Summary: Well known, well made and
well tested, the Oxford HotGrips just plain work. They may not be the
most cutting edge heated grip on the market, but they are still one of the
best in terms of reliability and performance - they sure do keep the hands
warm.
Editor's Note: Oxford HotGrips are
known as Oxford Heaterz in the U.S.A. The Hot Grips brand named is
owned by the Hot Grips
company in the U.S.A.
It gets cool, we get heat…
After riding a great many years with cold hands,
the original equipment heated handgrips on both the R1200GS Adventure and
F800ST are very much appreciated, especially at this time of year.
Accordingly, a set of Oxford Hotgrips, the “Essential Heated Grips”, have
been fitted to the 22mm (7/8 in) bars on the
Kawasaki
Versys. All done in the name of research and warmth of course…
The Oxford grips are sold off the shelf as a
complete kit – everything needed for a complete and easy installation is
included in the box. Despite the installation being somewhat
intuitive, we actually did read the provided instructions, an activity we
encourage everyone to do regardless of how simple a job you think it might
be. As the instructions clearly state: Safety first.
The kit includes a left (22mm inside diameter by
125mm outside diameter) and a right (25.6mm x 125mm) grip assembly with
individual wiring harnesses. These grips are slightly longer than the
120mm stock grips that came on the bikes.
A converter insert tube, for ATV use, is also to
be found hiding inside the right grip. The rest of the kit includes a
variable heating switch harness, the power harness with a 5 amp mini-blade
weather-proof fuse housing, five black cable ties and "grip glue".
As way of preparation the left hand trim panel
and the left hand fairing panel were removed and, the negative terminal of
the battery was disconnected. Then the power harness was run from the
battery area, under the tank support bracket and up along the existing
Garmin zumo power cable
run, with the block power connector end being located in the space between
the handlebars and the fairing.
The stock grips were quickly removed with a thin
flat-head screwdriver and just a touch of WD40 (make sure you clean the
newly exposed surfaces afterwards). The left and the right heated grip
assemblies were mounted, with the power harness oriented down for this
initial installation. The grips were very tight when they were being
mounted, so the grip glue was not used.
One important point, clearly identified in the
instructions, is to leave sufficient slack in the right hand assembly so
that there is enough play in the connecting harness to allow unrestricted
use of the throttle when the throttle is rotated.
Another observation is to make sure the leading
edge of the power harness moulding clears the front brake assembly so it
does not interfere with throttle rotation through its entire range.
Failure to provide for this could result in interference between the
moulding and the front brake lever movement – enough said?
This concern addressed, the main harness was
connected, matching the RED and BLACK wired block connectors to the
corresponding incoming power harness connection points. The remaining
two dual-block connectors are for the left and right side harnesses, but
there is no coding - just plug them in.
With the initial front end work done, the
positive and then the negative ring terminals and the ground lead,
previously removed, were connected to the respective battery posts and
everything checked, in preparation for the first test.
The variable switch is spring loaded for on/off
functions, and it also provides adjustable temperature control, rotating
through a 160 degree arc with five settings (LO to HI) for heat adjustment.
Pushing the switch brings the small red LED in the upper right of the
housing to life, which indicates a good power connection: if it glows
yellow, there is something wrong.
Rotating the adjustable control to the second
position, it only took two minutes to feel the grips becoming warm.
Although the motorcycle should be running to avoid undue drain on the
battery and to allow full amperage to flow, this test was done without
starting up the motorcycle. So, after five minutes of feeling the heat
build, the grips were turned off.
Hiding the surplus front end wiring and finding
a good spot for the clunky variable switch controller box takes a bit more
time and thought. To help out, Oxford provides two tailored base
plates; one is curved to facilitate mounting on the handlebar using small
double-side tape pads located on the inside edge. The other plate has
a flat bottom for surface mounting using a double-sided tape pad from the
kit.
To expedite things for the initial ride test,
the housing was positioned up against the left hand control housing and
turned upwards to allow the control knob to be accessed. Although
access was still a bit tricky, largely due to the RAM mount and zumo
assembly that is bolted on to the left hand control housing, we had no
intentions of trying to make major adjustments while moving anyway.
Starting out the ambient air temperature was 2C
(35.6F), so well below freezing with wind-chill. The temperature
control was set to the second position, which was more than sufficient to
keep the hands toasty through the Alpinestars or Olympia gloves, especially
with the newly installed Zeta deflectors in place. Without deflectors
mounted, the middle or 3rd position is more than adequate under the same
riding conditions.
The technical data included in the instructions
states that typical running voltage is between 13.5 and 14.3 volts.
Each grip requires 2.1 amps or 28 to 30 Watts, so practically speaking the
total draw should be around 60 Watts. Further tests will be conducted
to see just what the current total draw of all accessories is, helpful in
determining what further devices can be entertained, or not.
Before spring, the wiring harness will be
cleaned up and hidden to the extent possible. A relay kit for
accessories has been procured as well, so the handgrips might get rewired to
take advantage of the switched relay, negating the chance of the Oxford
grips being left on to drain the battery.
While still debating on the best spot for the
controller box, it will likely be mounted just in front of the left hand
windshield mounting arm, or on the left hand side of the instrument pod,
which is now occupied by a Powerlet BMW-style power plug (easily relocated).
Having unobstructed (safe) access to the switch is the primary concern.
The Oxford HotGrips kit works as advertised and
is a breeze to install. The components are well thought out, of high
quality, and sturdy, all of which should lead to longevity.
Given the
modularity of the system and not having glued the grips, they could be
easily removed in the spring and reinstalled in the fall, with the main
harness tucked away under the fairing shell
Only two observations detract from the system as
a whole: the grips, even at 125mm in length, still feel short when wearing
heavier gloves, particularly if one is used to long grips and small end
mouldings like BMW uses; and, the obtrusive controller box which appears to
be a poorly executed compromise between fit, form and function.
Note – there is an updated Heat Controller
module featuring a touch control surface for turning the grips on and off,
and controlling the heat. It would appear that this module is packaged
with the newer kits.
Conclusion
Oxford has been producing quality two-wheel oriented products since 1973 and
their experience and pride is evident in all their products. The
Oxford Hotgrips Kit is no exception.
Although pricey when compared to other similar
products on the market, the Oxford kit is worth the investment.
All
components are well finished and sturdy. Everything fits together as
detailed. The adjustable temperature control provides a good range of
heat adjustment and output is very good to the individual grips.
Note: For informational use only. All material and
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►Owner Comments
Comments? Send them to
Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
From "R.M.": "I used a set of these
throughout the past winter. They were very easy to
install and they generate plenty of heat. I also
have had to turn them off because they became to warm.
My only complaint is that even with my Tour Master Cold
Front Carbon gloves on, riding in temperatures below 30
degrees still leaves the top of my hands uncomfortably
cold while the palms of my hands are near sweating.
Maybe I just chose the wrong winter gloves, but I'm
thinking about moving to some kind of heated glove or
claw shaped gloves.
From "J.W.": "Based on your article,
I just installed a set of Oxford Heaterz. They
work great and are a snap to install. I found the
grips a tad longer than stock so I shaved them back and
they fit and work perfectly. Thanks for a very
informative review."
From "D.H.": "Excellent and timely
review! I'd like to know the reviewer's opinion of
the feel/grippinness of these grips, as some older
heated grips used harder, almost plastic, compounds.
I appears from the photographs in the review that the
actual rubber grip components of the Oxford HoTGrips
could be sourced from ProGrip; if so, I'd expect them to
feel fairly "normal". "
H.B.C.'s Reply: The
grips themselves use TPR rubber and have a good natural
(normal) feel, and they stay flexible and comfortable at
all temperatures. (By the way), U.S. pricing is
far better than up here...typically the (Oxford) Heaterz
kits list for 55 to 60 USD, with the new controller, our
pricing is still at or over 100 CAD.
From "T.B.": "I received a set of
the Oxford Heaterz as a Christmas gift from my wife.
She was tiring of my cold commute hands, as was I.
The set I received had the new control
pad which is also accompanied with a mounting bracket
that can be attached to the aft side of the inboard
metal control clamps. Longer bolts and optional
spacers were provided by Oxford, nice touch. It is
a tight fit with the left mirror post being very close
on my ZR7, but it functions well.
The right side was not possible with the
location of the brake reservoir. I had some
reservations about the use of micro-switches, but even
with my MotoGP Turn 4 winter gloves, it is intuitive and
functional. The lights can be seen in my
peripheral vision.
The Heaterz have been in constant use
over the past few weeks with nothing but happy results.
I concur that the grips feel narrower than stock, but
are completely livable and safe with winter gloves.
My guess is that the width of the power harness takes up
a bit of real estate. To remedy this, I may try
shaving down the outer end rib of the grip. I
believe this will help or even be necessary with the
future installation of a Thottlemeister unit.
Note that I oriented the grip with the
power harness coming out the top. In this manner,
slack is generally added when opening the throttle and
it clears a bit of space for the knuckle of my thumb
under the handlebar.
One further note is that I used the
provided cyanoacrylate grip glue on the throttle side as
it did not grip well without. I did not use any
glue on the left side as it was very tight during
installation. Although, when up to temp, which is
perfect on the lowest setting in 25F weather, the grip
will move around under deliberate pressure. I may add a
small amount of glue to eliminate this.
As there is not a lot of places to hide
wiring on my bike (you should what Kawasaki left in the
headlight housing), I will be trimming back the excess
wires and using some
Posi-Locks to secure them.
I will also be testing this setup
without the hand guards."
rom "A.B.": "Excellent Review.
I like the fact that it's a complete kit, everything you
need, even the glue, is included. I bought a set
with the newer electronic controller, then installed
them on my Kawasaki Ninja 250. The grips get nice
and hot and seem to work pretty good. The new
electronic controller will also auto-shut off if you
forget to turn them off. The vendor that I bought
mine from is Lockitt.com, their price was $54.95."
From "J.S.": "Just thought I would
respond to your latest review on the Oxford "Hot
Grips"... I installed on my 06 VFR (last year) and I
have found them to be exactly as you have written.
My grips were bought over EBay and they were the older
version with the "old style" heat modulator (rheostat
style). I am very satisfied with the heat they
produce and overall quality...they have helped immensely
on those long, early Spring or late Fall runs."
