Some Like it Hot All about heated clothing

Being cold on a motorcycle isn't just unpleasant, it's potentially dangerous! The human body is designed to maintain a stable internal temperature of around 37°c. When it drops by just a couple of degrees, hypothermia starts to kick in, causing symptoms including shivering, mild confusion, lack of coordination/fumbling hands and drowsiness. None of which help you control a bike. And that's only mild hypothermia!

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No matter how many layers you wrap up in for insulation, eventually wind chill will blast out the warm air and, once you start to cool down, the temperature is only going in one direction.

Heated clothing is a well-proven solution to this problem and it has been around longer than you might think. In 1912 Dr. Sidney I. Russel invented the first electric blanket and by 1917 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) had introduced electrically-heated waistcoats, gloves, and sole inserts for pilots, which were powered by a windmill-driven generator on the aircraft.

By World War II, electrically heated suits became standard issue for flight crews in various air forces, including the RAF. However, it wasn't until the 1970s that heated motorcycle clothing began to appear, and today most major brands of bike gear offer it in their ranges.

Developed in the UK, KEIS is one of the bestselling brands on the market and we asked them to talk us through this hot topic.

FULL FIBRE

Until recently, heated clothing used similar technology to electric blankets. Wires were sewn into the garment and a current was passed through them, causing heat to be generated. It worked, but it has a number of drawbacks, particularly for clothing.