Heated grips or gloves?

[Grimly]

So you're saying I might be better advised to just replace my stock handlebar then? Less grief.

As I found eventually, you can get the inserts out easily enough with the right approach, meaning you have less overall disruption once accomplished. The presence of the Polly heaters will provide some degree of bar weighting, but probably not to the same extent as the original inserts+weight.
Otoh, I had to drill holes in the bars for the heater feeds and I'd done that before fitting them. Depending on access on the bike, but you might find it easier to remove the bars anyway, in order to drill the holes.

[mikerophone]

Dave, I'll be ordering my Polly heaters soon, where do you recommend drilling the holes? I'm mounting these inside my 850G's stock bars.

Although it will be a little more work to "fish" the wires through, I'm thinking of drilling near the center/bottom so the wires can be hidden by the plastic trim piece.

[Grimly]

The bars I'm replacing that had served me well for 20+ years, actually came off a small bike - something like a Honda 185, and they have a slot in the centre underneath, between the posts, which was perfect for the heater wires. The original bars were drilled by me for these same heaters, and I'd put the holes just below the top bend, facing each other.
On this pic, you can see where I've put them on the ST bars


Actually, if I were re-doing these, I'd drop the hole position by about an inch or more, to get it well away from the bend. As they are, they'll do - these bars are tough stuff and it will take a lot to bend them. I'd thought of putting the hole(s) in the centre underneath, but cba with the filing and slotting needed. This way, there's a minimum of fishing through required.

[mikerophone]

Perfect, thanks Dave!

[Jedz123]

Dave is that a Yamaha Master cylinder I see there???

[Grimly]

Dave is that a Yamaha Master cylinder I see there???

Certainly is; XJ900 m/c. Bought a pair of NOS back when, for peanuts. The leverage angles worked out better for me than stock GS m/c, with slightly better feel. My choice of more modern m/c for these is from the Deauville 16mm, with span-adjustable lever.

[Brendan W]

Just wondering how the volume of the bars would compare to a header tank on a liquid cooled machine ?

[Jedz123]

Certainly is; XJ900 m/c. Bought a pair of NOS back when, for peanuts. The leverage angles worked out better for me than stock GS m/c, with slightly better feel. My choice of more modern m/c for these is from the Deauville 16mm, with span-adjustable lever.

Great to know! Thanks for the heads up!!!

[Grimly]

Just wondering how the volume of the bars would compare to a header tank on a liquid cooled machine ?

Heating the bars with coolant, you mean? Bloke with a Cx500 tried it 20 years ago - it worked ok, but I never heard of its long-term success. Fine control would be a bit of a problem, I would think.

[mikerophone]

Interesting idea - my v45 Magna is liquid cooled and the coolant actually flows through part of the frame that is removed to replace the engine. Kind of a pain, actually.

I've toyed with the idea of somehow using heat from the exhaust to somehow heat something too, but haven't gotten beyond thinking about it being possible but not likely feasible.

I ordered my Polly heaters on Amazon, they should be here mid-next week and if the snow doesn't fly, I'll be trying them out although my battery is toast, my Polaris R/R is putting out 14.5 volts so as long as I can push start the bike I should get some nice heat.

A new AGM battery is on my winter shopping list as well.

[wymple]

I never see it mentioned, but there is another alternative. I hate the restriction of gloves, especially the heavier ones. As a youngster I rode a lot of cold weather, down into the 20's and 30's. I used snowmobile mittens. They were far superior to gloves and my fingers were free feeling, far more comfy. My nephew is currently riding anytime the sun is working at all, and he loves his electric gloves. I tried them on the other day and did not like them. The hands feel bound up. It would cost 20 bucks to try a good set of mittens.

[WolfworksCustoms]

I took a heating core from an old MG awhile back, worked it into the cooling circuit on a water cooled engine (mounted between the handlebars), then ran ducts and a 12V fan behind it to force the warm air into the ducts.....it kinda requires ya have a fairing of sorts.....I did it on a batwing....

[PHP]A new AGM battery is on my winter shopping list as well. [/PHP]

...you'll never go back !!!!....its the way to go....

[1_v8_merc]

heated seat!