• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

About had it with Gerbing!

j_bone

New member
Last winter I purchased a pair of Gerbing heated pants to go with my heated jacket. I used Gerbing's sizing chart to order my size, but when they arrived they were way too tight across the crotch. Now I realize that heated gear is supposed to be snug, but this was ridiculous, and I'm a very standard 5'10" 175 lbs. Revzilla took them back, but the next size up was out of stock until summer. By then, heated gear was the furthest thing from my mind. I just re-ordered the next size up, M-R, but what arrived were huge! To get the inseam to fit properly, I have to hike them up to my sternum, like a pair of waders! What's the deal with Gerbing's sizing? Nothing really seems to fit right.

I've also had problems with wire and plug failure. I just got the jacket back from having the main plug repaired. Not, after using it only a couple of times, the glove input plug failed. Seems like a weak spot to me, and perhaps they should be using a heaver duty wire.

Has anyone tried the heated gear that Cycle Gear Sells. Their heated pants are much less expensive than Gerbing, and though I've never used them, the pair I tried on in the store fit great. I'm thinking of sending these Gerbing pants back and getting the Cycle Gear pair, but would be curious to hear any first hand opinions.

Thanks!
 
I feel your pain - been there with similar problems. Now, if I buy riding gear of any kind - helmets, jackets, riding pants, heated stuff, boots - I buy it at a dealership where I can try it on, be sure it fits, and am sure it is what I want.

I live 53 miles from the nearest town, about 250 miles from the nearest motorcycle dealership of any sort, and it is at least 250 miles to El Paso and 400 miles to Austin to a BMW dealership. We mail order lots of things but riding gear is not among that. It is too important, and the aggravation of getting, returning, getting, returning, ad naseum is too great.

The exception is Aerostich but only because I have been to Duluth, they have measured me, and I know exactly what size Roadcrafter I take.
 
Powerlet Rapidfire Jacket Liner for me

I ended up getting a Powerlet jacket with the heated sleeves. One can change the heat (105 watts for my K1600 or 65 watts for the F800) by unplugging/plugging together a connector in the sleeve or using the rheostat. It works well and is compatible with the Powerlet sockets wired directly to the battery, which I installed. I can only use the OEM sockets at the 65 watt setting. I got it because I heard consistently bad stories about Gerbings. It sure is toasty and apparently well made. I will have to update this post in a few years to verify durability.
 
Has anyone tried the heated gear that Cycle Gear Sells. Their heated pants are much less expensive than Gerbing, and though I've never used them, the pair I tried on in the store fit great. I'm thinking of sending these Gerbing pants back and getting the Cycle Gear pair, but would be curious to hear any first hand opinions.

This is my second season with the Cycle Gear (Sedici Hotwired) jacket liner, and I'm quite pleased. Admittedly, I don't wear it as hard as those in colder areas, so I can't comment on durability. But for my morning commute, which can easily start at 35-38 degrees for a couple months of the year, it's quite functional.

I will say it's not the most intelligently designed; the controller location inside the jacket is particularly obnoxious. Since it doesn't hold your setting after being turned off, that means your jacket must be open when you plug into the bike's power so you can turn the jacket on. I assume, though, that it'd work with other controllers as well.

Overall, it's good value-for-money, and I note that it's 20% off today and tomorrow. I may go get the pants.
 
My girlfriend has the Sedici Hotwired jacket liner. She is 5'1" with a D/DD chest and wears a size 0 or 2 jeans, so gear is ALWAYS a struggle to get something that fits even close to properly. She loves the liner and it fits great. We were able to try out jackets at the IMS in NYC in December, and she got the Tourmaster Transition 3 in a woman's small and it also fit great, with lots of adjustability.
 
Gerbing

My old Gerbing liner was not providing power to my right glove; so I ordered a new liner. First day wearing it (32 degrees), it provided very uneven heat to the point my shoulders were very cold, I turned it up to try to warm my shoulders and ended up with a SEVERE burn to my stomach! Been 2 weeks and still hurts a lot!

I will wait until after winter to send the old liner in for repair. With the heated grips I am ok down to about 40 degrees.
 
Warm and Safe.....nuff said

Another vote for Warm & Safe.
Mike, the company owner will personally discuss and advise.

I've been using his gear since 2008 and have had nothing but good luck.

Also they were the OEM for Powerlet, Firstgear and others.
They have never had to advertise.
That says something right there.
 
Another vote for Warm & Safe.
Mike, the company owner will personally discuss and advise.

Do you know if their stuff works interchangeably with Gerbing stuff. I only need a new jacket liner and have brand new Gerbing gloves and a Gerbing controller.

The new Gerbing jacket liner burned the hell out of my stomach so I returned it. Not too anxious to try another Gerbing liner.
 
Do you know if their stuff works interchangeably with Gerbing stuff. I only need a new jacket liner and have brand new Gerbing gloves and a Gerbing controller.

.

I believe all the new stuff in heated gear uses coaxial connectors, so you can mix and match different brands.
 
I have a W&S controller on a Gerbing jacket liner. I have used it also on a W&S liner. Before it shot craps we had a Gerbing controller on a W&S liner.

So, my conclusion is yes - they will work with each other.
 
I believe all the new stuff in heated gear uses coaxial connectors, so you can mix and match different brands.


I guess my only problem is the pants liner uses the old style connector. I have an adapter from the coaxial connector to the old style connector on the Gerbing jacket liner. I guess those would work on the pants liner to the coaxial connector.
 
I have a W&S controller on a Gerbing jacket liner. I have used it also on a W&S liner. Before it shot craps we had a Gerbing controller on a W&S liner.

So, my conclusion is yes - they will work with each other.

Good information! Is your Gerbing liner one of the new ones? Which liner do you prefer?
 
I feel your pain - been there with similar problems. Now, if I buy riding gear of any kind - helmets, jackets, riding pants, heated stuff, boots - I buy it at a dealership where I can try it on, be sure it fits, and am sure it is what I want.

I live 53 miles from the nearest town, about 250 miles from the nearest motorcycle dealership of any sort, and it is at least 250 miles to El Paso and 400 miles to Austin to a BMW dealership. We mail order lots of things but riding gear is not among that. It is too important, and the aggravation of getting, returning, getting, returning, ad naseum is too great.

The exception is Aerostich but only because I have been to Duluth, they have measured me, and I know exactly what size Roadcrafter I take.

Regarding mail order, I have to say, Revzilla really came through. They issued a mailing label and paid for the return shipping. I ended up buying the Cycle Gear "Hot Wire" pants which fit great and were a lot cheaper. They seem to heat about as well.

The jacket liner went back to Gerbing. They said they are now using a round wire instead of the flat lamp-cord and agreed to replace all the wires on my jacket.

While all this was going on, I realized that one of the channels of my dual controller was putting out 100% even when off. I wonder if the shorted glove wire didn't somehow harm it. They said they're going to fix it too, but it was a pain, because it's permanently mounted on the bike and was damaged in its removal. We'll see if they come through.
 
My old Gerbing liner was not providing power to my right glove; so I ordered a new liner. First day wearing it (32 degrees), it provided very uneven heat to the point my shoulders were very cold, I turned it up to try to warm my shoulders and ended up with a SEVERE burn to my stomach! Been 2 weeks and still hurts a lot!

I will wait until after winter to send the old liner in for repair. With the heated grips I am ok down to about 40 degrees.



I bought a Gerbings jacket and temp controller a couple of years ago with the newer micro wire wiring system. About 3 weeks after purchase, I was using it on a two hour ride on a fairly cold day
that required a lot of heat to keep warm. I noticed that the jacket was getting extremely hot and didn't cool off when I turned the controller down. When I pulled to a stop to check things out, I discovered that I could not disconnect the controller connection from where it plugged into the jacket. It had gotten so hot that the plug had melted into the jacket connection. Fortunately,no burn to me.

This was completely repaired by Gerbings under warranty, and I have not had any problems since.
 
Talking to Mike at Warm n Safe, although he manufactures and sells liners with the microwire technology, he recommends staying with the older standard wire technology...
 
Have had and used Gerbing for years. Never had a problem. Always works great.
This is the type of gear and expense I would not be buying over the internet or the phone. Go and they them on. Only way to really see and feel how they are going to fit you. And because used somewhat as a layer even more reason to try on.
 
Back
Top