Custom Grip Heater Wraps

[V7Goose]

I have been riding year-'round since the late 60s, and I have never had grip heaters or used electric clothing. As I get older, however, I am finding that the painful fingers when the temperatures drop below 30 are less acceptable, so this year, I started experimenting with grip heaters on the RSV.

 

I really like the stock grips on QuickSilver, so I didn't want to just replace them with heated grips; that left either wrap-around heater covers or the under-grip heat strips. I first ordered a set of Oxford HotHands wrap-arounds. These are specifically labeled for use ONLY on 1 7/8" bars, as they will make the grips too large when put over grips on 1" bars. I decided to ignore this and try them anyway since I have very large hands. Turns out, we are both right. The HotHands are quite thick, and when put over the RSV grips, they feel overly large. I was easily able to get used to them, but most people probably wouldn't. In addition, the HotHands only have one temperature - High! To modulate the heat, the only choice is to turn them off and on periodically.

 

My next try was to order a heated grip kit designed to install underneath existing grips. These consist of self-stick mylar sheets with heating elements bonded to the surface. The ones I ordered use a dropping resistor and two position switch to provide low and high heat options. More on the resistor later. Before I tried installing the heater kit as it was designed, I wanted to try and make my own set of grip wraps that could be removed easily when not needed.

 

First, I chose to use buckskin, since I had it available and I thought the deer skin grips would be comfortable and functional. Although the buckskin worked very nice, I think rubberized nylon or canvas would have been a better choice. With the leather, I am concerned about the long-term effects of water, and when washing the bike I have been either wrapping the grips in plastic or removing them. Here's a picture of the heat strips and Velcro on the buckskin:

[ATTACH]5015[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5016[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5017[/ATTACH]

Important: If you are going to make a set of wrap-around heaters like this, you need to be careful to get the kind of elements with the SAME amount of heat on BOTH. Many sets made for motorcycles have one that heats a lot more to compensate for the damping effect of the cold metal bar directly against it on the left side.

 

The dropping resistor is a bit of a problem - these get HOT when the grips are on low, hot enough to burn your fingers. There is at least one other brand of grip heater kit available that uses two separate heating circuits instead of the resistor, and I would use those in the future instead of the more common type with the resistor. I used some plastic wire wrap to hold the excess wire and the resistor (it came all soldered together), and then just stuck the wire assembly down behind the throttle cables and the fairing. (note - after using these for a year, just having the resistor and wires stuffed between the throttle cables and the fairing as shown in the picture has worked perfectly - the heat from the resistor has not damaged anything.)

[ATTACH]5018[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5019[/ATTACH]

 

Finally, I just wrapped the wires from the grips once around the existing bar wire bundle and routed the wires from the left grip and the power plug through more of the plastic wire wrap across the front of the handlebars. The tach mount made a convenient place to mount the switch. I am currently powering these from the power plug in the fairing, but will permanently wire the switch next time I split the fairing.

[ATTACH]5020[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5021[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5022[/ATTACH]

 

I am quite happy with this solution and think this is what I will stay with!

Goose

 

UPDATE - one year later:

I have used these grip heaters for two winters now, and I love them. In November we took a weeks ride up to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and the weather for three days all the way there was low 30s and solid rain. Of course, the buckskin grip heaters got soaked, but that just made them work even better, as the water absorbed the heat and kept my hands "steamy" warm. Even when my winter gloves got so wet that just making a fist would cause water to stream out of them, these grip heaters were too warm to leave on Hi very long. After the grip heaters dried out, they are still in perfect shape. One of the things I like most about them is that I only have to have them on the grips when really needed. Here is an updated picture of the dash and location of the switch between the tach and the right handle bar.

[ATTACH]14364[/ATTACH]

[Freebird]

Very good write-up. I'll leave it here for a couple of days and then move it to the tech library. Thanks for taking the time.

[V7Goose]

There have been a couple of other threads recently about grip heaters, so I updated this original post with new comments after using my custom-made grip heaters for two seasons, and I am just bumping the thread to put it back on top for new members to easily find.

Goose

[MAINEAC]

Hey Goose nice work!!! I just got a couple of questions... How Much and where did you get the heating elements and switch?

[timk]

Very good write up. I read in one of the new mc magazines that they were making heaters for the inside of the bars, so you can use your stock grips. I imagine they would take longer to heat up. I have hot grips brand with grip puppies on them, and wouldn't be without them.

[V7Goose]

Hey Goose nice work!!! I just got a couple of questions... How Much and where did you get the heating elements and switch?

I'll have to dig through my records to find the receipt - I'll post it in a day or two when I find it. I think the cost was around $30. I already had the buckskin sitting around, but you can do the same thing with strips of canvas.

 

The switch and all wiring came with the elements. As you probably already know, these mylar heating elements are designed to wrap around the bar (left side) and the throttle sleeve (right side) under your stock grips, but I just stuck them on strips of buckskin to wrap on top of the stock grips. They produce a LOT of heat this way, so you really need to hook them up with both Hi and Low settings, using the supplied dropping resistor.

Goose

[GaryZ]

Goose,

 

Are you still happy with your heated grips?

 

What do you think about installing them inside the end of the handlebar on a 1st Gen?

 

[67mini67]

I am still waiting to hear where he purchased the elements!!!

[V7Goose]

Goose,

 

Are you still happy with your heated grips?

 

What do you think about installing them inside the end of the handlebar on a 1st Gen?

 

Yes, I am still very happy with the wrap-on grips I made - they work flawlessly. I have no experience with the type of heaters that mount inside the bar ends, but I don't think I would try them. They would have to be very high wattage to overcome the heat-sink affect of the metal bars, and then you still have the problem of the throttle grip being insulated from the metal bar with a nylon sleeve, so the heating effects would not be the same.

 

I am still waiting to hear where he purchased the elements!!!

A simple google search will instantly produce many, many links to grip heater kits. Here is one:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Parts-Grip-Heater-SM-12474/dp/B003CKI4FI/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1321882913&sr=8-12]Amazon.com: Sports Parts Grip Heater SM-12474: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41VOsmCiMHL.@@AMEPARAM@@41VOsmCiMHL[/ame]

 

Goose

[GaryZ]

I have no experience with the type of heaters that mount inside the bar ends, but I don't think I would try them. They would have to be very high wattage to overcome the heat-sink affect of the metal bars, and then you still have the problem of the throttle grip being insulated from the metal bar with a nylon sleeve, so the heating effects would not be the same.

 

Goose

 

You said your grips get very hot, maybe too hot.

My question is; If I roll them up, insert into the bar ends and let them unroll. Do you think they would generate enough heat to be useful in 40 degree temps?

[V7Goose]

You said your grips get very hot, maybe too hot.

My question is; If I roll them up, insert into the bar ends and let them unroll. Do you think they would generate enough heat to be useful in 40 degree temps?

Mine do not get "too hot" - that is why there are both low and high settings. It all depends on how you use them. If you were to turn them on high and leave them there on a 50 degree ride, yeah, that would be too hot after a while. But on a 20 degree ride, the high setting is never too hot.

 

I do not think the Mylar wraps would work at all like you propose. They are intended to be wrapped on the outside of the metal bar with the grips on top of them. In that installation, you still have a huge heat loss directly to the metal bar, but some of the heat is transmitted directly to the grips too. If you simply put them inside the bars, then the heat would have to be strong enough to completely heat the bar ends before it could ever transfer into the grips.

 

There ARE grip heaters that are designed to be installed inside the bar ends - they look like brass plugs. But they would still need a much higher current draw to do the job.

Goose

[GaryZ]

Got it . . . Thanks!

[barend]

As it turns out that someone will be getting heated grips for Christmas; so I've been doing some research. Here is a link to the Oxford line: http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productlist/481/

 

I've also looked at the KOSO North America line, slightly cheaper but without the auto shut off: http://www.kosonorthamerica.com/

 

I also found a write up on the various type of heated grips with the one inside the handlebar being the least effective and the heated grip being most effective.

 

I've also looked into Hippo Hands or similar, and/or other hand guards as well as electric gloves.

 

It appears that:

 

• electric grips work better with thinner gloves
  
• electric grips are good down to about freezing (I'm sure it depends on the individual)
  
• Hippo Hands or similar may need guards to keep your controls free
  
• HH's will allow the use of standard gauntlets.
  
• Sub zero temps will likely require both heated grips as well as electric gloves/guards.
  

That being said, I like Oxfords heated grips in that they will auto shut down if battery levels drop too far. Then again, Oxford also has some handlebar muffs which allow for electric hand warmers to be inserted (heated grip wraps). Don't know if the muffs would allow for the use of a thumb lock "cruise" control (not that anyone needs that in morning commute traffic).