Intelligent heat controller что это на мотоцикле

3

Testing eight of the best Heated Grips on the Market

When it comes to winter riding cold hands cause an annoyance like nothing else, Mike Beddows has tested eight of the best-heated grips on the market to help you keep your digits warm when the temperature drops

W ith winter well and truly upon us, most of you hardy adventure riders will still be out and about on your bikes. The cold at this time of year can really take its toll on the body and one of the most vulnerable areas to the lower temperatures are your hands. There’s no getting away from the fact that having two cold hands will really affect your riding performance and could even put you at risk as your reaction times decrease.

Winter is a fantastic time to ride, and those seasonal riders who do not ride all year round are really missing out. With a few warm layers and some heated grips, a cold-weather ride can be just as comfortable as a mid-summer blast.

Heated grips are great additions to any bike, in fact, we think motorcycle manufacturers of adventure and touring models should include them as standard. If none are fitted, they are the first things that I add. My hands are very susceptible to the cold throughout the year, and if you’re touring in the Alps in the summer it’s not uncommon for temperatures at the top of passes to dip below freezing, so I do not consider heated grips to be a seasonal accessory.

Having them permanently on the bike means that if the temperatures do dip, all it takes is the flick of a button and heat will soon warm your hands.

There are several makes of heated grips on the market, each with different pros and cons as highlighted in this review . The main concern and first hurdle encountered by all is how complicated they are to fit. What I’ve found from testing the eight grips in this review is that it is not actually that difficult, and on average, if you don’t rush, you can have a pair fitted within 30 minutes.

Some riders do not like the feel of heated grips due to their added thickness (you can buy heating elements that you fit under your existing grips if this is your concern), though I suspect this is usually down to the size of a rider’s hands. As mine are big I’ve never found the thickness of the grips an issue.

When I fit heated grips I consider them a permanent fixture, but with care, they can be removed safely and easily, though this does, of course, depend on how much glue is applied.

When it comes to what to look for in a heated grip, there’s no point in fitting a set if they do not transmit enough heat to your hands. Some grips are better than others in this regard, with a few examples really disappointing in their heat output. Other considerations are how easy the controller is to use, especially with thick gloves on.

As well as heated grips you may also consider heated gloves, specialist winter gloves, handlebar muffs, or a combination of all these. My own personal preference is heated gloves with heated grips. Grips are great at warming the palms of your hands but do nothing about the back of them.

Obviously having warm blood from the heated grips circulating will help, but heated gloves specifically target the individual fingers and areas where grips can’t warm. To have both means a steep financial outlay, and if cost is an issue handlebar muffs and decent winter gloves are a more suitable option. It really all depends on the riding you will be doing.

The primary function of a heated grip is to keep your hands warm. There’s no point in purchasing a set of heated grips that do not perform well in this primary function. A simple test that I performed was to check the temperature of the grips aſt er zero-four minutes.

A lot of internet research stated that heated grips could get up to 50C and this normally takes about four minutes. I purchased an IR Micro infrared non-contact thermometer for surface temperature measurement to undertake the test. T he results were interesting and demonstrated that most grips achieved a reasonable temperature in the four minutes.

The Oxford Hot Hands achieved a high temperature after one minute, but the Oxford adventure finally achieved the highest temperature in the time period, getting close to 50C.

Bikeit Heated Grips

£35

In my preliminary research, I discovered that the grips had a claimed heat range of up to 40C, though testing revealed that these were the poorest grips in this group review for heat output, only managing 28.2C after four minutes (for comparison, other grips were above 40C after the same amount of time). With that in mind, if you want a grip that heats up quick and offers a good amount of warmth (and who doesn’t?), then this isn’t the product for you (unless the grips I was testing were faulty in any way).

The packaging for these grips is fairly basic and this sets the tone for the enclosed product. A major concern for me was the lack of instructions as there are none enclosed. Of course, this isn’t a problem if you know what you are doing, but everyone has to start somewhere and fit their first set of grips, so I’d be at a loss if I had to go about starting the fitting process without decent instructions to back things up.

Heat output is controlled via a dial so that you can control the temperature from a low to a high setting. In use you the controller is big and bulky and it’s not really something I would want on my bike. It’s too large for a simple heat controller and I struggled to find a place to attach it.

The ends of the grips require cutting to size if you have handguards on your bike, though there is not much spare grip to cut off (without damaging the heating element) which created an additional problem. My throttle did not move freely due to the poor sizing and I was reluctant to try cutting more off as I didn’t want to break the element.

There are easy-to-install ring connectors to attach the grips to your bike’s battery terminal and the wires are coated in durable plastic which will help prevent damage from extended use. The labelling on the connectors is confusing. There are three connectors coming from the battery loom, and you attach both grips and the controller to these. All connectors are the same size and colour which means in theory you can plug any end to any other end.

The connectors have labels on, a controller, and a positive and a negative symbol. But without any instructions, it is not straightforward to understand what plugs into what.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Adjustable heat controller
✘ No instructions
✘ Poor heat
✘ Bulky controller

ABR Rating: 5/10

In a line: A good price point, but difficult to fit and not much warmth

Bike Tek Heated Grips

£36

C oming in at £36 we have the Bike Tek Heated Grips. These have an excellent heat output, third-highest on test behind the two Oxford Products grips, which is a major selling point especially if you want warm hands really quickly, and let’s face it, you buy these to get warm hands. This and the low price make these a really good choice.

I’m not keen on the brand name on the actual grips, but this is only a minor gripe. They do look good and have one of the lowest diameters (34mm) making them an ideal choice for those with smaller hands, or those who prefer thinner grips. When fitting, they were easy to slide onto the handlebars, but this isn’t always a good thing as easy on means easy off, so they will require more glue to secure than other, tighter-fitting grips.

The controller is small and compact and it is operable via two simple, easy-to-use buttons that allow you to increase or decrease the temperature. I especially like controllers like this, rather than those with sliders or dials, as they’re easier to operate when gloved up.

The Bike Tek grips have four heat settings and these are displayed by different coloured LEDs from blue (lower setting) to red (getting warmer). The controller bracket is very easy to mount, though the controller is only fixed to the bracket by a double-sided sticky pad, a method which could be improved upon as sticky pads have a habit of becoming ‘un-sticky’ over time.

The instructions are on a single sheet of A4 and are clear and concise. They do state that the grips need to be fixed in place with glue, but no glue is included which is a shame.

I was impressed at how easily the wires connected to the battery and each other during the installation process (all being good, chunky connectors). The main wire that had to be routed through my bike’s frame and the fairing was coated in plastic for extra durability.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Easy-to-use controller
✔ Good heat
✔ Low price
✘ The controller attaches to mount with sticky pad
✘ No glue included

ABR Rating: 8/10

In a line: Good grips with a low profile.

R&G Heated Grips

£39

T he R&G Heated Grips are a fantastic price when you consider what’s on offer. They look great (as much as heated grips can) and the packaging is very professional, while the contents don’t let things down either. They have the lowest profile of any of the other grips on test at only 33mm, making them great for riders that do not like large grips or have small hands.

There are five heat settings on the controller and these are easily selected using a single large button to navigate between them. You press it each time you want to get to the next heat setting and it’s easy to use with a gloved-up hand. The sixth press turns the controller off, and the seventh back on to the first setting, and so on.

The controller is small and compact and can be mounted using a very simple clamp around the bars, although the screws to attach this are very small, and with extended, hard use I’d be concerned about the robustness of the controller mount. The controller attaches to the mount using a sticky pad, but there are extra screws if you want a permanent attachment. You can also attach the controller to any flat surface on your bike using the supplied sticky pad.

All of the connectors are of good quality and are very robust. The negative battery terminal has a ring connector but the positive wire does not which is both odd and a shame. The wires leading from the battery end have an added coating of plastic covering to protect them as they are routed through your bike’s fairing to the handlebars.

The instructions are clear and concise and are supplied on a single sheet of A4 paper.

Unfortunately, there is no glue provided to help attach the grips, even though the instructions suggest an adhesive may be required. As the grips were fairly easy to get onto my bars additional glue would be required for a permanent fit.

In terms of warmth, the R&G heated grips had the fifth hottest heat output, measuring 44.7C on our thermometer after four minutes. Compare this with the 49.8C of the Oxford Adventure grips and it’s pretty impressive when you consider the price of these and the fact that if you shop around you can get them far cheaper.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Simple to use
✔ Price
✘ No ring connector on the live feed

ABR Rating: 9/10

In a line: Fantastic product at a fantastic price.

MotoPro Snug Grips

£40

T he MotoPro Snug Grips are a fantastic purchase at a great price. They look fantastic and everything comes pre-attached in the box meaning it is extremely easy to figure out how to fit them to your bike.

There are instructions on the rear of the box rather than a separate sheet of paper and I’m a fan of doing it this way. It’s far better to have the instructions as part of the packaging as it means you can easily see what you are letting yourself in for when buying.

The ends of the grips are open meaning you do not have to cut anything which is great, and superglue is included which may be required to secure the grips to stop them spinning. The downside to these grips is that the live battery feed exists as a bare wire. I’d much prefer to see a ring connector pre-attached but for the price, it’s only a minor gripe.

The instructions point out that the live wire is best soldered, but this also points to the wire having to be ‘soldered’ elsewhere (ignition feed) as you would not solder directly to the battery. I added a ring connector and connected it directly to my battery.

The controller is compact and robust looking while also being extremely easy to fit to the handlebars. You have to open the bracket up and slide it over the bars. It’s then a simple case of a single bolt to secure it. Additional features include a dial allowing you to adjust the temperature and an LED light on the controller to show that the grips are switched on.

For the price, I don’t think you can go wrong with these grips. At less than half the cost of the most expensive on the test, these are without doubt the best budget buy, they’re easy to fit and they warm up quickly and to a satisfactory temperature.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Good price point
✔ Easy to mount controller
✔ Fully adjustable heat control
✘ No ring connector on the live wire

ABR Rating: 8/10

In a line: A great product that won’t break the bank.

Gear Gremlin FHG-1

£50

C oming in at £50 are the FHG-1 grips from Gear Gremlin. They are fairly plain and could really do with more of a pattern on them to provide more grip in wet conditions as the smooth surface can become quite slippery.

The instructions are relatively poor; just a single A4 sheet of paper and these do not explain how to actually fit the grips. If I hadn’t previously fitted several sets I wouldn’t know where to start as most of the information is regarding the four different types of controllers that are available even though only one is included. There are also bullet points describing artificial rubber which hardly helps when it comes to fitment.

Additionally, the live wire feed doesn’t have a ring connector and even though there are some people who wire their grips to the ignition feed (advantage being when the ignition is off it turns the grips off automatically) and solder, many people will simply want to connect directly to their battery for ease (I’m one of these). To do this with these grips means you will have to have access to spare ring connectors and crimps. Not a big job, but at the price I’d expect a ring connector as standard.

The ends of the grips will require cutting for anyone with hand guards as they only have a hole for bar ends. Leaving the end in place will result in them not fitting correctly and will hinder throttle movement. They are easy enough to cut through. Be aware not to cut into the heating elements as you will ruin the grips, something that’s not highlighted in the instructions.

The controller is fairly chunky and robust which I like, and has a low and high setting and comes with the best mounting system on test. It’s very simple to bolt to the handlebars and there’s no need to mess about with a mounting kit as it’s all built into the controller.

I like the fact all the wires are attached to each other within the packaging as there’s no need to guess what connects where.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Simple to use
✔ Robust Controller
✘ Poor instructions
✘ Plain grips
✘ No ring connector on the live feed

ABR Rating: 7/10

In a line: Robust, simple to mount controller.

DataTool Therma Grips

£56

T he DataTool Therma Grips are unique in the fact that the controller is built into the left-hand grip. This saves the need to have to locate somewhere convenient to mount the controller. These grips, along with the Oxford Adventure grips, turn off when the ignition is switched off (if you wire any of the others directly to the battery they will always remain on, assuming the controller is on, regardless of whether the ignition is on or off ). This is a great benefit to stop flat batteries and it is far easier to connect directly to a battery than to wire into the ignition.

The grips are obviously branded and I would have preferred to see more effort gone into the design of the grip rather than just writing the firm’s name on them. They’ll require manual cutting of the ends to ensure a perfect fit. As there is no separate controller the wires are easily attached using good quality connectors and the process is made simpler due to the fact that there are only two wires.

Unfortunately, I was unable to fit the grips to my bars as the throttle grip was extremely tight and only just squeezed on after a lot of twisting. The left-hand one was even tighter and I was unable to fit it. Inside the grips, there are four grooves and while I expect they will be OK to fit to a smooth bar, mine (as have all my previous bikes) are patterned on the end to help the metal grip the rubber. It would take a lot of force, and potentially damaging the grips to get them on.

The most positive thing about these grips is the comprehensive colour instruction book. I urge all other manufacturers to take note of this as they are fantastic and really explain how to fit the grips in easy steps.

The controller attached to the grip is a bit too clunky for my liking though there are four settings which are achieved by sliding the switch. A small LED on the throttle grip indicates whether the grips are working, but this is a bit on the small side and hard to see.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Integrated controller
✔ Simple design
✔ Great instructions
✘ Controller clunky
✘ Doesn’t fit to my left bar
✘ Branded grips

ABR Rating: 6/10

In a line: Perfect for those that do not want flat batteries, though make sure they fit your bars

Oxford Hot Hands

£69.99

O xford Hot Hands are different from the other heated grips on test in that you can easily remove these from the bike when needed. This is because they are wrap-around warmers that simply attach on top of your existing grips. They do however still have an on/off controller and plug into the bike’s battery feed. I can’t say I’m a fan of these type of grips but they definitely do have a market for those that do not want (or like) them to be permanent fitments on their bikes.

The instructions are very clear and concise which helps the fitting process. They are attached by wrapping them around your existing grips and are held in place by Velcro. My only concern with this is if they ever came loose they would effectively spin in the hand, thus causing a loss of throttle control, so it’s important to make sure you fit them both correctly and tightly to prevent this from happening. A basic controller features a simple on/off switch with a green LED light to indicate if they are on or not, but they have no temperature control which is rather disappointing.

Sometimes they can simply be too warm which is just as distracting as having cold hands.

I am also not a fan of the way the controller attaches to the bike. It is curved to enable it to go around the bars, but it is actually fitted with a sticky pad and this pad can only be placed on a flat surface which restricts where it can actually go.

The instructions do state that the metal mounting bracket has been superseded by a much easier sticky pad, but this defeats the purpose of overgrips as when the time comes to remove the grips, you will have to leave the controller stuck to the bike.

As these grips are wrapped around the existing ones on your bike, they do tend to feel a lot bulkier than a normal set of grips which may put some people off. Having said that, they heat up the quickest and have the greatest heat transfer rate after a minute by a long shot. But as I’ve mentioned above, there is no heat control and this may prove to be too warm for some.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Easy to fit
✔ No need to remove your existing grips
✔ Compact controller
✘ Potentially could slip if loose
✘ Price
✘ Inadequate mounting solution

ABR Rating: 7/10

In a line: If you want quickly removable grips these are ideal.

Oxford Adventure Grips

£79.99

T hese are the most expensive grips on the test but as with most things in life, you really do get what you pay for. This is a fantastic product that ticks all the boxes I look for when purchasing heated grips and although the price is high compared to other grips on the test, it is possible to shave £20 or so off if you shop around.

The packaging is fantastic while the box and contents look very professional. The instruction booklet has some images in colour and features the most in-depth guide to fitting grips that I have seen which is of great benefit to those who have never fitted heated grips before.

They have been ergonomically designed and feature five different patterns depending on which part of your hand is in contact with them. There are locations for comfort, feel, grip and control.

The controller is the best looking on test with five various heat zones (30%, 40%, 50%, 75% and 100%) and the different settings are achieved with two buttons, one to go up the range and one to go down the range.

A great feature of the Oxford Adventure grips is the intelligent heat control which automatically switches the product off once the ignition is killed – stopping flat batteries. Thankfully, the controller is also very easy to operate.

Although the product comes with a mount, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t clamp to the bars as with other mounts on the test. I can’t say I’m that keen on this kind of mount so it’s worth checking where it can be attached first. I managed to find a suitable location on my bike by replacing my handguard clamp for the controller mount. The controller can then be attached to the mount using a sticky pad and backed up with additional screws.

The sticky pads can also be used to attach the controller to any flat surface on the bike. On top of that, the product comes with a small tube of glue for securing the grips to the bars, and both battery wires have ring connectors attached. The grips are 35mm thick meaning they aren’t that big or bulky and are a possibility for those that prefer thinner style grips.

Pros and Cons:

✔ Simple to use
✔ Fantastic controller
✔ Ergonomic grips
✘ Controller mount may be an issue for some

ABR Rating: 10/10

In a line: A very well designed product and best in the test.

Conclusion

A fter testing eight of the most popular heated grips on the market, it was interesting to see the quality of products across the price range. While it’s true that you get what you pay for, as evidenced by the ABR Best in Test award going to the Oxford Adventure Grips, there are some great grips to be had at affordable prices.

Only the BikeIt grips disappointed in their heat output, struggling to reach a tepid 30C in our four-minute temperature test, the results of which can be seen on the graph to the left. In terms of warmth for money, the Bike Tek heated grips, at just £36 (second lowest in price), impressed by coming in third place after four minutes .

Most of the grips, Datatool aside, were easy to fit and would be a simple, 30-minute job for most riders, even those who consider themselves mechanically illiterate.

Mike Beddows is from Runcorn, but he’s a Yorkshireman at heart. He likes trail riding and wild camping and dislikes tarmac. He dreams of circumnavigating Australia with his wife once the kids have all grown up.

intelligent heat controller oxford что это на мотоцикле

Отзывы о mybikesolution других покупателей, которые приобрели этот товар

Оценки и отзывы

Наиболее подходящие отзывы

Shame you can’t get a better quality third party part.

Проверенная покупка: Да | Состояние товара: новые | Продавец: mybikesolution

Replacement controller. Excellent

This was a replacement for an existing unit already fitted to my Blackbird. Th eold one had been on for 12 years and worked perfectly up until his untimely demise, signalled by the 100% led on constantly and no heat. This unit was about £28 and about £15 to £20 cheaper than buying a whole new kit. It also avoided having to remove the existing grips. I took a chance that it was the controller at fault. It was. Old unit took about 30 min to remove, The new one is so much simpler, took about 10 min to completely finish including cable tying. New unit is so good, from 30% to 100% and with a battery saver. the 100% is a bit too hot. Overall a fantastic purchase, well worth it for the price and simplicity.

Проверенная покупка: Да | Состояние товара: новые | Продавец: denniswinters

New controller for 10 year old hot grips

The old controller stopped working, this was an easy fix without having to completely start again with a new set. Just had to unclip the old wires and clip this unit in. Took about 10 mins and this controller is a much better design than the old one.

Проверенная покупка: Да | Состояние товара: новые | Продавец: m_and_p

Intelligent heat controller oxford что это на мотоцикле

Даже в хороших крагах, не зимних правда, руки мёрзнут. Ухудшается мелкая моторика, что чревато… Поэтому поставил лучшее, что есть на рынке.

Снимаются старые ручки просто, срезать не обязательно. Проводка подключается элементарно — цепляется напрямую на клеммы аккумулятора. Ручку газа пришлось доработать напильником — убрать пластиковые выступы. Необходимо обратить внимание на фиксацию провода ручки газа так, что бы она легко отскакивала назад при отпускании. Пришлось выгнуть кронштейн крепления блока управления наоборот. Оболочку провода от блока управления необходимо зафиксировать хомутом на корпусе блока управления — она легко снимается и может попадать вода. Один винт грузика ручки пришлось высверливать — оказался пластилиновым, грани под крестовую отвёртку слизались сразу.

При покупке этого мотоцикла ручки показались тонковатыми, под ладошку японцев, видимо. С этими ручками — они чуть толще — в самый раз.

Последняя версия Oxford Premium Sport имеет функцию самоотключения если мотор заглушен.

Цена вопроса с доставкой 7360р.

Термостат и датчик движения Fibaro для Apple Homekit

Наконец, мне в руки попали два устройства Fibaro для работы с Apple Homekit. Это регулятор на батарею Heat Controller и датчик движения Motion Sensor.

У Fibaro, напомню, есть две линейки устройств: работающие по протоколу Z-Wave и совместимые с Homekit. Это две разные линейки, устройство не может работать сразу и с Z-Wave, и с Homekit. Выглядят устройства одинаково, отличаются только упаковкой.

Устройства Fibaro для Homekit продаются официально в России с конца 2018 года, в ассортименте следующие устройства:

Я подробно опишу работу системы Homekit и особенности двух модулей.

Fibaro Heat Controller для Homekit (FGBHT-001)

Существует множество регуляторов на радиатор, но у всех у них есть огромный недостаток — датчик температуры у них встроенный в них же. То есть, регулятор ориентируется на температуру на встроенном датчике, которая, разумеется, сильно отличается от температуры воздуха в помещении. Особенно если над радиатором подоконник, тогда датчик в регуляторе при нагреве радиатора сразу покажет очень высокую температуру. Как показал мой опыт, регуляторы системы Z-Wave не удалось настроить так, чтобы они работали по внешнему датчику температуры. Но, чтобы исправить это недоразумение, Fibaro некоторое время назад выпустила Heat Controller — регулятор на батарею, в комплекте с которым идёт беспроводной датчика температуры, он связывается с регулятором по радиоканалу и позволяет действительно комфортно регулировать температуру. Один датчик можно связать с несколькими регуляторами. Вслед за выпуском этого устройства для Z-Wave появился вариант для Homekit. Вот он:

В комплекте сам регулятор с посадочным местом М30х1.5, подходящим для почти всех батарей, два переходника для батарей Danfoss, датчик температуры. Датчик действительно очень маленький, его вполне можно и потерять. Диаметр датчика 38мм, высота 12мм.

Сзади у датчика крышка, которая снимается достаточно легко даже без инструмента, под ней батарейка.

Также в комплекте маленький металлический инструмент для нажатия кнопки программирования на регуляторе и датчике. Отверстие этой кнопки на датчике сзади.

Вот так выглядит регулятор, установленный на обычную батарею в квартире:

На регуляторе виден разъём для зарядки от microUSB и чуть выше него отверстие кнопки. После установки нажимаем кнопку, устройство включается и слышно, как работает в нём мотор, калибруясь. У регулятора подсвечивается ободок справа, по цвету подсветки (от синего к красному) можно понять, на какую уставку температуры он выставлен. Можно крутить регулятор по часовой стрелке или против, цвет будет меняться. Синий соответствует 16 градусам, разные оттенки зелёного от 19 до 21, красный 24, розовый — полностью открыто.

Примерное время работы регулятора от одной зарядки аккумулятора — 10-11 месяцев. Может работать и без датчика температуры, тогда будет ориентироваться на встроенный в него датчик.

Кстати, можно удержанием кнопки до появления красной подсветки регулятора запретить ручную регулировку, для защиты от детей или животных.

Далее связываем регулятор и датчик температуры, они из коробки не связаны между собой. Нажимаем длительно на кнопку на регуляторе, затем коротко, затем коротко на датчике — по миганию светодиодов на регуляторе и датчике видим, что они связались. Этот процесс описан в инструкции.

Fibaro Motion для Homekit (FGBHMS-001)

Датчик температуры, движения и освещённости выглядит точно так же, как и одноимённый датчик Fibaro для Z-Wave, я делал его обзор.

В комплекте сам сенсор и саморез с дюбелем для его крепления. Внутри установлена батарейка. Ставим датчика в удобное место и вынимаем бумажную прослойку между батарейкой и контактом — датчик начинает работать. Активно моргает разными цветами.

Управление Homekit из приложения Дом

Теперь, когда регулятор и датчик установлены и включены, самое интересное — завести их в приложение Дом на iPad или iPhone.

Устройства Homekit подключаются не по Wi-Fi, а по Bluetooth low energy, это и позволяет им работать от батарейки так долго. Я сначала этого не понял и пытался подключить их к iPad с выключенным Bluetooth, они не обнаруживались. Как ни странно, приложение не сообщило мне, что у меня выключен Bluetooth и нигде не написало о том, что я должен его включить, сам догадался. Для добавления устройства надо сканировать QR код, наклеенный на инструкцию, либо просто ввести написанные на нём 8 цифр. Устройство сразу добавляется.

Регулятор добавился как одно устройство, а датчика сразу как три: датчик температуры, датчик движения и датчик освещённости. На иконке термостата видим температуру на датчике и текущую уставку. Хоть датчики лежали рядом, один показывал 22,5 градуса, второй 23 градуса.

Длинное нажатие на элемент переводит в меню. Вот меню термостата — это управление установкой температуры.

Настройки датчика движения:

В датчике движения есть пункт «Уведомления», его нет в других элементах. Можно настроить показ уведомлений о срабатывании датчика движения.

Уведомление выглядит так:

Если переключимся на Комнаты в меню внизу, то увидим список элементов по комнатам. У меня комната всего одна, так что не многое изменилось.

Третий пункт меню — Автоматизация. Он интереснее. Чтобы работали сценарии устройств, что-то должно ими управлять. Лучше всего подходят устройства AppleTV и колонка Apple HomePod. Если их нет, то можно использовать как управляющий элемент iPad или iPhone. Для этого надо включить в настройках приложения Дом эту возможность.

Когда я добавляю элементы в Дом, они привязываются к учётной записи AppleID и появляются в приложении Дом на всех устройствах с этой учётной записью. В настройках мы можем давать права работы с устройствами другим пользователям по их логину AppleID. AppleTV и HomePod, конечно, тоже должны иметь права доступа к устройствам для управления. Пока устройство управления, будь то AppleTV, колонка, планшет или смартфон, находятся в сети и включены, они могут управлять устройствами по заданным алгоритмам. Важно, чтобы управляемые устройства были доступны по Bluetooth, то есть, не дальше соседней комнаты. Это, конечно, минус.

Вот создание алгоритма автоматизации.

Из доступных мне для создания автоматизаций, например, создание расписания работы термостата или изменение установки по движению. Мне, к сожалению, недоступны сложные сценарии, например, разные расписания в зависимости от детекции движения или отсутствия движения в течение определённого времени.

Приложение FibaroHome для Homekit

Fibaro оказалось мало стандартных возможностей или не понравился интерфейс приложения Дом, поэтому они написали своё приложение для работы с устройствами Homekit — FibaroHome. Приложение получает доступ к Дому и, как я понял, просто предлагает управление устройствами в другом интерфейсе. Доступно только для iPhone, на планшете открывается в мелком виде. Вот главное окно:

В параметрах датчика можно видеть подробности и нём.

Настройки сценария для регулятора батареи:

В общем, всё то же самое, но выглядит по-другому. Лучше бы сделали приложение в стиле нового Fibaro HomeCenter, оно красивее. Отзывы на FibaroHome в AppStore ужасные, оценка 1,7 из 5. Мол, глючит, вылетает, сценарии не создаются. Я не заметил, но у меня устройств слишком мало для оценки.

Выводы

Как я много раз писал, я не считаю Homekit полноценной системой Умного Дома, просто игрушка. Позволяет много интересных возможностей реализовать. Из-за использования Bluetooth надёжность работы, наверное, невелика, сужу по различным своим аксессуарам, периодически теряющим связь. Самое неприятное, что не реализовать сложные сценарии. Даже не то что сложные, а сценарии на шаг сложнее самых элементарных уже не получится, это сильно сужает применимость системы.

Gear Review: Oxford Heaterz Premium Heated Grips

There is one certainty when it comes to riding a motorcycle in Canada (and in the Northern United States): the length of the riding season is proportional to your level of willingness to deal with the cold. For example, I actually quite enjoy riding in the fall, when the temperatures start to dip as long as I have the right gear.

Over the past few years, I was on the bike makers’ schedule—when they decided to pull the press fleet at the end of the season, that was it for me as well. This year, that changed dramatically when I finally stepped back into bike ownership. Sure enough, one of the accessories at the top of my list was a pair of heated grips. Considering I bought the bike in late September, I had every intention of extending my season as far as I could and having heated grips was going to help with that.

I had two options for my new Honda CB500X: buy the Honda set or turn to the aftermarket and buy into Oxford. I believe there are other options on the market, but I’ll be honest: I didn’t really trust any of them.

On the one hand, having a set of Honda heated grips meant a more streamlined installation as the wiring is tucked inside the handlebar, out of sight. As sexy as this sound, the $295.95 price tag before installation—I didn’t order my bike, the dealer had it in stock so no factory installation—was a bit of a hard pill to swallow. Installation would likely have been another $200 to $300 considering the crew would have had to disassemble everything

Considering that the Oxford Heaterz products came warmly (hah!) recommended—including by my dad and my service advisor—and that the price tag is far more accessible, I opted for the aftermarket accessory. I relegated the Honda grips to my bike dream board alongside my set of panniers. One day!

Dimensions Over Style

I bought the grips online from FortNine (the Canadian equivalent of RevZilla) and received my package within a few days.

See, the Oxford grips come in different styles: Touring, Adventure, Sport, and even Retro. To the untrained eye, they all look the same and it’s easy to think that it’s all a matter of matching the type of grip to your bike or to pick the design you like best.

Wrong! Don’t do like I did, it’ll save you having to do a swap. See, the different styles of grips are also of different sizes. The interior diameter is the same for everyone, which makes them universal as they’ll fit most 7/8” handlebars. The length and girth of the grips vary, however.

You’d think that for a CB500X, the pair of Adventure grips was the best fit. At least I did. Except that when I finally did my research after placing my order (which I should have done before clicking «Buy»), I found out that for the CB, the Adventure model was going to be too long and that the Touring model was the best pick. Waddaya know?

Shoutout to the FortNine team who saved me some back and forth and was able to change my order swiftly after I placed it.

To save you some time, here’s the dimensions breakdown for each model:

• Adventure
  Length: 5.19 inches (can be cut down to 4.80 inches)
  Outer diameter: 1.35 inch
• Touring
  Length: 4.72 inches (can be cut down to 4.37 inches)
  Outer diameter: 1.35 inch
• Retro
  Length: 4.72 inches (can be cut down to 4.45 inches)
  Outer diameter: 1.31 inch
• Sport
  Length: 4.84 inches (can be cut down to 4.48 inches)
  Outer diameter: 1.31 inch

Installation

While I’m possibly the least mechanically inclined of the RideApart crew, I’ve done my fair share of basic maintenance and fiddling. I felt confident that I could install the grips myself. I found a couple of videos (thanks YouTube!) and went outside with my hands full of tools, ready to tackle a challenge.

Well, folks, things didn’t go as smoothly as I anticipated. Wfterhen I finally managed to pull the endcaps off and started trying to get the production grips off, I realized I might be a little in over my head.

Had this been my old CX500, I wouldn’t have worried so much, but the CB was brand new and the last thing I wanted to do was screw something up—especially on the electrical front. So, I backed off and decided instead to have my dealer do it.

If you’re more confident in your abilities than I am, based on what many users have said, it’s a pretty straightforward installation and there are plenty of how-to videos to walk you through it. You don’t have to turn to your mechanic or dealer to make it work if you know what you’re doing. If you have any doubts, don’t let your ego get in the way and ask for help—a job well done is perfectly worth it.

Note that the tech who did the installation explained that he set up my grips with the cable’s elbow upward rather than downward like you see most people do. That’s why they look upside down. He said that it’s to make sure that the elbow doesn’t get in the way of my brake lever when I have the throttle fully opened.

My dealer gave me two installation options: hook the system to the battery or the starter. The difference is that if you connect the grips to the starter, once you turn the bike off, it cuts power to the grips and doesn’t drain the battery. The grips can only be activated when you turn on the ignition.

If you connect them directly to the battery, you have to remember to turn off the heater before walking away. The new-generation Oxford Heaterz Premium grips do have an Intelligent Heat Controller feature that shuts the system off completely after a few minutes of immobility (yes, immobility) which is great if you tend to forget, but it can still take a bit of a toll on the battery.

Toasty!

The grips come with a little control panel that’s easy to mount to the handlebar. It allows you to choose between the five heat settings, from 30% up to 100%. In 40-degree weather on the highway, in the maximum setting, the grips managed to keep my fingers from freezing and going numb. Within a few minutes of turning the heating system on, I can already feel the heat, and that 100% setting becomes insanely hot (up to 122 degrees according to Oxford) which is lovely when you’re cold.

Keep in mind, however, that the system isn’t foolproof. Unless you also have handguards to cut the wind, the cold air still seeps through the gloves anyway and cools the top of your hand and fingers. The grips ensure that your hands don’t turn into popsicles and that you don’t lose precious dexterity.

For reference, I bought a pair of weatherproof gloves designed specifically to work with heated grips that isn’t padded inside the hand. It’s not a necessity, as the heat will eventually radiate through any type of glove, but it likely contributed to the grips’ efficiency.

If like me you don’t have access to a garage on a daily basis, the good news is that the controller and the grips are waterproof and the wiring is protected by the rubber sleeves. I do leave a tarp on my bike overnight to keep most of the rain off, but if you don’t even have that option, your heated grips will be fine anyway.

The one small downside to having the Oxford Heaterz instead of the Honda system is the wiring. Everything is neatly tucked inside PVC sleeves so your handlebar doesn’t look like a hot mess. However, keep in mind that if your bike sleeps outside, when things get cold, so does the PVC. I’ve had an instance when the sleeve rendered rigid by the cold, pushed against my throttle, and kept it from springing back. I needed to manually close the throttle.

I initially thought it had something to do with the spring, but when on the following (warmer) ride, things were back to normal, I deduced it had to do with the materials. It’s annoying, but that’s a compromise you make when you opt for the more affordable but not as well integrated alternative for a bike that spends its nights outside. At least, that’s one I’m willing to make.

Ultimately, however, for $90, those grips are doing a fine job. I will eventually add a set of handguards which will likely do a world of difference but until I do, the Oxford Heaterz Premium hand grips are one of the purchases I made for my new bike that I’m most satisfied with. As of November, 2020, the season is still going strong.

Warm Hands All Winter
Hippo Hands & Oxford Heaterz

The one motorcycle gear question I get asked most often is: How do I keep my hands warm in the winter?

For a long time, my answer was simple — I didn’t.

I gritted my teeth through the cold, layering my all-season gloves with tight, mobility-reducing liners. Heated gear or grips were out of the question — my KZ’s old-school charging system could never have handled it.

But now, I have my FZ-07, and last November, I hit the chilly hands jackpot.

For my birthday, despite my mom’s wariness of doing anything to keep me on the bike longer (love you, mom!), my parents gifted me a pair of Oxford Heaterz heated grips.

If that wasn’t wonderful enough, two weeks later Hippo Hands got in touch to see if I wanted to try their Rogue handlebar muffs.

I couldn’t have asked for better timing. Not only was it almost winter, but I had done my research and knew heated grips and muffs worked better together — a dynamic duo of unstoppable hand warmth. I couldn’t wait to try them out.

Oxford Heaterz: Foolproof and well-considered

The Heaterz (mine are the sport style) were an easy install: Oxford had thought of everything.

The directions were clear and easy to follow — the hardest part was getting the side cover off the FZ to route the cables to the battery.

There were dummy-proof electrical connectors, a handy cut line if you needed to cut the grips to fit (I did), and velcro if you needed to stick the control box onto an existing surface instead of the mount (I did that, too).

And, after watching videos of people installing older versions, it was clear Oxford had listened to customer feedback.

In one video, the installer pointed out that the connections weren’t waterproof — but the connectors on my 2018 grips were. In another, the installer mentioned he wished the included mounting bracket was black instead of silver. I didn’t use the mounting bracket on my bike, but guess what — it was black.

It’s always great to see a company that never stops testing and evolving their products. Clearly, Oxford is one of them.

My model also has an “intelligent heat controller” to sense when the bike is off, which saves you from needing to connect the grips to a live ignition feed.

I’m skittish about dead batteries, so I don’t put this feature to the test. But being able to connect the grips to the battery was definitely an easy install.

The entire installation took about two hours — most of which I spent wrangling the FZ’s plastics. And then, I had heated grips ��

I got these grips a few weeks before the Hippo Hands, so I had plenty of time to test out the grips by themselves. And man, do they get hot! So hot, I haven’t yet needed to use the highest setting.

They take a minute to warm up, so I turn them on while I’m pulling the bike out of the garage. The intelligent heat controller must be doing its job, because I haven’t had a dead battery yet!

I’ve done most of my testing running errands in 40-degree weather, and I found my research to be true. The grips do keep my palms warm (very warm!), but above 30 MPH the tops of my hands start to get cold — especially my clutch fingers.

Enter: Hippo Hands.

Function over form

Okay, so Hippo Hands aren’t the sexiest motorcycle accessory. But once you try them, you won’t care. Because they work — especially with heated grips.

Hippo Hands are well-constructed, made out of a stiff, lined fabric so the muffs hold their shape at speed. The ones I have, the Rogues, have adjustable straps and velcro to fit a range of bikes.

If you need more serious wind protection, there’s also the adventure-focused Alcan model, which has a pull-tie closure at the handlebar instead of a strap.

There are a few options with the Rogues — you can get them in all black, with reflective tape, or with windows for bar-end turn signals. Mine have reflective tape, which I love because a little extra visibility is never a bad thing!

The Rogues themselves are an easy install, but there is a catch… they require brush guards. Without the support of brush guards (also known as hand guards or by the brand name BarkBusters), the muffs could push back onto your clutch and brake levers at high speeds. Oof, no thanks!

Now, I’m not complaining, since Hippo Hands sent me the Rogues for free. But I didn’t think brush guards would be so expensive! Brand name BarkBusters run about $100 — for only the backbone. There are universal models for less, but of course they didn’t fit the FZ.

I ended up getting an already-opened package of BarkBusters for the FZ series off Revzilla for $80. They fit perfectly and were an easy install, but it did take me awhile to come around to the expense!

I thought it would be weird to not be able to see your hands while riding, but it didn’t take me any time at all to get used to it. And the spaciousness of the muffs leaves plenty of room for me to reach the turn signals and horn.

The Ultimate Warm Hands Solution

So now, finally, I have the whole kit and caboodle. And guess what? I’m never going back. It’s the perfect ecosystem: Oxford Heaterz provide warmth, Hippo Hands keep it in.

Now, I can run errands in 45 degrees in my regular riding gear, including my favorite Knox Coverts.

But it does come at a cost: $299.80, to be precise. The Heaterz are $89.95, the Rogues $129.95, and BarkBuster aluminum backbones start at $79.90, depending on your bike.

For some, it’s a small price to pay to extend their riding season. But if you have to choose between the two, I’d go with the heated grips. They’re less expensive (more bang for the buck) and make a huge difference at slow speeds.

Overall, though, I’m very pleased with both the Oxford Heaterz and Hippo Hands. I can’t wait to enjoy some early spring riding with cozy, warm hands!

Also, links to Revzilla in this article are affiliate links, which means if you click on one of these links and then make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!