Handwarmers with Hooks removed.....test ride

[SRXSRULE]

Ok, Its 5* and I just got back froma 45 min ride. I have a stock Apex Mnt (high bars, very low shield). Put on my warmest gloves and took an allen wrench with me. Grips and thumb set to high, I rode about 5-10 minutes Just like normal....very cold. So I stopped and removed the hooks. (this sucks to ride, very narrow!) Then went for a ride for about 30-40 min and almost the entire time RPMs were above 7 and as high as 11,000 Head lights were on low beam and my left hand almost got warm, right hand was just cool....not COLD like in the past. Now, they never got warm enough for me to adjust them down but they were for sure warmer then with the hooks on. As soon as I pulled into the driveway I checked them with the temp gun. Left side max temp was 109 and they get cold quick as you move in, temps drop to 50 by the grip rivet and 30's close to the brake mount. Right side max temp was 96 and cooled off quickly as you move towards the throttle block.

So, I'm now headed back to work to machine myself up some 100% plastic bar ends. I'm not going to ride with freezing hands while Yamaha decides what to do.....I know how fast they fix problems. ===SRXSRULE===

 

[tmk50]

Do you think filling the ends of the bars with insulation would help you out as well. Few guys (not Apex riders) are talking about this on SnoWest and saying it helps their grip warmers work better. I remember way back in the mid 80's when we put a set of Dennis Kirk grip warmers on an ET250 - that kit came with some fiberglass insulation to put inside the bars.

Just a thought - you might try it while you have everything apart.

 

[SRXSRULE]

I will be filling the bars with expanding foam. ===SRXSRULE===

 

[Slush Monster]

I will be filling the bars with expanding foam. ===SRXSRULE===

Let us know how that works. Love to know. Seens Like the foam will work great as the grip warmers will only have to heat the traped air in the foam close to the bar VS. trying to heat all the air inside the bar try it and let us know.

 

[flyingpig]

You guys must not have read what LB wrote about putting foam in the handle bars!

 

[dyama]

I already did mine on the weekend and it does help.The foam goes one way throught the other and helps isolating the bushing that holds the screw for the hooks.Not a bad cure for right now!

 

[ride44]

Dudes,

the problem is with the length of the handles, and not so much the warming element themselves.
The handles are short. When you ride it is most likely that only your first 3 fingers are clearly on the heated part of the handle your pinky and maybe your ring finger are resting on the "hook" part of the handle, which is UNHEATED causing them to FREEZE.

The hooks need to be heated OR the heated handles need to be longer.
There is no simple fix to extend the HEATED handles, so the only alternative is to heat the hooks.

Period.

 

[TT670]

My index finger freezes too, theres not enough heat ANYWHERE on these grips. Im not a happy camper.

 

[Bigmax]

Has anyone tried hooking up an older style set of grips, like off an SX or SRX? Just curious if this style would be any warmer and worth removing the ones that are on there, cutting off the end for the bar end and putting them on?

 

[LazyBastard]

Those old things that got inserted into the bars had insulation because they worked by heating the air, which in turn heated the metal tube. Secondary reason is because with those old rubber grips, you had to protect the END from heat loss.

 

[welterracer]

Has anyone tried hooking up an older style set of grips, like off an SX or SRX? Just curious if this style would be any warmer and worth removing the ones that are on there, cutting off the end for the bar end and putting them on?

I dont think its the grips that is the problem... Its the lack of voltage when the sled is below 3500 rpms..