Heated grips for the passenger?

[elizilla]

Here's an idea I've often thought of and wanted to share - maybe someone here will do it.

Seems to me that the same generic heated grip kits made for handlebars, could be installed on the passenger grab rails, for their comfort. I don't carry passengers much so it's overkill for me, but if I did, I'd install this. Imagine... the Kimpex kit comes with grip elements that are just rectangular stickers. These could be wrapped around the grab rails. The bicycle shops sell all sorts of high quality handlebar tapes - pick one that blends well with the bike, and wrap this around the grab rails to cover the heater elements. The wires could be easily hidden and routed into the tail of the bike. Install a panel mount controller from warmnsafe.com, where the passenger can easily reach it to dial the heat up and down. Use switched power. The wiring would be easier than normal heated grips, because the grab rails don't turn.

Wouldn't it be spiffy? I might have to set it up just because I can, even though I rarely carry a passenger.

 

[Mellow]

I seem to recall seeing some foam grips w/heating element inside that you just wrap around. So, made for a temporary install but might be cool... pun intended.

I'll see if I can find those...

 

[CoolNT]

Would cost of heated gloves negate this farkle? I'm curious on which of these would draw more amps/watts.

 

[elizilla]

Aerostich sells the temporary wraparound heated grips. I just like my idea because it's fun to think up really clean installs for this kind of stuff.

Heated gloves use more power, I think. Also, how many passengers own heated gloves? I guess if you have a sig other that you carry all the time, eventually they will have all these things.

 

[Mellow]

Aerostich sells the temporary wraparound heated grips. I just like my idea because it's fun to think up really clean installs for this kind of stuff.

Heated gloves use more power, I think. Also, how many passengers own heated gloves? I guess if you have a sig other that you carry all the time, eventually they will have all these things.

Yup, there they are, I think that's a great idea.

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-warm-wrap-grips.html

 

[Bloodthune]

... just because I can...

Was there ever a better reason?

 

[CoolNT]

Man, before long I'm probably going to be broke with all this farkle idea and fever.

 

[Mellow]

Man, before long I'm probably going to be broke with all this farkle idea and fever.

That condition is Farkle Nirvana.

 

[MAC]

I know the grips on my snowmobile get very hot. I would wonder if the grips were left on high for some reason, would it melt the plastic hand rails.

 

[CoolNT]

Katherine,

While at the peak of my Farkle Nirvana, I'm curious on this Farkle (will help out with my daughter as the passenger). Have you been able to gather additional details or even purchased/installed these grab rail heaters?

 

[elizilla]

No, I haven't done it - I have installed a lot of heated grips, but only on the grips, never on the grab rails. I just keep thinking about it because it seems like it would be nifty, but since I so rarely carry a passenger I've never pursued it. MAC has a good point about melting the plastic - if I do it someday, I'll wrap a few layers of my favorite self-vulcanizing plumber's tape underneath the heaters, to protect the plastic just in case. I use that stuff under the the clutch side grip heaters so I know it works as insulation and holds up well in this usage.

Heck, I also keep thinking I should use my farkling skills to install heated seats in my truck, but I've never gotten that done either.

 

[elizilla]

Here's the recipe as I envision it. Note, completely untested!

Kimpex grip heater kit. (Never dealt with this merchant, they were just the first hit in google. I like the Kimpex because they're identical, instead of having more heat for the left grip to overcome the fact that the metal bar is a bigger heat sink than the plastic throttle tube.)

Self vulcanizing rubber tape. I buy this in the plumbing section at Home Depot. They have a similar tape at Lowes that isn't as good, so I go another mile to the big orange box. But I can't find it on their website. So I linked to it at Amazon.

Bicycle handlebar tape.

Handgrip heat troller from Warmnsafe.

A relay from the auto parts store, if you don't have a switched accessory panel already.


Wrap the grab rail in three or four layers of the self-vulcanizing plumber's tape. Stick the grips heaters over that, and then wrap the bicycle tape around the heaters. Throw away the resistor and the crap toggle switch from the grip heater kit. Route the wiring into the tail of the bike in some clean way. Drill a hole somewhere and mount the heat-troller where the passenger can reach it easily, but where it won't get kicked when they climb on and off. Wire it all up to switched power.

Seems like it would be easier than handlebar grip heaters.

 

[elizilla]

Oh wow. Checking my links above to make sure they work, and noticed Amazon has my favorite tape in a rainbow of colors! Ruh roh, someone stop me before I buy $50 worth of tape...

 

[MAC]

Hi Katherine, Just and observation on my part and a question.

With all the pic's you have posted of your work, every thing is nice and neat, the wires are tied down you made that nice rack etc. Will you be happy with the look of bicycle tape wraped around the grab rail on your NT? LOL, you must have a pair or two of heated gloves and that would be a clean install and simple for you to do. And like you say you don't ride two-up offten.

 

[elizilla]

Ehhh, I think I can wrap the bicycle tape cleanly enough that it'll look good. Though if I do this I'll undoubtedly waste a lot of time trying to pick the best color, especially since there's no grey there - maybe someone else has a grey? OTOH black goes with everything, right?

 

[CoolNT]

Are you guys kiddin'? I would assume Katherine can even make grey duct tape look appealing