grip heaters

[Water Warrior 2]

Just finished a simple mod on Happy Hobo's 250. Installed some Symtec grip heaters for the cool evening rides in the GWN. They are available from California Sport Touring. Installation is pretty simple and the instructions are fairly easy to follow. I did use a relay and triggered it from the tail light circuit as a failsafe against a dead battery. The package contains some connectors but with the relay etc I got extras and went crazy. (Can't do pics but will try to answer any questions with words. ) Only the seat, grips and tank need to be removed. Oh ya, get some extra zip ties too. Surprisingly, the relay fit snuggly into the round frame backbone and was easy to connect to with just the business end sticking out. Toggle switch(supplied) is mounted on the bars within easy reach.
I have these same grip heaters on the Vstrom and they do work well on hi or lo settings. The power draw should not be a problem with the 250 charging system either.

[Badbob]

These are the first I have ever heard of anyone installing on a GZ250. How much did they cost?

I've been considering do in this for the wifes bike. She gets cold pretty easy but I don't know if I can pry her away from those fancy grips of hers. May be I' wait until her fingers get blue and ask her about it.

Photos sure would be nice. No digital camera?

[Water Warrior 2]

Hi Badbob, your wife will love having warmer hands. The grip heaters are about $27 and add in a few bucks for a relay and assorted bits. Also get an inline fuse for the main power through the relay. The main power goes from the battery to the fuse, through the relay and to the switch. I choose the toggle switch as it is easier to operate with gloves on rather than having the flatter rocker switch. Symtec gives you that option when ordering. I might add that when doing the install wrap the left side bar with some tape first. Some riders on the other forum use aluminun tape to reflect the heat away from the bar towards the hand. The bare bar acts like a heat sink. The throttle side has the plastic shield to prevent the heat sink effect.

I would love to find some kind of handguards for the 250 but don't want to get something too off road oriented and unpleasing to the eye. Handguards and grip heaters have made a big difference on the VStrom. VStrom handguards will not fit so the aftermarket is it. Any ideas ??

As for a digital camera, yes I have one but have an aversion to newer technology and I hate learning to deal with things that seem to have a mind of their own. I did have some film put on a disc but this silly computer will not recognize the disc. So much for technology.................... After putting grip heaters on your wife's bike you will want them.

[Badbob]

Thanks for all the info.

I have a Kodak 633 that seems brain dead simple to me as well as a fancy Nikon that my wife can barely take snapshots with.

The biggest problem I seen with digital cameras is the stupid software that comes with them you don't need it for most cameras and if you do then you should get a different camera. I just toss the CDs that come with them in the trash. If the camera or memory doesn't act like like a removable disk when you plug it in you need a different camera. When I first started messing with them I threw some in the trash. I would not give them to some one I didn't like.

[Dupo]

I'm with badbob .... DC software sucks. Toss it and just USB the camera to the computer. Windows XP will recognize it as a removable drive and start the camera and scanner wizard to get your pics to your PC. If not ... then might need to atleast install the drivers from the disc (not the software). If still not ... give it a swift field goal kick into the neighbors pool.

[Water Warrior 2]

Will try to talk Happy Hobo into sorting out the computer if it will cooperate long enough. Both the puter an camera know I don't do well with more than one button or switch per gizmo and make me pay dearly in frustration.