I’ve recently installed my heated grips onto the Kawasaki Ninja Z1000. Much neater install than my previous job on my GS500. Thought I’d take a few photos and share with you all incase anyone is thinking about installing themselves.
Bought them from Revzilla for $80USD. Along with an EXO500, extra visor and an Airhawk 2, not a bad $500AUD Delivered. Helmet is tight as a nun’s nasty though… damn.
Step One
First things first, of course, remove the seats.
Step Two
Secondly, remove the two bolts holding the front of the tank down. Then, gently pull the fairing away from the tank at the very top. There will be two soft rubber pins that will give a definite ‘pop’ as they let go. While lifting the tank, gently pull the fairings away from each side of the tank to free it on it’s rear hinge. I propped the tank up with bubble wrap initially, but used a sheet later on (for safety!)
Step Three:
Remove the bar ends. I broke three tools doing this. I ended up crafting my own phillips head with a grinder and FINALLY got them off. This much loctite should be a CRIME.
Step Four:
You DO have to trim the grips down, they’re simply too long to fit.
Half the reason I bought the grips was to beef up the diameter of the handles. The stock ones are TINY and give me sore hands.
Step Five:
On the throttle side, I knifed the OEM grip off because I didn’t want to risk excessive force on the throttle mechanism.
Also, I got the dremel out to remove the outer collar on the plastic twist mechanism.
The oxfords simply will not fit over this collar. (The left hand side is just straight bar). I found the left hand side INSANELY tighter than the right hand side, and resorted to a length of wood to beat the grip on.
Use the supplied superglue when installing.
Step Six:
Here’s the supplied mounting kit. It works PERFECTLY for our bikes. A pleasant surprise from the makeshift scrap job on my GS.
Bolt it up, simple.
Step Seven:
MAKE SURE the angle of the grips is correct. The 90° section where the cable escapes in no way should be allowed to foul on the brake or clutch levers when fully depressed.
Checking clearance.
Mounting bracket installed.
Unit attached to mount
Step Eight
Use the supplied double sided adhesive pad to adhere the battery-side control box to the top of the wheel arch. Neat.
Step Nine:
Route the power and control wires UNDER the bracket that houses the tank hinge.
…and UNDER the airbox mounting bracket. There is NO room above it.
Step Ten
Take advantage of this little fin on the airbox. It’ll keep the wires out of the way while the tank comes back down.
I cannot stress enough the importance of continually steering full left – full right to make sure that no wires are pulling tight out of slack. Good places to rout the wires from the grips are ziptied to the handlebar rising bracket, then down through the chrome wire loops. (That’s what they’re there for!).
Step Eleven
Lower the tank, holding the fairings out. When the tank feels bedded, pop the two rubber pins back into the tank, then the further back sliver of lighter fairing (the bits where we left the clips ON the frame not over it. They’ll make a nice affirming click. Reinstall the two bolts at the front of the tank.
Step Twelve
Then it’s a case of neatening all the wires, zip ties are great. I also used electrical tape to waterproof and insulate all the connections.
Step Fourteen
Reinstall seats.
Boom
$80 and some DIY, perfect. I hope this walked through has helped someone out there.
