Mod time! Cold hands...new heated grips, other stuff to come!

[Wolfman]

Ok folks, i got a bonus at work, so i have bitten the bullet and decided to do a few mods to make my ride more comfortable in the winter months, and a couple of other small things i have been wanting to do for a while as well.

First off, today i bought some Oxford Hot Grips heated grips. $129.

They are a fully closed system, which means new grips with heating elements built in, with fully waterproof wiring loom.

Heat control is via a handlebar mounted switch block. 4 heat settings - 50%, 60%, 75%, and 100%. They draw 4 amps, cant be turned on unless bike is running, and they automatically turn themselves off when you kill the engine.

Was easy to fit grips, came with glue. Was easy to route wiring, just followed the same route as all other handle bar mounted cables, all the way back to the battery, cable tied everything. Was plenty of room to hide both grip wire connectors to switch block connectors, behind the headlight. All wiring is well insulate with solid rubberised sheaths.

The grips are only slightly thicker than stock grips. I just went for a ride in 4 degrees celcius temperature at midnight through the hills where i live, and my hands were a lot warmer, and the grips felt fine, with no fouling of clutch or front brake lever.

100% is damn hot, and only really needs to be used when you first turn them on.75% is toasty. Have not used the other settings.

They took me 1.5 hours to fit, and i had to removbe old grips, remove headlight assembly to route wires and connectors, and a i had to lift the tank to route battery terminal cables through the frame, and connect to battery.

I recommend these highly!

Here is a link to a review

Oxford HotGrips - webBikeWorld

Next is a set of Carbon levers from Ireland on Ebay, damn cheap, and worth a punt at $39 australian, heaps cheaper than pazzo's, and if they are crap, it's only a small loss, and i hate the standard levers.

Here is the link, if anyone is interested

FAZER 600 CARBONE LEIVER FR - eBay, Autres Accessoires Moto, Accessoires et Entretien, Moto Pièces, Accessoires. (end time 27-Jul-08 04:23:33 AEST)

Next is a set of Barkbuster Hand Protectors, with Wind Deflectors, to further protect my hands from wind & rain, as well as my levers, controls, etc, in the event of a tumble.

Here is the link if anyone is interested

Barkbusters - Mounting Kits to fit tapered motorcycle handlebars

And finally, i have finally found a decent carbon fibre tank protector at a decent price, from a mob in Geelong called Carbon Craft.

Here is the link if anyone is interested

Have included a few photo's of my new heated grips, and will post photo's of other mod's mentioned as they arrive and i fit them.

[Hellgate]

Hey Wolfman - Did you see that the carbon levels are for the old Fazer, not our bike? Not sure if they are interchangeable.

The mods look great. I didn't know it got cold enough to require heated grips Down Under.

[Wolfman]

Yes i did notice that, and have since done a little research, according to the mechanic at my Yamaha dealer, they will fit, and if they dont some lucky old fazer owner in Adelaide is gonna be getting some cheap levers.lol!

As for it getting cold in OZ, it aint crazy cold, but where i live in the hills above Adelaide, it does get down to -3 degrees celcius sometimes at night, and averages between 12 - 15 degrees celcius during the day in winter, and yes it some it can get to 43 degrees celcius in the day, and be as high as 36 degree's celcius at night during the summer! Lucky i have a pool!

I ride a lot very late at night and in the early hours of the morning, about 50% of my riding in fact, so being warm is important, is way too hard to concentrate when your shaking, and i need to concentrate, especially when you are riding up winding, hilly roads with little street lighting, and the occasional Koala, Fox, or Wallaby to deal with ( i live near a National Park, and some scrubland).

[Hellgate]

Hey that is great, they look like really nice levers. I noticed on my bicycle my fingers don't get a chilly in the winter with carbon brake levers, so if you ride with your fingers on the levelers that may help a tiny bit too.

Your weather sounds like crazy Texas weather, blazing hot, or cold and wet. Not too much in between here.

Be careful riding at night, things like to jump out in the road in front of you. An Army buddy of mine hit a deer three times in a 6 month period. Each hit was within 1/2 mile of one another on the same road, each hit was as dusk. We kidded him about hitting the same deer each time. He now has three little deer stickers on his fuel tank. Two more and he's an ace!

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Hellgate

Hey that is great, they look like really nice levels. I noticed on my bicycle my fingers don't get a chilly in the winter with carbon brake levers, so if you ride with your fingers on the levelers that my help a tiny bit too.

Your weather sounds like crazy Texas weather, blazing hot, or cold and wet. Not too much in between here.

Be careful riding at night, things like to jump out in the road in front of you. An Army buddy of mine hit a deer three times in a 6 month period. Each hit was within 1/2 mile of one another on the same road, each hit was as dusk. We kidded him about hitting the same deer each time. He now has three little deer stickers on his fuel tank. Two more and he's an ace!

Lol! and Lol again. For some reason that is not that funny when you look at it seriously, but the stickers, that cracks me up.

Yes small furry animals scare the crap out of me, and i constantly am poised at the cluch & brake in the early hours, with head light beaming on high!

Hence the addition of Barkbusters, and probably front & rear wheel sliders, to go with my frame sliders, or crash knobs as we call them in Oz.

Always wear full leathers, or nylons (cordura) with full armour & boots too.

Constantly get referred to as a "Space Man" when i arrive at places!

[stumbles06]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

First off, today i bought some Oxford Hot Grips heated grips. $129.

They are a fully closed system, which means new grips with heating elements built in, with fully waterproof wiring loom.

Heat control is via a handlebar mounted switch block. 4 heat settings - 50%, 60%, 75%, and 100%. They draw 4 amps, cant be turned on unless bike is running, and they automatically turn themselves off when you kill the engine.

Nice, I want something like that.

$129... very nice. Where from, here, or did you get them imported???
I looked at Yammy world, they had a set of "wrap-around" oxford's, and they wanted $150!!! I wasn't keen on the wrap-around style, thought it would make the grip too big, but yours look sweet.

Being a night-shifter too, the cold is the worst part for me. I have the luxury of a spare car if the weather turns nasty, but freezing hands ... I don't like. Grip warmers would fix that and I'd ride a lot more.

Keep up the modding Wolfman. (I'm stealing all your ideas for myself...lol)

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by stumbles06

Nice, I want something like that.

$129... very nice. Where from, here, or did you get them imported???
I looked at Yammy world, they had a set of "wrap-around" oxford's, and they wanted $150!!! I wasn't keen on the wrap-around style, thought it would make the grip too big, but yours look sweet.

Being a night-shifter too, the cold is the worst part for me. I have the luxury of a spare car if the weather turns nasty, but freezing hands ... I don't like. Grip warmers would fix that and I'd ride a lot more.

Keep up the modding Wolfman. (I'm stealing all your ideas for myself...lol)

I got em from Peter Stevens in the City...plenty in stock. Yes i saw the ones at Yamaha World, and they look agricultural at best! and expensive. Also bought a pair of decent Dri-rider inner gloves as well...also very good, much better than the RJays ones, which fell apart in less than a week! Warm hands = happy Wolfman!

[sideslider]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Next is a set of Barkbuster Hand Protectors, with Wind Deflectors, to further protect my hands from wind & rain, as well as my levers, controls, etc, in the event of a tumble.

Here is the link if anyone is interested

Barkbusters - Mounting Kits to fit tapered motorcycle handlebars

Which pair of the hand protectors did you get? or am I missing it?

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by sideslider

Which pair of the hand protectors did you get? or am I missing it?

Oh i had not bought any yet, that was just a link to the page of the brand i was looking at getting.

Have since found out that i am going to have to look elsewhere, as none of the ones i have looked at will fit....my screen will get in the way. So am presently looking for alternatives, or a way in which to modify what i can get to fit the bike, without it looking like i have butchered them...where there is a will, there is a way!

[cashcrzzy]

hey wolfman what is the switch on the left side facing the front of the bike above and behind the high /low switch ???? how big is the heated grip switch ??
Thanks
Greg A.