Often, when temperatures drop, the pleasure of riding a motorcycle turns into suffering due to the cold. One remedy we can try is to install heated grips , which will provide warmth to one of the most exposed parts of the body while riding: our hands. The ability to keep our extremities a little warmer, in addition to increasing comfort, will add safety and precision when accelerating, braking, and using the clutch.
There are various heated grip kits on the market. It's important to choose a quality item (since they work with electricity, it's better if they're efficient and safe) that perfectly fits your motorcycle. Virtually all systems work similarly: they're connected directly to the battery, protected by a fuse, and the electricity is converted into heat because the wiring inside each grip is transformed into a thin coil that acts as a resistor, heating up when current begins to flow through it.
Many devices also incorporate a thermal control system to modify the operating temperature of the grips. These are generally variable resistors or potentiometers that can be turned in one direction or another to achieve a higher or lower temperature. They also function as a switch, allowing the grips to be completely turned off.
We're going to install heated grips for Harley-Davidson models with conventional throttles, from 1973 to the present.
To begin, we'll remove the old grips following the workshop manual for our model. To do this, we'll loosen the throttle and return cable tensioners and remove the right grip. For the left grip, we may need to use some force, or even cut it, as they are attached to the handlebars with a special, highly resistant adhesive.
We then insert the heated throttle grip into the handlebar and reassemble the throttle cables, checking that everything is working properly. This grip has three electrical cables at its end that must be routed through the handlebar to the other side. To route them, we can help by tying a piece of wire to the cables and pulling gently.
The left grip also has three cables that we simply connect to the ends of the corresponding colored cable that come out of the handlebar.
Next, we insert the grip into the handlebar, applying a little special grip adhesive first, and close the switch housing that holds the end of the grip. A cable emerges from this left grip, which we must route along with the rest of the original cables through the handlebar, under the tank, and to the battery.
After disconnecting the negative battery cable as a precaution, we will connect the ends of the heated grips cable to the battery and ground, following the manufacturer's instructions, which may vary slightly depending on the year and model of the motorcycle.
We reconnect the battery and reassemble everything.
It's time to check that everything is working properly. The left grip has a rotary switch (with a protrusion so we can operate it even with gloves on) with several heat settings (low, medium, and high). Set it to maximum temperature, and after a few minutes, you should notice both grips starting to heat up (sometimes one gets hotter than the other until they reach operating temperature; this is normal).
We measured the maximum temperature with our infrared thermometer , and it gave us 60.5 ºC, an optimal temperature to be used even with thick winter gloves.
Typically, this is an accessory that isn't given much importance, or that seems too "refined" for tough riders who ride in the wind, unfazed by the weather. But when it's installed and winter arrives, we wonder why we didn't think of it before. Ride hard... but warm!
Frank Burguera
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