Member Contributer bryan217 Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 It's starting to get a little chilly here in New England, and I'm reluctant to put the VFR away. I bought a heated jacket liner off a co-worker, and now I'm considering heated grips. I don't like big, bulky gloves, so I pretty much ruled out heated gloves. So does anyone have any recommendations on heated grips? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Oxford Heaterz. Check out the review(s) on webbikeworld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I use DualStar heated grips, simple kit and less that $30. :fing02: Actually $34 now. http://www.dual-star.com/index2/Rider/heated_grip_kit1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted November 18, 2009 Forum CEO Share Posted November 18, 2009 It's starting to get a little chilly here in New England, and I'm reluctant to put the VFR away. I bought a heated jacket liner off a co-worker, and now I'm considering heated grips. I don't like big, bulky gloves, so I pretty much ruled out heated gloves. So does anyone have any recommendations on heated grips? Thanks! I chose to use dualstar grip elements cause they have a dual element for hi and lo which does not require a resistor for the lo setting. There are other makers that use the same design, plus its just requires a 3 postion switch or a plused width controler if you want fine tune the heat such as heattroller or use a complete grip replacement such as hotgrips I use the hotgrips controller with the dualstars You can see my writeups in the mods section Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I bought the Symtec kit from California Sport Touring because it comes with a nice round rocker switch instead of the toggle switch that the Dual Stars come with: http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CST&Product_Code=16025&Category_Code=winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Knife Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 Just keep in mind that if it gets really cold, heated grips won't do the trick for you (back of hands and fingers will get very cold). Heated gloves will keep your entire hand warm, though. Just sayin'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 I use a combination of the Symtec kit and winter weight gloves. I like the grip heaters better than heated gloves, as I can use them anytime with any gloves. Great on a rainy day, or a chilly day when I might not need, or have with me, the winter weight gloves. I did recently have a switch failure, but Symtec sells replacements for $5. I think water got into the original switch, so this time I took the switch apart and covered the contacts with dielectri grease. The switch and gloves together didn't cost as much as heated gloves and I don't have to deal with threading wires inside my jacket. Gloves: http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/catalog/Polar-Tex-Gloves-p-108_9.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 had my symtechs on this morning. I love them. I used these hegated grips with winter gloves and the coldest day last year was 3 degrees F. No prob. best 33 dollars ever spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Maddog Hoek Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 had my symtechs on this morning. I love them. I used these hegated grips with winter gloves and the coldest day last year was 3 degrees F. No prob. best 33 dollars ever spent. Same here, I'm spoiled now. My lowest temp was 19f though, 3f sounds slippery... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Q-Dawg Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 From my own heated grip experience, I would advise spending a bit more money on your kit and getting one with a knob to control temperature. I find that my grips are often too hot (even on the lower setting) and become quite uncomfortable, so I end up cycling them on and off as they start to scorch my hands. Not sure how many other people share this experience with their grips, but the next set will have this feature for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer elizilla Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 There are a number of brands of heaters that are just plastic stickers with metal elements inside them. You put them on the bar and then put whatever grip you like over top of them. They all work great but it's important to understand what you have so you can install it appropriately to get good results. Some have two circuits per grip, like the dualstars mentioned up thread, so you can have two levels of heat without a resistor. Others have one circuit per grip, and use a resistor in the wiring to reduce the amount of juice that gets to the heaters to create the lower setting. On the clutch side, the grip goes on over bare metal, but on the throttle side the grip goes over a plastic throttle tube. The metal bar is like a big heat sink. Some kits have a hotter heater for the clutch side to make up for the heat sink there. Others don't, so you need to insulate under the heater to keep it off the bare metal heat sink. This insulation bulks up the bar, so you need to buy two sets of grips, use throttle side handgrips on both sides, and discard the clutch side handgrips with their smaller inner diameters. I like to run a lot of accessories, and watts are always limited. So I prefer to insulate under the clutch side grip, rather than pump my limited watts into heating up a metal handlebar. Other people run less stuff and prefer to reduce the complexity of the project by using a kit that has more heat on the clutch side. I don't like the resistor wiring either, because that also wastes watts. But the resistor type kits work great with the variable dial controllers from warmnsafe.com. Just discard the resistor and the three position switches. However, dial controllers are the most expensive item on the parts list. So if you're trying to control costs by using the kit's three position switches, I would advise looking for a kit that has separate circuits for high and low, rather than the resistor kits; that will save both money and watts. Edited to add: While I was writing this, Q-Dawg mentioned that he always finds his grips get too hot if turned up all the way. I have the same experience. I run the variable controllers and I hardly ever turn it up even to the halfway point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Terminex Posted November 18, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 18, 2009 Can't comment on the different styles of grip heaters (as I only have 1 type of grip heaters), but I do think matching the right gloves to the grip heaters is the way to go. If you use thinner gloves your fingers WILL GO NUMB despite the grip heaters. (I speak from experience) ZThe best way to go I have found is with a set of grip heaters and the Klim Fusion gloves. when you put the gloves on you can put your hand in the center of the gloves, so that the insulation is even on the top & bottom of the gloves, OR you can put your hand in another position so that the insulation on the top of your hand & fingers is doubled up. this means that you have better feel on the grips, while you have better insulation for the part of your hands / fingers that are away from the grip heaters. They are not cheap, but it was worth it to me as I do not want to risk an accident from numb fingers. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YellowFuzz Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 Just bought the Oxford Sportz Heaterz (latest model) about two weeks ago. Simple install. I ride home from work at night and they work quite well. They warm up quickly and I've never had them on their highest setting. Bought them from LOCKITT.COM. Ordered on a Tuesday and got them that Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Just keep in mind that if it gets really cold, heated grips won't do the trick for you (back of hands and fingers will get very cold). Heated gloves will keep your entire hand warm, though. Just sayin'! Good post. Plasma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Mac Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 I'm happy with my Hot Grips. Going strong into their third winter- Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer achfly Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 i just got a symtec kit. Do I need to get new grips with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Twox48 Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 I bought the Symtec kit from California Sport Touring because it comes with a nice round rocker switch instead of the toggle switch that the Dual Stars come with: http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CST&Product_Code=16025&Category_Code=winter Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! I installed these last winter & am very happy with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Twox48 Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 i just got a symtec kit. Do I need to get new grips with it? You should be able to save your old grips providing they're not glued too bad tho new grips are not expensive. Hint for removal of old grips... use compressed air. Shoot it between the grip & the bars and they magically float off! Works like an air hockey table! Amazingly easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbroshi Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Here in north Texas we do get weather cold enough to deter a lot of riding for those not well prepared. Riding an unfaired bike, let alone the VFR, can be downright uncomfortable without even the right gloves. God forbid you don't have some heat for a fair distance ride. Considering 8 months out of the year I can do without heated grips, I'll be getting some heated gloves. That way I don't have to put up with the extra wires and grips that I wouldn't be happy with wearing thinner gloves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer elizilla Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 i just got a symtec kit. Do I need to get new grips with it? You should be able to save your old grips providing they're not glued too bad tho new grips are not expensive. Hint for removal of old grips... use compressed air. Shoot it between the grip & the bars and they magically float off! Works like an air hockey table! Amazingly easy! Another trick for getting them off undamaged - grab an aerosol can of silicone spray. Work the little straw down under the edge of the grip, wiggle the grip around, work the straw in farther and spray some more, and eventually work enough glue loose that it will slide off. If you use the grip heaters that don't have a hotter heater on the clutch side, you'll need to buy the new grips so you can get a second throttle side grip that will fit over the insulation you put under the clutch side heater. (I insulated the clutch side grips on my bike with the self vulcanizing rubber tape you can buy in the plumbing section at Home Depot - works great, and has never moved.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rdguy Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 +1. Although I use WD40 (of course...) For re-installation, I clean the bars and insides of the grips with acetone/brake cleaner/etc, which doesn't leave a residue or oil film. Let dry and check cleanliness, then wet the bar with the same solvent and slide the grip on, position to suit, and leave it alone until the solvent evaporates. Squeaky clean rubber on a squeaky clean bar - that's not coming off. Grips need to be in good shape for this to work. Not sure if it will work over heaters, though. Glenn Another trick for getting them off undamaged - grab an aerosol can of silicone spray. Work the little straw down under the edge of the grip, wiggle the grip around, work the straw in farther and spray some more, and eventually work enough glue loose that it will slide off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MuddDawg Posted November 21, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 21, 2009 +1. Although I use WD40 (of course...) For re-installation, I clean the bars and insides of the grips with acetone/brake cleaner/etc, which doesn't leave a residue or oil film. Let dry and check cleanliness, then wet the bar with the same solvent and slide the grip on, position to suit, and leave it alone until the solvent evaporates. Squeaky clean rubber on a squeaky clean bar - that's not coming off. Grips need to be in good shape for this to work. Not sure if it will work over heaters, though. Glenn Another trick for getting them off undamaged - grab an aerosol can of silicone spray. Work the little straw down under the edge of the grip, wiggle the grip around, work the straw in farther and spray some more, and eventually work enough glue loose that it will slide off. +1 for the compressed air. An old Bicycle trick for "gluing" the grips back on is hairspray. Dose it, slide on, and let it dry. I actually bought some grip glue a couple years and a couple bikes ago and still have not used it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superfunkomatic Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I have the Honda OEM heated grips. They are expensive but they work great and plug right into the wiring harness of the VFR. It comes with a heat controller and has a breaker circuit that shuts off the grips if they are taking more power than the bike can produce. They also come with a thicker grip which I find much more comfortable than the stock ones. There's a good thread on the topic and pics of my grips here - http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=47324 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BonusVFR Posted November 22, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted November 22, 2009 I bought the Symtec kit from California Sport Touring because it comes with a nice round rocker switch instead of the toggle switch that the Dual Stars come with: http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CST&Product_Code=16025&Category_Code=winter Ditto. Have had mine for 4 years maybe. And you never forget to pack them!!!!! Use them in the mountains in Summer and during our brutal winters in San Diego. I have grip heaters on all my bikes running through a relay controlled aux fuse box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Replaced my factory grips with these universal heated grips, easy to fit and they work great with thin gloves and some silk thermal glove liners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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