I finally broke down and bought some ebay heated gloves. My question is can I just power them off the bike or do I need to buy a seperate controller?

They seem pricey for what they are. Seems like there ought to be an easier (meaning cheaper) way.

 

Depends on how they recommend fitting them - are they 12v (off the bike) or battery powered.

Eagerbeaver do a fused accessory kit or DIY with a relay and distribution box using these instructions.

Motorcycle Power Relay and Distribution Block | Canyon Chasers Motorcycle Sport Touring

I use a heated grips (and handlebar muffs when wet and very cold) fitted using using a relay.

 

You usually need to go through the heated jacket....in most cases. Call it pressure buying. You want the gloves, you need the jacket sort of thing.

However, this can all be buy passed with the right plugs to bring you straight to the battery. Be sure to fuse it at the battery.

I have a new set of gloves left for sale lying in my old shop boxes I have left. They come with a heat controller (low, med, high) and yes they are pricey.
Which brand did you buy ?

 

+1 I much prefer this set up.

 

I think you will know the answer when they arrive and you look at them. If they don't come with a controller built in I think you will want one.

I have heated gloves I bought from a Cyclegear store and the pushbutton Hi/Med/Lo/Off controller is built into each glove. So I just plug each glove into a fused twin lead harness that was provided with the gloves. I never operate mine above the Lo setting because they really warm up a lot after several minutes of use.

 

You're supposed to hook them up to the bike. The steadier power supply. I like the battery powered ones because you have more mobility. They should arrive with a power controller and everything you need to control it..
I've seen the battery powered ones here http://www.motorcyclehouse.com/motor...es-for-men.htm

 

To relay or not to relay, that is the question

Everything but my fused coaxial power jack connected directly to the battery is controlled by a relay. I use this jack to connect the Battery Tender (the OEM lead from the BT was converted to the more efficient and quicker coaxial jack/plug from a SAE polarized connector) and power my heated vest (first a Widder through a “Heattroller” electronic thermostat [versus bi-metallic] and now my TM Synergy which has its own thermostat), my own micro tire air pump, as well as a duplex cigarette power plug that I can charge my cell phone. All the other circuits I added are individually fused but run through their own relay fed from a central power distribution panel; including twin 50w halogen driving lights, heated grips, radar detector, GPS, auxiliary power jack (also used to charge the cell, etc) and of course direct power to the headlight bulb with the OEM switch used only to trigger the relay (the high beam goes through a headlight modulator). A minimum of 14, though usually 12 gauge wire is utilized for all circuits but 10 gauge in the case of the mosfet VR feeding direct to the battery along with the positive and ground serving the central power distribution panel. I now use the OEM 16+ gauge white/red wire that used to get power from the VR to supply power to the auxiliary LED brake and rear running lights.

I closely monitor demand via a LED display volt meter.

The gloves should at least come with a wiring harness and an on/off switch. The CycleGear gloves mentioned have their own T-stat as do a couple of other mgrs. but “Heatroller” is fairly dominant and marketed by “Warm N Safe” and private labeled for FirstGear’s heated stuff I believe. Their solo t-stat can be had for about $70.