Heated grip problem

[chesuk]

I got a brand new GSA a couple of weeks ago and mostly loving it. However I was initially under the impression that the heated grips were not very effective but in the excitement of playing with all the new gadgets, and because it was not very cold, I didn't think too much about it

Well, Friday night, 2 hours riding at -2C, I can definitely say there is a problem. I turned on the grips to max from the start and quickly got a slight warming but 15 mins later nothing more. Flicked the switch a couple of times, got the full blast I'm familiar with on my old 1150 ADV. Can't take that for long so flicked it back to min and immediately lost any perceptible heat. After that, no amount of switch flicking could get back a useful amount of heat

2 hours later, home, fingers almost frostbitten I put my bare hands on the grips and they felt only lukewarm. Now lukewarm to ice cold hands is probably no more than 15C - on my 1150s they are uncomfortable to touch with a gloved hand for any length of time

The bike's due for its 600 mile inspection so I will take it up with the dealer then, but in the meantime I've got a couple more trips like that - so if this is a known fault with a simple solution that I can apply myself I'd be keen to know

I only just noticed that the hand protectors offer almost no wind protection - they're open at the top and the bottom which will cause currents of air to circulate on the back of your hands and at your fingertips - this no doubt contributed to the extreme coldness of my hands

 

[TeaPig]

If they are getting warm then at least it implies the wiring is ok. If you are sure you are not always getting the high range then it's down to the switch or the computer and as you are due a service I'd see what they have to say about it.

However, I don't think the grips on my 1200s got as hot as my 1150's but factors such as the pattern on the grip and the gloves you are wearing, and if they are wet will all affect heat transfer.

On a more practical note, I used to gaffer tape extensions made of plastic or rubber onto the existing hand guards to improve the wind protection, that and, surprisingly, winglettes made a significant difference and got me through the last 15 winters with only minor frostbite.

 

[Wapping]

Ask dealer to check heated grips.

Put muffs over hand guards, making heated grips redundant.

 

[phillh]

I was very underwhelmed by the heated grips on my GSA when I first picked it up. Even on the hottest setting they seemed feeble compared to the aftermarket ones I fitted to my previous bike.

But now, after 5 months or so, they are much better and I usually only have them on the first setting even when wearing thin summer gloves. I cant explain why this should be, as far as I am aware, electric heating elements should not need to be run in !

 

[Bobbin-Man]

I got a brand new GSA a couple of weeks ago and mostly loving it. However I was initially under the impression that the heated grips were not very effective but in the excitement of playing with all the new gadgets, and because it was not very cold, I didn't think too much about it

Well, Friday night, 2 hours riding at -2C, I can definitely say there is a problem. I turned on the grips to max from the start and quickly got a slight warming but 15 mins later nothing more. Flicked the switch a couple of times, got the full blast I'm familiar with on my old 1150 ADV. Can't take that for long so flicked it back to min and immediately lost any perceptible heat. After that, no amount of switch flicking could get back a useful amount of heat

2 hours later, home, fingers almost frostbitten I put my bare hands on the grips and they felt only lukewarm. Now lukewarm to ice cold hands is probably no more than 15C - on my 1150s they are uncomfortable to touch with a gloved hand for any length of time

The bike's due for its 600 mile inspection so I will take it up with the dealer then, but in the meantime I've got a couple more trips like that - so if this is a known fault with a simple solution that I can apply myself I'd be keen to know

I only just noticed that the hand protectors offer almost no wind protection - they're open at the top and the bottom which will cause currents of air to circulate on the back of your hands and at your fingertips - this no doubt contributed to the extreme coldness of my hands

It's certainly something that needs logging as a fault at the first service otherwise there will be no cover when the warranty expires, usually the same day that the grips expire! It sounds like a switch issue giving an intermittent or no connection.
My heated grips differ in temp - right side is warmer than left! It'd be interesting to know whether there's anything that is adjustable in the system - with so many differing comments regarding temperature it would suggest that individual heating elements are far from consistent.

Stu.

 

[chesuk]

Put muffs over hand guards, making heated grips redundant.

They're redundant anyway

Seriously though, any specific recommendations? I remember looking a few years ago but found it difficult to find something that would fit over the hand guards

 

[chesuk]

It's certainly something that needs logging as a fault at the first service otherwise there will be no cover when the warranty expires, usually the same day that the grips expire! It sounds like a switch issue giving an intermittent or no connection.
My heated grips differ in temp - right side is warmer than left! It'd be interesting to know whether there's anything that is adjustable in the system - with so many differing comments regarding temperature it would suggest that individual heating elements are far from consistent.

Stu.

This is my sixth GS they've all had different left-right grip temperatures and now I come to think of it I think they were all hotter on the right

 

[WindyChuffer]

Rift hand grip feels hotter as its the throttle hand and you tend to grip harder. There is no actual temperature difference between left and right. It's all in the head.

 

[Mark Hooton]

This `might` help...............

I`ve got the same problem and didn`t really think much about it until I got my GS-911 and read the fault codes - it reports that there was a `failure` with the heated grips (which coincided with when they didn`t work) and that it was also saying that `fault not present now`

I am sure one of the `Stout Yeomen of the GS` on this forum who knows more about the canbus system then I will ever know will know why it does this (it detects a fault then closes it down? - good eh?) but how to fix it I don`t know - if you are anywhere near me you are more than welcome to pop in and I`ll run the diagnostics of the GS-911 on your bike to see if that helps?

I`m in Scunthorpe.

Hope you get it fixed

Mark
www.cymarcbikeparts.co.uk

 

[Valley Boy]

Picked my new GS BT up on Satyrday with frost on the ground. Stuck the grips on heating 2, my hands were lovely and warm !-------Is it just me ?

 

[Dennis the Menace]

04 to 08 steel bars, 08 on alloy bars, change your bars or get some muffs:

 

[chesuk]

I`ve got the same problem and didn`t really think much about it until I got my GS-911 and read the fault codes - it reports that there was a `failure` with the heated grips (which coincided with when they didn`t work) and that it was also saying that `fault not present now`

I am sure one of the `Stout Yeomen of the GS` on this forum who knows more about the canbus system then I will ever know will know why it does this (it detects a fault then closes it down? - good eh?) but how to fix it I don`t know - if you are anywhere near me you are more than welcome to pop in and I`ll run the diagnostics of the GS-911 on your bike to see if that helps?

I`m in Scunthorpe.

Hope you get it fixed

Mark
www.cymarcbikeparts.co.uk

Thanks for the offer but I'm in Gloucester so it's a bit far

I'm sure NOG will fix it - next ride I used slightly warmer gloves and the weather was about 5 degrees warmer. I played with the switch until I got something (not much) from the grips then left it. Like that I can survive until the service

 

[chesuk]

04 to 08 steel bars, 08 on alloy bars, change your bars or get some muffs:

This is nothing to do with the bars - it's the heating circuit. As I said for a few minutes they worked properly so it's down to the switch, canbus, wiring, or heating elements

I will fit muffs anyway because heated grips (even when they are working) don't help with the fingertips or the back of the hands

 

[fizzer]

Rift hand grip feels hotter as its the throttle hand and you tend to grip harder. There is no actual temperature difference between left and right. It's all in the head.

the reason they are hotter on the right is because the throttle grip is onto the plastic sleave,hense not alot of head disapation,on the left its onto the handle bars ,therefore alot of heat disapation .thats why right is hotter.

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

I got a brand new GSA a couple of weeks ago and mostly loving it. However I was initially under the impression that the heated grips were not very effective but in the excitement of playing with all the new gadgets, and because it was not very cold, I didn't think too much about it

Well, Friday night, 2 hours riding at -2C, I can definitely say there is a problem. I turned on the grips to max from the start and quickly got a slight warming but 15 mins later nothing more. Flicked the switch a couple of times, got the full blast I'm familiar with on my old 1150 ADV. Can't take that for long so flicked it back to min and immediately lost any perceptible heat. After that, no amount of switch flicking could get back a useful amount of heat

2 hours later, home, fingers almost frostbitten I put my bare hands on the grips and they felt only lukewarm. Now lukewarm to ice cold hands is probably no more than 15C - on my 1150s they are uncomfortable to touch with a gloved hand for any length of time

The bike's due for its 600 mile inspection so I will take it up with the dealer then, but in the meantime I've got a couple more trips like that - so if this is a known fault with a simple solution that I can apply myself I'd be keen to know

I only just noticed that the hand protectors offer almost no wind protection - they're open at the top and the bottom which will cause currents of air to circulate on the back of your hands and at your fingertips - this no doubt contributed to the extreme coldness of my hands

Think my 2011 has this problem, max setting temp fluctuates but never very hot for very long. Trip to the dealer beckons.

 

[Spike]

Ok might seem a little silly but why wait till the 600 service if you have another couple of trips to do, why not just get back to the dealer and get it sorted now????

Seems to me if the bike is brand new then a simple order of a new switch would sort it and toasty hands for you on your next trip

spike