Its COLD here in Indiana, so I decided to get some heated handgrips. This is my first time installing something like this. But I would consider myself at least a little mechanically competent. I installed my own rear shock and stuff like that (thanks to DIY articles such as this)
I saw these grips advertized elsewhere on the net made my Dual-star for 29.99. Remembering the Tricktape can match/beat almost any advertized price, I gave Shawn a call. Sure enough they were able to get them...for 25 bucks! Score I was sold.
A few days later I got them in and was ready to go to work.
So I went to my friend's heated garage (rode 20 minutes in 20 degrees to get there. BURRR!)
I laid out all the parts...
And my hawk was all ready for surgery..
First thing was to take off the old grips and clean the grip area VERY well. The instructions say to use alcohol -but I couldn't find any so I used brake cleaner. Then I used some water and a paper towel to scrub it down REAL good -and let it dry.
After you remove both grips and clean the contact area VERY well, peel off the backing to the heater element and wrap it around the handlebar as per the instructions say. Then push out all the air bubbles.
**NOTE** After installation, I realized that my right side was indeed warmed than my left side. Now I ain't the brightest bulb on the tree, but after a couple hours of riding and telling myself that it is NOT my imagination, I realized WHY this is the case. As you can see, the left side heater element is wrapped around metal and the right side is around the plastic throttle grip. Duu. The metal handlebar was conducting the heat through my handlebar and the plastic throttle grip was insulating on the bottom side and pushing all the heat to my hand. Wallah. Maybe when you install yours you should consider putting down a layer of electrician's tape or something similar that can withstand some serious heat for prolonged periods of time.
Other side
Once those babies are on there, mix ya up some high-temp epoxy safe for plastic and smear it over the heater element where the grip is going to go.
Then slide that grip on there before that epoxy dries!!! I used an air compressor on both sides -I could have installed the non-throttle side without it, but I think its totally necessary for the throttle side.
After those bad boys are on, find a spot to mount your switch. There isn't much plastic on my hawk, so you may have more options in this department. However I found some kind of supporting bar thing that I drilled a ½ inch hole through and was able to salvage enough metal there to mount the switch.
After you drill your ghetto hole like I did, push that switch in there and secure the lock nut or whatever its called. *Note*, the actual switch looks MUCH better than that. I took this pic before I had put the " High, Low" indicator panel on there. It covers the metal right around the switch that looks bad in this pic.
Here is the front view
Now, you have wires hanging off your handgrips that must be routed and secured from the grips to the switch. Be sure to allow for ample clearance to move the bars back and forth. Zip-tie the wires down and strip the ends. Use pliers to clamp on the ends correctly according to the instructions. READ CAREFULLY! The left side is different than the right sides.
other side
Now plug the wires into the freshly mounted switch
Now that you have the heater elements routed and plugged in, you need some power TO the switch. Plug the yellow wire into the middle switch male adapter. You need to find a switched power source wire. I went into my fuse box and piggybacked off my headlight wire. You also have the option of wiring directly to the battery, another fuse, and a switch. By using the headlight wire, I am just using the fuse built into the bike already.
If you wire directly to the battery, you MUST use a fuse-unless you like the smell of burning plastic when you get a short after a hard rain
Here's that pesky wire...
Piggyback using the little pink piggyback thing...
HA! all done and my grips are rather toasty.
One additional note: At the end of the instructions included with the kit, it gives you some Ohmage(sp) guidelines to check to be sure of a good installtion. Such as check the ohms between Red/blue wires. Well mine were both a few ohms short, even with their leeway of + - 2 , oh well its still hot as it needs to be and I know everything is installed correctly. :shrug Its all good!
The right side is so warm I have to let loose on my grip for a second every minute or so or it gets TOO hot. The left side doesn't get as hot as the right (see **NOTE** above) but it keeps my hand plenty warm.
Somehow I convinced my lovely girlfriend to take a four hour ride with me yesterday after church.. Hahah it was about 25 degrees when we started, and 51 when we got home. She was freezing to death, but at least my hands were warm!!!
Good luck y'all. The installtion sure isn't hard.
Now remember, you won't see this kit on Tricktape's web site, but you can order it from them by calling 1-800-421-1839. Or you could email shawn for more info @ [email protected]
Ask for the Schwagoo Special!! (no, not really. I just made that up
)
I saw these grips advertized elsewhere on the net made my Dual-star for 29.99. Remembering the Tricktape can match/beat almost any advertized price, I gave Shawn a call. Sure enough they were able to get them...for 25 bucks! Score I was sold.
A few days later I got them in and was ready to go to work.
So I went to my friend's heated garage (rode 20 minutes in 20 degrees to get there. BURRR!)
I laid out all the parts...
And my hawk was all ready for surgery..
First thing was to take off the old grips and clean the grip area VERY well. The instructions say to use alcohol -but I couldn't find any so I used brake cleaner. Then I used some water and a paper towel to scrub it down REAL good -and let it dry.
After you remove both grips and clean the contact area VERY well, peel off the backing to the heater element and wrap it around the handlebar as per the instructions say. Then push out all the air bubbles.
**NOTE** After installation, I realized that my right side was indeed warmed than my left side. Now I ain't the brightest bulb on the tree, but after a couple hours of riding and telling myself that it is NOT my imagination, I realized WHY this is the case. As you can see, the left side heater element is wrapped around metal and the right side is around the plastic throttle grip. Duu. The metal handlebar was conducting the heat through my handlebar and the plastic throttle grip was insulating on the bottom side and pushing all the heat to my hand. Wallah. Maybe when you install yours you should consider putting down a layer of electrician's tape or something similar that can withstand some serious heat for prolonged periods of time.
Other side
Once those babies are on there, mix ya up some high-temp epoxy safe for plastic and smear it over the heater element where the grip is going to go.
Then slide that grip on there before that epoxy dries!!! I used an air compressor on both sides -I could have installed the non-throttle side without it, but I think its totally necessary for the throttle side.
After those bad boys are on, find a spot to mount your switch. There isn't much plastic on my hawk, so you may have more options in this department. However I found some kind of supporting bar thing that I drilled a ½ inch hole through and was able to salvage enough metal there to mount the switch.
After you drill your ghetto hole like I did, push that switch in there and secure the lock nut or whatever its called. *Note*, the actual switch looks MUCH better than that. I took this pic before I had put the " High, Low" indicator panel on there. It covers the metal right around the switch that looks bad in this pic.
Here is the front view
Now, you have wires hanging off your handgrips that must be routed and secured from the grips to the switch. Be sure to allow for ample clearance to move the bars back and forth. Zip-tie the wires down and strip the ends. Use pliers to clamp on the ends correctly according to the instructions. READ CAREFULLY! The left side is different than the right sides.
other side
Now plug the wires into the freshly mounted switch
Now that you have the heater elements routed and plugged in, you need some power TO the switch. Plug the yellow wire into the middle switch male adapter. You need to find a switched power source wire. I went into my fuse box and piggybacked off my headlight wire. You also have the option of wiring directly to the battery, another fuse, and a switch. By using the headlight wire, I am just using the fuse built into the bike already.
If you wire directly to the battery, you MUST use a fuse-unless you like the smell of burning plastic when you get a short after a hard rain
Here's that pesky wire...
Piggyback using the little pink piggyback thing...
HA! all done and my grips are rather toasty.
One additional note: At the end of the instructions included with the kit, it gives you some Ohmage(sp) guidelines to check to be sure of a good installtion. Such as check the ohms between Red/blue wires. Well mine were both a few ohms short, even with their leeway of + - 2 , oh well its still hot as it needs to be and I know everything is installed correctly. :shrug Its all good!
The right side is so warm I have to let loose on my grip for a second every minute or so or it gets TOO hot. The left side doesn't get as hot as the right (see **NOTE** above) but it keeps my hand plenty warm.
Somehow I convinced my lovely girlfriend to take a four hour ride with me yesterday after church.. Hahah it was about 25 degrees when we started, and 51 when we got home. She was freezing to death, but at least my hands were warm!!!
Good luck y'all. The installtion sure isn't hard.
Now remember, you won't see this kit on Tricktape's web site, but you can order it from them by calling 1-800-421-1839. Or you could email shawn for more info @ [email protected]
Ask for the Schwagoo Special!! (no, not really. I just made that up