Symtec Heated Grips
 

I installed the Symtec "Heat Demon" Heated Grips a couple of weeks ago. The short review is that they are great, I would recommend them!

Installation was not difficult, quality seems good, and they work well. I rode in sub-30 degree F weather (below freezing) and I had to turn the heat level to "low" - they actually got too hot on the "high" setting for portions of the ride!

I am one of those guys that turns on the steering wheel heat when driving his wife's car in the summertime :) - which is to say, my hands like to be warm. I had tried Klim glove liners - a good product - but my hands still got cold during winter riding here (in Oregon). I then tried some cheap $30 cold weather gloves from Cycle Gear, because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on expensive offroad gloves for an experiment. My hands stayed "medium warm", and while the gloves were actually a good product, they were too bulky for serious offroad riding.

With the Symtec Grip Heaters, I believe that most people could ride in cold weather with their regular riding gloves and be very happy. On very cold days I still use my glove liners, even with the grip heaters, because the ends of my fingers tend to get cold - even though the rest of my hands (palm, etc.) are toasty (it's hard to keep the ends of my fingers wrapped tight on the handlebars where the heat is).

Thanks to Neil E. for the tip to hook them up to AC power. They apparently don't need "clean" power (from after the rectifier). I tapped into the yellow wire coming from the stator (used a T-Tap wire connector, though I am sure that soldering is recommended), and it doesn't draw down my battery that way.

http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25406

All in all, a great upgrade for me. More heat than expected.

FYI,

Jeff

Attachment 8998

I have the Oxford heated grips. They are intended for street machines and are large in diameter but I've gotten used to them. I run them at full power on AC voltage and they work well in freezing temperatures. I use regular gloves year round. Really nice to have heat when my hands get splashed with muck.

Those look like a really good option as well, Neil. Do you run them year 'round?

Nice to see the possibilities here!

Jeff

I use them as my normal grips year round, but I only use the heat when it's really cold. The surface of the grips are well worn. The Oxfords have the heating elements built into the grip so there is no need for any epoxy. I think most riders would find the 1.375" OD a bit large. I use leather gloves so grip is no issue.

I'm pulling up an old thread since I'm having new issues!

Take a look at what happened to my grip heater a few rides ago. Not pretty!

Attachment 9449

I contacted Symtec and they said it's unusual to see that, and that maybe it's because I hooked up to AC power. I'm not sure that's what happened. Neil, you've never had a problem right? (Not trying to question your advice, either. I liked not drawing from the battery).

I installed a new heater element & grip, and hooked up to the battery to try something different. No problems so far; but the other setup went for 3-4 cold weather rides with no problems as well.

Any thoughts?

I have used heaters similar to yours (but not the same brand) for years. Now, I have KTM branded ones. Each set only last a few years before they stop working, regardless of brand. I have never seen them burn and melt like the one in your image.
However, I have seen the heater foil disintegrate, most likely due to impacts / crashing. When the metal heating paths starts moving around underside the grips, anything could happen. If there is a short circuit, it coud become very hot, depending on the layout of the paths.

I don't think AC or DC has anything to do with it.

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My only thought is that given the wiring pattern and the use of AC is that instead of just being a resistor, that grip becomes an inductor, and as an inductor with that current at "high" frequency, it becomes an induction heater and a resistive heater.

That might explain why the "low" setting was adequate - you're induction heating and resistive heating.

When the metal heating paths starts moving around underside the grips, anything could happen. If there is a short circuit, it coud become very hot, depending on the layout of the paths.

Anders, I think that might be the explanation. I didn't glue or wire my grip, and it could have moved around and worn/created a short circuit.

Thanks,

Jeff