750 SFC Handlebar Grips

Bespoke

Bespoke

New member
Location
Keswick, VA, USA
Grips on my bars are sliding off while riding (not good).  The prior owner tried tightening some wire around them to keep them from sliding off, but still have the issue.  What is the best place to source the correct type replacements and is there anything special about the mounting process (glue, etc)?  Bike is a '74.  Thanks.
 
Safety wire is an old road-racer trick.

I can supply the correct original Magura grips for the '74 model.  They come with a closed end, if your clip on ends are exposed, the ends need to be opened up.

These normally stick on by themselves, do not need any adhesives to stay put. 

Price is ?22.00/pair + postage.

piet
 
Well, it is pretty much the same for all grips:

It probably sounds obvious, but the left and right are are a different diameter (one fits over the throttle body, so has a larger ID).

Next consideration is quality - cheap grips are a waste of money.

Thirdly, the more stuff you use to get them on (washing up liquid, solvents etc.), the more likely that are to come off....

I know the triples used the same grips as Suzukis, which were pretty good for staying on, but not sure what grips were fitted to SFCs.

Buy the best you can find, clean the bars well, warm the grips in hot water, roll the grips back on themselves (if you can) and feed them over the bars.

If you must use something to help them on, just use water. Better to struggle to get them on than have them twist on the bars or slip off  ::)

HTH

Pete
 
Safety wire is an old road-racer trick.
Click to expand...

Piet,

No offence, but that would not be a good idea - the wire will hold some of the grip away from the bar and reduce the friction - the principle of the grip "gripping" is the interference fit. Wire, tape or any means of increasing the size of the bar only works while the bike is standing. As soon as it's ridden in anger, the grip will shift. (and if the LH & RH grips are the same ID, one of them will NEVER work...)

Pete
 
Pete,

Have had to resort to this trick quite often on various competition bikes.  Replaced the Magura grips on my 3C only the other day, the ends were starting to fray a bit!  After all, they had been on the bike since 1990, not bad at all in my book.  Wired them after they started to creep during "spirited" riding in hot or wet weather.

Many grips for professional use have grooves for safety wire as standard, see Renthal racing grips.  Very reccomendable btw, most types available in 3 different compounds.  I use the soft compound on my trials machines.  Wear out quickly on a road bike but excellent on a comp bike, should give a good seasons' service.

The trick is to use thin wire, 0.3mm and proper twisting pliers to tighten.  The ends can be snipped off quite close to the grip and turned into the rubber to prevent snagging.

I use compressed air to fit new grips, blow 'em up a bit and they simply slide on in a matter of seconds.

It has never occurred to me to fit 2 grips of the same ID on one bike... :o

piet
 
A great adhesive to use when installing new handlebar grips is to use "Firm Hold" hair spray. Nick it from the women of the house. Spray it inside the grip and install. Give it an hour or two to dry..those grips will never move.

Works great holding the Laverda foot-peg rubbers on too, if you have a problem with them creeping around while riding.

Discovered this back in the 70's with my first Laverda.

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Many grips for professional use have grooves for safety wire as standard, see Renthal racing grips.
Click to expand...

That would work fine, on the outside of the grip (and yes, I have seen wire put on the inside to bulk out the bar diameter  :o ). But wiring on grips and glueing on grips is mostly for the racing fraternity - they don't last long (and nothing like the 22 years on your 3C).

Modern bikes often have milled bars on the clutch side, which make glue/wire work much better. Our old Laverdas have nice polished chrome, which is a bit more of a challenge  ;)

It has never occurred to me to fit 2 grips of the same ID on one bike...  :o
Click to expand...

You would be amazed how often I have seen that - at least the badly fitted grip isn't on the brake side !

Pete
 
Safety wiring top and bottom is derigger on dirtbikes.Crash and dig the bar into any mud or water and it then gets under the grip and you then have the dreaded slip even with barkbusters fitted.The hair spray trick works well,its slippery when wet and locks up strong when dry,BTW its similar to Lacquer used to protect polished timber finish.I have tried contact glue,I am very experienced using it in my work.Its very easy to make a huge mess,doesn't mater if you apply it to either the bar or grip or both.Its supposed to be applied to both,as you slide up the grip it ends up every where.
 
If you don't have end plugs in your bars, it's a good idea fit some as a safety measure. An open bar end makes an effective wad punch if it lands on you during a spill. I know a bloke who had a nice round hole punched in his cheek just below his eye - open face helmet and open-ended handlebars.

Weighted end plugs may also reduce handlebar vibration.

Look for some that are a larger diameter than the bars so they help to hold the grips in place.

Cheers,
Cam
 
The US spec SFCs came standard with the Suzuki grips as fitted to all the Lavs with ND switch gear. They also came fitted with the Adjustable jota bar. Best thing is to get rid of them plastic grips and fit some Magura or Tommaselli rubber grips. Never had a problem with them slipping. I also replaced the jota bars on my SFC with original SFC Verlichi clip ons and Magura throttle as they feel much more comfortable than the adjustables.
 
The throttle grip for the ND switchgear has its rubber moulded over the throttle tube, it won't cannot slip!  Pita to remove and even more so to fit another rubber grip to it.  The ridges and flange on the tube need to be removed to attain enough length and a smooth cylindrical surface to accomodate a normal grip rubber.

The quality of the originals is quite good, they are a bit hard though.

piet
 
Rusty Spokes said:
A great adhesive to use when installing new handlebar grips is to use "Firm Hold" hair spray. Nick it from the women of the house. Spray it inside the grip and install. Give it an hour or two to dry..those grips will never move.

Discovered this back in the 70's with my first Laverda.
Click to expand...

I use Loreal - because I'm worth it!!!!!!
A tip top, top tip.
 
poffer said:
Safety wire is an old road-racer trick.
Click to expand...

Piet,

No offence, but that would not be a good idea - the wire will hold some of the grip away from the bar and reduce the friction - the principle of the grip "gripping" is the interference fit. Wire, tape or any means of increasing the size of the bar only works while the bike is standing. As soon as it's ridden in anger, the grip will shift. (and if the LH & RH grips are the same ID, one of them will NEVER work...)

Pete
Click to expand...

Look at almost every motorcross bike raced today,  Never seen one without the wire!
I'ts a very good solution in practice!

Julian
 
A source from my speedway days, reckoned he used cum, said it dried hard and adheres the grip really well.... no joke.

PS: I always wondered how he put his into practice the first time around, and now chuckle every time I think of him .......... nickname ... "Pencil dick"!
 
I have used common old bathroom silicone sealant, and it does come in black if your fussy (you dont get to see it) this stuff is very slippery when wet and sticks like shit to a blanket when hardenened, with the added advantage that you can easilly slit the grips with a very sharp knife (Stanley) and then peel them off and peel off the hardenned silicone as well, I also wire them on with s/s lockwire because it looks cool and makes Nickdav7 think that I am faster the he is (which I am, by the way)
CLEM
 
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