BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Hello everybody/anybody? I have a quick or maybe not so quick question about the heating elements on the r1150r. My right side just fizzled I've got 24k on the clock,it's an '04 (not much mileage). My questions are, should the heater fizzle this soon? I just had the 24k service done, is it possible a wire was bumped or something?I have ten year old snowmobiles with heated grips that haven't filled their laundry yet so this seems odd to say the least. And round two, I rode an r1200r about a year ago and the grip heaters shot fire compared to mine, will the r1200r elements fit the r1150r? If they do, can I put them in without an act of congress? I wonder about possibly a bigger alternator on the newer one, or maybe wiring issues. Any idea if Verhollen still markets the barbacks and what they cost in US?

Thanks Chuck

It would be my guess that the grip and heating ellemit are put together as one.How ever I did have a grip stop heating,and pealed back the gripp to exspose the heating element and fownd a burnt broken section of heating element which I jumped and now heats fine.
The wires that go to the elements are in the end of the grip,if you thake the bar end wieght off you should see them. My be tested with volt meater or test light to see if you have voltage to the grips and along the ellement to test for a brake. I had a post on this about a year agyou may be able to find it in a search of this site.
The grips should get warm to where high is comfywith temps in the 30's whit light gloves.

Good Luck

Yeah, not uncommon to lose a grip heater like that. My right one failed somewhere in the first couple of years, It's not an expensive or difficult replacement. I've replace ny bars twice, so I'm an old hand at getting those grip heat wires out of their plug under the tank.

At the end of last winter I went through some deep Seattle road-water on my 03 R1150R (unavoidable) and my right heated grip quit on me. I put off fixing it, thinking it may have simply shorted with the soaking. But that wasn't the case, it just stopped working.

A month or so ago, I installed bar risers. I don't know which grip-wire was loose, but after the unavoidable tugging and pulling during the installation of the risers, a connection unseen must have moved, because the heat came back on the right grip.

I agree with you about the temperature (or lack thereof) from these grips. Using camping-terminology, I define them as three-season grips. One thing I have found is if I wear my "Scarab" summer gloves with no palm padding, my hands don't benefit from what little heat is output from the grips. If I use gloves with some palm padding I feel more heat. I can only guess this is because the padding is retaining the heat.

Thanks for the replys. I just had a 24k service done and wondered if the tech might have popped a wire a little bit then it lost continuity after my riding, but I didn't know where the wires were routed. The Scarab gloves, I sat on buying a set this spring, I looked around and they seemed about perfect for what I do. I think a sale was just made, like later this afternoon I'll order a set. then peel a grip, if I get lucky maybe I can have both worlds.
Terrible way to start a first post but thanks again for every body putting up with me like this. I like the site, but have only lurked, hopefully I'll get some spare time and get to jump in once in a while.

Thanks Chuck

chuckster243 wrote:Terrible way to start a first post...

I don't know Chuck, I learned something: "filled their laundry" was a new one to me, I loved it!

So - how about the R1200R grip heaters? On the loan bike they felt very powerful and were on the edge of burning me at max power. Are they really that more powerful or are mine on the way out?

I have ridden in temps just below 10 degrees F and I thought my heated grips did a very good job. The low setting is not sufficient but on high they do very well and kept my hands comfortable. I use non-insulated gloves (gauntlet style) and are reasonably comfortable. I find if I use an insulated glove my hands would get uncomfortably cold. I would think most problems with heated grips would be in the wiring harness that feeds them (wires getting pinched and so on)

They need the use of the entire wire that feeds them and if some strands get broken then that wire cannot deliver the amount of current that the grip needs to heat adequately.

Most of my riding experience is with an '03 and now an '04.

Wayne

gregor wrote:So - how about the R1200R grip heaters? On the loan bike they felt very powerful and were on the edge of burning me at max power. Are they really that more powerful or are mine on the way out?

That's the case with my 1150R. Unless it's *really* cold out---> below 40º or so, the high setting gets really uncomfortable for me.

chuckster243 wrote: Any idea if Verhollen still markets the barbacks and what they cost in US?

Thanks Chuck

Chuck, consider rather than bar backs, changing to the Wunderlich touring bar. I just made that change and I think it's a much better riding position than just moving the stock bar back a bit. They're wider, deeper, and have a little turn-in that I like. I think they're about $120, and those Verholen bar-backs are going to approach that much I bet. Another advantage to changing the bar is that you'll get to meet all those grip heat wires and connectors you've just heard about up to this point. When you install the KRS mirrors you can really see behind you with the wider bar.

jfslater98, sometimes my age shows through.

Airman, I've heard of a few guys using the wunderluch's they said about the same as you have, better position better handling, I thought the risers/backs would be easier. Sometimes I don't understand why the backs are used so much, in the past it was always change out the bars. Must be a new fad. It's kinda funny in the past my grips worked like tower describes his, now they don't. I took a short ride today the right side is gone and the left side is feeling faint. I think it's wire proding time. Everything else electric seems to work just fine though.

chuckster243 wrote:Airman, I've heard of a few guys using the wunderlich's they said about the same as you have, better position better handling, I thought the risers/backs would be easier. Sometimes I don't understand why the backs are used so much, in the past it was always change out the bars. Must be a new fad. It's kinda funny in the past my grips worked like tower describes his, now they don't. I took a short ride today the right side is gone and the left side is feeling faint. I think it's wire proding time. Everything else electric seems to work just fine though.

I dont' think my grip heat is a good as it once was. I thought it was the aluminum Renthal bars I had on there for so long, but they aren't that hot with the steel bars back on. Maybe they lose some efficiency over time. The Gerbing heated gloves are still the best fix for me.
I don't know why the bar-backs are so popular. Perhaps people like the stock bar but just need a little more reach. Some of the bar-backs are pretty cheap too. You'll pay over a hundred for a good bar. There's the installation as well, when you change the bar you have to disconnect the grip wiring and take a bunch of things apart. Some guys don't want to do that.

Does the grip heater turn off when the key is off? When the engine is off? Can you run down the battery by leaving the heater switch on?

Buff, I can't say for sure. I always thought the only time they would heat is when the engine was running. I'll turn the key on for ten minutes and see. that should be enough time. Why do you ask? It sounds like you have a strategy going.

I am a novice when it comes to working on bikes...especially electrical issues. My throttle side grip heat is not working either. What is the most common problem when this occurs? Must the engine be running when I try to test to see if power is making it to the grip?

Thanks

PA Rider wrote:I am a novice when it comes to working on bikes...especially electrical issues. My throttle side grip heat is not working either. What is the most common problem when this occurs? Must the engine be running when I try to test to see if power is making it to the grip?

Thanks

I think the throttle side grip fails more because it's moving all the time. That's the one that failed for me. Both of mine seem faint now. I wonder if those guys are right and there's some strands broken in the wires. Too much trouble for me to get into it now, but I may try replacing the wire runs next spring, or whenever I take the tank off next. I DO have some wiring to do under there. I believe the grips are on with the ignition switch. I always shut the engine off with the sidestand, (don't start on me now!) and the heat stays on as long as the key is on. I think someone on here even listed the resistance didn't they? You could at least check left to right to see if they were the same. And I suppose while you were doing that it wouldn't be too tough to check the continuity on those two wires.