The Best Heated Motorcycle Gear For Extreme Cold Weather Riding

Motorcycles offer a fun and exhilarating method of transportation, though they, unfortunately, afford very little protection from the elements. When the sun is shining, this lack of protection isn’t much of a problem, though when the winter months roll around, frigid temperatures become a major dilemma. So much so in fact, that even many daily commuter riders opt to hang up their helmets and leathers throughout the duration of year’s final season.

There are, however, some potential remedies that can keep you on the road when the mercury starts to dip. For example, you can dress in layer upon layer to keep yourself toasty warm. There is, unfortunately, a pretty major downside to this particular method — each subsequent layer further limits the rider’s range of motion. And with too many layers, riding can actually become far more dangerous. Thankfully, technology has helped to mitigate this issue. You see, with heated motorcycle gear, you can still supply your body with plenty enough warmth for cold-weather riding without compromising your ability to move and react. And we’ve put together the following guide to ensure you’ve gotten your hands on the best heated motorcycle gear available.

Symtec Heat Demon Seat Warmer Pad

Best Seat Pad: The vast majority of aftermarket heated seats are year/model specific, so a great alternative is to purchase a universal motorcycle heat pad like this item from Symtec. Measuring 10″ W X 9″ L, this ultra-thin heating device was designed to be slipped beneath a bike’s existing seat cover. And with a maximum wattage of 30W (at 14V), this surprisingly potent offering can very much be felt through even a thick leather cover. A two-foot disconnect cable and an on/off rocker switch make using this item remarkably easy, too.

Hotwired 12V Heated Inner Sole

Best Heated Soles: If you already own a nice pair of motorcycle boots, a great route to take is investing in heated inner soles. These particular items use an ergonomically-shaped bed and an injection-molded sole with a wicking surface fabric. Sold with a two-year warranty, these insoles feature an automatic temperature cutoff and have been designed to be used in conjunction with Hotwired’s heated pant liner. Precise sizing makes proper fitment a breeze, and best of all, they only require 17.2 watts (1.5 amps) to power.

Firstgear 12V Heated Socks

Best Heated Socks: Sold with a two-year warranty, the First gear 12V Heated Over Socks boast a form-fitting stretch micro fleece outer shell. This foot-warming, moisture-wicking base layer features a fitted cup instead of a typical tube sock shape, and only draw 9 watts of power. Despite heated footwear often being an afterthought, it’s the body’s extremities that lose heat fastest, making these a more crucial component to a solid winter riding getup than most bikers realize.

Firstgear Heated Glove Liners

Best Glove Liner: If you already own a quality pair of riding gloves, a set of glove liners can be a fantastic alternative to shelling out the cash needed to purchase a new set of heated gloves. Boasting moisture-wicking properties, the Firstgear Heated Glove Liners feature a super thin Spandex-infused polyester construction that allows them to easily slip beneath an existing pair of riding mitts. Drawing only 11 wats (at 13.8 volts), these glove liners can either be powered through a heated jacket, or via an extension cord. 

FXR Racing Transfer Heated Gloves

Best Gauntlet Gloves: The Transfer Heated Gloves are the latest heated offering from FXR and feature a nylon laminated shell reinforced by full-grain leather areas on the thumbs and palms. These motorcycle gloves feature a rechargeable 7.4V Lithium-polymer battery that affords up to five hours of heat, and a three-stage heat settings arrangement regulates the warming elements on each finger and on the back of the hands — which also get 150g Thinsulate insulation while the palms get their own 200g insulation. Further protection from the elements comes in the form of a breathable and waterproof Hipora membrane, adjustable wrist straps, and a cozy polar fleece lining.

KOSO Apollo Heated Grips

Best Heated Grips: When it comes to heated grips, it’s hard to do better than the Apollo Heated Grips from high-end aftermarket motorcycle gear brand, Koso. These easy-to-install, plug-and-play items fit standard 7/8″ diameter bars and feature a five-color LED indicator as well as a thumb-operated controller that allows the device to be adjusted without removing your hands from the bars. They also feature a low-battery warning light, plus If the bike’s voltage drops below a certain amount (11.5V for 5 seconds or more), the grips automatically shut themselves off, too.

Gerbing 12V Heated Pant Liner

Best Heated Pants: Though designed as a heated bottom liner, the Gerbing 12V Heated Pant Liner boasts a level of construction and durability that allow them to be worn as standalone riding trousers — largely thanks to a robust mini ripstop nylon shell and full suite of all YKK zippers. Also equipped with pre-sock wiring connections, these pants features two Microwire heating elements at the legs and another pair at the hips — all of which boast a max temp of 135°F while only drawing 44 watts. It is, however, worth noting that these pants’ heat controller and battery harness are sold separately. 

HJC DS X1 Synergy Snow Helmet Electric Shield

Best Electric Helmet: Weighing in at less than 4.0lbs, the HJC DS-X1 Snow Helmet is an adventure-style lid that features an advanced polycarbonate composite shell with an advanced channeling ventilation system and a massive eye-port capped off with an electric heated HJ-27 visor. DOT-approved, the helmet also sports a proprietary SuperCool moisture-wicking interior that’s removable, washable, and antimicrobial. Depending on conditions, this motorcycle helmet’s peak and visor can also be adjusted or removed, plus the shell was designed to be used with a set of goggles once its visor has been jettisoned — a super easy swap thanks to this lid’s included quick-release visor mechanism. 

Aerostich Kanetsu AIRVANTAGE Electric Liner

Best Heated Jacket: As one of the most trusted names in the motorcycle gear industry, it really is hard to go wrong with any Aerostich item, and this very much extends to the Duluth outfit’s Kanetsu AIRVANTAGE Electric Liner. Benefitting from the use of a proprietary, patented heating system with three separate heating circuits, this 75 watt / 5 amp item packs a WINDSTOPPER outer layer covering its heated core. As the name implies, the Kanetsu AIRVANTAGE works as a heated base layer, but can also be used as an exterior layer on days that don’t require the heated element. This jacket also comes backed by a lifetime warranty. 

Alpinestars HT-7 Heat Tech Drystar Gloves

Best Wireless Gloves: A wildly-advanced pair of full-feature riding gloves with a built-in wireless heating system, the Alpinestars HT-7 Heat Tech Drystar Gloves are crafted around a goat leather and Micro Ripstop soft-shell with a waterproof and breathable Drystar performance membrane and 80 grams of PrimaLoft insulation. CE-rated, these full-featured riding gloves also boast touchscreen-compatible fingertips, palm sliders, dual-density TPU knuckle guards, rolled fingertips for better heat retention, a rechargeable 7.4-volt Lithium battery, and cutting-edge heating elements that use stainless enameled copper-nickel heating yarn. Capable of being controlled wirelessly through the Astars’ Heat Tech app, these mitts also automatically turn on when the wearer slips their hand into the gloves. 

The Different Types Of Heated Moto Gear

The two main types of heated gear are tethered and non-tethered. The former sees the garments linked via a cord to a battery or the bike’s electrical system itself, either of which will power the heating elements. Untethered (or “wireless”) gear utilizes an integrated battery built into the garment itself. There are also heated gear offerings that use a basic on/off switch, as well as more precisely-controlled adjustable pieces.

As previously mentioned above, there are obviously heated base layers (including pants, shirts, socks, gloves, etc) and heated exterior jackets and pants. And in addition to heated clothing, several motorcycle helmet companies also offer snow-spec versions of their respective helmets with these items typically using the exact same construction as the regular-weather-variant, but also getting a breath box, dual-pane, or electric visor. On top of heated wearables, several aftermarket motorcycle outfits produce heated components for the motorcycle itself such as heated grips and seats.

What To Consider When Shopping For Heated Gear

There’s no shortage of factors one can consider when shopping around for heated motorcycle riding gear. With that said, there are a handful of elements that are no doubt more crucial to consider than others — the most important of which we’ll be breaking down directly below in this condensed guide to the most pivotal elements to consider when buying heated moto gear. 

Sizing: With the exception of pieces of gear such as helmets, the vast majority of heated motorcycle gear is designed to be worn over or under other non-heated garments and gear. Consequently, we often recommend opting for a size down or a size up from your normal sizing if you plan on wearing heated moto gear as an underlying base layer or overlying shell. 

Power Source: Heated pieces of motorcycle riding gear tend to either draw from their own dedicated battery pack or are hardwired to the motorcycle’s battery. Traditionally, heated pieces of moto riding gear have all been wired, though as battery technology advances and cells become smaller and more potent, we’ve seen a growing number of wireless piece of heated moto gear items that boast their own onboard battery packs. 

Materials: Just like buying any piece of motorcycle gear, the materials and construction used are crucial areas to take into account, as these factors will play an enormous roe in an item’s overall quality and durability. It’s also worth exploring the construction ton technique used to piece any material together.

Warmth & Insulation: While the heated elements inside of heated pieces of riding gear play a major role in an item’s overall warmth, it’s still worth looking into other factors that impact overall warmth such as insulation or the item’s shell — the latter of which will often determine an item’s ability to stand up to the elements. 

Protection & Padding: No different than any other type of motorcycle riding gear, a decent number of heated pieces of riding kit come outfitted with integrated armor meant for shielding the rider from impacts and blunt forces during a collision or crash. When reviewing this area you’ll want to consider armor type, location, and whether the armor is included, optional, or sod separately. 

Heating Elements & Performance: The overall heat and performance offered by a piece of heated motorcycle gear will largely boil down to said piece of gear’s number of heating elements, as well as the size nd power of each heating element. As a result, it’s imperative to explore the total number of heating elements, each element’s power or wattage, and each element’s location.

Waterproofing: Like any piece of electronic gear designed for use in the outdoors, you’ll want to consider a piece of heated riding gear’s level of water resistance or waterproofing. Because heated moto riding gear is obviously intended for use in inclement weather, the vast majority of these items offer robust weatherproofing, though this is nonetheless an area one should review when shopping. 

Control & Adjustability: Some pieces of heated motorcycle gear utilize simple on-and-off switches, as where other feature adjustable heating control elements that allow the user to select a temperature from a spectrum of settings. How a piece of heated gear is controlled should also be factored into one’s decision, as some items include wireless handlebar-mounted remotes while others use built-in hard-wired on-and-off switches or buttons. 

Versatility: While these items should be purchased for their ability to be used in winter and keep you warm, it’s still worth considering if a piece of heated riding gear can also be used for normal temperature riding, as this can significantly increase a product’s versatility — and therefor value. Pieces of gear with removable heating elements are often particularly versatile. 

How To Best Utilize Heated Gear

While heated motorcycle gear provides a tremendous advantage when trying to beat the cold, the stuff works best when paired with additional base layers and/or exterior garments. Typically, the warmest heated gear setup is comprised of a solid cold-weather motorcycle jacket and set of riding pants supplemented by a kit of heated base layers. This arrangement simultaneously uses the heating power of the underlying base layers while at the same time utilizing the core heat retention capabilities of a winter riding coat.

It’s also crucial to use an outer-layer with full wind-blocking protection, as the windchill experienced on a motorcycle will really exacerbate the frigid temperatures while riding. For less severe winter climates, riders can still comfortably withstand the conditions just by using a robust heated exterior jacket (and pants). And, while these heated garments are more costly than their non-heated counterparts, they can still be worn during the less nippy parts of the year sans the heating function, giving them a better overall value.

How & Why We Chose These Particular Pieces Of Heated Moto Riding Gear

Between snowmobiling and motorcycling, there’s an absolutely massive number of heated pieces of riding gear — a fact that can make shopping in this space a fairly daunting process. In order to hone in on the best pieces of gear in this segment and generate a list of the best of the best, we started by first making a list of the most important types of heated riding gear — such as heated gloves, heated jackets, heated helmets, etc. With this list in hand, we then extensively scoured the space, using criteria such as material selection, design, features, and build quality to make a few initial picks for each sub-segment. Also heavily factored into our decision making process was each piece of gear’s actual heating setup, including its number of heating elements, controller and adjustability, and power source. Price and value were also taken into consideration, along with an item’s overall bang for your buck. Side-by-side reviews and comparisons would then allow us to ultimately narrow each shortlist down to a final best-of item from each sector within the larger heated gear space. 

When Should I Use Heated Riding Gear?

Heated motorcycle gear can do a phenomenal job of keeping you warm and comfortable while riding on cold days. With that said, motorcyclists that routinely travel through extreme, otherworldly winter conditions on two-wheels will almost never rely on heated gear for survival, and instead utilize heated items to supplement their other garments and gear. The reasoning behind this logic is that, should a piece of heated gear break or fail while far off-grid, it could very easily mean death for the rider should they not be equipped with other sufficiently warm gear. With modern tech and components, contemporary heated motorcycle gear has admittedly become incredibly reliable, though considering the gravity and severity of the potential consequences if said heated gear fails, we recommend only using heated gear to supplement your winter riding loadout — rather than as core elements that replace normal garments. 

Advice From A Seasoned Cold-Weather Rider

In theory, even the coldest, most otherworldly climates can be survived on two-wheels with the right gear and layers. Having said that, the world’s toughest and most extreme (and arguably craziest) cold-weather riders — such as Canada’s Oliver Solaro who routinely rides around the ice roads of the country’s northern territories on multi-week motorcycle touring trips — typically opt to forgo the use of heated gear simply for the reason that if said gear should for whatever reason malfunction or fail, it will almost certainly result in death. And though most heated gear is reliable and well made — putting the odds in your favor — most riders don’t want to take that chance.

This however only applies to the most extreme of cold weather riding — temperatures into dipping into or past the minus 40-50 degree F range. For normal riders (aka damn-near everyone else) just looking to tackle a daily commute during the winter months, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better solution to beating the cold than heated gear.

The Best Motorcycle Rain Gear For Wet-Weather Riding

More in need of protection from rain than you are frigid temperatures? Then be sure to cruise on over to our guide to the best motorcycle rain gear for wet weather riding for a curated list of riding kit engineered for use in inclement conditions.