Heated Grip Not Woriking On My Oilhead

[Bob_Roller]

Finally got around to working on the right handgrip heater on my oilhead .

It was intermittent for most of last 'winter' then just quit completly near the end of cold weather .

A coworker had a right handgrip, paid him $30 for a used grip, around $90 from a dealer .

Removed the tank, found the connector for the heater circuit, checked the right side, the circuit was open, checked for power at the other half of the connector, had 12 VDC .

Plugged the new grip into the connector to make sure it worked, checked out fine .

Had to splice the wires due to the wires on the new grip were about 12 inches too short .

Decided to just twist the wires together and check to make sure it worked, the grip didn't heat .

It was a broken wire under a cable tie, had to open the harness up and cut a little bit more wire back, until I got past the break in the wire .

Five hours of work to find a broken wire, got plenty warm in garage this afternoon, 97 F  36 C at 4 PM .

Steep learning curve the first time around .

Now to replace the right fork seal, it's starting to seep, parts should be in by Wednesday, at least I know how to replace the seals, less than an hour job on an oilhead .

[suecanada]

How long to do a fork seal on an airhead, Bob?

[Ed Miller]

What passes for cold weather in your part of AZ?  I know they get snow sometimes up around where I was born (Page), and higher in the mountains.

[Bob_Roller]

Ed, mid 30's to low 40's F is  the average low for December through February .

Last winter, we had a spell of overnight lows in the upper teens F .

Had the coldest ride since I've been in Phoenix, 20 years, it was 18 F one morning .

The heated grips on the oilhead have spoiled me, when I ride one of the R65's, or Guzzi on the weekends or holidays during that time, I do miss the heated grips .

Sue, I would say without running into any issues with anything, about 5 hours for both forks, this includes removing the wheels, fenders, ect ....... and reinstalling them, returning the bike back to a rideable condition .

I remove the forks from the bike and place them in a vise with wood blocks to work on them .

If you have never done it before, it's going to take longer, the learning curve it pretty steep the first time !!!!!

My first time, turned into an all day job to do both forks .

[Luca]

How long to do a fork seal on an airhead, Bob?

If you separate the forks it's also very helpful to have a second set of hands or strong thumbs.  You could probably also devise some sort of press (I've thought about using a standing drill press).  The spring is held into the top of the fork by a metal plug at the top.  You have to push the plug down against the fork spring to remove and re-install the retaining ring that keeps it all in place

[Ed Miller]

It's not much colder here.  I just bought a set of Moose heated grips that I'll be putting on the R65 as part of a project involving the new Windjammer and some LED running lights.  Even with a Windjammer my hands get cold sometimes.

I need a place to put the switches for the grips and the running lights.  Maybe I'll make up an aluminum plate and bolt it where the 4 handlebar bolts are, using longer bolts of course.  

[Bob_Roller]

Ed, where did you get the heated grips from  ??

[Ed Miller]

Motorcycle Superstore.  I could have found some (different brand) on Amazon for half the price, about 50 bucks after my discount.  The Moose are made in the U.S.A.  I was ordering some inner tubes anyway (I ordered the wrong size in a previous order so had to get more.)

[Bob_Roller]

Ed, does the switch have multiple positions, or is it an on / off type switch on the Moose heated grips .

I looked at them at the Motorcycle Superstore site, thinking about getting one and see how it works on the '81 R65 .

[suecanada]

I've had good luck with the Oxford type brand wrap around with velcro heated wraps on LRB, the DR200 and the Triumph. I just ran lines directly from the battery to the steering head area and have an SAE connector there ready to plug in the heated wrap SAE connector. Then I put a switch in line, velcroed to wherever i found space. Works a treat and simple and good for all my bikes. Messier though.

[Ed Miller]

Ed, does the switch have multiple positions, or is it an on / off type switch on the Moose heated grips .

I looked at them at the Motorcycle Superstore site, thinking about getting one and see how it works on the '81 R65 .

The switch is a center off, then up is high, and down is low heat settings.  Unless you wire them in backwards, I guess.  I don't know if I'm going to use that switch.  It needs a 13/16" hole in something like thin plastic or sheet metal, and I don't know where to put it.  It also is low profile (good for not getting broken I guess) and may be difficult to use with gloves on.  I think I may go shopping at Napa today for different 3 position switches, maybe ones with lights when on.