Stock Grip Removal

[Orient_Express]

Putting on some Bee-mer grips - at leat one side!!

Left (clutch) side came off pretty easily. Throttle side is giving me fits.

Anybody have a good idea on this - I've tried the old "spray compressed air under it" trick, but does not seem to want to budge.

I'd like to keep the stock grips - at least in one piece...

 

[madmike2]

My throttle side was tough. I ended up using a small screwdriver to pry up an edge, then the compressed air was able to get under the grip and it came off (with a little extra work and patience).

 

[King]

What you need is some WD-40 or some other such products and the long spray tube attachment. (Usually red, you know what I mean).

Pull up on the grip flair (is that really the right term?) (tall thin part on the inside of your grips) so as to get just a little gap between the grip and the bar. The can of WD-40 does not need to be attached to the tube just yet, but shove the tube in as much as you can even if it's just an inch to start with. Attached the can and give it a little squirt and watch out for the back-spray. You may want to put a shop towel around the opening to catch the spray. Now move things around a bit to spread the lube around. Now again, pull up on the flair and shove the tube in further this time. You will be able to get it in a little ferther now with the lube helping you slide easily through that first inch. Repeat this until you have enough lube between the grip and bar to be able to twist and turn and slip it off.

Ta-da.

Obviously clean the daylights out of all this stuff to remove all the residual WD-40 before you reinstall so that your grips won't slide off while your pulling wheelies or something. I use either brake parts cleaner or Dawn dis detergent and water.

By the way, here's a tip for reinstalling. With everything nice and clean and free from any residual WD-40 cover liberally the inside of the grip and the outside of the bar with rubbing alcohol. Using the alcohol as a lube, slide the grips on and resposition them wherever you want them. Allow to sit overnight and presto, you're all set. The alcohol works well as a lube to slip them on, but overnight it all evaporates and you are left with nice tight fit and they ain't gonna come off again without using the WD-40 trick.

Enjoy, and good luck.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Whenever you're using air, try to "seal" the end of the grip a little with your hands. The grip will balloon up slightly and off it comes. But as mm2 eluded to, the throttle side does come off a little harder.

--G

 

[hoghead]

I use a hypodermic needle and rubbing alcohol. Works great, just leave it sit a minute or so.

hh

 

[vectervp1]

From the top of the grip, I pry up a little with a screwdriver and pour rubbing alcohol on it. Drink some non rubbing alcohol, then from the bottom of the grip insert a screwdriver between the grip and the tube and 'roll' it around the grip tube to make sure that snot-glue has been loosened up. Then in a twisting motion, pull the grip off.

If that doesn't work, use a sawzall.

 

[NightShine]

IIRC, the throttle grip was glued with a weak adhesive. I was able to easily loosen and remove it with compressed air, but the air gun attachment I used had a 6 inch long 1/8" tube, allowing me to place the air stream under the grip where ever needed to break the adhesive's seal. The grip came off in just a few seconds on the first try.

 

[SilveradoSlick]

I mix up some detergent and water, lever the grip away from the bar with a screwdriver, then insert water/detergent mix with something like a turkey baster or eye dropper. Move the screwdriver and add more liquid. Repeat until the grip slides off. The same mixture works for installing the grip, although it's best not to ride until the next day. I also find vectervp1's non-rubbing alcohol helps.

 

[JimLor]

INteresting all the different ways that work. I use white lithium grease to spray inside the grip and then run a thin screwdriver (sharp end taped) around the inside. Clean the inside of the grip and bars with Simple Green. I use hair spray to stick grips back on.

 

[Bounce]

Whenever you're using air, try to "seal" the end of the grip a little with your hands. The grip will balloon up slightly and off it comes. But as mm2 eluded to, the throttle side does come off a little harder.
--G

+1

 

[Orient_Express]

From the top of the grip, I pry up a little with a screwdriver and pour rubbing alcohol on it. Drink some non rubbing alcohol, then from the bottom of the grip insert a screwdriver between the grip and the tube and 'roll' it around the grip tube to make sure that snot-glue has been loosened up. Then in a twisting motion, pull the grip off.
If that doesn't work, use a sawzall.

Thanks guys - I gotta admit, I like the "drink some non-rubbing alcohol" idea, but gave that up some time ago. The sawz-all would work. but I'd really like to use some C-4 on this thing right now.

Thanks to all of you for the good suggestions - I'll give it a whirl tonight... If you hear a loud explosion from S. Illinois, you'll know I got frustrated!