In brief 💡
- A heated motorcycle glove is first and foremost a motorcycle glove: look for EN 13594 certification. In France, certified gloves have been compulsory since November 2016.
- Heat needs to reach the back of the hand and the fingers, where the wind hits first.
- Choose battery life based on how long you ride: a second pair of batteries changes a day out.
- Warm hands start with a warm torso: your whole outfit matters as much as the glove.
At G-HEAT, heated motorcycle gloves are designed so that the riding season doesn't end when autumn arrives.
Third bend on a small country road, a Sunday in November. The road is dry, the engine is purring, the scenery is stunning. And yet, when it's time to pull the clutch, you're feeling around for the lever.
Your fingers aren't responding. On a motorcycle, the hands give up first. Still on the handlebars, they take the wind head-on while the jacket protects the rest.
The right heated motorcycle glove solves this problem. You still have to choose it well. And no, the ski glove sleeping in the cupboard won't do: we'll see why.
The method comes in four steps: check the protection, place the heat, match battery life to your ride, keep your whole body warm.
You lose the clutch lever long before it freezes
Ten minutes on the road at 80 km/h at 5 °C are nothing like ten minutes of walking. On foot, you produce heat and the air barely moves. On a motorcycle, it's the opposite.
According to INRS, the French occupational safety institute, hands that cool down lose dexterity from 15 °C outside. So the trouble starts in autumn, long before sub-zero temperatures. On the road, you pay for it in your riding: less precise braking, a clutch released too quickly.
Wind chill: a cold the thermometer doesn't show
INRS points out that wind makes the effects of cold significantly worse. On a motorcycle, that wind comes from your own speed. The faster you ride, the further the cold your hands feel drifts from what the forecast says.
Have you felt it leaving a village, when the pace picks up? Your hands get a double hit: they're on the front line, with no fairing to shelter them, and they stay clenched on the grips, with no movement to warm up.
Also read: How to dress for motorcycling in winter? The essential outfits!
Before it heats, a motorcycle glove has to protect
Protection comes first, and it's also what sets real heated motorcycle gloves apart from simple heated winter gloves. In a fall, the reflex is to put your hands down first. AFNOR, the French standards body, citing France's road safety authority, notes that thick gloves reduce or prevent hand injuries in 95% of cases.
What do the rules say about certified gloves?
It depends on the country. In France, since 20 November 2016, the Highway Code has required riders and passengers of powered two-wheelers to wear certified gloves, with a €68 fixed fine and a penalty point for the rider. Elsewhere in Europe the rules vary, so check with your national road safety authority. Whatever the law where you ride, a certified glove remains the minimum for riding safely.
How do you read a motorcycle glove label?
A certified motorcycle glove carries the CE marking and a pictogram of a motorcyclist. Next to it is the reference to EN 13594, the European standard for protective gloves for motorcyclists. Then comes a number and, sometimes, two letters:
- The number 1 or 2 indicates the overall protection level, from abrasion to seam strength.
- The letters KP indicate that knuckle protection has been tested.
1, 1KP, 2, 2KP: level 1KP is enough for the road
Level 1 protects while keeping flexibility, whereas level 2, stiffer, is better suited to the track. For winter riding, level 1KP strikes the balance between protection and precision. It's the one we recommend for heated touring gloves.
Ride all winter?
Discover our heated motorcycle gloves
The wind attacks the back of the hand first
Back to that third bend. Your glove was windproof, but the cold got through anyway. It came in through the back of the hand, the only side nothing was heating.
On a motorcycle, the wind hits the back of the hand first. That's where the RIDER heated motorcycle gloves place their heat, right up onto the top of the fingers.
In a fall, a carbon shell protects the knuckles. In a downpour, a visor wiper on the thumb clears your visor.
The RIDER? Certified EN 13594, at level 1KP. It comes in sizes XS to 3XL, for slim hands as well as large ones.
Why the back of the hand first? Because the palm, in contact with the grip, stays sheltered from the wind. The page on body thermoregulation explains how the body distributes its heat between the torso and the extremities.
Want to know what these gloves are worth once the visor is down? An athlete tested the G-HEAT heated motorcycle gloves. He shows the protective shells, the thumb visor wiper and the heat control, and explains why his fingers have always suffered from the cold.
Heated gloves and heated grips work together
Heated grips warm the palm. Heated gloves target the back of the hand and the fingers first, exposed to the wind, and their heat goes everywhere with you. Many riders who ride all winter combine the two, and the glove keeps heating when you get off for a break.
Your typical ride decides battery life, not the spec sheet
The battery life of heated gloves depends first on the heat setting.
On both the RIDER and the ALLROADS +, low lasts 5 to 6 hours and medium 3 to 4 hours. On high, the battery lasts 1.5 to 2.5 hours. So start from your typical ride.
| Your ride | Typical duration | Recommended setting | Batteries to bring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commute | Two trips of 30 to 45 min | High at the start, then medium | One pair, recharged in the evening |
| Half-day ride | 3 to 4 h | Medium | One pair |
| Full-day ride or mountain pass | 5 to 7 h | Low to medium, high on cold stretches | Two pairs, the second kept warm |
| Multi-day trip | Several stages | Low to medium | Two pairs and the charger at each stop |
The battery slips into a pocket under the wrist. Nothing to wire up on the bike. On a day ride, the second pair means you don't have to choose between warmth and miles.
The gloves are sold with or without batteries, in case you already have compatible ones. For that second pair, the glove batteries come with their charger. They also power the OUTDOOR heated socks, which makes packing simpler.
"On the road, I set my gloves the way I set my pace. I start on the highest setting while my hands warm up, then I come back down as soon as I'm out of town. It's the shaded stretches, in the woods or at the bottom of a valley, that justify going up a notch, never the straight line in the sun."
Product engineer, G-HEAT
Between rides: recharge, dry, store
Recharge the batteries in the evening, in 4 to 5 hours, rather than on the morning you leave. Before cleaning a glove, always remove the battery. The RIDER is hand-washed without immersion, the ALLROADS + is surface-cleaned with clean water.
Dry the gloves in the open air. At the end of the season, store the batteries about half charged, somewhere cool and dry. Spare batteries and chargers are in the batteries and chargers collection.
Find out more: What battery life can you expect from heated clothing?
On a day on the road, hours in the saddle wear the hands down
For the same heat, the glove's outer shell makes the difference. A wet glove loses much of its insulation, and a glove that lets the wind through cancels out part of its heating. Both G-HEAT heated motorcycle gloves block wind and rain, two qualities to insist on in winter conditions.
For long stages, the ALLROADS + heated motorcycle gloves, certified EN 13594 at level 1KP, reinforce the palm and knuckles, where the grip and vibrations wear. Their leather takes the hours in the saddle when winter trips follow one after another.
Leather or textile: why choose?
Leather resists abrasion and lasts. Textile keeps flexibility. The RIDER and the ALLROADS + combine both: leather where the hand rubs, textile where it needs to stay flexible.
Your whole body warm on the road
Thermal and heated clothing for motorcycling
Two fingers stretched on the lever tell you the right size
A glove that's too small squeezes the hand, so blood circulates less well and the fingers cool down faster. A glove that's too big makes you lose the feel of the lever and leaves cold air at the fingertips. Have you ever bought a pair that was too big "just to be safe"?
Measure the circumference of your hand at the knuckles, thumb excluded and hand relaxed, then check the size guide on the product page to find yours. If you're between two sizes, the larger one is often the more comfortable, provided you tighten the cuff well.
One last test at home, before riding: glove on, stretch two fingers out as if on a brake lever. If the movement is clean and the fingertips aren't floating, the size is right. The same principle applies to all the brand's heated gloves.
A warm torso means hands that last longer
The best heated motorcycle glove can't do everything. When the upper body cools down, the body keeps its heat for the torso and sends less to the hands. Keeping your torso warm also helps your fingers.
Under the jacket, a heated vest keeps your back and chest warm, and your arms stay free. The models are gathered in the heated vests collection.
And your feet, still on the footpegs and exposed to spray? The OUTDOOR heated socks heat under and over the toes, and their high leg slips into tall boots. Heated insoles are another way to keep your feet warm.
That leaves the neck. Cold air seeps in as soon as the jacket collar gapes, and heated neck warmers close that gap under the helmet. Vest, socks and neck warmer also come with you hiking or skiing, for all your outdoor activities, with the outdoor sports range.
A must-read: Dry cold or damp cold: which hurts more, and how to gear up?
Why choose G-HEAT for winter motorcycling?
- Protection comes before heat. The RIDER is first and foremost a motorcycle glove certified EN 13594, at level 1KP.
- The heat follows the wind. It sits on the back of the hand and runs up onto the fingers, the side exposed to the wind.
- Nothing to install on the bike. The battery slips under the wrist: you switch from one bike to another with the same gloves.
- One battery for hands and feet. The same battery powers the gloves and the OUTDOOR socks, a detail that matters on a trip.
- An outfit designed as a whole. Vest, socks, neck warmer: G-HEAT, a French brand, helps your whole body keep its thermal balance so the season goes on.
Conclusion: which heated motorcycle glove should you choose for your road?
That November Sunday will come round again, and so will the third bend. This time, your fingers will find the lever without looking for it. A real motorcycle glove first, heat that covers the back of the hand next, battery life matched to your ride last.
For daily commutes as well as rides, the RIDER brings these three requirements together. For long stages, the ALLROADS + reinforces the palm and knuckles. Add a warm torso, and the road goes on well into winter.
Whatever the weather. G-HEAT.
FAQ: heated motorcycle gloves explained
Are certified gloves compulsory on a motorcycle?
It depends on the country. In France, since 20 November 2016, the Highway Code has required certified gloves for riders and passengers of powered two-wheelers, including scooters and mopeds, with a €68 fixed fine and a penalty point for the rider. Elsewhere, check your national rules: wherever you ride, an EN 13594 glove remains the minimum for safety.
Are heated gloves effective in extreme cold?
They provide heat that insulation alone can't, which matters when your hands stay still in the wind. Their effectiveness also depends on your outfit. In extreme cold, combine them with a heated vest and a neck warmer, and keep a spare battery warm.
Can you wear heated motorcycle gloves on a scooter?
Yes. In town, frequent stops and short trips cool your hands quickly. Certified heated gloves deal with both protection and the cold. Switch them on a few minutes before you leave to enjoy the warmth from the first traffic light.
Are there heated motorcycle gloves for women?
G-HEAT heated motorcycle gloves are unisex. The RIDER comes in sizes XS to 3XL, and the ALLROADS + in XS to 2XL. Measure the circumference of your hand at the knuckles, then check the size guide on the product page to choose the closest fit.
How long does it take for the gloves to heat up?
About ten minutes after switching on, the heat is at its best. Start on high while you put on your helmet and jacket, then switch back to medium or low once you're on the road: the batteries will last the ride.
Sources and references
[1] "Article R431-1-2 du Code de la route", Légifrance (in French)
[2] "Deux-roues motorisés : je m'équipe", Sécurité routière (in French)
[3] "Gants de moto : une norme pour une sécurité optimale", AFNOR (in French)
[4] "Travail au froid. Prévenir les risques", INRS (in French)
[5] "Travailler dans une ambiance thermique froide", INRS (in French)
