Heated grips

[chrispudd]

Just wondered if anyone has heated grips and how do you like them? Is there a switch and where do you mount it? Also any pics or suggested retailers? I think i saw some at the local H-D, but they were hundreds of dollars.. Thanks

[upthemaiden]

I've had some on some of my bikes and I was pretty convinced they were one of the best inventions ever made. My first bike had hot grips... http://www.hotgrips.com/ and they worked well, it's a whole grip you slide on. Only downside is that they were super hard, I got used to it though. I had a set that was pretty much just a heated sticker, you put them on the bars and slide the grips over them and they actually worked just as well as the expensive ones... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motorcycle-Heated-Grip-Pads-Handlebars-Black-12V-/160523747551?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item255ff600df I didn't use them as long so who knows how they compare in durability. I really liked being able to use normal grips though. The right one is always warmer because it's on plastic and not metal, so I took 2 or 3 layers of heat shrink tube and put it on the left side of my bar before putting the heating element on it and then I just got some bmx grips and stretched them over since the heat shrink made the left bar too wide for a normal motorcycle grip.

I don't use them as much as I used to, so next time around I'll consider just buying something like this... http://www.oxford-shop.co.uk/item3349.htm
I have an SAE plug wired to my battery for the battery tender and it would be just as easy to toss these in my bag if I'm gonna be out late and plug them into the battery tender plug when it starts to get cold out.

What year bike do you have? The newer ones are already wired up for heated grips. They all have a switch to operate the grips, I put mine in that gap between the gauges and the flyscreen on my lightning, but you can put it wherever. I'm pretty sure if you buy the buell heated grips and have the newer bike, there's a spot on the handlebar controls somewhere to fit in a plug, but I can't say for sure.

[boreas]

I put the factory heated grips on mine (a CR). The kit does fit on newer xbs, easy install comes with a new ignition switch control ( not a plug) everything plugs into an accessory plug under the front cowl and even comes with another accessory plug. They work really good. I live in Canada so they get used alot!

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/3339_20110210041958_L.jpg

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/3339_20110404035125_L.jpg:):D

[sk8ace]

I need to get some of those, my fingers numb up super fast.. Sometimes just from the vibrations. Heated grips would deff help. Thanks for the links upthemaiden [up]

[upthemaiden]

If vibrations are bad I'd definitely avoid the hotgrips I used to have. They were nice but you'll probably want something a bit more rubbery. Now that I've used the cheap ones and saw how well they work, I'll probably just stick with those and some bmx grips any time I want a pair installed on a bike.

[grayzone]

I have the factory heated grips and love them

[chrispudd]

Thanks guys! my bike is an 03' and i live in Canada too, so there's lots of cool mornings and evenings...
Thanks for the links and input- much appreciated! :)

[j4nn3]

Does that factory heated grip set include the switch? I have '07 XB12S and been wondering why would not that set fit mine. Lack of ready-made wiring is not a problem, but is there something else involved?? I would definitely like the factory look, i.e. the switch in the right-hand switch-housing.

Any info is highly appreciated.

[boreas]

Does that factory heated grip set include the switch

The second pic in my post shows the new ignition control with every thing on it, its not just a switch.It replaces the entire control and is included in the kit.

[wrongalice]

I had these on my 03 and now on my 09. The only thing I ran into on the 03 is that it was not prewired for the harness. To accomodate, I ran a fused circuit to the power on the new harness and added a ground connection. I always wondered about the state of the charging system after that in terms of if it was designed to support the added load of the grips.

[j4nn3]

Alrighty! Thanks for the clarification & info, both of you guys ^

[thunderstormgrowl]

do the factory heated grips have the heat in the grip or under it? if it is in the grip, what happens when they wear out?

[grayzone]

do the factory heated grips have the heat in the grip or under it? if it is in the grip, what happens when they wear out?


In the grip.

Just like tires buy new ones

[Shatrat]

That's why I bought the kit on ASB which has the flexible heating elements that go under the grip.

I also bought a handlebar mounted high/low/off switch, an inline fuse, a 30A relay, and wired the whole shebang straight to the battery.
The results so far were pretty good. It takes a while to heat up my thick aluminum renthals, but once warm they are just right to keep my hands from turning into claws.

[racerxrex]

I did a Really Cheap alternative to the factory $165 heated hand grips. I bought the 'Motorcycle Heated Grip Pads for Handlebars Black 12V' item # 160523747551 on ebay for $5.49 .
I have the '09 CityX, which comes prewired with the connector under the windscreen. Wired into it, put these on the outside of my grips, held on with black electrical tape (removable in summertime I figured), and they Work Great.
Total savings... oh, $160 + whatever they charge for install $200+ I think.

[upthemaiden]

I know oxford makes some that just velcro outside of your grips kind of like you did. If you wanted to mount these outside of your grips without the electrical tape making a mess you could always get some bicycle handlebar tape or something of that sort and just wrap it around the heating strip, would still keep it somewhere clean looking.

[RT Performance]

http://www.pollyheaters.com/ph400.htm
Really tempted to try these done right you would never know there there
looking agian i might try a set of the snowmobile ones and save 9 bucks LOL