I rode to London this a.m. temp was 8 or 9, by the time I left mid afternoon temp was down to 2 or 3. Add in very high winds and it was a bit chilly heading back home. Oh well, all part of the fun of breaking in a new bike.
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November riders...post your rides. Season's not over yet
- Thread starter MacDoc
- Start date
ItIsWhatItIs
Banned
Doh, snow and lots of it. See ya driving to florida, cool would be riding, one day...
Hear Demons by Symtec are available at GP Bikes for about fifty bucks. http://www.heatdemons.com/External-Handlebar-Warmer-Kit-Motorcycle-MTRR_p_36.html
silverbullet132
Well-known member
I got a set of oxford scooter grips on ebay for about $50. Not much different between them and the bike model aside from the controller, and these use less power @ 3.0a vs 4.0a.
http://www.oxprod.com/index.php?pg=3&action=dept&id=222&pid=586&p=
I bought the same style off ebay for about $15.
Just didn't have a name brand and they have worked perfect for 4 years now.
Let me know how you like them. I'm tired of having the Royal Dist. ones breaking, or having your throttle hand way hotter than your clutch handI wanted to give the Oxford's a go!
-Jamie M.
I'm sure there are plenty of reviews of the Oxford Heaterz, but since you asked.....
I've taken short rides on bikes with heated grips, but never had them on any of my bikes. I was worried about extra wires in an already cramped space, and specifically the wires for the throttle side interfering with the brake lever. This is not an issue, in case anyone else was worried. It's easy get the grip lined up how you want it (the instructions recommend one way, and even describe another popular way). The clutch side was a little difficult to slide on - I had to sand the paint off the bar to slide the grip on (they don't have the same flexibility as plain grips. The wiring couldn't be simpler. I wanted to wire it to something controlled by the ignition, but Oxford suggests that's where many problems occur. People connect to a circuit that can't handle the current. Since I will probably clean it all up over the winter (still looking at higher bars as a bigger project), I connected it straight to the battery. There's a control unit that sits near (but not too close to) the battery, so it's under the seat, and from it there's a quick connect to the controls.
I also used the mounting bracket for the control, because it lines up perfectly with the clutch lever bracket. It's a little higher than it needs to be, but there are no clearance issues and it's a handy place for it. One of the best things about the installation, is that you could disconnect that control unit and remove that little bracket if you wanted it gone during the summer months. 5 minute job (have to lift the tank to pull the wire through).
I got the sport grips and they are comfortable, at least with my heavier gloves. I know it's not too cold this morning, but I still appreciated them. A lot. At only 30%, they were warm enough that I shut them off a few times. They hold heat for several minutes afterwards, so cycling them on and off doesn't mean going from hot to cold. I also thought it would be good not to have them running when I was sitting at idle anyway.
Since Oxford recommends not wiring into an existing circuit, I will likely leave them hooked to the battery when I clean up the wiring, but I may wire in a relay from an existing lighting wire. Since it had all been chopped to crap when I got the bike, I've redone the whole tail section and I have one original wire that's unused (licence plate light I think. Yes, I still have a licence plate light). That would mean I wouldn't risk leaving them on. The controller will shut them off, but not until voltage drops to 10-point-something volts.
So I'm ready for the cold - let's just hope for dry weather!
Edit: P.S. I never noticed one hand warmer than the other in my short ride.
PLau
Well-known member
Whether is supposed to hit double digits next week... Although it still is a few days away. That being said, its supposed to dive below zero a few days after.
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/caon0710
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/caon0710
Well nothing shows up in the hourly forecast on The Weather Network. I should've rode, I think.
ItIsWhatItIs
Banned
@daytona beach shores, went for a swim in the ocean which was awesome in the choppy waves. Calling for sun and 72 F tommorrow so I am in for more ocean swimming Happy I winterized my bike when I did.
Happy I winterized my bike when I did.Weekend is supposed to be decent...perfect time to put on the snow tires...wash the bike and get it ready for hibernation
GF gone back to the warm place in Australia I call home in winter - with my new gear for the KLR. 8 weeks or so and my second season begins.
Figured there are a couple more local rides this weekend up to the forks since it looks decently warm - maybe one wet day.
Figured there are a couple more local rides this weekend up to the forks since it looks decently warm - maybe one wet day.
PLau
Well-known member
Tomorrow looks cold and rainy/snowy... Probably not a good idea to ride out in the rain/snow @ -5 degree weather...
Next week looks good though at 10+ degrees!
Next week looks good though at 10+ degrees!
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