Your experience may vary, and mine has.
Like almost everything that has more than three steps (computers, cars, cooking -- everything) we really should decide what we want to do, then find the most cost-effective method to do that.
Too many of us are guilty of the "shiny object" syndrome.
The key is to treat you, your clothing, your bike, your environment, your route, as a total system, and look at it systematically.
I mostly agree with
@barbagris . By way of example, I commute in all weather by bicycle. Some years ago, when I assumed that past a certain point, the weather was too cold to ride, I was at work, and just happened to be walking by the bike rack by the front entrance when I saw a fellow cyclist parking her bike, and I looked at her quizzically and asked, "How do you do it?"
She smiled, and said, "I was told long ago, 'There is no bad weather. There is only bad clothing.'"
I followed her advice, and over the next two years, extended my riding season, and the one trick I found, that applies to motorcycles, and agrees with
@barbagris initial statement (I have NO heated gear on the bicycle) is plugging up the holes where ambient air could otherwise reach your skin, was key. As I found garments that allowed the movement necessary on a bicycle, and still sealed -- and we all know the wisdom of layers, I found the only weather restriction -- one that to this day I have not solved -- is the ten or so degrees above freezing in the rain -- resulting in high humidity and the perspiration causes condensation on my goggles. I found booties and one layer of gloves are sufficient on the bicycle thanks to the workout keeping the blood flowing.
Switch to the motorcycle, and I might as well be a couch potato, so in addition to sealing my garments, I find "prevention" is necessary.
While I understand the concept of Hippo Hands, and have used them on other bikes, the need for more than less control at all times on the Rocket makes me too nervous when I envision the situation where a hand is off the handlebar, and I need to get back to the handlebar NOW, and end up fumbling with the opening of the Hippo Hands / Moose Paws.
For that requirement, I found the creation of
@Bedifferent to be exquisite for the Rocket (Touring at least, with a Touring windshield), to wit:
What do you think?....Hand wind deflectors
Then, as posted elsewhere, I use a First Gear heated vest, that has wires that connect to First Gear heated gloves. There is enough protection on the bike, I have not found the need for heated anything below the waist - as with
@Boog I wear long underwear, lined pants, and wool socks, and that seems to suffice.
Without some protection for the hand grips, I find no amount of heat works.
With protection for the hand grips (and there are several approaches to this), I find a low to medium setting on vest (gloves are not controlled independently) and heated grips (I recommend Oxford) works.
And the beauty of putting effort into well-sealed clothes and some protection for the hand grips, is in the event Murphy shows up (
@barbagris real-world experience), I have found I can handle the ride indefinitely (or the rest of the fuel supply) without the electric -- just less comfortable -- definitely bearable.
