Short answer: for most motorcyclists, a set with five heat settings and a memory function is the right choice. If you ride all year round and often in the rain, opt for a waterproof set with automatic temperature control. If you only ride in the spring and autumn, a simpler model is more than sufficient. The most important thing is that the size is correct: first measure your handlebar diameter, usually 22 mm or 25.4 mm.
Why cold hands are more than just an inconvenience
Cold hands become stiff. Stiff hands engage your clutch later, squeeze your brake harder than you intend, and provide less feel for what the front wheel is doing. This is not only uncomfortable but also costs you control when you need it most.
At an ambient temperature of ten degrees Celsius and one hundred kilometers per hour, the wind chill on your hands feels well below freezing. Gloves insulate, but they don't produce heat. That's precisely the difference with heated grips: they heat from the inside out, through your palm.
Heated grips or heated gloves?
This is the first question most riders ask, and the answer is the same for most people.
Heated grips are fixed to your motorcycle. You never have to charge anything, never have to connect a cable, and you can continue to wear your regular gloves. The heat comes from the inside of your hand, precisely where the blood vessels are closest to the skin. The disadvantage: your fingertips and the back of your hand remain cold, and in heavy rain, the outside cools down faster.
Heated gloves heat your entire hand, including your fingers. But you have to charge or connect them, they are thicker and therefore less sensitive, and you only have them if you bring them with you.
For daily use and commuting, heated grips almost always win. You start your motorcycle and they work, every time. If you ride in consistently freezing weather or are very sensitive in your fingers, then a combination of both is the most complete solution.
First this: what's your handlebar diameter?
This is the most common mistake when ordering. Heated grips replace your existing grips, so the size must be correct.
- 22 mm is the standard on by far most motorcycles. Naked bikes, sports bikes, adventure, enduro.
- 25.4 mm (one inch) is mainly found on custom and cruisers, including Harley-Davidson.
Measure the outer diameter of your handlebar on the right side, where the throttle grip is located. If you're unsure, measure on the left side, as the right side has a throttle tube that is slightly thicker. Also pay attention to the grip length: most sets are between 115 and 132 mm, and many models can be shortened.
What determines the price difference?
There's easily a one hundred and fifty euro difference between the cheapest and most expensive sets. That difference comes down to four things.
Number of heat settings
Two settings mean on or full. Five settings allow you to adjust the heat to the weather, and you'll use that more often in practice than you think. In October, you'll want something different than in January.
Automatic heat regulation
The more expensive sets use a sensor to measure the actual temperature of the grip and adjust accordingly. With cheaper models, you control the power, not the temperature. You notice the difference at varying speeds: on the highway, a grip cools down faster than in the city, and a sensor compensates for that.
Water resistance
The connections are the weak point of any heated grip. Models with IP65 or IP67 plugs are protected against this. If you also ride in winter and rain, this is the component you shouldn't skimp on.
Memory function
A set with memory remembers your last setting. Without memory, you start each ride by setting it again, and in thick gloves, that's more annoying than it sounds.
The models compared
Below are the sets we have in stock, from simple to complete.
Oxford Hotgrips Wrap, for those who don't want to disassemble anything
This is the only set in this overview that you wrap around your existing grips instead of replacing them. Hook and loop closure, and you're done. Two heat settings, fits up to 32 mm diameter, water-repellent polyester.
The right choice if you want to keep your original grips, if you often switch motorcycles, or if you just want to know if heated grips are for you before spending more.
Oxford Hotgrips Essential, the entry-level model
A full-fledged set with adjustable heat settings and LED control. Available in three versions for different motorcycle types and suitable for both 22/25 mm and 25.4/28.4 mm handlebars. The cruiser version has five settings and a removable chrome end cap.
For those who ride in spring and autumn and don't need sensors and memory.
Oxford Hotgrips Premium, five steps of heating
Five heat settings at 20, 40, 60, 75, and 100 percent, automatic shut-off, and a battery-saving mode that prevents the grips from starting if your battery is too low. The grip length depends on the version and can be shortened.
Oxford Hotgrips Advanced Integrated, waterproof with memory
This is where the serious work begins. Fully waterproof with IP67 plugs, five heat settings, memory for your last setting, and silicone grips instead of rubber. A detail you only appreciate once you have it: the LED automatically dims when you ride in the dark.
The adventure version has a 132 mm grip length and can be shortened to 128 or 122 mm.
Oxford Courier Hotgrips, built for daily riders
Developed for courier services, meaning for riders who are on their bikes daily, even when the weather is bad. Five settings with memory, battery-saving mode, and compatible with Oxford bar muffs if you want to put them over. Grip length 126 or 116 mm.
Oxford Hotgrips Evo, fixed temperatures instead of power
This set operates on temperature: high 45 degrees, medium 40, low 35. The set delivers maximum power until the chosen temperature is reached and then maintains it. IP67 plugs and five presets.
The ATV version can control the grips and the throttle separately, as the throttle has its own heating.
Oxford Hotgrips Pro, with sensor
Automatic heat control via an integrated sensor, with three presets at 45, 40, and 35 degrees. Silicone grips, IP65 plugs, and 125 mm grip length that can be shortened to 122 or 115 mm.
Oxford Hotgrips Pro 2.0, the complete package
The extended version of the Pro. Five temperature settings instead of three, color-coded via the LED: red 55, purple 50, green 45, white 40, and blue 35 degrees. Sensor-controlled, with memory for your last setting, fully waterproof connections, and an integrated strain relief for the cable.
This is the set for those who ride all year round and don't want to think about it anymore.
What does it do to your battery?
Heated grips draw power, and that's the second question riders ask. In practice, it's not too bad as long as your engine is running: your alternator provides enough power for a set of grips in addition to your lights.
What you need to pay attention to are short rides and standing still. If you're stuck in traffic for a long time with the heating on the highest setting, the load can increase. All Oxford models in this overview have a battery-saving mode for this: if your battery voltage is too low, the grips simply won't start.
If you have an older motorcycle or a battery that is already somewhat aged, check it before the season begins. A weak battery and a cold morning are not a good combination anyway.
Install it yourself or have it done?
Installing heated grips is doable for those who have previously worked on their motorcycle, but it's not a ten-minute job.
What's involved: removing your old grips, which is harder than it sounds with glued grips, putting on the new ones, neatly routing the cables along the handlebar so they don't get pinched when turning, and connecting the power. The latter is where things go wrong: if you connect to a permanent live wire, the heating will continue to draw power when your engine is off.
If you're unsure about the electrical connection, have that part done. A wrongly connected set can, in the worst case, cost you a dead battery or a blown fuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do heated grips fit every motorcycle?
On almost every motorcycle with a 12-volt electrical system, provided the handlebar diameter and grip length are correct. Measure your handlebar before ordering: 22 mm is standard, 25.4 mm is found on many custom and cruisers.
Can I install them myself?
Yes, if you have some wrenching experience. The trickiest part is the electrical connection, which needs to be to a switched live so the heating turns off with the ignition. Wrap-around kits like the Hotgrips Wrap are the easiest, as you don't have to remove your original grips.
How many heat settings do I need?
Two settings are sufficient if you only ride in the spring and autumn. If you ride all year round, you'll genuinely use five settings: you'll set it differently in October than in January, and differently on the highway than in the city.
What's the difference between controlling by power and controlling by temperature?
When controlling by power, you choose how hard the heating works, for example, at 60 percent. When controlling by temperature, you choose how warm the grip should get, for example, 45 degrees, and a sensor maintains that. The latter is more stable at varying speeds.
Are heated grips and handguards useful together?
Yes, and that's the most effective combination available. Heated grips warm your palm, and handguards keep the wind and rain off the back of your hand. Together, they eliminate the problem from two sides.
Which one do you choose?
If you only ride in the spring and autumn and don't want to disassemble anything: the Hotgrips Wrap. If you want a full-fledged set without frills: the Hotgrips Essential. If you also ride in winter and rain: choose a waterproof set, so the Advanced Integrated or the Pro 2.0. If you want to control by temperature instead of power: the Hotgrips Evo or the Hotgrips Pro.
If you have doubts about the size or which version suits your motorcycle, please contact us, and we'll help you out.