Installed Grip Heaters

[pktexas]

Latest add-on to my 05 midnight venture. Here is my write up on the install with some pics. Installed grip heaters made by Symtec (www.symtec-inc.com) (pic 1). Purchased from http://phatperformaceparts.com for $39.95. After I removed the throttle grip and seen the ribs under the rubber grip (pic 2) had to carve of the ribs off the plastic throttle sleeve in order to attach the heater. Used a box cutter to cut them off, they came off pretty easy. Once I had them removed, attached the heater with the wires at the right position, did not glue the heater as the instructions called for (pic 3). I re-installed the grip over the heater very carefully. The Clutch grip (pic 3a) was a little easier, did have to trim some off the chrome plastic end (pic 3b) to allow the wired end of the heater to fit on the bar. Attached the heater to the bar and slipped the grip over the heater and bar. Wires were long enough to route down the handlebar to the sides of the under the tank. Left some slack on the throttle side(pic 4) to allow movement of the throttle. I removed the tank and seat in order to finish wiring, I installed a relay at the battery area in order to connect to my switch control accessory switch (pic 5) wire which is mounted on left handlebar.

 

I installed this a year ago, purchased from http://www.cruisercustomizing.com It has two push locking switches Top- my red LED lights under bike, Lower- grip heaters, they have a red LED to indicate that they are on. The switches are on an un-switched 12v from the battery. I installed a three position switch on the tank chrome cover(pic 6) for the HI/OFF/LO control, wired the three wire switch to a three pin plug in order so it can removed (pic 7). The three pin connector has 12v from relay, HI & LO wires from heaters. I connected the ground wires from the heaters to a bolt on the frame.

 

I also installed a fuse holder on the 12v from the battery to the relay. They recommend a 3 or 4 amp fuse. I have a 3 amp so far works good.

 

From the first I turned the heaters on, they warmed up pretty fast. Have used them on the cool mornings we have had lately. Wish I would have had them installed before the cold weather hit. I have used them with my regular summer groves and the winter leather groves, great so far. The temperature here is going back up, so LO has been good for now.

 

Time will tell how long these heaters will last; one point for failure will be the wires where they connect to the heaters, especially the throttle side. Luckily we don’t need them very much down here. But since I ride all year round, hope it will make the cold ride into town and back home nicer when I am on the late shift this time of year. My hands were the only parts that were feeling the cold. Hope this write up shows enough. It was fairly easy, about an hour and a half to complete.

[tsigwing]

Latest add-on to my 05 midnight venture. Here is my write up on the install with some pics. Installed grip heaters made by Symtec (www.symtec-inc.com) (pic 1). Purchased from http://phatperformaceparts.com for $39.95. After I removed the throttle grip and seen the ribs under the rubber grip (pic 2) had to carve of the ribs off the plastic throttle sleeve in order to attach the heater. Used a box cutter to cut them off, they came off pretty easy. Once I had them removed, attached the heater with the wires at the right position, did not glue the heater as the instructions called for (pic 3). I re-installed the grip over the heater very carefully. The Clutch grip (pic 3a) was a little easier, did have to trim some off the chrome plastic end (pic 3b) to allow the wired end of the heater to fit on the bar. Attached the heater to the bar and slipped the grip over the heater and bar. Wires were long enough to route down the handlebar to the sides of the under the tank. Left some slack on the throttle side(pic 4) to allow movement of the throttle. I removed the tank and seat in order to finish wiring, I installed a relay at the battery area in order to connect to my switch control accessory switch (pic 5) wire which is mounted on left handlebar.

 

I installed this a year ago, purchased from http://www.cruisercustomizing.com It has two push locking switches Top- my red LED lights under bike, Lower- grip heaters, they have a red LED to indicate that they are on. The switches are on an un-switched 12v from the battery. I installed a three position switch on the tank chrome cover(pic 6) for the HI/OFF/LO control, wired the three wire switch to a three pin plug in order so it can removed (pic 7). The three pin connector has 12v from relay, HI & LO wires from heaters. I connected the ground wires from the heaters to a bolt on the frame.

 

I also installed a fuse holder on the 12v from the battery to the relay. They recommend a 3 or 4 amp fuse. I have a 3 amp so far works good.

 

From the first I turned the heaters on, they warmed up pretty fast. Have used them on the cool mornings we have had lately. Wish I would have had them installed before the cold weather hit. I have used them with my regular summer groves and the winter leather groves, great so far. The temperature here is going back up, so LO has been good for now.

 

Time will tell how long these heaters will last; one point for failure will be the wires where they connect to the heaters, especially the throttle side. Luckily we don’t need them very much down here. But since I ride all year round, hope it will make the cold ride into town and back home nicer when I am on the late shift this time of year. My hands were the only parts that were feeling the cold. Hope this write up shows enough. It was fairly easy, about an hour and a half to complete.

 

this is my 2nd season with my grip heaters. they work ok, but when it is 25 outside, nothing really helps. even with grip heaters and my heated vest, my hands are hurting when i get to work in the morning. oh well.

[Sylvester]

this is my 2nd season with my grip heaters. they work ok, but when it is 25 outside, nothing really helps. even with grip heaters and my heated vest, my hands are hurting when i get to work in the morning. oh well.

 

Exactly why I use Gerbing heated gloves. Grip heaters are only for cool weather not cold weather.

 

[ahoutzer]

Cold comes in levels, and so do the clothes that I wear when riding. For cold from 9 degrees (coldest I've ridden in) to the upper thirties, grip heaters are not enough for me, so I use Gerbings heated gloves.

 

I don't really like being tied to my bike with wires, so I prefer not to use the Gerbings until they are really needed. Last year for my birthday (late March), my sister gave me a gift certificate for Aerostich (a motorcycle accessory catalog). i bought a pair of grip heaters that velcro over the grips, just to try and because I only had to pay the taxes and shipping, thanks to my sister. These install quickly and easily, but certainly not as cleanly, wrapped around the grips and leaving wires on the handlebars. I suspect that they don't heat as much as the Symtec ones either, but they do help. They plug into the same jack that the Gerbings gloves plug to, so I just choose whether to use the Gerbings or the heated grips.

 

Anyway, the point is that heated grips allow me to wear gloves that don't tie me to the bike, but only to a point. Below a certain temperature, I still use the heated gloves.

[Scooter Bob]

pktexas,

 

Excellant write up.

 

The biggest reason I've never installed heated grips is I, too, have been afraid the wires on the throttle side would break after constant twisting. I have many friends that have them and it hasn't been a problem though.

 

The price on that unit you picked out is pretty reasonable, not going to break the bank if the wire does break sometime and you have to replace it. Are the left and right sides interchangable?

 

Thanks again for the job well done.

 

You've got me thinking about getting mine heated up.

 

And that is also a really nice looking switch box as well.

 

Later, Scooter Bob

[GlennTuc]

I wear a snowmobile suit when the temps are in the 40's and below. When the temp drops below freezing I wear a goose down vest under the coat. To keep my hands warm, I wear a pair of mittens from Cabelas that are also waterproof. Rode home from work in the rain last night. Temps were in the mid 40's and stayed warm and dry. I have ridden with the temps down to 9F with the above gear and stayed warm. The snowmobile suit is made by North 49, that I bought from a place out of Canada for not much over $100.00.

 

Glenn

[bald josh]

set myself up with hotgrips a while back, absolutely love them! ive been out in @freezing temps with light weight gloves and no problems..PLUS my fingers used to go numb even in the summer, they havnt fallen asleep once since this add-on. that alone makes them worth every penny!!!