OEM Heated Grip Removal - 7th Gen

[Skids]

Re-attacking fitting the Helibars I bought to fit to my 2014 1200F, following the enclosed instructions I'm trying to remove the LH heated grip from the bar with no luck at all. I've been pouring isoprpyl alcohol down the gap both at the bar end and the heated controller end but it doesn't seem to want to move, indeed the whole grip feels firmly fixed to the bar.

 

Any answers/thoughts/experiences?

 

I've already dismantled the OEM heated grip controller for fear of damaging it (it looks a bit flimsy) but now the bar and grip and attached to the bike by 2 tiny wires running into the grips so it's not easy positioning it all to run a small screwdriver around to loosen it off and I fear breaking the wires with too much movement.

 

My spannering skills are not that awesome so please don't ask me to dismantle the electrics to loosen off the wires, unless it's a really, really simple task.

[Thumbs]

WD40 is what I use to get old sticker glue off with

 

Iso is not a solvent for most glue as it’s got water in

 

Don’t try acetone, that’s a solvent for the styrene in ABS, only Honda know what the “rubber” in the grips consists of ....  

 

Or

 

Immerse the grip in hot water to hopefully soften the glue

[Skids]

6 minutes ago, Thumbs said:

WD40 is what I use to get old sticker glue off with

 

Iso is not a solvent for most glue as it’s got water in

 

Don’t try acetone, that’s a solvent for the styrene in ABS, only Honda know what the “rubber” in the grips consists of ....  

 

Or

 

Immerse the grip in hot water to hopefully soften the glue

Thanks m8, WD40 was next on my list.

[raYzerman]

WD40 contains naptha, a good slow solvent for glues.  A very small screwdriver can loosen the bond, used carefully.... I use compressed air between the grip and bar and they'll usually slide right off if freed up.  Same going back on.

[Skids]

Thought I might be making progress. After about half a tin of WD40 I can get a screwdriver in about 1cm at the outside of the grip but the inside end is simply not giving at all. If I work any harder with more force I'm concerned it will completely trash the grip and/or snap the very small wires running into the grip.

 

I'm clearly doing something wrong  but I can't think what!

 

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Skids]

19 hours ago, raYzerman said:

WD40 contains naptha, a good slow solvent for glues.  A very small screwdriver can loosen the bond, used carefully.... I use compressed air between the grip and bar and they'll usually slide right off if freed up.  Same going back on.

I don't have a compressed air supply, but thanks.

[Skids]

Been taking this slowly. Working a small screwdriver in then spraying WD40 into the gap and leaving it upright. I'm mostly working from home atm so this works well and taking it slowly allows the WD40 to do its best over a period of time - the last week. I managed to get the screwdriver about 1.5cm into the gap but that's it. The further in it goes, the more the angle of the blade comes up to meet the rubber and I'm concerned it will either cause a break in the heating wire or actually come through the rubber.

 

That's at the outside end of the grip.  The inside end wont budge at all. Seems the force needed to apply to get the screw driver even a little in would likely damage it beyond repair.

 

The remainder of the grip is stuck firmly to the bar, it wont twist at all.

 

How the hell did those of you who've successfully done this actually do it? I'm at a dead end and would really appreciate some words of wisdom before I write-off the £££/$$$ buying the damned Helibars in the first place and possibly even consider having to sell the bike because I can no longer cope with the riding position.

[Skids]

Spoke with a technician at my local Honda dealer recently and he said you cannot remove the LH heated grip on the 1200 without damaging it.

 

How lucky that he had a spare LH heated grip which he charged me minimal money for and now I have the Helibars fitted!

[ratmoul]

I am stuck at the same spot installing LSL bars. Left one is stuck and it will definitely damage the the grip to get the inside part of it off. Would like to stick with OEM Honda, but having a hard time locating one. Similar ones are avail for the 1800 Goldwing and could likely be made to work. Pricey though at @ $200 just for one grip. I can buy a whole quality kit with wiring, controller and both grips for half that. Wondering if I could install the new heated grips and use the Honda switch and controller and wiring? Has anyone tried this?

[Cogswell]

On 9/1/2020 at 8:47 AM, Skids said:

Spoke with a technician at my local Honda dealer recently and he said you cannot remove the LH heated grip on the 1200 without damaging it.

 

How lucky that he had a spare LH heated grip which he charged me minimal money for and now I have the Helibars fitted!

 

Skids,

 

You have some good mileages listed on your prior bikes.  Just curious - how many miles now on the 1200?

[Skids]

4 hours ago, Cogswell said:

 

Skids,

 

You have some good mileages listed on your prior bikes.  Just curious - how many miles now on the 1200?

Rather embarrassingly only 20k miles. 

 

Chatting with Mrs Skids recently (well, it is Xmas), we have vowed to get out more on the 1200 once the vaccines have been dealt out and things return to some form of normality. Perhaps a trip to Spain or Italy but certainly more UK-based days, weekends or proper holidays. I'm guessing many others feel the same.  

[FromMaine]

2 hours ago, Skids said:

Rather embarrassingly only 20k miles. 

 

Chatting with Mrs Skids recently (well, it is Xmas), we have vowed to get out more on the 1200 once the vaccines have been dealt out and things return to some form of normality. Perhaps a trip to Spain or Italy but certainly more UK-based days, weekends or proper holidays. I'm guessing many others feel the same.  

You Sir are correct, with the Canadian border closed for the past 9 months and all the different travel/quarantine restrictions among the States its been a tough year for riding. I managed a measly 5K this season, barely enough to wear out the rear. Normally I'll go through 2-3. Would love to take my wife somewhere warm, but that's going to have to wait. 🍻

[raYzerman]

The grips may have been originally installed with epoxy, however I'd think that unusual for OEM.  One thing you can do is turn the heated grips on and get them hot and more flexible, sometimes can twist to break the glue, and heat does affect epoxy (if that's what it is), but it will help the WD40 work better too.

IF you go aftermarket and want to use the original controller, determine (with your meter) if the grips are factory wired in series or parallel, and check the resistance of each grip.  I'd go aftermarket in a heartbeat, but not a fan of say Oxfords (a bit too short).  Longest I've seen is 130mm.... AME Chicane is a nice contour (dumb little button controller), or you could go Koso Apollo with their integrated controller.  Another alternate is Symtec (or other) heated film that goes on first and put your favourite plain/contoured grip over them.... do not know resistance of those.  One favoured grip with some contour are (unheated) BMW grips.

[BusyLittleShop]

The BLS method of removing and installing grips without destroying them or the
need for safety wire...

 

1)slip a rat tail comb under the grip...

 

2)position the end of the grip up hill so a trickle of alcohol will travel down the
length of the gap created by the comb...

 

3)remove comb and twist the grip to work the alcohol in between grip
and throttle barrel...

 

'4)To install flood the inside of the grip with alcohol and quickly and firmly work
it on...  employing this method I have never had to resort to safety wire to
secure my grips...