Heated Grips

[vespadaddy]

My attempt at the 'or?' part of your post:
 
I just installed my Yamaha grip warmers, after waiting from January until Sept. to get them. Ugh.
 
Anyway, on the left grip, I first cleaned the bar (after OEM grip removal) with contact cleaner, then spread a thin layer of Yamabond 7 on the bar, then I slipped on a 4-5 inch segment of 1" ID heat shrink.
 
Boom!  Out comes the heat gun and I shrink the heatshrink tubing onto the bar, sandwiching the Yamabond 7 inside.
 
Next, I shot some Great Stuff foam insulation inside the left handlebar.
 
Next, I drank beer, and let the Yamabond dry (almost), to help lock the heatshrink onto the bar.
 
The next day, I buttered up the left bar and heatshrink with more Yamabond 7, slid the heated grip on, and re-installed everything.
 
I'm hoping this remedies the left/right grip heat disparity.
 
 
 
 
 

[deersSlayer]

My attempt at the 'or?' part of your post: 
I just installed my Yamaha grip warmers, after waiting from January until Sept. to get them. Ugh.
 
Anyway, on the left grip, I first cleaned the bar (after OEM grip removal) with contact cleaner, then spread a thin layer of Yamabond 7 on the bar, then I slipped on a 4-5 inch segment of 1" ID heat shrink.
 
Boom!  Out comes the heat gun and I shrink the heatshrink tubing onto the bar, sandwiching the Yamabond 7 inside.
 
Next, I shot some Great Stuff foam insulation inside the left handlebar.
 
Next, I drank beer, and let the Yamabond dry (almost), to help lock the heatshrink onto the bar.
 
The next day, I buttered up the left bar and heatshrink with more Yamabond 7, slid the heated grip on, and re-installed everything.
 
I'm hoping this remedies the left/right grip heat disparity.

Please post an update regarding any noticeable difference in left vs right grip heat after those mods.
 
How far into the left bar did fill it with insulation?
 

[vespadaddy]

I stuck the nozzle in about as far as the grip end, at the switchblock, so probably a couple of inches past that.
 
It's too warm for grip heat in Mpls now, but I'll report back when it cools down.

[vespadaddy]

I rode the bike again today, for the first time with the heated grips. It was 78F, so take this with a grain of salt, but I could discern no difference between the grips. Both seemed to heat equally fast, and equally hot.
 
I'm no engineer, but I suspect the heat may have helped mask any temp difference between the 2, as the bars were already at 78-ish when I flipped on the warmers. I'll chime in again the next time I ride, as it is less likely to be 78F in Minnesota then.

[redfjniner]

I rode the bike again today, for the first time with the heated grips. It was 78F, so take this with a grain of salt, but I could discern no difference between the grips. Both seemed to heat equally fast, and equally hot. 
I'm no engineer, but I suspect the heat may have helped mask any temp difference between the 2, as the bars were already at 78-ish when I flipped on the warmers. I'll chime in again the next time I ride, as it is less likely to be 78F in Minnesota then.

When you ride in the 30's you will notice a slight difference in grip heating.

[vespadaddy]

My bike usually sits in a garage at 30F. I suspect I could ride fairly comfortably at 30F with a heated jacket liner and the grips, but I'm not a fan of water in the solid form whilst astride a motorbike.
 
Back to the grips: I rode at 50-ish F this week, and while I think I *may* have been able to notice a slightly hotter right grip, I'm not positive it wasn't in my head. I'll have to measure with a temp probe next time.
 
These grips get mighty, mighty hot, I'll bet. I had *low* set at 2 of 10, and that kept my hands warm, without any hot feeling at all. Almost like a warm day with no grip heaters. I had *medium* set at 4 of 10, and that was too warm to keep on for very long before flipping it back down to *low*.
 
These will be great on 40F Fall mornings.

[qwerty]

Hello, I have just fitted yamaha heated grips and I have the uneven temp problem.
After some testing, i believe the right grip gets hotter than it should be. I had grips to low setting (set to 2/10) and my right hand was toasted. On the contrary, my left hand was ok for a 2/10 setting (not frozen just a little cold). Note that outside temp was 9 degrees Celsius.
I think I could place a resistor between bike's wiring and right grip connector in order to reduce heat to that grip. Do you think it will work?
 
Sorry for my bad English

[redfjniner]

Hello, I have just fitted yamaha heated grips and I have the uneven temp problem. After some testing, i believe the right grip gets hotter than it should be. I had grips to low setting (set to 2/10) and my right hand was toasted. On the contrary, my left hand was ok for a 2/10 setting (not frozen just a little cold). Note that outside temp was 9 degrees Celsius.
I think I could place a resistor between bike's wiring and right grip connector in order to reduce heat to that grip. Do you think it will work?
 
Sorry for my bad English

Standard practice is to take hand off grip and hold in the wind to cool.  Works for me.  You can also use a glove with more insulations in it to insulate against the heat.   What is 9 C anyway?   (48F)  I have mine set at 2-4-6 and use 2 from 45-60, 4-35-45 and 6 when below 35, and if raining, change all that.  A throttle lock helps in allowing the hand removal from the trottle. 
Have you tried this on a long trip?  Once the handle bar gets hot, the left grip should also start evening out with the throttle grip.  Not a perfect system.

[wessie]

everything that red says plus have a relaxed grip on the bars - I tend to have my index & middle finger extended, resting on top of the brake lever. Throttle just gripped with the other 2 fingers. Release the throttle and your longer fingers naturally roll over the brake lever to grip if needed.
 
I also use muffs for winter riding and as red says, it takes a few miles for the temperature to even out and once my little hand saunas are up to temperature I can turn off the grips for a while, especially if moving in urban traffic between sets of traffic lights.

[root]

Hello, I have just fitted yamaha heated grips and I have the uneven temp problem. After some testing, i believe the right grip gets hotter than it should be. I had grips to low setting (set to 2/10) and my right hand was toasted. On the contrary, my left hand was ok for a 2/10 setting (not frozen just a little cold). Note that outside temp was 9 degrees Celsius.
I think I could place a resistor between bike's wiring and right grip connector in order to reduce heat to that grip. Do you think it will work?
 
Sorry for my bad English

If I'm not mistaken, the grips are wired in series, so adding the resistor to one side will essentially add it to both sides.  There have been mixed reviews on plugging the grips into opposite plugs.  I've not tried it myself.  I tend to just adjust my grip to allow more air flow.

[qwerty]

I use winter gloves with insulation.
I was aware of the problem and i tried to have a relaxed grip. Not only that, but I was also holding left grip firmly, just to see if it would get hot. No result. Left hand stayed cool while right hand got very hot at the small point where it touched the grip.
Having a relaxed grip is OK for the freeway but it's a problem for twisty roads or in town because I can't use brake lever properly.
 
I came up with the idea of a resistor in order to reduce the amps that get to the right grip and to reduce heat. I fear that there will be a problem with the electronic control of the grips, but I will give it a try

[qwerty]

Hello, I have just fitted yamaha heated grips and I have the uneven temp problem. After some testing, i believe the right grip gets hotter than it should be. I had grips to low setting (set to 2/10) and my right hand was toasted. On the contrary, my left hand was ok for a 2/10 setting (not frozen just a little cold). Note that outside temp was 9 degrees Celsius.
I think I could place a resistor between bike's wiring and right grip connector in order to reduce heat to that grip. Do you think it will work?
 
Sorry for my bad English

If I'm not mistaken, the grips are wired in series, so adding the resistor to one side will essentially add it to both sides.  There have been mixed reviews on plugging the grips into opposite plugs.  I've not tried it myself.  I tend to just adjust my grip to allow more air flow.

 
 
Maybe you are right about the wiring. Before trying anything I will visit my dealer to inform him about the problem.

[root]

Essentially what is happening is the aluminum handle bars are acting as a heat sink and pulling heat away from the left grip. The right grip is on a plastic throttle tube which insulates very well so the heat stays in the right grip. This is why they even out after being on for a long time. It brings the bar temperature up to the left grip temperature so there's less heat transfer.

[javashot1]

Essentially what is happening is the aluminum handle bars are acting as a heat sink and pulling heat away from the left grip. The right grip is on a plastic throttle tube which insulates very well so the heat stays in the right grip. This is why they even out after being on for a long time. It brings the bar temperature up to the left grip temperature so there's less heat transfer.

I would agree with you but it is unfortunately only a theoretical agreement as my "prepaid" grip heaters ordered with the purchase of my bike in August are still on a slow boat from Asia. Theoretically I should get them sometime in 2016. 

[qwerty]

Essentially what is happening is the aluminum handle bars are acting as a heat sink and pulling heat away from the left grip. The right grip is on a plastic throttle tube which insulates very well so the heat stays in the right grip. This is why they even out after being on for a long time. It brings the bar temperature up to the left grip temperature so there's less heat transfer.

Does this happen to Oxford heated grips too?