a local shop for 30 bucks.  I'm always wary and paranoid so i'm sure i coulda got them cheaper.  But in all truth they were worth it.  :thumb:

I use glove liners, then heat packs, then my MC gloves.  The heat packs can be found at Amazon.com using the search feature.  They contain iron shavings that oxidize when exposed to air creating heat.  Get small ones that fit in gloves or boots.  They are re-usable if you keep them air=tight. :thumb:

OHMIGOSH, I just bought a pair of TourMaster silk gloveliners for $10 and WOW, are they warm!!

I'm still getting the handguards; they haven't come in yet.

Heh...i bought the same silk glove liners last week for use with a pair of leather gauntlets i have and was very pleased with how warm they kept my hands today without that "bulky" feeling.  Then again i ordered a pair of these gloves http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=9252&department=106&Division=1
which i hope to receive this weekend.  I'll let ya know if i think they are worth the price.. :P

Very good!

Now for my report on the Suzuki DR400Z knuckleguards: they don't work.
The stock brake lever will not allow the fitting of the right handguard. And the left handguard will not fit over the clutch perch; cutting to fit would destroy the handguards and be far too much work as the plastic is much thicker.

Allright, the Acerbis do work with a lot of cutting. Well, for me it was alot, being it the first time it's been done. So, now it will easy to replicate the end result.

The right side is really easy, cut off the entire lower mounting flange and slice the zip-tie end off. The reason for removing the lower flange is so there is no interference from the brake lever brake light trigger and the lower locknut on the adjuster pivot. And because the bolt that comes with the kit isn't long enough. The reason for removing the zip-tie end is to clear the master cylinder banjo bolt and brake line.

Left side is a little more tricky. Cut the lower mounting flange again, from behind the small bolt flange (you'll see what I mean), in a staight line, cutting off the lower bolt hole in the process. That's the easy part. The hard part is cutting around the clutch adjuster, and I'm still not finished, as I don't have the rubber boot to go over the clutch adjuster. I need the boot (off a DRZ400, actually I don't even know if that will fit) to figure out the final amount of cutting. I'd like the boot, because I ride in the rain, and I don't want to expose the clutch cable to rainwater; you can't use the stock rubber cover.

Pictures Monday or Tuesday.

Another thing to note is that all the different colored Acerbis handguards  are meant for different dirtbikes (i.e.: the blue is for Yamaha; black and white are for Honda). So, be careful which one you choose; they are each slightly different. Take it out of the bag at the shop and put it next to your handlebar to visualize what it would look like and what you would have to do (cut/modify) to mount it. I bought the black (p/n: 12548005).

Yeah...i'd like to see those pics.  I'll do the same with my "mitts" this week.  I imagine i'll get good use out of them as the temp. is supposed to drop to about 20 deg. by Monday nite.  Heck i'll be lucky to start the darn thing up in the first place. Last winter was just too ruthless.  This winter i hope to be better prepared. :thumb:

Sorry I'm a day late, but here's a picture.
(http://sbw.sportbikes.com/gallery/data/500/16892img2570-med.jpg)
Here's a poor picture showing the cut to be made on the lower mounting flange on the left handguard.
(http://sbw.sportbikes.com/gallery/data/500/16892img2575-med.jpg)

Those actually look pretty neat Scratch.  For me it is truly the wind chill that gets to my hands..  Heated hand grips heat the palm of the hand and occasionally a bit of the fingers as well.  But the brake and clutch levers i find are a great source of cold for the hands.  Today i finally got to test my TourMaster Winter Elite gloves. It was 22 deg. this A.M. over here and i was doing 70 mph on I 278 through Brooklyn on my way to work and my fingers survived. Cold fingers are my biggest pet peeve when it comes to winter cycling so i will vouch for these gloves.  fyi...i also hate bulky gloves...these are multi layered but i still had a good feel and control for the throttle.
These are the gloves pictured.....pricey but i'll make good use of them...

(http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/photos/OG/g9252.jpg)

My 2 cents.... :thumb:

hey scratch...where did you get those?...
cheapest in stores i found was 100 bucks CDN...

Quote from: juggernaughtToday i finally got to test my TourMaster Winter Elite gloves. [...]  i will vouch for these gloves.

Thanks for the review juggernaught!  I just ordered a pair of these yesterday from NewEnough.com.  Pricey indeed, but I'm hoping for warmth and comfort as I ride Ed_In_Az's bike up here from Arizona in a couple weeks.

You may say, "Why would you need those in Arizona?" but I'll be hitting several plateaus and peaks between 6500 and 7500 feet of altitude on this route.  In December that can get to be plenty cold - even in the desert.  With my Plexistar 2 windshield blocking a large portion of the wind I'm pretty optimistic.

Thanks again!

I'm just curious. If the Tourmaster Winter Elite Gloves are said to have a waterproof and breathable liner, then why do you need the built-in nylon polar cover as well?

Quote from: KerryYou may say, "Why would you need those in Arizona?" but I'll be hitting several plateaus and peaks between 6500 and 7500 feet of altitude on this route.  In December that can get to be plenty cold - even in the desert.  

yes it can

and just because its a desert doesn't mean its hot

Quote from: FlashI'm just curious. If the Tourmaster Winter Elite Gloves are said to have a waterproof and breathable liner, then why do you need the built-in nylon polar cover as well?

I actually used the polar cover on the night ride home.  The cover pairs up your figers so it looks like you have 2 fingers and a thumb.  Believe it or not they actually felt warmer and more comfortable with the cover over the fingers.  Helps fight the wind chill and retain a little more heat i figure.  And the leather is very soft.  Kerry glad i could be of assistance for once.... :mrgreen:

I was looking for hand guards as well,checked out Acerbis but found Polisport much cheaper,very easy to fit on the standard 2002 bars and the blue matched the 2002 candy blue very well,got a sporty look design too them as well,they also come with all the fitting hardwear,Acerbis wanted extra for that .  :thumb:

there's a guy that works at the Jail that I work, who I ride with sometimes.  What he did, for the cold, was take a SunnyD bottle, and cut it in half.  He then placed them on each handle, and he said he could ride w/ no gloves on, and not be too cold at all..  I'm a scrony tropical boy who knows I'd be cold w/ 3 sets of gloves on, plus I just thought it looked funny on his nice @$$ "Yamahog"  but hey, if it works=)

Quote from: Frosthey scratch...where did you get those?...
cheapest in stores i found was 100 bucks CDN...

I ordered them from my favorite m/c accessory shop. If you really look at the picture you will note that the first knuckle and the thumb are still exposed. It's really difficult to tell if these make a difference. By the time I get my gloves on my hands are already cold, because I have poor blood circulation.

I am thinking of trying the same handguards, but for the KTM's, next.

Quote from: Aussie GS...Acerbis wanted extra for that.

Really? I didn't.
Edit: Maybe they're a different type; I ordered the MX handguards.

Quote from: TeBo...take a SunnyD bottle, and cut it in half.

I have heard of guys using Clorox bottles on their dirtbikes. What a way to advertise. Now, if I could just find some Pride and Joy...

Additional Edit (1/25/05): I revised the left handguard for better wind protection and to accomodate a stock lever (mine's not stock, it has a little tab welded for smaller hands). These are still the p/n: 12548005 for the Honda. In this photo you can see the trailing edge behind the clutch pivot mounting bolt needed a little trim.


You may see the slot needed to accomodate the adjuster perch. Sorry I covered the slot with tape. I wanted to keep the rain out that morning.


Note the guard covers the knuckle and thumb in this photo versus the photo in my previous post above.

So I have been looking into getting some handguards and here are the models that I have found.  Anyone have any recomendations?  Anyone ever used any of these listed?

Thanks

http://www.cyclebuy.com/shopping/powermadd/handguards.htm

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=17920&department=656&division=6#

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=17132&department=656&division=6#

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=10668&department=656&division=6#

By just looking at the links, the second one looks the most adjustable to be able to cover your hands. The others look like they are dependant upon the angle of the bar, as the second can pivot on the one screw.