Heated hand grips

JimVonBaden said:
I can't answer for the UK, but any bike labeled a 2015 in the US has the good grips. The build date you describe is right on the cusp, so I can't say. IF the handlebars are steel, however, it is easy to tell with a simple magnet. Plus, run the bike for 5 minutes and it will be obvious!

Jim :cool:
Click to expand...

So are you saying that if I buy some steel bars and swap out my aluminium ones then the problem will be solved?

I wouldn't have thought steel was so much worse a thermal conductor than aluminium to make so much difference.
 
Godzilla said:
So are you saying that if I buy some steel bars and swap out my aluminium ones then the problem will be solved?

I wouldn't have thought steel was so much worse a thermal conductor than aluminium to make so much difference.
Click to expand...

Not at all. I was just answering the question posed. I do not know what the real answer is, but I suspect it has nothing to do with the bar. If it did the heat would eventually come on. A heat sync eventually hits saturation and will hold the heat in. IMHO, aluminum or steel makes no difference. I think it is in the grips themselves. BUT, BMW can't admit that or they would be replacing thousands of grips. If I ever get a chance to swap between a 13/14 and my 15 bike I will know for sure.

Jim :cool:
 
Thanks for feedback so far.

So my summary from reading the thread.

2013/2014 bikes have alloy bars and a variety of heated grip and probably the bar makes no difference but the grip which fits it is not up to the job.

2015 bikes have steel bars with a new heated grip (poss a different diameter to the 13/14 bars?) (which cannot be fitted to a 13/14 bike due to bar differences?) on which the fitted grips work like a treat.

Happy anyone with experience/knowledge to adjust the above statement.
 
rjsmith26 said:
Thanks for feedback so far.

So my summary from reading the thread.

2013/2014 bikes have alloy bars and a variety of heated grip and probably the bar makes no difference but the grip which fits it is not up to the job.

2015 bikes have steel bars with a new heated grip (poss a different diameter to the 13/14 bars?) (which cannot be fitted to a 13/14 bike due to bar differences?) on which the fitted grips work like a treat.

Happy anyone with experience/knowledge to adjust the above statement.
Click to expand...

Well the first part is right 13-14 bars are alloy and the grips that came with the bike SUCK... as far as I have been able to determine and these are USA parts fiche not european the GRIPS ONLY part number has changed for the 15's and that is why the grips are now HOT and working for people......

READ BELOW​


Yes Grips suck and we have done quite a bit of discussion over in the US on this at advrider.com Basically 13-14 temps in the 90-100 F range the 15's around 150- 160 F read from page 9 pg here
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1030950&page=9

Now we get so much misinformation even from the dealers!!! look at post 106 on your site to see BMWNA reason for weaker grips..

May be different in England but handlebars did not change from 14 to 15 see here..

http://www.ascycles.com/Illustrated_catalog2/MicroList.aspx?id=56208&catID=&catname=&bindName=Motorcycle%20handlebar&bindCat=32_2106

Only thing that change in Aug. 2014 is the grips note says 5.5 ohms ( don't knpw exactly what that means) see here

http://www.ascycles.com/Illustrated_catalog2/MicroList.aspx?id=56208&catID=&catname=&bindName=Handlebar%20grip,%20heated/Multi-controller&bindCat=32_2190

We need to help each other to get a correct answer... Please reach out to your sources ..What we really need is a dealer that is an advocate for us?? Oxymoron?? And get someone up the tech line ( corporate) to help us...
 
rjsmith26 said:
Great Thread.

Just about to look at buying a GSA. Dealer has advised that grip problem is only fixed on 2015 bikes. Which have new bars.

On this thread its seems to indicate that bikes from new (08/14).

My question - are bikes from 08/14 fitted with new grips on old bars? or were new bars implemented in 08/14 as well as new hotter grips?

Reason for asking is if I buy a ex demonstrator - I want to ensure I get a bike with decent hot grips.

Final question - anyway to spot bikes with the new grips/bars vs the old grips / bars?

TIA
Click to expand...

AS USUAL DEALER IS WRONG .... See post above
 
rjsmith26 said:
Great Thread.

Just about to look at buying a GSA. Dealer has advised that grip problem is only fixed on 2015 bikes. Which have new bars.

On this thread its seems to indicate that bikes from new (08/14).

TIA
Click to expand...

when the factory shuts down in July , that is the end of the line for the 2014 bikes. So delivery in august would more than likely be a 2014 model (old grips) the new 2015 models started to be made when the factory returned …first week in august, so giving a 5 or 6 week delivery from ordering at beginning of august ,,, should see you on a 2015 model early sept….mine was delivered on sept 17th and is a 2015 model.

To check , get the vin number and put it into the vin decoder sticky thread.

NOW…………some of my friends have 64 plate GSAs but they are 2014 models, when they touch my grips they notice the difference straight away . The heat in the 2015 model is too much !!! and needs putting into the number 1 setting after 5 mins or so…. When a friend on asked the BMW tech re the difference, he was told the 2015 model does have a different grip and different wiring link to it compared to the 2014 model, and thats why they can't be changed .

I dont believe that for one second. If BMW wanted to swap a set of grips from a 2014 model to a 2015 model , they could do it easy
 
I'm not defending the dealers or bmw.

From one of the posts mentioning the increase in ohms in the new grips.

A guess - ohms = resistance which will mean more current is consumed by the grips if they have a higher ohm rating, so perhaps the cabling loom on the newer bikes has been beefed up to deliver increased juice to the new grips?? Just a thought? and this is maybe why retro fit to 2013/14 is a tad difficult?
 
rjsmith26 said:
I'm not defending the dealers or bmw.

From one of the posts mentioning the increase in ohms in the new grips.

A guess - ohms = resistance which will mean more current is consumed by the grips if they have a higher ohm rating, so perhaps the cabling loom on the newer bikes has been beefed up to deliver increased juice to the new grips?? Just a thought? and this is maybe why retro fit to 2013/14 is a tad difficult?
Click to expand...

It's the opposite. Less resistance means more current flow..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Right - results are in!

I'm not going to post pictures - its pointless. The grips heat up more quickly compared to previous results, and achieve the same highest temp as before - well about 1 degree more taking it to 61.5 degrees C, after approx 6 minutes.

So, improved in terms of time. No different in terms of output temp. Piss poor. The lowest setting is just pointless. For me heated grips are a must and I shouldn't have to look at buying heated inner gloves / gloves to improve the situation when I've already paid for these bloody heated grips on the bike!!! Not a lot I can do about it I suppose apart from get some of those tucano muff things. Apart from this issue, the bike is great and has been incredible in these shite conditions the past few weeks.
 
I get the impression that BMW and their dealers know full well that the grips on early bikes are useless and their solution is just to fudge the issue until all the affected bikes are out of warranty.

What can we do about it ? probably nothing.
 
JimVonBaden said:
Sorry, that is complete crap! I tested my cheap infared on several surfaces and then with a series of temp gauges and it was near dead on. I tested my grips dead cold at room temps, in the 30's F, and then the grips. Read the thread, it is verified by several people.

Jim :cool:
Click to expand...


Not true
 
Godzilla said:
So are you saying that if I buy some steel bars and swap out my aluminium ones then the problem will be solved?

I wouldn't have thought steel was so much worse a thermal conductor than aluminium to make so much difference.
Click to expand...


Aluminium conducts heat about 4 times better than Steel, so if the grips are in good thermal contact with the bars then the heat will be carried away far too easily. It doesn't really matter what the bars are made off, what does matter is that you must insulate the grips from the bars.
 
Engineer said:
Aluminium conducts heat about 4 times better than Steel, so if the grips are in good thermal contact with the bars then the heat will be carried away far too easily. It doesn't really matter what the bars are made off, what does matter is that you must insulate the grips from the bars.
Click to expand...

From reading other posts on this matter, the grips do not contact the bars directly but slide on with a plastic sleeve secures by a setscrew. The fact is, these heated grips are rubbish. As a comparison, my last two bikes has Oxford aftermarket heated sports grips, both fitted to aluminium Renthal handlebars and those were FAR hotter.

In fact one pair I got "free" with a subscription to a bike magazine so they cannot have been that expensive to produce. BMW must buy thousands from their supplier for peanuts.

They should replace all the affected ones under warranty, and if the later ones do not fit, then they should get some that do.
 
mrtee43 said:
From reading other posts on this matter, the grips do not contact the bars directly but slide on with a plastic sleeve secures by a setscrew. The fact is, these heated grips are rubbish. As a comparison, my last two bikes has Oxford aftermarket heated sports grips, both fitted to aluminium Renthal handlebars and those were FAR hotter.

In fact one pair I got "free" with a subscription to a bike magazine so they cannot have been that expensive to produce. BMW must buy thousands from their supplier for peanuts.

They should replace all the affected ones under warranty, and if the later ones do not fit, then they should get some that do.
Click to expand...

The LHS one on my 2013 bike feels a bit cooler than the RHS one, maybe because the RHS one has a bit more insulation between it and handle bar because of the throttle tube.

I would prefer them to be a bit hotter but they were just about good enough at 0C this morning along with my BMW summer rain gloves, much below 0C and on long rides then they don't quite cut it.

And lot of this stuff is very subjective though isn't it? My other half is very intolerant of the cold and she complains of cold hands at temperatures where I could easily go without gloves - I have tried turning the grips off when it's 0C but within a couple of miles or so my hands are freezing, it is surprising how much difference they do make.
 
So from what Shamone is showing.

Same part on 2013 and 2015 bikes - so that leaves it to be either

a) the heat transfer into the bar as mentioned earlier due to the Alu bar absorbing heat

or

b) Software change to how the grip is controlled

or

c) Wiring harnesss/loom change to enable more power to be delivered to the grip

Thoughts?
 
It is subjective. But they are significantly colder than previous models Engineer. We have some objective measurements to go by.

I suffer badly from cold hands / feet, I'm on medication for it too!. I can still easily tell the difference between these 2013/14 GS grips and the new 2015 variant. I also ride 2009/10/13 plate RTs and note instantly the warmth they give and also how quickly they heat up. That isn't subjective, its a fact.

Have you asked your dealer about the issue? They will give you a nice smile and chuckle, then tell you that a hell of lot of GS owners aren't happy with the output. BMW are fully aware which is why they changed the gips for the 15 model and have a "forced" software update which many of us on here and over the pond have had too.

Are you going to claim that this issue is a minor problem like you did with the clutch / gearbox saga and tell us all we aren't using our grips right now?
 
Was just searching the net trying to get the part numbers.

You got a new part number?


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