Hand (wind) guards for RT?

[mackerman]

We're working on extending our riding season this year - so far so good with keeping everything warm except for our hands. The RT's heated grips do pretty good on the inside of the hand, but I'm thinking a pair of "brush" guards would help with the backside of the fingers.

 

Anyone had much luck with fitting a brush guard to the grips on a '99RT? And if so, what kind & what mod's were necessary to make them fit?

[Gregori]

Hand guards for the GS should work. (For an 1100, use 1100GS parts.)

AFAIK, the bikes (same generation) use essentially the same switchgear hardware.

 

On the other hand a pair of Gerbings gloves will do wonders at keeping your mitts nice and toasty...

[bobbybob]

Just make sure they will not hit your windshield when turning the bars lock-to-lock. They would hit with my Vstream.

[JR356]

Hand guards for the GS should work. (For an 1100, use 1100GS parts.)

AFAIK, the bikes (same generation) use essentially the same switchgear hardware.

 

 

JR356

 

 

[gezerbike]

The 1100 GS guards will work, but the real issue is mirrors....the handguards will block your vision of you mirrors..for certain. I watched a friend install them on his bike before we went on a winter trip. Twice in a short period of time he' bout bounced off a car changing lanes on Int 65. If you go with the handguards, get a set of GS mirrors. Your bars have a hole for them, so no modifications are necessary. Tally the cost for both, Gerbings gloves aren't a bad deal. If you want to continue the guards quest, PM me and we can talk about a set of GS guards I have..........

[sebjones906]

Hippo Hands work

http://www.hippohands.com/Hippo%20Hands.htm

[gezerbike]

Hippo Hands work

http://www.hippohands.com/Hippo%20Hands.htm

 

They work great, but he will still have the visibility issue. He would still need to get the GS mirrors.

[BeemerLover]

GS mirrors cost me about $160. ??? for the hand guards, can't be less than $100 for both. Gerbing gloves = $130 street price....

 

Gael

[gezerbike]

The 1100 GS guards will work, but the real issue is mirrors....the handguards will block your vision of you mirrors..for certain. I watched a friend install them on his bike before we went on a winter trip. Twice in a short period of time he' bout bounced off a car changing lanes on Int 65. If you go with the handguards, get a set of GS mirrors. Your bars have a hole for them, so no modifications are necessary. Tally the cost for both, Gerbings gloves aren't a bad deal. If you want to continue the guards quest, PM me and we can talk about a set of GS guards I have..........

 

I think I alluded that it would be chaeper to go with the gloves. Most folks I know look for used stuff. My concern was mostly about the mirrors....you gotta have them when you put on the guards or the hippos, they both totally block the RT mirrors.

[mackerman]

Thanks for the input - which is exactly why I posted here in the first place - you can certainly count on the BMWST collective experience to save a few headaches..

 

I can't imagine riding without the mirrors - besides this is all the better reason to shop for some new heated gear anyway!

 

To hijack my own thread, any particular good/bad/otherwise between Gerbing and Widder (or anyone else's perferences?)

[OmahaAl]

So this is where I get to take flak for stupid ideas , but this really has worked well for me.

 

I used a pair of wind deflectors from SAENG. They were made to stick on a GS windshield to prevent helmet buffeting, but I put them on top of the tupperware in front of my RT mirrors.

 

When set up like in the photo below, they block the wind on my hands.

 

 

When it gets hot, I can turn them to push some additional air on my chest/neck.

 

 

 

[RoadJunkie]

Wow, those a cool! (excuse the pun). Did you buy the winglets and attach your own deflectors? I'm assuming the flex is ridged enough to prevent movement at higher speeds?

[OmahaAl]

Wow, those a cool! (excuse the pun). Did you buy the winglets and attach your own deflectors? I'm assuming the flex is ridged enough to prevent movement at higher speeds?

 

It's a stock Winglet, plexiglass and all. Here's a hacked up photo to help me explain.

 

 

There was a second round adhesive piece connected by a piece of rubber to the main assembly. On a GS windshield one rubber piece would go on one side of the windshield and the round piece attached to the Winglet on the other. Before I modified it, that second round piece would be the upside down "lollipop" drawn in red below the Winglet. I cut that off.

 

There are two adjustments to the tension of the Winglet so you can turn it, but so it doesn't flop around on the highway. The two screws I circled in red in the middle of the Winglet control the tension on the ball and socket that holds the plexiglass. The round black fastener I circled (don't know what that kind of fastener is called) controls the lateral tension (left/right pivot) of the Winglet.

[JR356]

The 1100 GS guards will work, but the real issue is mirrors....the handguards will block your vision of you mirrors..for certain. I watched a friend install them on his bike before we went on a winter trip. Twice in a short period of time he' bout bounced off a car changing lanes on Int 65. If you go with the handguards, get a set of GS mirrors. Your bars have a hole for them, so no modifications are necessary. Tally the cost for both, Gerbings gloves aren't a bad deal. If you want to continue the guards quest, PM me and we can talk about a set of GS guards I have..........

 

Just stuck on some of those small wide angle mirrors that you find at any auto parts/Wallyworld,etc to the stock mirrors.That did the trick for me,only cost a few bucks for a set.

 

JR356

[Axe]

"Thanks for the input - which is exactly why I posted here in the first place - you can certainly count on the BMWST collective experience to save a few headaches..

 

I can't imagine riding without the mirrors - besides this is all the better reason to shop for some new heated gear anyway!

 

To hijack my own thread, any particular good/bad/otherwise between Gerbing and Widder (or anyone else's perferences?)"

 

Never tried Widder's, however I love my Gerbing's. Had the same issue as you described. The heated grips were great for most of my hands but fingers got painfully cold. With the Gerbings I have ridden in below freezing weather and the fingers stay toasty warm. Some complain about them being bulky and they are big and thick, small price to pay for how well they work I think.

[Boffin]

Another option - bar muffs. These are sold in the UK and are designed for BMW grips but I have seen generic muffs fitted to Beemers as well. They keep the wind and train off of your hands and let the bar heaters warm the space around your hand as well - they are intended for use with gloves.

 

Here is a set on Ebay.

 

Andy

[motoguy128]

Have you already tried some good winter gloves? I have some $70 Alpine stars that seem to work great down to 25-30F with the heated grips. They are also waterproof and I've used them at warmer temepratures. but then again... for just $50-60 more the heated gloves might be a better option anyway.

 

I'm assuming you already have heated vests or jackets? Keeping your core nice and warm is the first step to keeping you hands and feet nice and warm.

[gezerbike]

Below is a reply I postred last week about heated gloves and grips.

 

Let me throw my .02 in here. I agree with Larry...bulky heated gloves stop the heat from heated grips from getting thru, therefore rendering them useless. I've got ALOT of experience riding in cold temps, and think I have it down pretty good. I rode 200 miles yesterday ( mid 30's ) with just a pair of Thermolite liners worn under my BMW summer rain gloves, and my hands were toasty, and I still had a good feel for the bars and throttle. Several years ago, on our 9 degree ride south, I used the same setup, but I put a set of chemical hand warmers things on the backside of the Thermolite liners, between both pair of gloves, thus having heated grips on one side and the warmer on the other....worked great. Key here is a windproof, and water proof, barrier to keep the wind out. I had a pair of Gerbing liners, they worked, but I didn't like the feel. I think I get the same effect here, but without the added cost and electric being used. Also, I do the same with my feet if the weather is colder than 20 degrees. Works great, not alot of money tied up for a very small amount of use, when you really think about it. Another " trick " to staying warn in the winter while riding...use some baby oil your feet, hands, and everywhere for that matter. That oily skin holds in heat better than dry skin. I splash it on in the shower then towel dry it off .....similar to what the swimmers crossing the Englich Channel do. It works.

[Lockguy]

Gezerbike, could you be a little more specific on the Thermolite liners? I found a pair on Amazon.com for about $7. Is this the quality you are refering to or could you give us a specific brand and source? I was about to buy some electrics but would rather not have to deal with more wiring if this would work.

Thanks

Lockguy

[Axe]

Let me throw my .02 in here. I agree with Larry...bulky heated gloves stop the heat from heated grips from getting thru, therefore rendering them useless

 

When wearing Gerbing heated gloves,The heated grips on my 06 R1200RT will get too hot to hold onto when switched to high. Perhaps my grips are not suppose to get that hot, but I disagree on calling them useless when using heated gloves.

[gezerbike]

I think the last pair I bought were BMW branded and they cost me about $ 10. They are very similar to silk linerns...very thin to fit under you regular gloves.

 

As for heavy insulated winter gloves and heated grips, I guess I should have said it has been my experience that the same insulation used to keep out the cold works about the same when letting heat in. The more material, and the thicker the material, between your hand and the source of the heat, the longer it is going to tske for that heat to penetrate to your hand. Remove your hand from the source of the heat and you now have to start the process over. My experience is limited to Airheads and Oilheads...maybe the Hexheads get warmer. I know I am not alone in what I said. But my main reason for trying lighter gloves is for feel. I don't like big bulky gloves when riding. I feel like I loose some control, or feel. I can't run heated gloves on my Airhead, so no choice there. I do carry, and might have used once or twice, a pair of Aerostich 3 finger rain gauntlets which also help.

 

On one of our annual winter rides from Chicago to the Smolies, I used a pair of generic Hippo Hands and I actually took my liners out and just wore my summer rain gloves. They just presented more problems so I sold them...but they work spectaularlly. If I rode my Airhead in the winter, I'd get another set just for it.