Fitting OE Heated Grips

[RedShanks]

Hello GSers.

Can anyone tell me where I might find some kind of help/instructions for the fitting of OE heated grips?

Having cheerfully - and obliviously - bought a 2004 1200GS with no heated grips, during the summer (believe it or not I didn't even realise it didn't have them at the time. I was just so happy to get my hands on a GS), I decided the addition of heated grips was my first priority.

However I was reluctant to submit to the £340+ quote from Motorrad in Wandsworth, London. So I gradually assembled the necessary used parts from different sources. So I'm now ready to fit them, but being something of a babe-in-arms where these things are concerned, I'm reluctant to undertake the job without a bit of written guidance, even though my instinct tells me it's probably a reasonably straightforward job.

I do know that they won't work until Motorrad have plugged my bike into their masterbrain, but first thing's first. How to get them on the bike. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[RedShanks]

I'll take that as a no, then...

 

[ianp5uk]

I'll take that as a no, then...

Or the right person doesn't read the forum every day?

 

[bod]

I seem to think the factory fitted "Comfort Pack" which includes the grips is only £280

I wouldn't try fitting anything electrical to my 1200, that "canbus" wiring loom is a finnicky bitch!

Motorrad will only shaft you for plugging you in to update the software - might you let 'em do the job as you hold your breath & take the hit like a man

 

[RedShanks]

Yes I think I'll let Motorrad do it...

Thanks Bod. This is my first BMW experience and I'm coming to the conclusion that it might be best to let them do just about everything (and, in the process, log the bike's detailed history in their Big Brother databank). These just aren't chewing gum and duct tape bikes, so I'm going to have to factor in Motorrad prices for any jobs. And under-the-arches mechanics don't seem to want to touch them, anyway, so I suppose I just have to accept that I'm now on Planet Motorrad.

Ian, my second comment was meant to read 'wry' rather than sullen. But I have a horror of 'emoticons', so I suppose I risk being misread.

 

[ianp5uk]

Thanks Bod. This is my first BMW experience and I'm coming to the conclusion that it might be best to let them do just about everything (and, in the process, log the bike's detailed history in their Big Brother databank). These just aren't chewing gum and duct tape bikes, so I'm going to have to factor in Motorrad prices for any jobs. And under-the-arches mechanics don't seem to want to touch them, anyway, so I suppose I just have to accept that I'm now on Planet Motorrad.

Ian, my second comment was meant to read 'wry' rather than sullen. But I have a horror of 'emoticons', so I suppose I risk being misread.

Hey that's ok I'm new here too. I just laughed when I saw someone that appeared less patient than myself.

I've been doing lots of research on the GS (reading the manual in other words) and it is more like a modern car than many bikes. I think the only tricky thing for home mechanics is the CANbus. But at least it's a standard isn't it? I say that hopefully as CAN is meant to be a standard. I've had many difficulties with 4 wheel vehicles and proprietary electronic systems. There really should be strong legislation to force standards as the manufacturers use proprietary electroncis to lock independent dealers and home mechanics out. The result is shorter and shorter lifecycles which negates all the benefits of lowered emissions.

I've got an old 2004 GS - what the hell are servo brakes for? I shall investigate removing this at some stage, if that's possible without the dash lighting up like a Xmas tree! I assume it would require a different m/c to get the leverage correct. Do the old 1200's have small brakes or something? Why do they need assisted braking?

 

[RedShanks]

Servo brakes are a new one on me, too, but I seem to have bought into the whole package, so I have to confess I'm quite enjoying the sensation of giving the lever a light squeeze and feeling like I'm being dragged back by a parachute.

So yes, the servo, the ABS, the automatic distribution of braking forces between front and rear, so you can abandon the foot brake... I'm luxuriating in the whole experience. I came straight from a single disc (undrilled) 1978 Kawa Z1000 that almost needed two-hands on the brake lever to get anything out of it at all, so I'm still giddy with the contrast.

 

[BBB61]

Steptoe of this parish is your man for any servicing requirements and I have no doubt that he could fit the grips for you without any difficulty.

 

[RedShanks]

Thanks, Bob. I'll see what he says.

 

[ianp5uk]

Servo brakes are a new one on me, too, but I seem to have bought into the whole package, so I have to confess I'm quite enjoying the sensation of giving the lever a light squeeze and feeling like I'm being dragged back by a parachute.

So yes, the servo, the ABS, the automatic distribution of braking forces between front and rear, so you can abandon the foot brake... I'm luxuriating in the whole experience. I came straight from a single disc (undrilled) 1978 Kawa Z1000 that almost needed two-hands on the brake lever to get anything out of it at all, so I'm still giddy with the contrast.

I have seen both sides of this. The GS replaced an old non ABS 1100 Pan that needed a good squeeze but was quite capable of doing tyre howling stops it just needed a good hard squeeze. Would do that despite more weight and no servo. I also have a GSXR which is a little lighter admittedly (spelling?) but has way stronger and more controlled brakes without a servo. So I'm sceptical of a GS needing them especially when I hear later ones don't use them.

I just think complexity should be avoided wherever possible. ABS I'm all for. The linked brake stuff I'm still trying to train myself not to use the back brake - do you know the effect of using both or not as the case may be? How do they work together? Does bias shift around?

 

[RedShanks]

Well, they'll have you believe that the central control system thingummy takes account of load in order to optimise the distribution of braking force between the two wheels. That being the case I guess that it would also allow for rider use of the rear brake and compute the required relative braking forces accordingly. There's certainly no caution in the owner's handbook about using the rear brake.

And having only bought my bike in August I too am still weaning myself off the rear brake. To begin with I didn't even believe what it said in the handbook so I didn't trust just the brake lever. Then when I learned to trust it I felt like a fraud for making use of such an automated function. It goes against the grain with bikers not to be in complete control. Of course I'll never be able to ride a 'normal' bike again!

I must say I didn't know that later GS12s weren't given servo brakes. I'm starting to worry. But are you sure that even if you are able to disable the servo function you would then have the same standard of braking as later machines? Perhaps the brakes were beefed up to compensate. I'm speaking from total ignorance, here, but it's a thought.

 

[RedShanks]

And I agree with you about simplicity. In fact -irony of ironies - I opted for a twin for exactly that reason and ended up with the most complicated bike I'm ever likely to own.

 

[G5RJO]

Replacement instructions....

1 remove hand guards.

2 remove the back off the right hand switch gear (2 screws)

3 unplug wiring into switch gear, a little flap at the back of the plug needs lifting to release the plug.

4 unscrew the throttle cable connector where the cable joins the switchgear

5 remove the screw holding the two halves of the throttle cable cover together. The front half then drops forward exposing the cable.

6 remove the throttle cable from the twist grip. Hook it out with a bit of wire or something then remove the cable through the hole at the back.

7 you will see a silver strap that holds the twist grip and switchgear on within the switchgear unit. Undo it and the whole assembly slides off the end of the bars.

8 rebuild in reverse order. Inside the new switchgear there's a second socket to plug in the heated grip

9 leave everything a bit loose until the switchgear is aligned properly then nip up the securing strap and refit the rear cover to the switchgear.

10 the left grip is much easier as the socket to plug the grip in is already there, inside the switchgear. A simple swap job.

11 go to friendly dealer and get them to plug the bike in and tell the control unit that there are grips fitted, they won't simply turn on without a re-programme.

I know pictures would help but haven't got any, sorry. It's pretty straightforward though.

Hope this helps,

Roger.

 

[RedShanks]

Wahey!

Thanks Roger. I'm off to Somerset for a few days, but, weather allowing (no garage), I'll tackle the job when I get back. Many thanks.

 

[Pukmeister]

Apologies for the late posting, been off the site for a few days.

Like you, I didn't want to pay through the nose to get heated grips on my previous 2004 model R1200GS so did it myself and it took me about 1 hour to fit as I recall. It's dead easy it's just a few small torx screws and a tiny electrical plug on each grip that goes into the corresponding plug inside the switchgear housings on each side.

Rogers description of the process is spot on, pay particular attention to the bit where you need the dealer to reprogram your ECU to tell it the heated grips are there, otherwise no amount of frustrated switching and desperate hoping will make any difference.

Luckily for me my bike had to have an ECU update as part of the accessory socket bug that affected early bikes, so they did the reprogramming for me along with the ECU update for free. You may end up paying your dealer to do it (I would expect half an hours labour would cover the cost of changing a zero to a one in the bikes software settings.)

Be sure to check once they are working that your throttle grip doesn't get stuck on when the grip expands through heat. Plenty of postings on here with the cure if you search.

 

[RedShanks]

Sincere thanks to all. I am looking forward to tackling this... just a slight temporary abatement of snow and siberian winds and I'm right on it!

 

[RedShanks]

Done it!

Thanks for all replies and especially to Roger for his excellent walk through of the process.

I've only just got around to doing the job. I think I might have been a bit scared of it.

In fact it was slightly trickier because I didn't have a ready-made assembly of grip and switchgear, having sourced them from two different places, so I had to figure out how to route the wiring from the grip through the switchgear/casting, which meant a further little bit of disassembly and finding out how to fold the wire. But it's done, and having taken it to Motorrard this morning, I'm now switched on and toasty fingered - all ready for a trip to Liverpool over Easter.

Thanks again.