Cruise Control - Heated Grips

[kulwen]

I hope to make it out to Smitty some time in the next year to install a AudioVox unit. However, I would like something to install now. The problem is the two I like don't seem to work with heated grips. Why? Are the wires not long enough?

I have searched and found many comments they don't work with heated grips, but did not find out why they done work. The Madco unit has the following comment on their website, "All FJR 1300, Except those w/factory heated grips." Does this mean it works with after market heated grips? If so, are there any after market heated grips that can used with the stock switch? Would this apply to the Brake Away unit also?

What would the difference be between stock and after market grips? I am wondering if there is a mod that we can perform to make the Brake Away and Madco united work with factory grips.

Thoughts?

Links:

Brake Away

Madco

 

[dcarver]

JohnT, give Bill Arbuckle of Madco a call directly. For 1, you'll enjoy talking to a real nice man, a character, and 2, you'll get the answer direct meaning 3, you can let all us know what Bill said!

 

[Rickster]

Have you considered ThrottleMeister? I have a set with factory heated grips -- no problems.

 

[kulwen]

JohnT, give Bill Arbuckle of Madco a call directly. For 1, you'll enjoy talking to a real nice man, a character, and 2, you'll get the answer direct meaning 3, you can let all us know what Bill said!

Great idea, I emailed him late Wed. night. Here is there return email from him I just received this morning:

"John,

As I understand it from two or three returns is that the use of the heated grips pretty well vulcanizes the grips to the throttle sleeve - almost impossible to remove without doing damage to the grips. Also the cable housings are wider so the "ears" on the "Cam-Lock" (which act as the rotational stop) will not fit. Won't have a model for the AE this riding season - sorry. Thanks for asking.

Bill"

I understand from others on the forum it is possible to get the heated grip off with out damage. So, I guess the real problem is the ears on the Madco unit. I wonder if the Brake Away unit has the same ears.

The following comment from Bill seems odd to me: "Also the cable housings are wider." Why would the cable houseing on the AE be wider? Yes, I know the AE is a differant model, but can't seem to figure out why it would be larger, what extra is in the cable housing that is not needed on a A model. If, nothing extra is in the cable housing can I buy a cable housing from Umotors or a totaled bike and put on my AE. I guess I have more research on this.

 

[kulwen]

Have you considered ThrottleMeister? I have a set with factory heated grips -- no problems.

I have considered it, and may end up going this route. However, I seem to like the thumb activated units. Heck, I might end up installing the Vista-cruise sitting on my desk at work.

Truthfully, I have never used the ThrottleMeister and I am not sure I will like it. I might try to meet up with someone just a couple hours away from Reno with this unit to see how it feels. I don't need to take a ride with it, just see how it feels to operate while sitting in a parking lot somewhere.

 

[Capt. Bob]

JohnT, give Bill Arbuckle of Madco a call directly. For 1, you'll enjoy talking to a real nice man, a character, and 2, you'll get the answer direct meaning 3, you can let all us know what Bill said!

I understand from others on the forum it is possible to get the heated grip off with out damage. So, I guess the real problem is the ears on the Madco unit. I wonder if the Brake Away unit has the same ears.

John T,

I have a Brake Away and there are no "ears" that interact with the cable housing. The grip comes from the throttle tube itself. It does however move the hand grip down farther on the bar end so that there is a small area of the hand grip that has no support. This is not a factor for me (it is a very small area). Also I have a G-2 throttle tube (it works fine on this or the stock plastic). I can't say about the heated grips though. I would think they are the same inner diameter so the throttle tube should be the same o.d. as the non-heated ones. I like the Brake Away myself, but it is very expensive. It does however fit the bike very well, is highly un-noticable and performs as advertised.

Good Luck

Capt. Bob

 

[Wanderer]

I don't know about heated grips, per se, I have Dual-Star's under Sunline Touring grips on mine but I had a Throttlemeister on my bike, the bar end weight 'feature' was great, but I just never used the lock part. I personally thought the activation was cumbersome and honestly, not worth the effort most of the time. I didn't care for the drag on the throttle when it was engaged enough to hold the throttle, even after the spring unwind. my VC is easier to engage, holds the throttle where I need it, and when I override it there is much less drag.

I used the VC made for the Honda, discussed elsewhere on this forum. It has a large tab that catches on the throttle housing assembly and 'floats' on the tube. This allows for a ' resume' function when I accelerate. I just have to hold the little tab down against the metal throttle cable arc with my index finger when I flick the thumb lever. Took about 6 times to get used to it. Really satisfied with it.

 

[kulwen]

Here is the response from BrakeAway:

"The AE model has a housing which accommodates the wire for the heated grips. This housing protrudes out and interferes with the mounting hardware of the BrakeAway where it reaches over to mount to the brake pivot nut."

I am going to look into the houseing that protrudes and see if there is a work around.