Heated hand grips are for:
a) smart riders
b) wussie riders
Was out recently for a spin in the hilly areas surrounding Melbourne. It was about 7 degrees at the top of the passes (said weather app, and it was mid morning). Pulled in to a garage for fuel. Tried to make idle chat with the bad ass on his blacked out hog with half helmet and skull mask (my hog is red with flames and I had my 3/4 helmet). "Chilly", I say. "Grunt" came the reply. "Lucky I got my heated hand grips on" (an old FXR but having lived in Canada the bike got the winterization!). "I wouldn't have them things" he shot back, death stare to boot.
I rode on. Hands nice and warm in just ordinary gloves.
a or b ???
Obviously I vote option A because my hog has heated grips and my little story above is making fun of the bad ass.
I have heated gloves too (internal battery in the extended sleeve) but, while they're useful in Canadian riding conditions, I haven't used them since moving home. But what I have always found is that the heated grips are awesome in the mid-cold temps of 5-15 degrees, letting me use ordinary (non bulky) gloves, preventing cold fingers and retaining flexible handling. My heated gloves restrict movement a bit.
I admit to not fully understanding the so-called bad ass dismissal of heated grips. Do not all riders know the danger of frozen fingers?
Always had full face helmet for the Harley and Sports bike... wouldn't even consider an open faced one...