Here I am a week and a half from starting my trip. Have been keeping a eye on the weather up there and it's cold up there in the mountains. So I'm thinking I'll throw on some heated grips. After checking the Harley website there seems to be nothing. When I installed the bars there was a wire in the bars which I thought was a plug and play for heated grips.
What am I missing.

 

I found this on a quick search, it's Harley's install directions.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/app-c...ts/-J04259.PDF

 

.....

 

The first thing it states in the instructions,
"These grips are not compatible with internal wiring"
All of them state that.

 

Look at the grips that are factory installed on the Limiteds. I know they are plain black, but they work far better than the cool looking ones with chrome and whathaveyou. I had the slipstream ones installed on my '13 RGU and they sucked. The OEM ones on my Limited work amazingly well and have survived 72K miles of a lot of use.

 

Heated Grips are one of those things that until you've had them, thier value seems debatable, and once you've had them you'll not want a bike without them. Both my Ultra Limited and my Goldwing came with Heated Grips as did a BMW 1150RT that I had some years ago (my first experience with Heated Grips). The Heated Grips on all three of these bikes have been wonderfull to have; particularly in cold wet weather. If you are on a budget, I put a set of "Polly Heaters" (www.pollyheaters.com) in a 2010 Softail I had until just recently. Part Number PH400 is now $45. (I think I paid more like $35, but that was over five years ago.) The ones I used were actually made for Snowmobiles, but they work perfectly on a motorcycle. They didn't have Heaters specifically for motorcycles when I bought mine. If you use the Snowmobile version, as I did, I'd dare you to put them on High for any length of time. Plus their power draw is very very low, particulary considering the amount of heat they crank out.

 

Miles of TX,I'm good with that. Are they just a plug and play? I remember an extra wire in the bar that I thought was for these grips.

 

The "not for internal wired bars" is ment for larger bars that have internal wiring. The throttle side of ride by wire newer bikes is.already set up for heated grips. The wires in the clutch side run outside the bars much like the external wiring on older bikes. You can run the heated grip wires in normal size bars by drilling a hole in the underside of.the bars where the wires exit the grip. You have to be very careful not to damage the existing wires or the heated grip wires fishing them through the bars. Normal install is a couple hour job the first time .

 

So, where you headin?

D.

 

Nodyna, I have installed 1-1/4" bars on the bike. As seen on my signature. I don't see how that would make a difference. So even on the larger bars do you still have to drill a hole. There is a hole all ready in the bars as all the wires are inside the bars. (hole at the bottom of bar, plus holes at the top to feed the wires. Where is this hole drilled at?