Handlebar Muffs

[Navigator]

The firs time I rode with a set of these was when a friend and I traded bikes for about half a day. He had them on his BMW and I discovered that I didn't know where all the buttons, such as turn signals, were. It was kind of funny. They keep the hands incredibly warm. A Brit friend of mine who I rode with at Lake Tahoe told me about these a couple of years ago and decided it was time.





They fit snugly around the brake and clutch master cylinders, mirrors etc., and are of excellent quality. They are not a quick easy on and off though since install involves straps and velcro fasteners.

[cedar]

I've been thinking about getting some of those for when the temps are less than ideal.

[recumbentbob]

Sort of like Hippo Hands

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[Navigator]

Originally Posted by recumbentbob

Sort of like Hippo Hands

Sent from my ASUS_Z00TD using Tapatalk

Exactly. I had a pair back in the 70s but they were not waterproof.

[mbarr10]

I used a pair of similar ones for 7 winter/spring seasons. It was a great solution. They were designed for ATVs but I slid them on anyway. Had to remove the mirrors, drill a hole in them for the mirrors. Melt the Nylon to keep it from in raveling. then reinstall the mirrors. This put them at the optimum angle.
Very scary at first, having your hands covered. (Loss of freedom of movement) But, the feeling subsided. I found I could use lighter gloves inside them so my manual dexterity was improved. Had to cut a slit in the left inside curve to improve Blinker usage.
I kept them for my Vaquero, but I have not tried them on it yet.
Some days you do not even need gloves. Levers are still cold though.

[Navigator]

Originally Posted by mbarr10

I used a pair of similar ones for 7 winter/spring seasons. It was a great solution. They were designed for ATVs but I slid them on anyway. Had to remove the mirrors, drill a hole in them for the mirrors. Melt the Nylon to keep it from in raveling. then reinstall the mirrors. This put them at the optimum angle.
Very scary at first, having your hands covered. (Loss of freedom of movement) But, the feeling subsided. I found I could use lighter gloves inside them so my manual dexterity was improved. Had to cut a slit in the left inside curve to improve Blinker usage.
I kept them for my Vaquero, but I have not tried them on it yet.
Some days you do not even need gloves. Levers are still cold though.

That was exactly my initial impression. It felt kind of weird but they sure work. Mine came with roundrels to install over the hole should then need to be cut for the mirrors. They sit kind of low so I just might do that. I'll have to see whatever issues might arise should I raise them.

It's been pouring down rain here and will do so for the next 8 days so no riding here. I talk to my friend in Crivitz, WI and they're still getting sunshine there but with temps down in the 20s at night.

Edit: I just looked at my pics again and there is no way to shift them. I'd like them to be up just a tad but it's really no big deal. They'll work.

[mbarr10]

Mike,
From the looks of your pic the muffs (Oxford rain seals)turn in to 45degree angles towards the tank bag. As I sit on my bike it seems they are not straight with the way my hands/arms go into the muffs in relation to the grips.
Is it an allusion? Do you have enough lever clearance, since the brake lever is very touchy to light up the brakes. Can you adjust them forward? as in more of a straight angle to your shoulders/ arms? This forward mounting would change the relation to my hands entering and give it more lever space. This is why I drilled mine out, but they are a cheaper brand and not as good of a quality as the ones you have. Oxfords for 50 bucks is worth it if they work well.

[Vulcan Bill]

These things work great! A very good solution to keeping your hands warm in cold weather riding. They also allow you to wear gloves that aren't as bulky. The only concern I had about mine was at freeway speeds the wind pushed the right muff against the brake lever so hard that the lever was pushed in. I was concerned that the brake pads might be dragging but miles of riding proved that they weren't. Apparently just the lever slack travel was taken out.

[UNCLE WILLIE]

i had the origonal vetter hippo hands in 70-80s ... used them on 2 bikes ... they worked very well .. i rode without gloves in the 20s with no problems ... sold them a few years ago n wish i had them now but dont ride as much in winter so it dont matter now ... the ones ive seen lately arent made the same and mostly for outdoor sport machines ... mine were not water proof but would have done a good job in rain for a little while

[Navigator]

Originally Posted by mbarr10

Mike,
From the looks of your pic the muffs (Oxford rain seals)turn in to 45degree angles towards the tank bag. As I sit on my bike it seems they are not straight with the way my hands/arms go into the muffs in relation to the grips.
Is it an allusion? Do you have enough lever clearance, since the brake lever is very touchy to light up the brakes. Can you adjust them forward? as in more of a straight angle to your shoulders/ arms? This forward mounting would change the relation to my hands entering and give it more lever space. This is why I drilled mine out, but they are a cheaper brand and not as good of a quality as the ones you have. Oxfords for 50 bucks is worth it if they work well.

I think it is somewhat an illusion because they are just hanging. I'm going to reinstall them in about 10 minutes and go for a spin. This is the first day without rain in about a week and I'm starting to mold on my north side.

[Navigator]

Hmmm. I went for a ride and am not sure if I like the muffs. The positioning is flexible so when I put my hands in them I can move the muffs to the desired position in answer to your thoughts mbarr.. Some observations:

-They are not air tight with cold wind entering through the front of the muffs where they are affixed to the handlebars. It's not bad but definitely a consideration.

-They break the wind but are not a substitution for heated gloves. It was about 45 deg and sunny today when I departed the house wearing my First Gear cool weather waterproof gloves. I've ridden cross country with these gloves and they don't do well in cold rainy weather down to 40 degrees. The muffs would keep out the rain and most of the wind but definitely don't mitigate the low temps.

- Wearing gloves under the muffs is a bit of a challenge. I am of course familiar with the buttons/control locations but had to search a bit for basics like high beam, turn signal and, zounds, the starter button while wearing gloves under the muffs. This is probably a muscle memory issue that will improve with practice.

- I believe these to be best for cross country riding and perhaps highway commuting but not in heavy traffic. Several years ago I rode Rt 66 from upstate Wisconsin to home and from Roseburg Oregon I experienced heavy, driving rain and temps in the low 40s. My hands were miserable and numb and these muffs would have made the last 400 miles in the driving rain much more comfortable.

I'll keep them because they are easy to pack and will be very helpful in cold, inclement conditions, and well, conditions that I hope to avoid in the future.

I wouldn't wear them every day for short trips during the winter but will keep them in my stable of riding gear for those truly miserable, long haul, low temp rides.

[RiseLikeRa]

I was run off the road in 2009 by a texting teenager. It was on an interstate and at the last moment I remember sticking my hand out to brace my impact. Can you do that with these things on?

IF you are going to use these things then perhaps a combo with heated grips would really do the trick. The grips now are VERY effective, have heat settings and on/off switches.

Dont forget the benefit of good quality gloves. Fancy, in most instances will not keep you warm.

My 2 cents
Ra

[Navigator]

Yes the hands easily slip out of the muffs so that is not a consideration. I have Gerbing heated gloves but the cables are a pain. I also have quite a range of high quality gloves from mesh for summer and Klims for winter. The Klims are thick, waterproof and a bit bulky.

[Rasta]

I have used the muffs for a few years now and last winter or before I installed handlebar warmers that were about $30. with these muffs and warmed up grips I was riding all winter long with a light glove so I would feel the warmth or sometimes no gloves