What is the best heated grip set-up for the 990? Cool weather is just arround the corner and I want to get ready......
I haven't tried the grips that these guys offer, but their heated gloves rock: http://www.warmnsafe.com/
I've tried several heated grips and was happy until I tried a set of heated gloves. Gloves transfer to each bike, if you own more than one, but are more expensive.
Heated Grips: Which do you prefer: stick on type that go under your own grip, or all in one built into the grip? Moose Racing offers a simple 2 stage under-grip set up for around $50- I prefer this style because it allows you to select the grip you want, vs. a bulky oversized generic grip. Brands: Moose, Oxford makes a decent product, Heat Demon, KTM. Many of these grips are private labeled and made by Daytona. That being said- First Gear/Warm & Safe make heated glove liners wich are super thin and fit inside your regular gloves. Heating elements run inbetween the fingers, so you dont feel wires. These are only useful if you already have a heated jacket- they simply plug into the glove wires at the end of the sleeves. And for $50 these are also a nice option
We have the warmnsafe grips with the heatroller, they work very well. The grips are slightly bigger diameter so even using the winter weight glove your fingers don't cramp up.
I like the KTM branded grips. Heating elements are molded in. They come with a nice 4 position switch. Get hotter than the sheet style I have used previously. FWIW
I have sheet style under warm and safe I believe with heat troller not enough heat for me (whimp I know) ...tried to get more heat transfer by putting on shrink wrap on bars first too ... ktm heated grip were warmer but at the time only had two adjustments too cool too hot, yes, they mfg them now with more temp. adjustments. anyone remember the heated grips that were on that baja 990 test bike in a mc mag maybe five or six months back? they had a built in adjustment switch inside the grip. Looked cool, less cluttering on handlebars. Problem I have with these built in heater type grips.... diameter too large. Gave up....waiting for that 1190 R to cure all my ill's lol URMV.
I just got some Oxford Adventure grips. I hope to install Saturday with a ride on Sunday. Will report back if so.
i agree, they get VERY hot, on a very wet and cold day i only needed them on level 2 of 4... and the switch and wiring is a great fit and simple plug and play..
I have the ktm heated grips and replaced the 4 position switch with a heatroller. I can get the exact amount of heat that I want in any particular situation.
I've had a set of the Symtec undergrip heaters controlled by a W'n'S Heatroller, with ProGrip Gel grips on top, for the last five years on my Concours, which I've ridden year-round here in Ohio every year. While no grip warmers will get hot enough to thoroughly warm your hands through gloves in the coldest weather (below, say, 30°) I believe this setup works the best hands down. Be sure to insulate the left bar with silicone tape before wrapping the heater element around. You can wrap the right side as well, for that matter, although the throttle tube does a pretty fair job of it. I have found my left grip to be a bit warmer than my right, though, so there is apparently still some heat transfer through the plastic tube. I have found that the heated grips are great for three season riding with your regular gloves, but for late fall, winter and early spring you really just need to suck it up and get heated gloves if you are riding anymore than 20-30 minutes and want your hands comfortable. Using heavy winter gloves with the grip heaters doesn't work that well either, because the gloves insulate from the grips, as well as from the outside air! Warm N Safe grip heater/heatroller set Silicone tape
i diasgree, my old bike heated grips worked fine for riding in -10c... the ktm ones on my 990 are a LOT hotter... levels 3 and 4 i havent even got close to needing, including riding in 3c in torrential rain and sleet..
i have honestly never known any heated grips hotter than these KTM ones... i tried them on level 3 of 4 and it got painful at 6c... with handgaurds keeping the wind off the top of your hands, and the massive heat these pump out if you want them to, i think you could ride all day.. keeping your feet warm at lower temps is a whole different story.. i find levels 1 and 2 great for 99% of the colder temps ive found on the early morning starts.. when i lived in the UK ive ridden in such bad weather ive been tempted to just stop and lie in the road a so truck can end my misery, but i think with these grips my hands at least would have been warm.. one time i had a highway stretch in freezing fog for about 2 hours, and i couldnt pull the clutch in when i got to my exit... that was with oxford heated grips i fitted to an old bike. without handguards i agree the heated gloves may be necessary. ive also found these are the only heated grips that stay hot for a long time. even the BMW ones went warm for 20 mins, then cold for 15, then warm again, and so on.. these ktm ones just stay hot.
Still can't agree; it's not that the grips don't get hot in colder temps, it's that they won't warm the other side of your hands, or thumbs for that matter, fast enough when it get's below a certain temp. Not saying you can't survive it, or that the 'certain temp' is not subjective- just that grips, IMHO, simply are not enough for comfortable, prolonged riding in temps below freezing. YMMV, gotta make your own call.
yeh i guess it's down to personal preference, and also what gloves. but riding 12 months of the year in this area can get pretty cold. on the 12gs i was good, and these are better, as are the hand guards. in fact these are so hot i can feel the heat right through the blood in my hands and thats why the top stays warm for me too..
wasnt that the old turn knob type switch? for the $60 or so these ones cost they seem good... of course if the switch craps out ill eat my words, and then fit a switch of my own and carry on..
I have not personally tried them but AME heated grips have garnered good ratings in a few magazine reviews. AME grips are clamp on - no glue required. Take a look on their website www.amegrips.com
We went through three sets of AME, I won't use them again. The concept is good but the electronics are too fussy and keep playing up