How the heck do you remove old grips? I’ve got the whole front of the bike apart today to replace the damaged panels, so I’m taking the opportunity to fit some heated grips. However it looks like the original ones are stuck pretty darn tight. Are they generally glued on and to replace them you need to cut?
-simon
If they’re well glued on they might have to be cut off. Otherwise, stick a small screwdriver in there then spray some hairspray in, that should melt the glue a bit and you’ll be able to work your way round.
Then to install use the same hairspray to lube them on/stick them in place.
you take the bar ends off and stick a slotted screwdriver down between the grip and the bar
Spray WD40 or suchlike down the side of the screwdriver
Then wiggle it around the bar to release the grip.
Glue your new ones on!
I was going to say WD40 to get them off but hairspray seems to do just as good a job, and if you use WD40 you’ve got to get it off before sticking the new ones on (maybe?)
Oh yeah I forgot about hair spray. WD40 might be easier to hand though, depending on your circumstance… 
I think Simon’s a hairspray fiend!
Rofl, I don’t use hairspray 
I got the left one off by breaking the glue, the right one didn’t want to come off for love nor money - turned out that it has a ridge on the end of the accelerator slider which holds the grip on. Of course I only realised after the grip had torn due to me applying too much pressure with a screwdriver, so I just cut it off in the end. The new one (a universal grip by Dr Bike) is exactly the right fit for the slider…but not for the ridge. So, after taking a calliper to it and being certain there is no way in hell it would go on as-is, I trimmed the ridge down, and the heated grip now fits over it.
Now the only bit that’s confusing me is the wire as it comes off the end of the grip - it’s in a rigid rubber casing, which looks like it might catch against the break when accelerating. I don’t suppose one of your experienced folks wants to pop round and help me line it up safely do you? I’m about 10 minutes from the Ace, and can offer coffee and biscuits!
-simon
Have you put the heated grips on the wrong way round? eg left on right and right on left…
The cable should come under the bar towards you, and you need to make sure it clears the brake leaver when you squeeze it, and also when you turn the throttle…
you cannot physically fit heated grips on the wrong sides, as only the correct one will slide over the throttle tube
They’re on the right way around, as Matt says you can’t put them on the wrong way around! It’s a shame that the cable will be pointing towards me - I wanted to route the cable inside where the brake cable etc goes, but that will mean leaving an ugly loop. Hrm…
-simon
To make sure it won’t foul the lever, turn the throttle fully open and make sure the wire is clear.
For future reference folks, heating up the grips with a hair drier softens them and, sometimes, the glue so they come off quite easily without damage. Definitely the way to go with fitting the new ones.
Love the hair spray lubricant/low tack glue idea for the refitting.
Err… oh yes. I’m a noddy :Wow:
dont use wd4o, just gob on a screwdriver, gob/spit will dry.
If I’m not planning on using the grip again I just run a stanley knife the length of it and whip it off.
All done and dusted now, see this thread with a photo 
You mean this thread presumably -
http://londonbikers.com/forums/887925/job%27s-a-good-%27un
As for the loop. The bigger the loop the better. The usual mode of failure for heated grips is fatigue of the throttle side wiring. The longer the loop the less stress on any point of the wire and the longer they last. I have seen people loop the wire 360 degrees round the outside of the brake and throttle assembly to ensure their is almost no stress on the wire at any point.
I put mine over the top, seems less bending going on in that position. Will take a pic tomorrow.
Hrm… so the hairspray idea seems to have worked on the right grip (where it’s adhering to the plastic throttle tube), but not on the left (onto the metal). Worth trying again and letting it set for longer? (Left it for about 3 hours and it moved with gentle pressure - left 24 hours no change). Or do I move to superglue for the left hand side?
You shouldn’t be twisting the left hand one anyway! 
Yeah, more spray, lock wire it if you fancy being a hero.
