Toystoretom
Living Legend
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2006
- Messages
- 2,449
Yikes... I installed the heated grips today. Some observations:
1. They are smaller in diameter than the stock grips and have a pattern in them. Sometimes a pattern in the grips can be uncomfortable, I don't know about these yet, I haven't ridden it to find out.
2. If you do these yourself, you had better set aside 4 hours or so, it is somewhat complicated. The hardest part is running the grip wires through the handlebars and fishing them out a very small hole. You need small picks and a good light to do this. If this part doesn't go well it could add mucho time to the 4 hours.
3. The left grip wire didn't line up with the slot in the handlebar. It will only go on one way as the grip ends up being bolted to the bar. I am going back and will enlarge the slot in the bar so the wire will fit into it. The way it is now the wire is trapped between the inside of the grip and the handlebar and it could become a potential short. This is a manufacturer's defect if you ask me, but I am going to work around it. You won't be able to tell if I enlarge the slot and it doesn't need more than about an eighth of an inch.
4. The wire on the right grip (The throttle) has no provision for all the upcoming throttle twists it is going to have to put up with. It appears to be just plain wire. I have to wonder how long that wire is going to last... Time will tell.
5. I was able to work the old left grip off without cutting it. Stick a very narrow screwdriver between the grip and the handlebar and twist the screwdriver around as you pull on the grip. You can "walk" it off. If I hate the heated grips those can go back on.
Some picks of the old grips, the new heated ones and the switch housing. The switch housing isn't as bad as everyone has said (in real life).
They do work with the Throttlemiester, to adjust that I repostioned the Brake master cylinder housing to get the proper spacing.
They are very nice and toasty, I can see these being used often, probably more than you might think. There are a lot of cold summer morning rides to work where these will be the cat's meow...
1. They are smaller in diameter than the stock grips and have a pattern in them. Sometimes a pattern in the grips can be uncomfortable, I don't know about these yet, I haven't ridden it to find out.
2. If you do these yourself, you had better set aside 4 hours or so, it is somewhat complicated. The hardest part is running the grip wires through the handlebars and fishing them out a very small hole. You need small picks and a good light to do this. If this part doesn't go well it could add mucho time to the 4 hours.
3. The left grip wire didn't line up with the slot in the handlebar. It will only go on one way as the grip ends up being bolted to the bar. I am going back and will enlarge the slot in the bar so the wire will fit into it. The way it is now the wire is trapped between the inside of the grip and the handlebar and it could become a potential short. This is a manufacturer's defect if you ask me, but I am going to work around it. You won't be able to tell if I enlarge the slot and it doesn't need more than about an eighth of an inch.
4. The wire on the right grip (The throttle) has no provision for all the upcoming throttle twists it is going to have to put up with. It appears to be just plain wire. I have to wonder how long that wire is going to last... Time will tell.
5. I was able to work the old left grip off without cutting it. Stick a very narrow screwdriver between the grip and the handlebar and twist the screwdriver around as you pull on the grip. You can "walk" it off. If I hate the heated grips those can go back on.
Some picks of the old grips, the new heated ones and the switch housing. The switch housing isn't as bad as everyone has said (in real life).
They do work with the Throttlemiester, to adjust that I repostioned the Brake master cylinder housing to get the proper spacing.
They are very nice and toasty, I can see these being used often, probably more than you might think. There are a lot of cold summer morning rides to work where these will be the cat's meow...