So there are quite a few threads on here discussing the OEM supplied heated grips and the frequent failures, thought i would capture my repair process to share Bought this on Ebay. It really was a cheap enough purchase to try and fix the current OEM and if unsuccessful not much money thrown away. So for those interested – here are some measurements I took before install – I hooked it up - as received - to an old bike battery I had removed and still had stowed away. Battery voltage 12.44V , Current draw 1.8A That would make the total system resistance around the 7 Ohm mark and about 22 Watts of heating. Temp measurement on the heat pads maxed out at 56 degrees (infrared ‘gun’ used) First step is to remove the Ducati rubber grips to reveal the heating element. RH grip showed below I could not easily figure out how to remove the entire throttle tube so did the rest of the mods with it on the bike. You need to pop loose the small plastic cover ring on the LH to gain easy access to the wiring (see pic below) – These wires need to be placed so that there is a bit of movement possible so that twisting the throttle does not overstretch the wires – there are some plastic ‘bungs’ welded/glued to the wiring to keep it in place The LH side is much easier with the whole grip removable after undoing two screws top and bottom. (LH completed grip shown but note the screws with one facing up one down) I then removed the OEM heating element by cutting / pulling it off and de-soldering the wire connections. I filed off the plastic ‘ridges’ on both tubes to create a better surface to glue the replacement heating pads too. On the LH grip it is easy to use the new wiring supplied and to thread the new wiring through the grip and then to solder them to the existing wiring somewhere accessible at the handlebars. On the RH I decided to keep the old wiring intact and soldered them to the new heating pad as close to the crimped connectors as what I could. (Don’t try to desolder the wires at the crimped connections since this heats up the metal which will cause it to become undone) Contact adhesive on both, wait to dry, wrap around and stick in place with the supplied ‘heat resistant’ tape. I then used some more contact adhesive and then heat shrunk the supplied heat shrink on Fit back on bike, use some hairspray to put rubber grips back on and Bob’s your uncle!! Temperature as measured stabilised at about 48 degrees (measured just above the A of ducati on both sides). We will see how they perform on a much colder day
Not part of the kit. Mine did state heat resistant and since the pads only reached 56 ish degrees i thought that should be ok. Time will tell
This thread is just too late for me as I'd already decided to go with a set of Oxfords grips. I was concerned that if I just replaced the pads the current may be limited by the canbus system and they'd get no hotter than the OE ones are which were pathetic. You were very wise not to try to remove the throttle tube. I did and of course the return spring pinged out of its end slot. I spent a frustrating hour trying to get the spring end back into the slot on the clam shell but failed. If anyone is in this situation undo the wire bundle rubber wraps containing the throttle messenger line. I found there was just enough slack to slide the throttle sensor ring off bars. That then gives you much easier access and it's possible to get the return spring pretensioned and the clam shells around it with the throttle tube in place. Also, if you go for Oxford grips, they are a sliding fit on the tube and will slip in operation. So don't file the ribs off the tube as @GeorgeO needed to do. I didn't want to glue the grip to the tube as I knew I'd need to adjust it's position as the large rubber housing where the wire enters the grip can foul the front brake and/or the wire gets in the way of the starter switches. So I cut a finger off a Marigold glove and put that over the tube. It seems to be just right in giving enough interference that the grip will only slip with a lot of force, more than you'd apply when riding. There is a lot of wire loom with the Oxfords and it is a puzzle to know where to hide it all. I've wrapped some of it at the back of the emergency start button which helps. There's no doubt Georgeo's solution is much neater than mine, so I hope the grips give sufficient heat.
I learnt my lesson regarding throttle tube springs when I had to fix my MV Agusta Brutale 's throttle after the spring detached internally, so wasn't that keen on repeating that mistake again. I briefly thought of undoing everything but glad I kept it in place.
When I undid the clam shells I had an inkling it might be unwise, as unique to all the other clamps it has protected-torx screws. I did wonder at the time but self confidence proved to be my downfall
George you inspired me to have a go at mine, with the replacement grip pads that you used. Mines a 2014 twin spark and the grips are operated with the starter button when the engine is running. So after the pads arrived but before I really got stuck in I thought I'd just check the rivets on the OE pads to see where the current is, having made a note of the fact that they are in series I figured between one and three buttons should be running a current. So I put my multimeter on all four and nothing, none of them ran a current. So I tried a screw driver test lamp I've got once again nothing on all four rivets. That didn't seem right, then as I was was about to fold back the rubber grips I noiced they were hot. They had started working after 2 years? ? ? ? When I tested again for curent both handle bars were showing current. Then after stopping an rerstarting the engine they stopped working again. I was going to ask for ideas on this but as I write it occured to me I'm going to have to back to the loom under the tank arent I. TB
Looks like I might be tackling mine at some point. Having just done 2000 miles round Scotland, my throttle side gradually got worse, to the point where it felt like it was barely on. Annoying!!
