Heated grips or heated gloves: which is best for winter?

In winter, your hands give up first: numb fingers, less precise braking, a ride that turns into an ordeal. There are two electric solutions, heated grips and heated gloves, and a third, with no electricity at all, that is often forgotten. We fit genuine heated grips in our workshop, but we do not sell gloves: here is our comparison, with no axe to grind.

The short answer

• Scooter in town, short trips: handlebar muffs, with or without heated grips. The warmest solution for the money, and always ready.
• Motorcycle or maxi-scooter, long rides: heated grips and hand guards. Add heated gloves if you often ride below freezing.
• You often switch vehicles, or ride as a passenger: heated gloves, which go wherever you go.

Heated grips

A heating element in each grip warms the palm and the inside of the fingers. They are powered by the vehicle and have several settings: CFMOTO's, for example, reach more than 20 °C on the surface in 15 minutes at -15 °C.

• Always there: nothing to charge, nothing to leave at home. Start up and warm up.
• Unlimited running time as long as the engine is running.
• Their limit: the back of the hand stays exposed to the wind. Without muffs or hand guards, it stays cold on a long ride.
• Only the rider benefits.
• Use them with the engine running: they draw on the battery. On many very short trips, keep an eye on its charge.

How much do they cost?

The price depends mostly on the fitting. On some motorcycles, genuine grips plug in with no modification; on recent Piaggio, Vespa and Aprilia scooters, they run through a control unit and the MIA connected platform, which lets you adjust them from the dashboard or your smartphone.

• CFMOTO: €99.95 for the 675NK and 675SR-R, €159.95 for the 450MT (fitted with no modification), €199.95 for the 800MT-X (controlled from the handlebar switch).
• Aprilia SR GT 125 and 200: €89 for the grips, plus the installation kit (€119), the control module and the MIA platform.
• Piaggio Beverly and MP3: €99 to €199 for the grips, plus the control unit (€119) and Piaggio MIA (€129), standard on some versions.
• So expect over €300 in parts on a scooter that does not have the control unit yet, but the same unit can then run a heated seat or leg cover too.

Genuine grips fit into the electrical system designed by the manufacturer. We fit them in our workshop, and fitting is free when you buy a new vehicle.

Heated gloves

Heating wires run through the glove, right to the fingertips and across the back of the hand. Most run on lithium batteries in the cuff; a few models plug into the motorcycle's battery.

• The whole hand is heated, including the back and fingertips, the most exposed areas.
• They go with you from one vehicle to another, and work for a passenger too.
• Their running time is limited: 2 to 8 hours depending on the setting, according to manufacturers, and it drops as the batteries age.
• You have to think about them: charge after every ride, store the batteries and replace them after two or three years (around €50 a pair).
• They cost more: €150 to €300 for a decent pair.

Choose a real motorcycle glove

From a 125 upwards, and on a motorcycle, gloves are compulsory in Belgium (see our article on mandatory gear). A heated glove must protect you in a fall first: choose one CE-certified for motorcycling (EN 13594 standard), and be wary of very cheap gloves without it.

The forgotten solution: handlebar muffs

On a scooter, handlebar muffs block wind and rain and keep your hands' warmth in. With heated grips, they make the most effective combination there is: the grips heat, the muffs stop the heat escaping. They cost €51.45 from SYM and €69 from Vespa and Piaggio, and SYM offers winter packs with a leg cover from €119 to €158. On a motorcycle, hand guards do the same job.

Their only drawback: they change the scooter's look and take a little getting used to when reaching for the controls. For the price, nothing protects better against the cold.

Our advice for your use

• 50cc scooter: muffs and a leg cover. We do not offer heated grips for these models.
• 125 scooter for commuting: muffs first. Add grips if your model offers them.
• Maxi-scooter (Beverly, MP3, SR GT): genuine heated grips, with a leg cover.
• Adventure or touring bike (450MT, 800MT, 700MT): heated grips and hand guards, plus heated gloves for long rides in severe cold.
• Passenger: heated gloves, since the grips do nothing for them.

To get through the cold season, storage included, also read our guide to winter storage for scooters and motorcycles.

At Eddy Sport

Genuine heated grips, muffs, leg covers and heated seats are available depending on the model from Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia, SYM and CFMOTO. Pick your model to see what fits it, and our workshop takes care of fitting. Any questions? Contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Are heated grips enough in winter?

For city riding, yes, especially with muffs or hand guards. On long rides in severe cold, the back of the hand eventually gets cold without wind protection.

Do heated grips drain the battery?

Not if you use them with the engine running. With a tired battery, or lots of very short trips, a maintenance charger overnight avoids nasty surprises.

Can I combine heated grips and heated gloves?

Yes. The grips warm the palm, the gloves the back of the hand: combined, you can run the gloves on a lower setting and make them last longer.

Can heated gloves replace motorcycle gloves?

Yes, if they are CE-certified for motorcycling (EN 13594 standard). They then meet the requirement to wear gloves.

Prices of genuine accessories as of 24 October 2026. Heated glove data: manufacturers and a guide by Le Repaire des Motards (in French). Image: Piaggio heated grips, Piaggio.