Alright folks, let’s talk about replacing motorcycle grips. Mine were pure garbage – cracking, slipping, felt like holding onto greased snakes. Needed better control, stat. Here’s how it went down, warts and all.
The Problem & Cheap Thrills (That Failed)
Started simple and cheap. Saw these basic rubber grips online, looked like everyone else’s. Six bucks a pair? Sure, why not. Got ’em. Felt okay for a hot minute. Problem? Started going shiny slick after a couple weeks. Any sweat or rain? Forget it. Like trying to throttle a bar of soap. Pure junk. Wasted six bucks and time wrestling them off.
Going Fancier – CNC Time
Learned my lesson. Needed something serious. Started digging into actual options people use. Kept seeing this “CNC” word thrown around on fancy grips. Lots of styles and colors:
- Chunky Vibes: Some had big rubber sections glued to aluminum collars. Supposedly better feel?
- Pure Metal Grip: Others were just straight CNC aluminum pieces. Looked slick but worried my hands would freeze.
Settled on a middle-of-the-road pair. Fancier than rubber, but still had decent soft sections glued onto an aluminum base. Figured the rubber would grip and the metal might look cool without freezing me solid. Seemed smarter. Got a set. Felt heavy, looked fancy. Promised more grip and vibration control.
The Mounting Mess (& Blood)
Getting the old grips OFF was the first battle. They fight back! Tried the usual tricks:
- Stuck a screwdriver under, sprayed WD-40 – messy, didn’t work great.
- Some folks swear by compressed air – didn’t have the tool handy.
- Grabbed the utility knife. Stuck the tip in the gap. Twisted. This… worked. Eventually. Also slipped.
Guess what? I cut myself. Not deep, but enough to bleed on the garage floor. Add insult to injury.
Clean-up time: scraping old glue, degreasing the bars. Fun stuff.
New Grip Nightmares
Thought the new, fancier ones would go on easier. HA! Nope.
- They were tight. Like, really tight.
- Tried soapy water. Helped a little, but felt sketchy – might come loose later?
- Bit the bullet. Used the grip glue that came with them. Thick stuff.
- Slathered glue inside the grip and on the bar end. Slipped? You betcha.
- Pushed, pulled, cursed the person who designed it this tight. Finally shoved them on.
Let it sit overnight. Didn’t trust it.
Did It Work?
Next day, hit the road. Yes. Huge difference.
- The rubber bits? Actually stuck to my gloves, even sweaty.
- Way less vibration buzzing through my hands – those aluminum chunks probably soaked some up.
- Throttle control felt sharper, more connected.
Looked cool too. Worth the bleeding knuckles and wrestling match? So far, heck yes.
Takeaways (Besides Don’t Cut Yourself)
- Skip the $6 rubber junk. It’s junk. False economy.
- CNC/Aluminum ones are tougher, grip better, and reduce buzz.
- Installation sucks. Glue it. Use a knife ONLY if you’re careful and ready for potential blood sacrifice.
- Tighter is better on the bars, even if it’s a pain.
- Better grips = way better control. Simple as that.