Honda-SOHC
Other Stuff => Misc / Open => Topic started by: JonnyB on October 09, 2020, 07:49:04 AM
-
Still a few bikes on the roads in the morning, but by-eck it's getting cold, nearly put the heated grips on, but trying to hold out until the clocks change.
-
I'm thinking of heated grips but it's only 5 miles to work. I'd rather get a decent rear tyre. This one's scary in the wet.
-
I use my heated grips a hell of a lot, even on summer days early in the mornings until the sun warms up and temperatures rise. They just keep the chill off the digits. Its not really the cold that keeps me from riding in the winter months, living in a rural area its all the crap on the roads.
-
My journey to work is only 7 miles all on main roads, with the exception of the one mile of the estate I live on where the council won't take responsibility and grit the roads.
-
This thread reminds me of my Dad back in the early 70's....'No, we are not putting the heating on until November, put another jumper on' 😁😁😁😁
-
I like your Dad already, I've hidden the thermostat to stop the Missus putting the heating on :)
-
With a teacher wife, October half term was always the cutoff for heating and winter quilt etc.
Now she’s retired and at home all day it’s a completely different story!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
I will say those dirt cheap Chinese heated grips work well. Especially the ones with two settings. They have lasted longer than some of the Oxford ones I have had. ;)
-
I ride my K1200GT though the winter. came with factory fitted heated grips and a heated seat. Now that's an option worth having in the winter.
-
The heated seats on our Jeeps are so good that in the winter I have to switch them onto the low setting within 5 minutes as even with a coat between me and the leather seats I start to poach my bum! ;D
-
I will say those dirt cheap Chinese heated grips work well. Especially the ones with two settings. They have lasted longer than some of the Oxford ones I have had. ;)
I put some £10 cheapo heated grips on my birds Kwak ER5 and they're way better than the Oxford ones I have.
-
I will say those dirt cheap Chinese heated grips work well. Especially the ones with two settings. They have lasted longer than some of the Oxford ones I have had. ;)
I put some £10 cheapo heated grips on my birds Kwak ER5 and they're way better than the Oxford ones I have.
£10 I meant the cheap ones. ;D
-
Sadly the heated grips I have on my Hornet are no longer made ( Datatool did them...with a slider built into the left grip for heat level, low voltage cutoff and a little falshing LED telling you the setting ) but I won't fit another set of Oxford grips.
Aside from the ever present fear of leaving the things on and draining the battery, the silly bendy bracket and lumpy control pad were awful to use. The brackets always fractured too.
I wired the first set up direct, and flattened the battery twice one winter....before I swapped to a relay setup through the headlamp wiring. As the bike had lights on permanently...but the lights went off when you hit the starter...I used that. Ignition off....lights go out...relay kills the power. Doesn't matter what you do with the switch.
Consdering the cost...would low voltage cutoff be that hard to include?
-
Sadly the heated grips I have on my Hornet are no longer made ( Datatool did them...with a slider built into the left grip for heat level, low voltage cutoff and a little falshing LED telling you the setting ) but I won't fit another set of Oxford grips.
Aside from the ever present fear of leaving the things on and draining the battery, the silly bendy bracket and lumpy control pad were awful to use. The brackets always fractured too.
I wired the first set up direct, and flattened the battery twice one winter....before I swapped to a relay setup through the headlamp wiring. As the bike had lights on permanently...but the lights went off when you hit the starter...I used that. Ignition off....lights go out...relay kills the power. Doesn't matter what you do with the switch.
Consdering the cost...would low voltage cutoff be that hard to include?
The latest Oxford grips do have a low voltage cut off. I think they have done for a couple of years now. Not expensive either, Check these out:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxford-Premium-Hot-Grips-Motorbike-Motorcycle-Scooter-Heated-Grips-SPORTS-OF692/264147930067?epid=1874471546&hash=item3d80718bd3:g:lqIAAOSw7MNcQiaj
-
I'll hold off on the grips until next month. Just bought a new tyre for the GPZ. The back one is terrifying in the wet so it's got to go before I come off on a roundabout.
-
I agree with everyone who has said the cheap (£10) Chinese grips are better than the Oxford version. They also look much better when fitted as they don't have the big control panel fitted on a poor quality bracket like the Oxford ones.
-
I have never understood heated grips. It is the back of your hands that will get cold first.
When i was a dispatch rider back just after the dinosaurs became extinct, to survive the winter you would put a full fairing on your CX, handle bar muffs and put ventilation pipes from the rad in to the muffs. Hands were never cold on a run from London to Stirling and back ;)
-
I have never understood heated grips. It is the back of your hands that will get cold first.
Thats true Graham, but I'd sooner have them than nothing at all. The best combination IMO is to have heated grips and hand guards fitted, then as you say the back of your hands don't get the cold wind chill and the heated grips are able to work better. Perhaps its not the look you want to promote on your classic SOHC, but if you have a more modern commuter or touring bike, thats what I always do.
-
I ride my KLX 250 throughout the winter (Thruxton R for the summer). I’ve got the Chinese grips fitted and also have a pair of RST battery powered heated gloves so palms and back of hands stay warm. Now, if only I could find a way to stop my visor icing up!
-
The weather isn’t bad today though, so having a barbecue
[attachimg=1]
-
Not more than 6 people watching remember :P
-
Nope I've failed. Grips when on today, Last year was supposed to be the last time I was going to ride in the winter, I was made redundant and needed to get rid of the 2nd car or a bike.
I can do another winter.
-
I can't believe I used to go dispatch riding in the snow, and one winter I had to ride up to London from Brighton each day just to start the day!
-
Fitted a new back tyre to the GPZ. It's a big difference, I used to have to steer the bloody thing. And I've won some Oxford heated grips for £30.
To keep my neck warm, I bought a 'Giraffe' snood that our bike club sells, with the bike club logo. Wearing it, I can get away without wearing a mask in shops
-
Why not buy an older BMW boxer....they don't half keep your feet warm!
-
Merino wool T shirts are brilliant. I have several of them. I was going to take a trip up to Scotland on the VFR about now with all my gear, as a bit of a test to see how the bike, the gear and I faired, now I'm well into my 7th decade. Looks like the COVID situation is flaring up badly again, so I've put that idea on hold for now.
-
Fitted a new back tyre to the GPZ. It's a big difference, I used to have to steer the bloody thing. And I've won some Oxford heated grips for £30.
To keep my neck warm, I bought a 'Giraffe' snood that our bike club sells, with the bike club logo. Wearing it, I can get away without wearing a mask in shops
Yer, I do that. daft isn't it, I used to get thrown out of petrol stations until I had taken my helmet and scarf off, no I can walk around the shop, flip up helmet on, shades and a scarf over over my nose and no-one bats an eye.
Special Times, Interesting Times
-
I fitted my heated grips on the GPZ. I haven't wired it up yet. I sprayed all the handlebar bits with chrome spray, it looks like polished alloy now. I'll wire it up tomorrow, it won't take long.
-
Just bought a front for my GT. Avon Storm, fitted inc.. disposal £100. Now so can get my heated seat fixed