Need advice on hand warmers.

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Fatherof2
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Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by Fatherof2 »

Hi Gang,

Winter is almost here up in New England.

Time to put the studs on.

I rode quite a bit last winter. Its fun.

Anyway, I did not use hand warmers last year and I don't want to do that again.

Can anybody recommend some good "hippo hands" that are inexpensive and fit the KDX? I am running Accerbis bark busters.

Should I go with the electric grip warmers?

I would have been fine last winter with just the hippo hands. (Quick and easy install too...........which is nice.)

Thanks for any input.
For God and Country......Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo!!
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bufftester
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by bufftester »

I had a pair of Moose ones I think they were, but really never got used to the way they felt riding and got rid of them. I have heated grips on my GSXR, love them...may try to mount a set on the hybrid, but generally its not cold enough here to worry about it.
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diymirage
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by diymirage »

not sure if the stock KDX stator puts out enough wattage to run heated grips

I just wear a pair of latex gloves underneath my regular wintergloves and im fine
newbbewb wrote:DIYmirage has it right.


-1996 KDX 200 woods weapon (converted to 99 green body)
-1996 KDX 200 plated street toy (barney edition)
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sthutch
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by sthutch »

I use electric grip warmers like these http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/998 ... %20warmers
I wondered about the stator, but it had enough juice. I just taped the power wire for the headlight and they worked great! The left bar took a while to heat up though. Kept the heat setting to "low" and ended up just wearing my summer gloves. Even then they got hot. I did need to keep the headlight off as it seemed to draw to much power. For $20 it was a great investment. Good luck!

Sthuch
Sthutch

1st Bike: '72 Arctic Cat Whisker (rode it to the wheels fell off)
2nd Bike: '76 KT250 Trials (gone, but not forgotten)
3rd Bike: '01 KDX200
4th Bike: '96 DS80 (okay, my 9yr old's and it's gone)
5th Bike: '04 RM65 (okay, he's now 10 and it's gone)
6th Bike: '08 KTM 105xc (okay, he's now 13)
7th Bike: '06 KTM 200xc-w (okay, he's now 16)
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Fatherof2
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by Fatherof2 »

sthutch wrote:I use electric grip warmers like these http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/998 ... %20warmers
I wondered about the stator, but it had enough juice. I just taped the power wire for the headlight and they worked great! The left bar took a while to heat up though. Kept the heat setting to "low" and ended up just wearing my summer gloves. Even then they got hot. I did need to keep the headlight off as it seemed to draw to much power. For $20 it was a great investment. Good luck!

Sthuch

Thanks Sthuch..............just what I am looking for.

Will get em mounted up ASAP.
For God and Country......Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo!!
JasonK94Z
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by JasonK94Z »

Wrap electrical tape around the left side if the handlebar before installing the hand warmer pad. It will keep the warmer from heating the bar so much and it will hear the grip instead.


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sthutch
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by sthutch »

Duh!!!! The simplest things!
Sthutch

1st Bike: '72 Arctic Cat Whisker (rode it to the wheels fell off)
2nd Bike: '76 KT250 Trials (gone, but not forgotten)
3rd Bike: '01 KDX200
4th Bike: '96 DS80 (okay, my 9yr old's and it's gone)
5th Bike: '04 RM65 (okay, he's now 10 and it's gone)
6th Bike: '08 KTM 105xc (okay, he's now 13)
7th Bike: '06 KTM 200xc-w (okay, he's now 16)
Goofaroo
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by Goofaroo »

The left grip always takes longer to heat up because it is thicker than the throttle side grip. Once they get warm the rubber can get soft so they need to be glued on well and safety wired to the bar.

Another thing that works well is some wind coverage from your hand guards. I don't know what style of Acerbis guards you have but for some of them they offer "spoilers". These have made all the difference for me and I just use my summer gloves (I despise winter gloves) and they work well. The wind is what eventually freezes your digits.

Something like this- http://www.motosport.com/dirtbike/ACERB ... LERS-BLACK
jeeptech1
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Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by jeeptech1 »

I got moose hand protectors for the wife's bike. Pic is in the link. They work, they aren't heated grips but better than nothing and install over existing hand guards in seconds.
http://kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=13466
jerry malbeck
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by jerry malbeck »

Moose hand deflectors look great , We have been useing the MSR version for years and no more cold hands . The MSR hand deflectors can be found @ Bike Bandit , the are made of cordura nylon and are easy to install , just a strap goes over the bars and they stay put, They will fit right over the acerbis hand guards as well . we ride woods and sagebrush , Neither have ever made them come off . The moose guards are cheaper then the MRS version , But i dont know how well the moose product holds up . the MSR's last for years . Hope this helps
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Fatherof2
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Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by Fatherof2 »

Any advice on the easiest way to wire these up?

Tap the headlight wires?

Appreciate any specifics.
For God and Country......Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo!!
sthutch
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Re: Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by sthutch »

Fatherof2,
This is what I did.
-- After heaters are mounted, I had two wires coming from each.
-- I connected one wire from each heater together and grounded them to the bike. I used the pretapped hole on the front left side of the frame near where the wiring harness is secured for the ground.
-- The other set I connected together and ran them thru an inline 20amp fuse, after the fuse the wire splits, one to the inline resistor thru to the switch, and the other directly to the switch.
-- I used the pretapped holes in the upper tripple clamps to mount the switch
-- To provide power to the switch, I tapped the yellow wire going to the light switch.

-- NOTE: Two things, one, zip-ty the resistor to the fork as it makes a good heat sink. Two, Make sure you secure the wires going into, and out of the resistor. Mine broke at the resistor because the wire moved enough to weaken them. I just zip-tied them to the fork also.


Here is a great video. http://www.youtube.com/v/Qn00DrapB1A from Rocky Mountain ATV that also explains it.

Good Luck!
Sthutch
Sthutch

1st Bike: '72 Arctic Cat Whisker (rode it to the wheels fell off)
2nd Bike: '76 KT250 Trials (gone, but not forgotten)
3rd Bike: '01 KDX200
4th Bike: '96 DS80 (okay, my 9yr old's and it's gone)
5th Bike: '04 RM65 (okay, he's now 10 and it's gone)
6th Bike: '08 KTM 105xc (okay, he's now 13)
7th Bike: '06 KTM 200xc-w (okay, he's now 16)
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Fatherof2
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Need advice on hand warmers.

Post by Fatherof2 »

Just what I needed!

Thanks very much!
For God and Country......Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo!!
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