After market heated grips?

[Damaged Goods]

Any one used after market heated grips? Any recomendations on a good fit and function, or would I be better off trying to get them from Kawasaki?

[eng943]

I don't know if I would recomend the Kawasaki grips. Frankly, they dissapointed me with how little heat they put out. The heated grips on my BMW's were capable of getting really warm on the highesst setting for a quick that of my hands. There are probably more effective aftermarket kits out there.

[ZG]

Hot Grips. 
 
http://www.hotgrips.com/
 

[BudCallaghan]

Any one used after market heated grips? Any recomendations on a good fit and function, or would I be better off trying to get them from Kawasaki?

I can't comment on the Kawasaki grips as I have an '09 model.  I can comment on their price though, "Ouch!"  I will endorse ZG's referral as I have been using Jim Hollander's creations for about thirty years on all of my motorcycles, both street bikes and dirt bikes.  On occasion I have tried other brands or methods of supplying heat to the hands.  From this long time frame of gathering empirical experience I can safely say that none of the other heated grips or under grip heaters can match the heat output or quality of the original Hot Grips.  Although the Hot Grips website states, "NOT for aluminum handlebars, as the aluminum acts like a heat sink, drawing away much of the heat.  Filling aluminum handlebars with ANY form of insulation is virtually ineffective", I do not agree as the extended ribs on the left grip act as an excellent form of insulation to prevent heat loss to the aluminum handlebar of the C14.  I suspect the inclusion of this disclaimer was the result of paranoia generated by legal counsel.  The right side suffers no loss of heat either as the plastic throttle sleeve is a good insulator.

Because I live in an area that does not experience the extreme heat of summer that permeates the majority of this country I use my hot grips all year.  For those of you who will never have occasion to turn on the heat during the summer months it's a good idea to save wear and tear on these expensive grips by removing them.  This can be accomplished by only using glue on the right side as an extra plastic throttle sleeve is inexpensive.  To learn how to install the left grip without the use of glue, go to http://www.hotgrips.com/remove_grip.php for instructions.  Even though I don't remove mine, this is the method of installation I used and can endorse.   
   
 I ride throughout the cold winter months when using these grips in conjunction with Gerbing's heated gloves and never experience cold hands.  Cold hands and the resulting loss of their dexterity increases the inherent danger riding a motorcycle involves.  I've been riding motorcycles for about fifty seven years, the first twenty seven with cold hands and the last thirty with warm hands.  Warm is better.  Heated clothing is wonderful too. 

[Jim M.]

 I just installed the Oxford grips on my '08 yesterday. Very easy installation. I clipped off the battery leads and put bullet connectors on and plugged into the accessory leads in the left front fairing panel. The controller is mounted with supplied hardware on the clutch housing bolts. I tried them out on a short hour long ride after installing and like them very much!

By the way, when installing the grips, I don't even bother with glue. I just pour some gasoline into the grip and slide them right on. As soon as the gas dries, they are stuck like glue. I used to use this method when replacing grips on my MX racing bike since grips are the first thing to get destroyed in crashes. I've never had one come loose- ever.

[BudCallaghan]

I just installed the Oxford grips on my '08 yesterday. Very easy installation. I clipped off the battery leads and put bullet connectors on and plugged into the accessory leads in the left front fairing panel. The controller is mounted with supplied hardware on the clutch housing bolts. I tried them out on a short hour long ride after installing and like them very much!

By the way, when installing the grips, I don't even bother with glue. I just pour some gasoline into the grip and slide them right on. As soon as the gas dries, they are stuck like glue. I used to use this method when replacing grips on my MX racing bike since grips are the first thing to get destroyed in crashes. I've never had one come loose- ever.

What about the throttle side?  I know this will work on the clutch side but have never tried it on the plastic sleeve on the throttle side.  Are the Oxford grips smooth on the inside or are they ribbed for the sake of insulation as the original Hot Grips are? 

The same result can be obtained using WD40.  Many years ago when WD40 was new on the market I was in a quandary over which grips to use on one of my dirt bikes.  I sprayed some inside a grip and slid it on the handlebar so that its lubricity would enable me to quickly change grips for the sake of comparison.  Somewhere in the middle of this comparison test I was sidetracked and didn't return to the bike until well after the WD40's solvent had dried and I found the grip to be glued in place.  Seems that there's something in the gas and in WD40 that will become glue between rubber and smooth steel or aluminum when evaporation is complete.  After discovering this I had a tubeless tire on my car with several leaks between the tire's bead and the rim.  Reasoning that if I could use WD40 to attach grips securely perhaps it will also seal the bead.  I tried it and it worked.  That was 1960 and in the intervening 52 years I have used WD40 as a lubricant whenever I mount a tubeless tire on any vehicle, car, truck or motorcycle.  I have tire changing equipment and have personally changed every tire purchased during that long time span.  None of them have ever leaked around the bead.

[Damaged Goods]

Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know what I end up with.

[Son of Pappy]

Trackside heated grip elements for me.  4 years, 4 sets of grips, 2 switches, and lots of rain.  For 13 bucks?  They work better than the stock grips on my GS.  Do 2 wraps of tape for insulation on the clutch side bar.

[GMan]

Oxford +1.  Very happy with them.

[Jim M.]

What about the throttle side?  I know this will work on the clutch side but have never tried it on the plastic sleeve on the throttle side.  Are the Oxford grips smooth on the inside or are they ribbed for the sake of insulation as the original Hot Grips are? 

The throttle side works with the gasoline too. The Oxfords are smooth on the inside.
 I put 210 miles in mostly mountain roads today and I like the feel of the Oxfords better than the stock grips. The Oxfords are just a little thicker.

[Pokey]

Oxford +1.  Very happy with them.

Yup.

[tthompsr]

+2 on the Oxfords, Been using them for a few years now, great product!

[BudCallaghan]

+2 on the Oxfords, Been using them for a few years now, great product!

What can you tell us about heat transfer to the aluminum bar on the clutch side.  Do you use any form of insulation between the rubber and the aluminum?  Do the grips both both warm to the same temperature?  As I stated in my previous post, I've been using HotGrips® for thirty years and am very satisfied with every aspect of them save their high price.  The price of the Oxford grips make them a much more attractive item provided they perform as well as the HotGrips®.   

[tthompsr]

I love my Oxford grips, They're so warm I wear my summer gloves right down to the lower 30's and no I don't notice any temp difference between the two grips.(one thing I did notice they alternate power back and fourth between the two handgrips during operation)

[BudCallaghan]

I love my Oxford grips, They're so warm I wear my summer gloves right down to the lower 30's and no I don't notice any temp difference between the two grips.(one thing I did notice they alternate power back and fourth between the two handgrips during operation)

Could you please elaborate a bit on the alternating power aspect of their operation.  No doubt this switching of power is done by their controller for whatever reason their designer deemed necessary.  If the grips remain at the same temperature this alternation of power must be rather rapid.  Can you tell me how often this switching occurs and how did you come to realize they alternate their power during operation?  I wonder why this function is included in their design.  Perhaps someone can answer these questions brought about by my curious nature.

[Pokey]

What can you tell us about heat transfer to the aluminum bar on the clutch side.  Do you use any form of insulation between the rubber and the aluminum?  Do the grips both both warm to the same temperature?  As I stated in my previous post, I've been using HotGrips® for thirty years and am very satisfied with every aspect of them save their high price.  The price of the Oxford grips make them a much more attractive item provided they perform as well as the HotGrips®.   

Heater systems that use the wrap around pads instead of the actual grip being the heater, are the ones that wrapping the clutch side with electrical tape "or similar" helps not lose heat to the bar. I had Oxfords on my VStrom, they worked fantastic and get nice and toasty.

[Pokey]

Well being quite the Oxford heaterz fan, I figured that would be what I would "finally" be installing on the C14. Decided to go with Moose grip heaters, "made by Symtec" and they were a whopping $38 at the Iron Pony. I bought some bullet connectors at Home Depot because I did not want to cut or possibly make shorter the accessory leads. I tried really hard to salvage the grips, but seems the glue collected heavily in one place, and they were EXTREMELY hard to get off without damaging them, needless to say they got cut off. I was hoping to simply slip my grip puppies over the heaters, but they were too big without grips to go over. Bought a 3/4 inch hole saw bit and drilled right into the center of the dash plug, only had to slightly make it a bit bigger with a utility knife so that I could get the rocker switch flush. Routed everything real factory looking I must say, and fired up the bike. HOLY CRAP these things get hot, I was amazed. I actually wrapped electrical tape over both grips, then once I applied the heat tape, I then secured them a bit better with some more tape. So off to the Iron Pony in the morning to buy some cheap grips, hopefully the grip puppies don't stop the heat from coming through too much. I had Oxfords on my Vstrom and I used them allot, how I went without this long on the C14 is quite astonishing.

[Son of Pappy]

Symtec/Trackside.  Same same, still loving em.  Did finally need to resolder a wire when I changed grips again.  Best $13 spent on the bike.

[maxtog]

I don't know if I would recomend the Kawasaki grips. Frankly, they dissapointed me with how little heat they put out. The heated grips on my BMW's were capable of getting really warm on the highesst setting for a quick that of my hands. There are probably more effective aftermarket kits out there.

(Yikes, this is an old thread)  My factory Concours grips get plenty hot- way hotter than I would ever need (even in 30's, I have never had them on highest setting).  Even so, it would be MUCH cheaper to add aftermarket than try to add the OEM.

Now, my Sargent seat, on the other hand, is so hot, it can cause a first degree burn even at 75%.  Seems like a really strange design to me.

[Pokey]

Was no need to start a new thread, made more sense to revive one instead. I am heading out to test the grips in a bit.