Can you retrofit heated grips?

[Ant1967]

The r850gs I have just bought hasn't got heated grips fitted. I don't want to fit after market ones so wondered if I could easily fit genuine. What I need to know is, is the wiring already in place and it would just be a case of fitting the grips and switch and plugging into the loom.

Tony

 

[Dazzle]

don't bother, I put oxford sport grips on my 1150 much better than BMW ones
you need to grind the ribs off the throttle though.

 

[uncle dick]

Motobins were doing the complete BMW kit with new handlebars & wiring loom for around £130 IIRC. Bought mine about 18months ago.

 

[Ant1967]

Cheers Dick!

 

[Dr Bones]

All the wiring and connectors should be there ready for the BMW switch and the connection from the grip themselves. You might not however have handle bars compatible with heated grips. If you have they will have two holes underneath, next to the clamps for the wiring to exit through.

I picked up a pair of second hand BMW grips and a switch very cheaply, I replaced the rubbers on the grips, which cost about £12. They are a bit slow to heat up, but once they are hot they work OK.

 

[STUBBS]

i had my 850 retrofited

 

[Trullion]

I fitted BMW grips to my 850GS when I bought it new. I seem to recall that I needed different bar end fittings, though it was nearly 13 years ago.

They never worked particularly well, nowhere near as good as those on my K series bikes used to be.

 

[richierex]

Yes it is possible but the bars and bar ends are different, the switch contains the resistor for the two stage option and the rubbers are available seperately. The electric grips feed the wire inside the handlebar and so the bars need room for the rotation of the throttle, its easy to cut a bit out of the end. there is also a hole on the inner part of the handlebars where the wires exit.

Anybody who fits Oxford products to their bike should keep very quiet in my opinion, and its only my opinion but there is nothing wrong with the BMW grips if fitted properly.

 

[ymfb]

Both my BMWs came with heated grips, but my previous Ducati did not so I fitted Daytonas, very good.

 

[digga]

Get some of Symtec ones from Windingroads.co.uk

Brilliant - nice and discreet, low and high heat, no bulky naff looking 'controllers'
fair price .... what more would you need?

 

[Ant1967]

Yes it is possible but the bars and bar ends are different, the switch contains the resistor for the two stage option and the rubbers are available seperately. The electric grips feed the wire inside the handlebar and so the bars need room for the rotation of the throttle, its easy to cut a bit out of the end. there is also a hole on the inner part of the handlebars where the wires exit.

Anybody who fits Oxford products to their bike should keep very quiet in my opinion, and its only my opinion but there is nothing wrong with the BMW grips if fitted properly.

I agree I will only fit genuine heated grips otherwise I won't bother. I had Oxford grips in the past and will NEVER FIT THEM EVER AGAIN.

Thanks for all your replies Tony

 

[STUBBS]

I agree I will only fit genuine heated grips otherwise I won't bother. I had Oxford grips in the past and will NEVER FIT THEM EVER AGAIN.

Thanks for all your replies Tony

the oxford wrap arounds make a great seat heater under a sheepskin

 

[Bendy toy]

I have found the Oxford grips to be good but the controller was rubbish. Mine are at least 5 years old and were working fine last weekend (best not to tempt fate).

The controller however filled with water and was toast within 12 months. Rather than buy the newer fiddly push button version I fitted the circuit into a new metal box and used a new potentiometer. Its been fine ever since, connected of course via an ignition controlled relay.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Ask Tony @ Rainbow (he may do you a deal for a short period, because you bought a bike from there), BMW do a complete kit, which includes new handlebars (they're different), the grips and wiring

That would be my route, BMW HG's are simply the best and I would keep it OEM, as you say

 

[Seamaster]

Steptoe wired my grips up and I fitted the grips themselves, I thought I would need new handle bars but when I took the old grips off and looked at the bar ends there was a plastic collar and insert, using my best butchery skills I removed the plastic leaving a rebated bar end ready to accept the wires.

I think the way you tell if you need new bars is, on the underside of the bars about an inch from the bar clamps, if there is a hole on either side ( to let the wire out) then you do not need new bars as you already have the rebate at the bar ends.
I had a 2001 850gs, silver and yellow.

 

[Harry Nicholson]

I fitted Oxford heated grips when the BMW units failed . Much cheaper & much much better heat control than the original units . Fitted some 5 years ago & no problems to date .

Only problem in fitting was with the twist grip barrel being slightly larger than the bore of the Oxford grip .

Highly recommended .

Cheers

Harry

 

[Ant1967]

Steptoe wired my grips up and I fitted the grips themselves, I thought I would need new handle bars but when I took the old grips off and looked at the bar ends there was a plastic collar and insert, using my best butchery skills I removed the plastic leaving a rebated bar end ready to accept the wires.

I think the way you tell if you need new bars is, on the underside of the bars about an inch from the bar clamps, if there is a hole on either side ( to let the wire out) then you do not need new bars as you already have the rebate at the bar ends.
I had a 2001 850gs, silver and yellow.

I think my bars are ok as they have the exit holes near bar clamps for the wires to come out so should just need the grips and switch ?

Tony

 

[Dr Bones]

I think my bars are ok as they have the exit holes near bar clamps for the wires to come out so should just need the grips and switch ?

Tony

Yep, everything else should be ready to go. You might need to clean the connector for the grips under the tank, mine was pretty grotty, having never had anything plugged into it and being left open to the elements. A bit of contact cleaner and a small brass brush sort mine out. A blob of dielectric or silicone grease in the connector should help to keep everything working when you get it all connected up.

Good luck, the fun part is trying to thread the wires from the grips, through the handlebars and out of the little holes at the bottom.

 

[richierex]

When I fitted mine, I cut the loom back to see where the wiring from the white plastic plug went. I found a green "smarty" crimp that held the earths together, this was removed and replaced with a soldered and shrink wrapped joint. And it was an original fitment, its hidden about 4 inches up the loom, or was on my RS

The other side of the wiring led back to the switch which contains the resistor for the less warm setting.

Its all relevant but there is a lot of bollocks about which grip is warmer, Ha. Its more likely to be a wiring fault than some of the reasons on here, and other forums.

Dont you just love some of the "mis-information" that travels the net.