How to Change your Motorcycle Grips - Remove Motorcycle Grips - Install New Motorcycle Grips

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In this video, we'll take a look at the quickest and easiest way to remove your old motorcycle grips and replace them with new ones. The full article related to this video is at therideadvice.c.... Tools you'll need to change your motorcycle grips are an Allen key (or other tool to unscrew your bar ends), a long flat head screw driver, isopropyl alcohol and a rag.
Learning how to change your motorcycle grips and replace them with new ones on your bike isn't really high up on most peoples list of modifications, but there are reasons to do it - especially if you have an older bike where the motorcycle grips are starting to wear down. Newer, high quality motorcycle grips can also improve feedback through the bars and reduce fatigue. Different motorcycle grips may also provide some riders with a bit of bling they’re looking for at a pretty cheap price.
As this video demonstrates, to remove or change your old motorcycle grips isn't too hard to do with the right tools and techniques. You'll have new motorcycle grips installed within about 30 minutes.
Obviously in addition to your new motorcycle grips, you’ll need a tool to unscrew the bar ends from each bar. Most modern bikes use some sort of bolt/screw that requires an Allen key to remove it, although some other bikes use a different type of bolt head. This part of the job can actually sometimes be the hardest if a bolt is seized or was previously over-torqued.
Leverage will normally do the trick, so any tool that has a long length, enabling you to really push down on it (such as a long torque wrench) will help. Another option may be an impact driver. If you don’t own one, you can usually buy a manual impact driver (operated by hitting it on the back with a hammer) for around $10. Before that though, employ some WD40 to see if that will coax it loose.
ext on your list should be isopropyl alcohol (also called rubbing alcohol). This is a great item for many automotive uses and should be in your garage anyway. It works fantastic as a lubricant but also has the added benefit of evaporating very quickly, so you don’t lose time in waiting for it to clear. It’s also cheap and unlike hairspray (which others sometimes recommend in removing grips), doesn’t smell.
Finally, a long flathead screwdriver and some rags for cleaning will be handy.
After you’ve removed your bar ends, get your long flat head screw driver and wedge it between the inside of the motorcycle grip and the bar. Push it along the bar as much as you can and leverage it up to create a gap, allowing you to spray the isopropyl alcohol onto the surface of the bar. Repeat this all around the bar and do the same at the other end of it too, using the flathead screwdriver to create an opening to spray again.
Hopefully with a bit of twisting and brute force, you’ll be able to pull the old motorcycle grip off. If it only budges a bit, use the screwdriver to pry the grip up off the bar and keep spraying the isopropyl. It should eventually come free. Once you’ve got them off, spray some more isopropyl on the now naked bars and clean up any old glue/adhesive on them.
Your new motorcycle grips will come in two sizes. The grip with the larger internal diameter (opening) is the one that goes over the throttle bar.
Taking your isopropyl once more, spray again on the exposed bar. Also spray inside the new grips. Now place the end of the new grip on the bar from the opposite side of the bike - this way you will be pulling it towards you rather than pushing it away - a much easier task.
You again may need to employ your screwdriver here, pushing it under the new motorcycle grip to help wriggle it on. Keep spraying the alcohol on to help lubricate the grip and ease the process. Just be careful with the grip on the throttle bar - ensure that the new grip is rotating on and off without issue. Some may make the mistake of having it butt up against ignition switch housing - this may prevent, at best smooth throttle operation - at worse it will cause you to crash with a stuck throttle.
You’ll notice that I haven’t made mention of using a glue or adhesive when putting the new motorcycle grips on. Personally, I feel that with the type of plastics used on the grips, they bond to the bars anyway. If you want to change grips down the track, gluing them just causes pain in the future when taking them off. However, others may disagree and feel gluing them is necessary.
Put your bar ends back on and you’re done. Enjoy your new motorcycle grips.