Premium Member keithu Posted December 22, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted December 22, 2015 About a month ago I bought a First Gear 90w heated jacket because my ancient Aerostich Kanetsu heated vest finally died. I was really hoping to just buy a vest, because they're cheaper, they use less power, and I've always believed the biological argument that if you keep your trunk warm the appendages will stay comfortable due to increased blood flow. Likewise, I wanted a simple SAE connector because by Zod that's what I've always had before. So I went down to my local motorcycle shop, Premier Moto Gear/Mr. Ed's Moto. They didn't have any vests with SAE connectors, only First Gear jackets with new-fangled coax connectors. Not exactly what I wanted, but it was Small Business Saturday so everything in the store was 15% off. Before I'd left they talked me in to the 90 watt jacket, an extension cable, and a Heat Troller. I removed the old SAE wiring for my Kanetsu vest and installed the Heat Troller above the FJ instrument panel using a simple bracket I fashioned from galvanized steel. I routed a 24" coax extension cord back along the steering head and under the tank, but it was barely long enough. I later found that it was too short, as I unplugged myself while standing for a speed bump. I went back for another 12" extension and the wiring is pretty clean now. Bio-science is a bunch of hooey. How did I live without heated arms before? No idea. This jacket is incredibly warm. Every day of my commute lately has been 40F (5C) with pouring rain lately, yet I've never turned the Heat Troller above 75%. Mostly I run with it set to about 50-60% and I'm warm as toast. About that Heat Troller... It's easy to use with gloved hands, and I like the location above the instruments. BUT! It has this blinking red LED that almost puts your eye out. The flashing red LED illuminates the inside of my windshield, which becomes a serious distraction while commuting in the dark. This is mainly the fault of my choice in mounting position, but still. The flashing frequency of the LED changes with the Heat Troller setting, so it serves a purpose. I just wish it wasn't so dang bright. And maybe green instead of red. Fortunately, this was an easy problem to resolve. I looped a two inch strip of electrical tape over the LED. The tape glows slightly so I can see that the Heat Troller is switched on, but it's no longer a photon cannon assaulting my eyes. So I love the First Gear jacket, and the Heat Troller makes temperature adjustment cake, nevermind the LED that flashes like the bubble gum machine atop a 1970s cop car. What about the coax cables? I have to admit I'm sold on them, too. Connection is a lot easier than the old SAE connectors, yet they remain adequately secure so long as I leave sufficient slack. Good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted December 22, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted December 22, 2015 I agree - I love my Keis heated waistcoat but heated arms would be nice then I would only need my summer Goretex jacket on for the commute. I went out with just a light jumper on under my jacket last week and whilst my body was warm I noticed my arms were feeling the wind chill. #firstworldproblems This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldfart Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Keith....Thanks for an excellent report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unmapped Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 That was a good write up. Thanks for that. You sound like a regular MacGuyver. I'm sure you'll figure something out with the LED distraction. Maybe a color that's less bright? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popawilly Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 I put a connector on the heated grips plugs on my FJ 09 and use the bikes electronics to control the heat of my vest. Works great. Plug in the vest then the heated grips control is available. Do not have heated grips. Just the vest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfjniner Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Nice write up on the Firstgear heated jacket liner. I may be wrong about this, but this is what I recall: The Firstgear heated clothes is made by Warm and Safe, and is First rate stuff. The Heat Troller mfg. made the electrical control units used by Gerbings in the past. Gerbings went to China and had the Heat Trollers copied and then quit using the original Heat Troller. Mike Coan, the inventer of the heat troller, decided to make his own heated gear and started the Warm and Safe outfit after that underhanded dealing by Gerbing. Mike, I believe then struck good deals with other companies, like Firstgear, to make their heated gear, etc. I believe this is true, and have tried to discribe it in a nut Shell. Recently I crashed my FJ09 and in the crash lost my Heat Troller control unit. I contacted Mike and he told me to order a new unit as a upgrade and he would honor it. That saved me about $40. He stands behind his goods. Two thumbs up on this gear. Works great. I got the wireless controller vs. the wired in unit. You still have to plug in the jacket but the wires can come from the battery. Heat Troller is shown below velcroed to the brake res.. Can be relocated to FJR in the same location without having to reroute wires. Wire that the liner plugs into is just below the seat and tucked into a plastic wire clamp. Ken, Candy Ass L.D.R. Sleeps 8 hours (2)2005 FJR1300abs: 230,000 m 2015 FJ-09: 114,000 m (Replaced engine at 106K) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norcal616 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 I have the same jacket even the pants...I actually used a piece of "Plastic Velcro" not the fabric style Velcro and mounted the heat controller on the black plastic trim at the front of the seat pan...I did have it temporarily mounted on my dash then got hella annoyed really quick with the flashing lights in like 2 secs... I also learned if you use the heated gear just after putting your undergarments on it provides the best hottest heat and allows you to only turn the heat controller up very little compared to using the gear after you put your normal clothes on or use it over a sweat shirt which requires you to turn up heat more to get warm to get the heat thru all them layers of clothes...I usually throw my under armor long John's and shirt over the heated gear to compress the heated gear close to my body...I have used this heated jacket combo under my AGV 2 piece leather suit with long Johns and a Hoodie for a good 3hr round trip at 25°f ride and the heat setting was barley 60%..only thing that got cold was the top of my hands, only used my regular all leather farm store cowhide gloves and them north pole approved heated yamaha grips ? and the givi handguard extentions... seriously I think lvl 7and above are enough to start a fire under your pal with lvl 10 turning your hands into lava 2012 wr250f - C-class 30+ age group 2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition-80whp 2015 fj-09- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich tune by 2WDW @120whp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted November 23, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted November 23, 2016 I swap my heat trollers between my 3 bikes and am old school so I use the wired units since in reality even with the wireless unit you have to make 2 connections, and the wireless unit requires batteries. Red you were correct about W&S (Mike Coan was from Chicago and now has some serious health issues BTW) mfg for 1st Gear but that relationship went south too a few years ago. W&S makes good stuff (I'm a dealer for them FYI) and stands behind it. IMO there are no better T-Stats than theirs. For bikes with marginal alternator output they have a 65W jacket liner with heat panels instead of wire elements but the FJ09 can handle a full 90W. For those without heated grips, their heated gloves have armor, a rarity and can be connected to their dual heat troller. And only wearing a base layer under the heated gear is preferred; I wear Cool Max type base layers head to toe, summer and winter. BTW, keeping cord length as short as possible is required with DC to minimize amperage loss unless you step up in wire gauge size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcarnut Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 I got the Warm n Safe jacket and glove about a year ago, they are great, wish I'd got them years ago. I went with the wireless controller and made my own mount with a plastic clip, didn't care for how floppy the velcro method was. Will post a pic manana. SoCal 2015 FJ-09 Red of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmie Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I got the Warm n Safe jacket and glove about a year ago, they are great, wish I'd got them years ago. I went with the wireless controller and made my own mount with a plastic clip, didn't care for how floppy the velcro method was. Will post a pic manana. I also bought Warm & Safe from a distributor here in Australia. Like pcarnut...."wish I'd got them years ago". Don't know why I waited so long....one of the best investments in my riding kit. Kimmie......the lady who likes to take little detours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcarnut Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 I got the Warm n Safe jacket and glove about a year ago, they are great, wish I'd got them years ago. I went with the wireless controller and made my own mount with a plastic clip, didn't care for how floppy the velcro method was. Will post a pic manana.I also bought Warm & Safe from a distributor here in Australia. Like pcarnut...."wish I'd got them years ago".Don't know why I waited so long....one of the best investments in my riding kit. Ooops, said I would post a pic. The tabs on the front of the two handlebar clamps are threaded so I reversed them (which also makes getting to the key easier) and make a bracket and clip to hold the wireless heattroller (sp) SoCal 2015 FJ-09 Red of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmie Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 Very neat!! Kimmie......the lady who likes to take little detours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcarnut Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 Very neat!! Thx! Love fabricating stuff. SoCal 2015 FJ-09 Red of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.