Install Heated Grips on Your Motorcycle (or ATV)

by Code128

22K404

Intro: Install Heated Grips on Your Motorcycle (or ATV)

First you need to get heated handgrips, I purchased mine from CycleGear they cost about $60.00

STEP 1: Layout Your Items

Check out the components and pull out the tools you think you may need.

STEP 2: Begin Taking Apart Your Existing Handgrips

In my case I have bar ends that need to be removed to get the grip off.

Once the ends are off you need to remove the existing rubber grip from the metal tube. These are usually glued on and don't want to come off easily. Slide a flat head screwdriver between the rubber and the bar and torque it around left and right to break the seal of the glue.

After some twists you should be able to slide the old grip off the bar. If not see the next step.

STEP 3: Remove the Throttle Rubber

On this side the rubber grip was extra stubborn and since it's going to be replaced anyway I just used shears to cut it off.

STEP 4: Test Fit the Replacement Throttle Side Grip.

Test fit the replacement grips, but don't push too hard yet, you may need to get them off.

In this case the throttle side grip can't slide on because of a lip of plastic on the existing throttle. Time to snip it off.

Use dykes to snip away the extra plastic, and then run some sandpaper over it to smooth out the end. Don't forget eye protection when cutting. Those little bits of plastic can hurt.

STEP 5: Find Some Power for the Wiring Harness

Now you need to find some power for your new heated grips. You could wire directly off the battery but that's a bad idea if you accidentally leave the warmer on you'll kill your battery in a flash.
What you want is to connect it to switch power that only comes on when the bike is running. This is typically called accessory power.

In my case (DL-1000) there is an extra switched power lead behind the radiator. I couldn't actually fit my hands in there so I tapped the power close to the battery.

STEP 6: Test Your Power Source

Once you've found a source test it with a multimeter to make sure that it's only powered when the bike is on and running.

At this step I also connected the negative to the battery terminal directly. Some people connect their negatives to the frame of vehicles, but in this case that would be a bad thing, since this is an aluminum and steel frame, running current through it would cause an electrolytic reaction between the two metals that would weaken the frame and possibly kill you eventually. So don't do that.

STEP 7: Press on the New Grips.

Using your strength press the new grips into place.

STEP 8: Take the Bike Outside and Test Out the New System.

Don't do this in the garage.

Route the wires around the bike trying to follow existing wire pathways.

Let it heat up and make sure everything is working correctly.

STEP 9: Zip Tie All Your New Wiring.

Now you're going to follow all your new wiring zip tying it to the existing wiring that you followed.

STEP 10: Clean Up Your Workspace and Get Ready for Warm Hands Tomorrow.

4 Comments

A-Nuke1979 13 years ago

To make it MUCH easier to remove and replace rubber grips, try using a blower nozzle on an air compressor. Get a little bit of air under the rubber between the controls and the inner end of the grip, then twist and pull off the grip. I did this and it almost makes the rubber slide right over the bar. It also helps to break loose any old glue that's in there when you're taking them off at first.

stephenniall 15 years ago

I like it but i dont think its really good because its showing how to fit them not make them etc

Code128 15 years ago

Thanks Stephenniall, yeah I wondered if I should post this since I'm not actually making the heated grips, so I read the instructables info and they had this to say "An Instructable is a step-by-step guide showing how you made or did something." This qualifies as how I did something, and I was sure that it could help other people who wanted to have toasty hands on their motorcycle. -josh