Grip Heaters installed last night

[jonr3]

I finally hooked up my new Grip Heaters from Symtec last night. Thanks to some suggestions from this forum, I wired it to the speedometer light bulb power supply. Works perfectly! The heat that comes through my ProGrips is amazing! On "high", it would probably be too hot if I wasn't wearing thick gloves.

I mounted the round rocker switch on the left side of the headlight fairing, kinda behind and underneath the little side flap, to keep it from being exposed to the elements. I soldered all of the connections instead of using the supplied splice, but everything installed VERY easy. I tried it this morning on the way to work and it was great. Even through my thick gloves, it was really warm. Makes me ALMOST look forward to winter.?

[martinfan30]

pics??

[jonr3]

pics??

I'll work on getting some tonight.?

[eastreich]

Maybe this is just me, but when I have wired in my handwarmers, I always run them on one setting. I wire them so that the throttle is on the low setting only, and the clutch side is on the high setting. The clutch side for me is always much colder, as the bars soak up a lot of the heat. The throttle gets toasty fast as there is just a little tube under it to heat up. This way I also only need a one way switch (On/Off) not a three pole (High/Off/Low).

Of course, maybe I only notice this because it is 10 friggin degrees F outside and I'm playing in the snow when I've got them on. I don't drain the gas out of the 650 in the winter; I just park the snowmobile one weekend a month and go ride the pig!

[jonr3]

Maybe this is just me, but when I have wired in my handwarmers, I always run them on one setting. I wire them so that the throttle is on the low setting only, and the clutch side is on the high setting. The clutch side for me is always much colder, as the bars soak up a lot of the heat. The throttle gets toasty fast as there is just a little tube under it to heat up. This way I also only need a one way switch (On/Off) not a three pole (High/Off/Low).

According to Symtec, the left and right warmers have different resistance to make the heating elements feel the same based on the throttle tube and just the metal handlebars. When I tried them this morning, they seemed pretty even.?

[eastreich]

According to Symtec, the left and right warmers have different resistance to make the heating elements feel the same based on the throttle tube and just the metal handlebars. When I tried them this morning, they seemed pretty even.?

I haven't used the Symtec M/C specific warmers, I have used cheapo universal warmers. With the M/C specific kit, it should not be a problem at all.

[InternalCombustion]

Of course, maybe I only notice this because it is 10 friggin degrees F outside and I'm playing in the snow when I've got them on. I don't drain the gas out of the 650 in the winter; I just park the snowmobile one weekend a month and go ride the pig!

My hero ?

Hey eastreich, I assume you have a rewound stator on your R, right? Is it a 2-circuit stator, or one circuit? Can you run your heaters and headlight without much impact on the headlight brightness?

Thanks. I live in northeast PA and grip heaters are on my list... I have them on my HArley and warm hands in cold weather is so sweet.

[eastreich]

I've got a BD rewind, with 100W DC for my headlight, and the other 100W AC for my LED tailight (using the stock 650R lens) and an "auxillary" output up front. I run the handwarmers off of my auxillary output. With the DC side for the headlight, the handwarmers have no effect on the light.

[InternalCombustion]

I've got a BD rewind, with 100W DC for my headlight, and the other 100W AC for my LED tailight (using the stock 650R lens) and an "auxillary" output up front. I run the handwarmers off of my auxillary output. With the DC side for the headlight, the handwarmers have no effect on the light.

Great, thanks!

[bosshog]

Is this a sign that summer is over? Say it isn't so. I've used lots of heated grips on snowmobiles but not on a bike. Once the cold weather hits that's it for me. I do keep riding till the snow flies but after that there's just to much of it. Now I'm sad. I just looked outside and can see the leaves changing color too. It's after Labour Day and I'm wearing white.? Where'ld my summer go? I want a Mulagan.

[eastreich]

I'm ready for snow. Since bowhunting season started last weekend, I don't want to ride for fear of winding up with an arrow in my arse. Even if I did want to ride, everything is on fire anyway, and the smoke is so thick where it isn't burning that your throat and eyes are stinging after a short amount of time. This is usually the time of year I lick my wounds from the bike, heal up, and get the sled ready as we are riding all out on the snow by Dec. 1st.

Of course, by the time I hit the middle of January, all I want to do is ride the bike! ?

This must be why I go the first Nat'l H&H in Lucerne almost every year!

[Ferdinand]

Please stop this thread I'm getting depressed.:cry:lol ?

[jonr3]

pics??

Here are a couple of pics of the switch location.

When I installed these, I also added some extra strain relief to the throttle side by adding some shrink tube and a little electrical tape. All connections and connectors were heat shrinked as well. This morning I wore my thin gloves and on "high" it was too hot. On "low" it was perfect!

I have to agree that this thread has got me depressed with all of the comments about summer being over.? Maybe I should move back to So. Cal...

[eastreich]

You have handwarmers. There is no reason to get depressed. Besides myself, I have lots of friends that ride 12 months out of the year. You just need to dress for it!

Technology in active winter clothing has gotten so good over the last 5 years, that there is absolutely no reason that you should not be able to ride in the cold and wet while staying warm and dry.

With a good microfiber balaclava, breath box in the helmet, and properly layered clothes, there is no problem. The only difficult thing for dirt bike riders is the boots. However, that is changing now as well. We have been clamoring for MX style boots for snowmobiling for years, and many manufacturers are begining to make them. The are not quite as stiff as a MX boot in the sole or ankle, but they are much better suited to riding than a snowboard boot. I bought a pair of Klim boots last year for sledding, and they also work great on the bike. http://www.klimusa.com/products.php Look up the Adrenaline GTX boot. I rode a 30 minute moto on the MX track in 20 degree F weather and my feet and ankles still felt fine. They were just warm!

If you are really worried about getting cold, put an accessory plug on your bike and get electric clothing. That stuff keeps you toasty, but you are then tethered to the bike.