HD Heated Grips. I like my Aileron Grips, and so I hummed an hawed if I should go HD, or Heat Demons.

Well I decided to ~try~ the HD Grips. I rented an Ultra Limited in Texas December 2010, and they were awesome in the hill country...

I consulted the instructions, the forums here, my Service Manual, My Parts Manual, and the downloaded .pdf file Service manual for 2009 Touring as well. [think torrents]

SO, The install began.

I thought I'd start on the right grip with the Throttle Position Sensor. It was pretty easy really, I had a head light [forehead] and good needlenose pliers. I'd suggest removing lever mounted mirrors as they add unnecessary weight.

I read the instructions a number of times, looking for some connector for the right grip. The grip itself plugs into the TPS [Throttle Position Sensor] and I'd assume [my mistake] that HD would run the wiring to the fairing.

-NOPE-

The connection is the grey heat shrunk wire in the middle of the TPS. There is a black and white smaller gauge [20 AWG] that you have to cut into to get the connection. I'm not a complete fool, but the instructions didn't clearly spell this out, I feel they could have had some description of this in either the Service Manual or the Parts Manual diagram.

So This is the real sad and weepy part of the story.

Left Grip - which was thought to be the simpler of the two. It doesn't slide on. [Yes I removed the plastic retainer]

The Problem?

Klock Works Ergo Up bars. The internal diameter is too small to slide the Left grip internal controller inside the bar. Would I like the grips? Yes. Do I want to ream out the handle bars to get the required ID? No, not in the underground parkade, and I wouldn't give up the bars. I wouldn't want to mess with the structural integrity of the bar...

If you have different bars, check the ID.

I'm keeping the grips incase I decide on buying a Road King [or similar] for the wife...

Heat demons, I suppose.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Harry

 

i thought there was a plug for the connection for the heated grips? that little green one?

check the id of your bars, the heat demon install instructions make mention of that also.

 

HD heated grips are unreliable, anyway. On my fourth set. Out of warranty now, so when these fail, I'm done with them.

 

Ya the Green Plug is just for the potentiometers [x2] for the Throttle Position Sensor.

The heated grip connector is two wires and heat shrunk and tucked in to the bar.

I emailed Heat Demon regarding the Ergo Ups. I don't want to compromise the strength of them.

Looks like I should have went heated gloves... or left the bars stock.



Harry

 

not wishing to hijack the thread but i just bought kit p/n 56100034 which is the lastest revision of the heated grips for my 08 Ultra, it has the most confusing set of instructions i've ever seen and no wiring diagram such as the previous kit versions had so one could at least cross reference to ensure it was done correctly, it appears power is from the cigarette lighter now ?

 

If you do a search, you will find that the H-D heated grips have a history of failure. My CVO came with the Ironside heated grips. They stopped working shortly after the warranty expired. The local dealer quoted me $500 to replace (parts and labor). I have since got a pair of the H-D heated gloves made by Gerbing and I like them alot. I'm thinking about replacing the nonworking heated grips with Kuryakyn ISO grips. Does anybody know if the wires have to be pulled out of the handlebars if I go this route? I was really hoping not to have to go to all that trouble.

 

don't know about the wires having to be pulled but I agree heated gloves are a better option, my 2011 Limited has been in for service twice now on the heated grips.

 

My dealer will not install them.Get the gloves.

 

Heated gloves > Heated grips

 

I would disconnect the wire going up to the grips if I were to get rid of them. On my Limited the power for the grips comes from the cigarette lighter. Don't know if that is where yours gets the power from, but I would disconnect it from the power source.