Hot Grips Pass The Test

I recently installed Hot Grips on my VFR, but I haven't gotten to try them until today. Rode about 100 miles in 46 degree, misty weather. My hands were nice and toasty. I had on my regular (no insulation, only leather & carbon fiber) gloves. Didn't need liners. Hot Grips only have a high and a low setting, so you have to switch back and forth to regulate the heat. They are a larger diameter than regular grips, which I like. Installation is very simple. The price is right. I HATE TO BE COLD.

http://www.hotgrips.com/

Where did you put the switch for the grips? Did you use a heat troller? Did you wire them them into a fuse block or did you splice into a hot wire someplace?

Thanks.

Pete

I put the switch on the fairing on the right side just back from the grip. I have a Vista Cruise throttle lock, so I can lock it to switch them. I wired them into the hot wire for the taillight. They only pull 3 amps, I think. I don't know what heat troller is. I mounted the rheostat on the right fork with zip ties.

Howdy,

I did this on out 98 a few years back:

http://www.sfriday.com/VFR800/hotgrips.htm

A while back the throttle side wire finally snapped off because of repeated use of the a Canyon Dancer tie down strap. So it go tneglected for some time. This morning I was riding the bike to work in sub 50 F temps and realized just how cold my right hand was!! Once at work I pulled the throttle grip and started poking around. Under the rubber there are two prongs where the wire attach. I resoldered the wire, shrink wrapped it and it works again. This was nice because I just rode three hours in 46 F temps to get to Austin and it was COLD!! But my hands were cooking. I have the variable heat controller that they don't sell anymore. I can adjust the temp anywhere from off to 100%. Very Nice!

Adios,

The website said there are high and low settings.. but is there an off?

For the heat controller that I have, turning it to minium does not technically turn it "off" but the current draw is something like 5mA, less than the clock on the dash and not enough to generate any heat. I have it wired with a relay so that when the ignition is off, the entire ciruit is dead.

I think now that I would go with something like the undergrip heating elements. The HotGrips work well but the grips are fat and very hard. They are 1.50" diameter. You can get smaller 1.25" O.D. grips but they are still really hard. I like the idea of being able to use any regular grip with the other type of heating elements. However, I very much like the variable heat controller and would not want to use just a hi/lo arrangement.

Adios,

There is an "off" between the high and low. A variable control would really be nice, but for $100 that's all you get.