Harley-Davidson Mens Heated Gloves 98323-09VM
When the temperatures started to drop, I started to wear my Harley-Davidson Heated Gloves. I purchased them last winter with my Friends and Family points at Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson in New Castle, Delaware. Due to the popularity of these gloves they were on back order until spring. I was glad to have them ready for this winter. They are part number 98323-09VM and retail for $185. As we know, Harley-Davidson makes motorcycles but not everthing that they sell. I believe that the gloves are made by Gerbing’s Heated Clothing. Gordan Gerbing invented heated motorcycle gear in the 1970’s. In 1999 Harley-Davidson named Gerbing’s to be the sole supplier of Harley-Davidson branded heated gear. Although Gerbing’s is an American company in Washington state the gloves are made in China.
The gloves come with a fused battery harness, power switch and three prong harness so that you can run the wires through the sleeves of your jacket. If you have a heated jacket liner the gloves will plug into the sleeves at the cuff. The gloves are made of genuine water resistant leather with a stretchable fabric panel on the backside of the gauntlet. These gloves have an inner liner made of Aquatex™ which is a lightweight waterproof windproof material. I have not tested these gloves in the rain, so I can’t rate their performance in wet weather. However they do keep the wind out. They are insulated with DuPont Thermolite® Active Insulation and are fairly warm without being plugged in for rides in the mid forites or higher (perfect for late fall early winter).
For rides in temperatures in the low forties and thirties you’ll want to plug them in. The Heated Gloves feature Microwire™ heating technology, a patented process of using micro-sized stainless steel fibers that are intertwined and encased in a Teflon® coating. The Microwire™ is woven into a heating matrix within the glove and provides consistent heat coverage to the entire length of each finger, including the thumb as well as the back of the hand.
I did not use the supplied battery harness. Instead I used a coaxial adapter to plug the gloves into my battery tender connection. You can buy this connector at your Harley-Davidson dealer or from www.Shop.RoadCaptainUSA.com
The gloves come with an on/off switch but do not come with a regulating device to control the temperature. So it will be full blast or nothing unless you purchase the Harley-Davidson Heated Thermostat which is sold separately as part number 98540-04V and retails for $60. I bought one at Mike’s Famous in Smyrna, DE during a special sale where I got 40% off. The thermostat features a small knob that allows you to dial the amount of heat you want like a volume control on a radio. In comparison, Tour Master® Synergy™ heated gloves are less expensive and come with a temperature regulator that is limited to three settings: low, medium and high. You can purchase the Tour Master Gloves in leather at Riders Discount for $153 (textile $135). I like that the Harley-Davidson system is fully adjustable.
The gloves can be used alone or in conjunction with a heated jacket liner (not to be confused with a heated vest). When using the gloves by themselves I find that feeding the wires through my jacket sleeves is a nuisance (being able to ride in January makes it only a minor nuisance). Next month I will review how the gloves perform in conjunction with a Tour Master® Synergy™ heated jacket liner thus eliminating the need to feed the wires through my jacket sleeves.
The HD Heated gloves are comfortable to wear. When used with the fully adjustable thermostat they keep my hands comfortably warm on cold rides. I have not tested them in temps below thirty yet. If I do happen to ride in temperatures below thirty, you can bet it is the heated gloves that make it possible.
