Removing and fitting hand grips. EASY!!

[Mick DMember]

Many of you may know this trick but a few mightn’t.

Removing and replacing handgrips sounds like an easy task but sometimes they are buggers to get off and the new ones are at times even harder to get on.

I dropped Connor’s new YZ the other day and tore the end off the hand grip so he insisted that we fit new ones. I bought the new ones and sat back for a while and watched as Connor battled to get the old ones off. (we didn’t want to cut them off as it is only the end of one grip that is torn and they will still be usable on another bike with barkbuster ends.)

After a while I decided he had battled long enough and showed him a little trick, if you have access to compressed air, all you need to do is put the nozzle between the grip and the bar and basically blow the grip off, whilst pulling on the grip at the same time.

Like so………

Connor was amazed how easy it came off considering how much he had battled with it prior.

When fitting the new grips, the same technique in reverse, can be used.
I don’t normally use glue, so once the grips are on I wire them up with tie wire and all is good.
Give it a try next time you are fitting new grips, you will be surprised how easy it makes the job.

[MalMember]

Nice trick Mick.

I’ve never thought of using compressed air before. I usually just roll them off. But air would be much easier.

[Nick JacksonMember]

Coating the inside of the new grips with petrol is a good trick too ! It slightly melts the plastic and slids on easily. It also sticks it to the bar but not so much you can’t get them off !!

[Jeffrey SmithMember]

I can’t remember which bike it was but I had a hell of a times replacing the grips one time. The compressor trick didn’t work because they were worn through in a couple of places and I had to vitually shave them off. Someone must have used superglue or something as I had to cut of every little bit of the grip.

[Mark BuntingMember]

micknmeld wrote:

Many of you may know this trick but a few mightn’t.

Removing and replacing handgrips sounds like an easy task but sometimes they are buggers to get off and the new ones are at times even harder to get on.

I dropped Connor’s new YZ the other day and tore the end off the hand grip so he insisted that we fit new ones. I bought the new ones and sat back for a while and watched as Connor battled to get the old ones off. (we didn’t want to cut them off as it is only the end of one grip that is torn and they will still be usable on another bike with barkbuster ends.)

After a while I decided he had battled long enough and showed him a little trick, if you have access to compressed air, all you need to do is put the nozzle between the grip and the bar and basically blow the grip off, whilst pulling on the grip at the same time.

Like so………

Connor was amazed how easy it came off considering how much he had battled with it prior.

When fitting the new grips, the same technique in reverse, can be used.
I don’t normally use glue, so once the grips are on I wire them up with tie wire and all is good.
Give it a try next time you are fitting new grips, you will be surprised how easy it makes the job.

Nice tip Mick. I usually use a little bit of Petrol to wet the inside of the grip. They slide on easy and then stick to the bars.

You should have taken a vid of Connor huffing and Puffing :laugh: :laugh:

Kram

[scott bockingMember]

Nice one Mick.
You should use Connor to model all your tech posts. Much less offensive than your old mug
Hairspray on the inside of your new grip makes it easy to slide on and sets up well when it drys. I still use wire as well.

STM

[GregMember]

Good work on all accounts, I really want the DIY to grow to become a bank of knowledge that will help us all

TB

[katrina ratcliffMember]

King STM wrote:

Nice one Mick.
You should use Connor to model all your tech posts. Much less offensive than your old mug
Hairspray on the inside of your new grip makes it easy to slide on and sets up well when it drys. I still use wire as well.

STM

So I started reading this post with lots of interest as I struggled with my grips on the XR. So it was looking like I need to buy a new toy for the garage – air compressor……. but KING STM came to the rescue…. I just need to pull out my hairspray. How good is that!!..

Kat

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Added hint/tip, most proprietary glues can be neutralised by good old WD-40 whilst removing grips so they can be reused, another one is the BMX lads have some awesome grips in their market and the handlebar size is exactly the same……

My daughter has from a pushbike outlet the exact same checkered grips I was using 30 years ago (she’s into retro) on her racebike, they no longer provide them for Motorbicycles but do for BMX bikes….

[Jan Marais-van VuurenMember]

I have found that a coathanger bend into a Z shape works wonders. You just insert one of the ends between the grip and handlebar and then simply crank the other end. This makes the coathanger “walk right around the bar (between the grip and bar) as long as you crank it and you simply pull on the grip itself with the other hand. This action breaks any glue bonding and have never failed me.

Here is a Youtube link to a guy doing something similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf-EKwyER74

Cheers TT

[AlexMember]

New grips or re-installing old grip:

At home: If all else fails and you don’t have fancy grip glue apply some good quality cloth tape to your handlebars where the grips will sit. Especially good when you think you have cleaned the bars good enough but really you haven’t.

In the bush: Grips spinning on the bars? Peel off some cloth tape and apply some petrol (95 or 98 is fine hahaha) to the glue. Scrape off the glue quick and apply to handlebars. Push on the grips. Abracadabra you all owe me a beer.

[Jeffrey SmithMember]

KatGirl wrote:

So I started reading this post with lots of interest as I struggled with my grips on the XR. So it was looking like I need to buy a new toy for the garage – air compressor……. but KING STM came to the rescue…. I just need to pull out my hairspray. How good is that!!..

Kat

That’s ok for fitting them Kat but not for getting the old ones off.

[terryjhaynesMember]

Top thred here!! Sure wish that it was up like a week ago,,,like when I was restleing my basteds on:angry: , stuff the old ones just cut those off,f#ck it. OK check list ,air,petrol,hairspray,too bad I already got a new set on:lol:

[RyanMember]

This would have been handy knowledge when i replaced my grips, although i think the ones on it are now getting worn out with me thinking about changing them.

[drewMember]

Jeffro wrote:

KatGirl wrote:

So I started reading this post with lots of interest as I struggled with my grips on the XR. So it was looking like I need to buy a new toy for the garage – air compressor……. but KING STM came to the rescue…. I just need to pull out my hairspray. How good is that!!..

Kat

That’s ok for fitting them Kat but not for getting the old ones off.

curling iron?? put the thin bit between the bar and grip. apply a light amount of pressure on the grip with the hot bit, and rotate around the bar, simply roll off the old grip once all the glue has been warmed and loosened.. all done

you can pm me the long legged las’ ph number in thanks/appreciation Kat…. :laugh: :blush: :side: :silly:

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