Has anyone fitted OEM Honda heated handgrips?

Reason for asking is that I'd love to see a picture of the attachment for the on/off control and how it fits to the handlebars. I'm in the UK and use the Silverwing for daily long-distance distance commutes (1,500 miles a month) and am slightly dreading the coming winter. I had a set of heated grips on my previous large scooter, which was great, but the Swing I bought in May didn't come with any.

AJ Sutton, a major bike & scooter dealer here in the UK, sells what it claims is a set of FJS600 heated handgrips, but at an extortionate price of £247. There are a few OEM Honda grips now being sold on eBay that look identical and are less than half that price. The sellers claim they would fit on a Silverwing, but they don't have pictures of how they go on, so I imagine that they'd need some sort of fixing kit. Not a problem as I have a mate who could make that, but I'd love to know what needs making before we start bodging up templates etc.

Many thanks.

Have you thought about Oxford heated grips?
http://www.oxprod.com/index.php?pg=3&action=dept&id=137&pid=174
The previous owner of my Wing had these fitted, and I've had no problems with them. Cost in the region of £60-£70.

Graham

Hi Graham. Happy to consider anything. Do you have a pic of how they fit on your handlebars?

'Fraid not, but I'll see if I can take one when I get out of work today. (Got to earn petrol money for the Wing!!)
They fit as a straight replacement for the OEM grips, with the controls mounted on the left-hand brake fluid reservoir mounting. AFAIK, they come with full fiting instructions.

Brilliant Graham. Many thanks. Mind you, at today's petrol prices I'll expect a pic in a couple of years . Have a good day/week at work meanwhile.

Have a look on eBay at the Honda heated grip kits sold by Tippets Motors in Surrey, they're the same ones I've got on my Silver Wing, and they say they fit most Hondas. There's a picture of the bracket that the heat controller fixes to, and the price of these Honda heated grip kits are £112.

Hi Meldrew, that's what I was looking at. Is the bracket the same as the one you have?

I'd say it is and I've had the same grips with the heat controller fitted both above and below the left hand switch cluster on various scooters.

Thanks for the heads-up. Any pic(s)?

Does anyone have experience with heated gloves? I would expect these to warm your hands on both sides, not just on the palms. And one could use them on different rides (even a bicycle, using a battery pack)

Had these on my Virago, worked very well but only on/off so no heat control.
Makes the grip slightly bidder diameter but I found that more comfortable, I even left them in place during the summer. (Back in the days when Britain had a summer!)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxford-Hot-Hands-OF694-Essential-Heated-Over-Grips-/140853420533?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item20cb84a1f5#ht_1371wt_1393

rodenbach wrote:

Does anyone have experience with heated gloves? I would expect these to warm your hands on both sides, not just on the palms. And one could use them on different rides (even a bicycle, using a battery pack)

This is from the ebay UK site but gloves actually in Ohio.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gerbing-Goldwing-Motorcycles-Gerbing-Heated-Glove-Liners-GGLLN-EXTRA-LARGE-/110929147737?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19d3e47759#ht_672wt_1159

Cheers,

I've read comments on this forum that some heated gloves can burn the hands. Probably not all gloves.

I've just read on several forums that they can burn your knuckles. Presumably thermostats are available to reduce the problem. I've also read riders tend to use them with silk undergloves and then put large-size gloves on top as they are not. My worry would be that of a) ending up with very reduced lack of sensation on the handlebar controls and b) that of walking off with the gloves still connected to the scooter battery. I think I'd prefer the handgrips idea.

I've used both gloves and grips on my Goldwings. The grips I use are actually not complete grips, but rather, wrap around the handlebar/throttle-sleeve before the you slide your grip of choice over them (I prefer stock grips, but they work with the larger/cushy-er grips as well). They come from a company in TN, www.electricalconnection.com. I understand his newer version is more adjustable than the ones I've had for 5 or 6 seasons now. I like the grips because you can flip them on if the weather changes mid-ride without stopping to dig big gloves out of the trunk. Like, if it's 65*, and then you run through a little rain shower that drops the wind chill because your hands got wet, you can flip 'em on low and it feels great.

I also use the Gerbing brand heated gloves with a thermostat. It might be important to note that the thermostat basically just pulses the power on and off, and does not actually adjust based on temperature. I usually don't need them until it gets below 50*, and adjust them fairly low until below 40*. In sub-freezing temps, I use both the grips and the gloves. The connector is such that if I forget to unplug it before dismounting (it's happened), it disconnects itself from the pull. They designed it that way on purpose. I've never heard of anyone getting burned by a properly functioning glove.

Thanks Patrick. Food for thought and very helpful.

Still veering towards the hand grips myself as the first option, of the type Meldrew provided a link for - with the additional option of gloves if it gets so cold I need something a bit more powerful. The main need for my commutes is when temperatures are below freezing in winter, especially at fast motorway speeds, which adds windchill. Early-morning (ie at 6am) and sometimes late at night (11pm) rides of 30 miles each way.

I have managed in the past on old-style geared scooters, like Vespas and Lammies. But I lived in the city and commutes were shorter. It seems a shame to accept cold fingers when you don't need to. Like I say, if anyone has pics of their handgrips they\d like to share, or a quick explanation of how they fitted them (even better ), I'd be very grateful.

Forgot to mention that I used handlebar muffs in the past. (1970's - 80's) They worked quite well: I could wear summer gloves in freezing temperatures. The only disadvantage -besides of the esthetics- is that you have to to work your controls 'in the dark'.

In essence you should be able to 'touch-type' the controls as having to glance down to see where your control is located is taking your concentration off the road and the other users that are trying to kill you. After a while it becomes 'second nature'.

Cheers,

Pictures please....?

Hi Nic23,

I've got a new SWing last month and ordered Factory Heated Grips. IMO, they're great, work well, etc..

If you still would like to see a photo, I'll post it online this weekend, if you like?

P.S. They cost me about £220, and they were fitted by the Dealer before delivery to me on the 1st September.

Cheers,

Steve

Nic23 wrote:

Pictures please....?

Do you really need pictures when it's already been clearly explained to you. The Honda heated grip kits shown on eBay clearly show the heater switch/controller and the installation bracket. The bracket has 4 small holes where the controller screws onto, and 2 larger holes where the bracket or plate utilises the bolts on the left hydraulic master cylinder to hold it in position.

Fair point. I just thought that if I forked out £112 for something it would help to be 100 per cent certain just in case it all went t*ts up on me.

I'll buy it and come back if I have any Qs.

Nic

Regarding questions about heated gloves- last fall I bought Tourmaster Synergy gloves (series 1.0) for around $130. They worked very well for a few weeks (even in 20 degree F temps on the highway) and then I started noticing some discomfort by the back of my left hand by the first knuckles when set on high. The discomfort got worse and worse over a few days until there was an actual red mark in that area. Since by then it was the middle of winter and I still wanted to ride my 45 mile morning commute I was not willing to send the gloves back for replacement, so I kept the thermostat on medium setting and beared it for the rest of the winter.
In the spring I contacted the retailer and they offered to buy the gloves back, but would not replace them. I had hoped they would offer to replace them for the Synergy 2.0 gloves, which uses a different heating element but cost $30 or so more, but they wouldn't do it. In the end I took my chances on another pair of the Synergy 1.0 gloves I found new on Ebay for $90 and am hoping they won't develop the same hot spot issue. I also picked up the Tourmaster Synergy chaps and the shoe insoles but have not yet bought a heated vest since my torso was warm enough, just my legs and feet got uncomfortably cold on my long ride prior to buying my heated gear.

Jesse in Atlanta

Nic: heres a photo of mine that I found. I've since moved the controller to the left side. Make sure when you fit the throttle side that the cable can move freely.

I Have Oxford Hot Grips - Premium Touring 2012 VERSION fitted to my FJS 600 (cost £53.00), as with previous Oxford grips I have had, these are excellent, quick to warm up and durable. Best thing is, it has intelligent battery protection, as Oxford grips are designed to be wired directly to the battery, if you switch the Scoot off and forget to switch off the grips, the control automatically does it for you. It has 5 heat settings, and the controls are really easy to use while wearing gloves, combined with my Isotta PM18 handguards, my pinkies are warm even on the coldest days.

I too have oxford grips like Bonn , found them to be reliable up to now.Had them fitted at my local Honda dealer for £ 140 that includes the heated grips .I also have a pair of gerbings heated gloves they had only one heat setting , a touch uncomfortable at times [too hot ] Having different heat settings a real bonus be safe .   

Looking for heated grips, and Twisted Throttle has the Oxford brand in different models: which one should I buy?
Knowing the size of the handlebars would help (7/8", 1", 22mm ?)

Andy
Where it's going to be very cold in the next few months...

Don't know what the score is with the ones available in the US but if you can get a set with a knob rather than buttons to change the temperature, I would.