Grip heaters.

[malcopopolo]

i only ride bmws because they have heated grips... agree the lc grips are not very warm.

maybe with the all the fancy electronics needing power there is not much left for the grips?

 

[sven]

The heated grips on my R850R were quite poor, but those on my K1200S, R1200GS MU and R1200RT are so hot on the high setting that they scold my palms in thin gloves unless it's really cold.

Hope the GS WC ones at least keep the spring/autumn chill off

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Try fitting some Oxford grips, if the BMW ones are not too good

Less than £100 and job sorted

 

[Narked]

Went out today with my thinnest summer gloves, not the extravagant waterproof ones I had on in the rain yesterday and the grips worked, but it was a warming day.

Will still give BMW a go, but can't see them doing much, the grips are a pain, but the only thing I can fault on this new bike, so I just bought a set of heated gloves for the really cold days, problem solved.

 

[Usurp66]

Enduro heated grips poor also

i only ride bmws because they have heated grips... agree the lc grips are not very warm.

maybe with the all the fancy electronics needing power there is not much left for the grips?

I don't think the electronics are to blame as the grips on my base Enduro model are poor also, certainly not nearly as effective as my 2007 GSA or even my 2004 GS were.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Try fitting some Oxford grips, if the BMW ones are not too good

Less than £100 and job sorted

Remove the BMW ones and fit Oxford ones...................if the BMW ones are rubbish then take them off and fit some aftermarket decent ones

 

[Usurp66]

Did a 50km ride this morning in temperatures ranging from +1 to -3, the heated grips are most definitely not up to the task. Had a 2004 GS and a 2007 GSA previously and the grips on both of these would have kept my hands toasty in these temperatures.

It's the only fault I can find so far though, overall a huge step forward in most respects, in my opinion I hasten to add.

Will raise the heated grips issue when I drop her in for the 1000Km service and revert with the response.

 

[mcinlb]

I find the heated grips work more than adequately, the trick is not to go out when it is too cold..............

 

[DX407]

Did a 50km ride this morning in temperatures ranging from +1 to -3, the heated grips are most definitely not up to the task. Had a 2004 GS and a 2007 GSA previously and the grips on both of these would have kept my hands toasty in these temperatures.

It's the only fault I can find so far though, overall a huge step forward in most respects, in my opinion I hasten to add.

Will raise the heated grips issue when I drop her in for the 1000Km service and revert with the response.

I have just had this chat with BMW over my 2014 GS, after a day of testing they tell me that the grips on the can bus equipped models (not just the GS) are significantly cooler (5 deg C at least) than the pre can bus models, and at the moment there is no fix avalible for this.

As has been suggested on here, the fit oxford grips option would seem to cause its own issues, the main one being a warranty issue, as you have removed an integral part of the bikes equipment, you may invalidate any warranty, also as the clutch side has the control wheel on it, this could be affected by an aftermarket grip, along with the issue of them not working with the can bus system, unless you put them directly to the battery that is, but why would you do this to a new bike, better to get the fitted ones to work as they should.

The dealer suggested to me that the best option is to get as many owners who have the problem to contact BMW / MCN /Ride /Bike etc, get the problem talked about in the press and via the dealers, and this may prompt a software update to the system.

Heated grips are needed when it's cold, and it seems that under these conditions they are to cold, would you want ABS that does not work in slippery conditions?

 

[DING-DONG]

I have just had this chat with BMW over my 2014 GS, after a day of testing they tell me that the grips on the can bus equipped models (not just the GS) are significantly cooler (5 deg C at least) than the pre can bus models, and at the moment there is no fix avalible for this.

I think ya dealer is talking bollox 'canbus models' all 1200gs run canbus electrics and my TC did not suffer with cold grips..but my wc did ! One thing to note the hand guards do not to not protect the grips like previous bikes, so there's a constant flow of cold air, i brought the TT spoilers this solved the problem for me and I'm more than happy now with the grips, even in -1 in the alps wearing thin sports gloves they were fine on no 2 and when it pissed down there hot enuff to keep my hands dry.

 

[DX407]

I think ya dealer is talking bollox 'canbus models' all 1200gs run canbus electrics and my TC did not suffer with cold grips..but my wc did ! One thing to note the hand guards do not to not protect the grips like previous bikes, so there's a constant flow of cold air, i brought the TT spoilers this solved the problem for me and I'm more than happy now with the grips, even in -1 in the alps wearing thin sports gloves they were fine on no 2 and when it pissed down there hot enuff to keep my hands dry.

Good point, as you say the dealer could be talking through their tail pipe, but the evidence is difficult to argue with, a temp gauge when used on a pre 2013 GS shows over 5 deg c hotter than the post 2013 models, they also tested the grips on an RT and an R while I was watching, along with a couple of other 2014 GS's and the difference is the same across all the tests, saying that the bigger hand guards will be investigated today

 

[kevmean]

Is it just the resistance of the heating elements that is different on the LC models OR the system that is restricting the power that can be supplied to them? If the former then maybe the earlier grips can be fitted. I'm sure somebody on here must have both versions and can stick a meter across the grip elements to find the answer.

 

[Hamslay]

During my time loitering on the K-series forums, quite a few people commented on the heated grip rubbers wearing out and losing their texture prematurely. This then led to complaints about having to buy complete new heated grips or detailed posts about how to remove the old grips with a scalpel without damaging the heater wiring. Now, I guess there's a possibility that one engineer's solution for premature wearing of the warm grips was "Turn the heat down"?

 

[Usurp66]

I have just had this chat with BMW over my 2014 GS, after a day of testing they tell me that the grips on the can bus equipped models (not just the GS) are significantly cooler (5 deg C at least) than the pre can bus models, and at the moment there is no fix avalible for this.

As has been suggested on here, the fit oxford grips option would seem to cause its own issues, the main one being a warranty issue, as you have removed an integral part of the bikes equipment, you may invalidate any warranty, also as the clutch side has the control wheel on it, this could be affected by an aftermarket grip, along with the issue of them not working with the can bus system, unless you put them directly to the battery that is, but why would you do this to a new bike, better to get the fitted ones to work as they should.

The dealer suggested to me that the best option is to get as many owners who have the problem to contact BMW / MCN /Ride /Bike etc, get the problem talked about in the press and via the dealers, and this may prompt a software update to the system.

Heated grips are needed when it's cold, and it seems that under these conditions they are to cold, would you want ABS that does not work in slippery conditions?

Agreed, will report the issue and see what response there is.

 

[Usurp66]

I think ya dealer is talking bollox 'canbus models' all 1200gs run canbus electrics and my TC did not suffer with cold grips..but my wc did ! One thing to note the hand guards do not to not protect the grips like previous bikes, so there's a constant flow of cold air, i brought the TT spoilers this solved the problem for me and I'm more than happy now with the grips, even in -1 in the alps wearing thin sports gloves they were fine on no 2 and when it pissed down there hot enuff to keep my hands dry.

I don't think it's just the hand-guards although I take your point about them not being as effective as the previous bikes, I believed the grips themselves were not as hot so compared them to a mates 2009 GS and found that with the grips at level 2 and both bikes stationary the 2009 bike's were considerably hotter. The dealer putting it down to can bus equipped bikes is total nonsense though in my opinion.

 

[Usurp66]

During my time loitering on the K-series forums, quite a few people commented on the heated grip rubbers wearing out and losing their texture prematurely. This then led to complaints about having to buy complete new heated grips or detailed posts about how to remove the old grips with a scalpel without damaging the heater wiring. Now, I guess there's a possibility that one engineer's solution for premature wearing of the warm grips was "Turn the heat down"?

Sounds distinctly probable!

 

[DX407]

Is it just the resistance of the heating elements that is different on the LC models OR the system that is restricting the power that can be supplied to them? If the former then maybe the earlier grips can be fitted. I'm sure somebody on here must have both versions and can stick a meter across the grip elements to find the answer.

You could be on to something, but the info from the dealer is the part number for all the heated grips is the same, but dealers have been know to mislead

 

[biggeorge]

heated grips

My lc is exactly the same, My previous gs on position 1 was as hot as the new ones on max ,been reported several time to BMW but no soloution put forward !!!

 

[DX407]

Had a call from the BMW dealers today, recalled the bike to apply a fix for this issue, fingers crossed.
They tell me they that all the readings and tests they took on the last visit had been submitted and that bmw tech people say that there is something wrong in the setup.
Well we will see.

 

[malcopopolo]

That Will apply to the 25000 bikes they sold then. Please keep us all posted