Hand Warmers
#11
11-11-2005, 08:50 AM
#13
11-14-2005, 04:57 PM
Hand Warmers
You mention good things about the Polaris heated grips and bad things about the HOTGRIPS brand. Since I manufacture the Hot Grips brand in New Hampshire, I am confused by this. We manufacture the Polaris Hand Warmers and package them for Polaris. The heating element and grip is the same. The only difference is the Polaris name is on the outboard end.
You should be aware that a company in the United Kingdom makes heated grips using the Hotgrips name even though legally they are not supposed to be brought into the USA or Canada. There is a Registered Tradename infringement since Hot Grips is a registered trademark in both countries. Other companies that have inappropriately lifted the registered tradename include several other companies who get their product manufactured in the Far East. One of them puts the words "Hot grips" on their switch housing.
Jim Hollander, Pres.
Hot Grips (R) Mfg., Inc
You should be aware that a company in the United Kingdom makes heated grips using the Hotgrips name even though legally they are not supposed to be brought into the USA or Canada. There is a Registered Tradename infringement since Hot Grips is a registered trademark in both countries. Other companies that have inappropriately lifted the registered tradename include several other companies who get their product manufactured in the Far East. One of them puts the words "Hot grips" on their switch housing.
Jim Hollander, Pres.
Hot Grips (R) Mfg., Inc
#14
11-14-2005, 06:27 PM
Hand Warmers
Good reply, hotgrips
Ive used the hotgrips...and find they are just fine. Usually when someone bashes a product as junk...i think of the old saying "a bad carpender blames his tools". Whos to say the installation wasnt the problem?
Im glad you took the time to staighten this out, ive bought your product and recommend them to others. I preferr the one with the element embedded in the grip, as opposed to the stick on the handlebar element. The handlebar provides too much of a heat sink effect, and the grips dont get as warm as the embedded type. If money is an issue, the stick on type is better than nothing...but not as good as the embedded type. Ive found its worth the few extra bucks to buy the better ones.
As far as the shrink tubing for holding on the thumb warmer...It does seem hokey, but it works. Ive yet to loose a thumb warmer, and have done a few with the shrink tube method. What i find odd...is how come the thumb warmer costs as much as handwarmers?
Ive used the hotgrips...and find they are just fine. Usually when someone bashes a product as junk...i think of the old saying "a bad carpender blames his tools". Whos to say the installation wasnt the problem?
Im glad you took the time to staighten this out, ive bought your product and recommend them to others. I preferr the one with the element embedded in the grip, as opposed to the stick on the handlebar element. The handlebar provides too much of a heat sink effect, and the grips dont get as warm as the embedded type. If money is an issue, the stick on type is better than nothing...but not as good as the embedded type. Ive found its worth the few extra bucks to buy the better ones.
As far as the shrink tubing for holding on the thumb warmer...It does seem hokey, but it works. Ive yet to loose a thumb warmer, and have done a few with the shrink tube method. What i find odd...is how come the thumb warmer costs as much as handwarmers?
#15
11-15-2005, 10:08 AM
Hand Warmers
This whole thread has confused me too so thanks for the clarification hotgrips. Maybe some of you guys who ride in Texas can get by with the “tape on” hand warmers but up here in the north they just don’t get the job done. We’ve tried them on a couple machines through the years and keep going back to “the real Hot Grips.” This year I also tried a grip warmer Cabela’s sells that offered terrible heat. I liked the grip’s size and texture but I had to think very warm thoughts to imagine they were working. And the electronic control would play games like turning itself off or on when I’d turn the ignition off and on. They’re now in the trash.
So one might reasonably question why I would be compelled to experiment with other brands when Hot Grips have worked so well for us. It’s because I was never real happy with hard plastic texture of the grip itself even if the heat was better than anything else out there. That’s why when we bought new machines this year I was very pleased to find the line had expanded to include many new styles, lengths and designs on the HG website. The original Hot Grips are still there but new soft Hot Grips are available in a couple of textures and there are removable Hot Grips that you don’t have to epoxy on.
I’ve been running a pair of the soft texture grips for several months now and while they’ve yet to be exposed to any real cold they supply the same heat as the originals so I’m confident they’ll get the job done. And through the summer I’ve really enjoyed the comfort of the softer grip.
One of the most desirable features of this system is the Variable Heat Control. This weatherproof rotating **** switch provides infinite heat settings between off and high, and that’s great but it’s not the thing I like best about it. This switch eliminates the requirement for a ceramic resistor in the low circuit, making the wiring installation extremely simple and reliable. And I’m running both my grips and thumb warmer off this switch so all are controlled from off to high at the same time by a simple turn of the ****. It’s great!
We’ve run thumb warmers for years and the shrink tube has worked just fine, until this year. All I can figure is the shrink tube must be getting thinner because our last machines had four years of riding on them without a problem and we’ve already worn through the tube on both our new machines in a matter of a few months. Fortunately the shrink tube is cheap and available and easily replaced so that’s what I’ve done.
If you’re interested in checking out the Hot Grips web catalog you can find it
here.
So one might reasonably question why I would be compelled to experiment with other brands when Hot Grips have worked so well for us. It’s because I was never real happy with hard plastic texture of the grip itself even if the heat was better than anything else out there. That’s why when we bought new machines this year I was very pleased to find the line had expanded to include many new styles, lengths and designs on the HG website. The original Hot Grips are still there but new soft Hot Grips are available in a couple of textures and there are removable Hot Grips that you don’t have to epoxy on.
I’ve been running a pair of the soft texture grips for several months now and while they’ve yet to be exposed to any real cold they supply the same heat as the originals so I’m confident they’ll get the job done. And through the summer I’ve really enjoyed the comfort of the softer grip.
One of the most desirable features of this system is the Variable Heat Control. This weatherproof rotating **** switch provides infinite heat settings between off and high, and that’s great but it’s not the thing I like best about it. This switch eliminates the requirement for a ceramic resistor in the low circuit, making the wiring installation extremely simple and reliable. And I’m running both my grips and thumb warmer off this switch so all are controlled from off to high at the same time by a simple turn of the ****. It’s great!
We’ve run thumb warmers for years and the shrink tube has worked just fine, until this year. All I can figure is the shrink tube must be getting thinner because our last machines had four years of riding on them without a problem and we’ve already worn through the tube on both our new machines in a matter of a few months. Fortunately the shrink tube is cheap and available and easily replaced so that’s what I’ve done.
If you’re interested in checking out the Hot Grips web catalog you can find it
here.
#16
11-16-2005, 10:59 PM
Hand Warmers
http://www.checca.net/atvhandwarmers.htm
Polaris brand works great ... but handle bar mitts will help just as much!
Polaris brand works great ... but handle bar mitts will help just as much!
#17
11-16-2005, 11:47 PM
Hand Warmers
You mention good things about the Polaris heated grips and bad things about the HOTGRIPS brand. Since I manufacture the Hot Grips brand in New Hampshire, I am confused by this. We manufacture the Polaris Hand Warmers and package them for Polaris. The heating element and grip is the same. The only difference is the Polaris name is on the outboard end.
#18
11-16-2005, 11:52 PM
Hand Warmers
Originally posted by: Totun
Hotgrip, Thank you for your clarification and reply. I would like to ask you if your company is pursuing or researching a heating element that is integral to the leaver. Looking at what the dealer has done on other thumb installations the heat shrink is less than smooth, seems cheap and possibly a hindrance during the summer months when lighter gloves if any, are used. Has there been any market demand for such a product? Looking at the various grip models that you are offering I’m impressed by the strain reliefs you utilize. They look strong and Robust.
You mention good things about the Polaris heated grips and bad things about the HOTGRIPS brand. Since I manufacture the Hot Grips brand in New Hampshire, I am confused by this. We manufacture the Polaris Hand Warmers and package them for Polaris. The heating element and grip is the same. The only difference is the Polaris name is on the outboard end.
#19
11-17-2005, 08:52 AM
Hand Warmers
Hot Grips Mfg., Inc. only manufacturers heated grips, we have never manufactured heated thumb devices. There are many on the market already, and we have limited resources to be involved in new products. We have decided to strictly make grips only.
Jim Hollander, Pres.
Hot Grips Mfg., Inc.
Plainfield, NH
Jim Hollander, Pres.
Hot Grips Mfg., Inc.
Plainfield, NH
#20
11-17-2005, 09:46 AM
Hand Warmers
Another thought or two from Jim at Hot Grips Mfg., Inc.
It is about the subject of "soft grips", a topic which often comes up and which I'd like to comment on. We have experimented with softer thermoplastic rubber compounds, so soft you would call them solid gel. But the problems are: 1.) service life, how long they will last, and 2.) reduced transfer of heat through the material. Service life is an issue where a customer expects a reasonable useage of the product given the price. Reduced heat transfer is an issue of how well the heat from the resistance wire can pass through the softer material and satisfy the user's cold hands. Technically it is called coefficient of thermal conductivity. Both are an issue. The softer the material, the lower the service life. The softer the material, the lower the heat transfer. We have tried to reach a balance of satisfactory service life and satisfactory heat in the TPR we use. (TPR= thermoplastic rubber).
We have purchased an example of every heating device for ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles that we could find, and there are over 2 dozen examples from around the world in our collection. Some are incredibly rigid, and some are very soft. Some are made of cheap slippery PVC (as from the U.K.), and some are made of real rubber compounds (like BMW), not synthetic. Some have no wire strain relief, and some have good wire strain relief. Some have very sophisticated controls for heat, like the Honda $300. set for their Gold Wing 1800cc touring bikes. Some have incredibly poorly designed heat control (such as parallel and series switching). Some have inadequate and far too brief 1/2 page installation instructions (where it is a product liability lawsuit waiting to happen) and some have 9 pages with great illustrations that are very intimidating and best left to a trained motorcycle dealer. Some grips are made of foam which absorbs water and breaks down from sun exposure. Some claim to be capable of installation by just pushing them on with hairspray or contact-cleaner. Some are not grips at all but are thin foil resistance circuits that mostly heat up the handlebars (heat-sink effect) and customers think it can go through the thickest of grip rubber which acts like an insulator.
We cannot satisfy everyone. Some like the firmness of our grips for a good connection with the machine and some want it softer to isolate them from it. Some say our grips are too hot and some comment they'd like more heat. In an attempt to satisfy a broader range of taste, we have come up with different designs, different TPR blends, and offer a variable heat controller on our website.
After 25 years in business, we do offer the largest range of heated grip products, and have OEM experience with a number of companies (OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer, which is making an item for a factory like Yamaha which installs them on the machines as new equipment). I think it is fair to say we have the best reputation for reliability and customer service. There are many makers of heated grips that originate from the Far East, and if you have a problem, or a question there is no one to complain to and no one to advise you. Few if any companies offer replacement individual grips, but we always have. Even with the ultra-pricey Japanese motorcycle heated grip kits, they will not sell you a single replacement grip.
Maybe we should have a contest or proposal on our website that allows customers to design the next heated grip, the length, the diameter, the appearance, the profile, the heat output, the rubber durometer(softness). But I can guarantee it will not satisfy all, that is just the nature of the beast. Customers have difficulty understanding the compromises manufacturers have to make, not only for satisfying the majority of customers, but also for the realities of production problems. Being in a manufacturing business is much more complicated than you would think.
I've been where you are, I've been out in the cold 35 F. degree rain trying to keep my hands warm on the exhaust pipe or cylinder fins of my enduro bike in 1972 at the age of 22. I was just trying to solve a problem with the product, and I think I've succeeded pretty well. I have always had a lot of tenacity and patience with problem solving. If imitation is the greatest form of compliment (or is it flattery) then the large number of imitators, copy-cats, and new original designs that are on the market have done that for me. We have millions of heated grip kits and OEM heated grips out there, and I like to think having warmer hands has made a lot of people thankful that the product was there. As for me, it has taken its toll...yes I have made a good living at it, and have big boy toys, but my devotion to solving problems in production and in the marketplace did catch up with me. I suffered a brain hemmorhage and surgery left me with some problems. I am not so sharp minded with comprehension and memory that I can run a CNC machine anymore, have to get both knees replaced later this month, and argue with my wife about going to my son's basketball game versus working late out in the shop to solve a production issue.
I hope this explanation helps many of you to understand a little more. Maybe more than you wanted. At 55 I am a little feeble minded, before my time ... I guess I ramble on a bit. If one of you comes up with a better mousetrap (heated grip design) and we chose to put it into production, I will put your name on the end as the designer and you can have the credit, how's that for a proposal?
Jim Hollander, Pres.
Hot Grips Mfg., Inc.
www.hotgrips.com
email: hotgrips@cyberportal.net
It is about the subject of "soft grips", a topic which often comes up and which I'd like to comment on. We have experimented with softer thermoplastic rubber compounds, so soft you would call them solid gel. But the problems are: 1.) service life, how long they will last, and 2.) reduced transfer of heat through the material. Service life is an issue where a customer expects a reasonable useage of the product given the price. Reduced heat transfer is an issue of how well the heat from the resistance wire can pass through the softer material and satisfy the user's cold hands. Technically it is called coefficient of thermal conductivity. Both are an issue. The softer the material, the lower the service life. The softer the material, the lower the heat transfer. We have tried to reach a balance of satisfactory service life and satisfactory heat in the TPR we use. (TPR= thermoplastic rubber).
We have purchased an example of every heating device for ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles that we could find, and there are over 2 dozen examples from around the world in our collection. Some are incredibly rigid, and some are very soft. Some are made of cheap slippery PVC (as from the U.K.), and some are made of real rubber compounds (like BMW), not synthetic. Some have no wire strain relief, and some have good wire strain relief. Some have very sophisticated controls for heat, like the Honda $300. set for their Gold Wing 1800cc touring bikes. Some have incredibly poorly designed heat control (such as parallel and series switching). Some have inadequate and far too brief 1/2 page installation instructions (where it is a product liability lawsuit waiting to happen) and some have 9 pages with great illustrations that are very intimidating and best left to a trained motorcycle dealer. Some grips are made of foam which absorbs water and breaks down from sun exposure. Some claim to be capable of installation by just pushing them on with hairspray or contact-cleaner. Some are not grips at all but are thin foil resistance circuits that mostly heat up the handlebars (heat-sink effect) and customers think it can go through the thickest of grip rubber which acts like an insulator.
We cannot satisfy everyone. Some like the firmness of our grips for a good connection with the machine and some want it softer to isolate them from it. Some say our grips are too hot and some comment they'd like more heat. In an attempt to satisfy a broader range of taste, we have come up with different designs, different TPR blends, and offer a variable heat controller on our website.
After 25 years in business, we do offer the largest range of heated grip products, and have OEM experience with a number of companies (OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer, which is making an item for a factory like Yamaha which installs them on the machines as new equipment). I think it is fair to say we have the best reputation for reliability and customer service. There are many makers of heated grips that originate from the Far East, and if you have a problem, or a question there is no one to complain to and no one to advise you. Few if any companies offer replacement individual grips, but we always have. Even with the ultra-pricey Japanese motorcycle heated grip kits, they will not sell you a single replacement grip.
Maybe we should have a contest or proposal on our website that allows customers to design the next heated grip, the length, the diameter, the appearance, the profile, the heat output, the rubber durometer(softness). But I can guarantee it will not satisfy all, that is just the nature of the beast. Customers have difficulty understanding the compromises manufacturers have to make, not only for satisfying the majority of customers, but also for the realities of production problems. Being in a manufacturing business is much more complicated than you would think.
I've been where you are, I've been out in the cold 35 F. degree rain trying to keep my hands warm on the exhaust pipe or cylinder fins of my enduro bike in 1972 at the age of 22. I was just trying to solve a problem with the product, and I think I've succeeded pretty well. I have always had a lot of tenacity and patience with problem solving. If imitation is the greatest form of compliment (or is it flattery) then the large number of imitators, copy-cats, and new original designs that are on the market have done that for me. We have millions of heated grip kits and OEM heated grips out there, and I like to think having warmer hands has made a lot of people thankful that the product was there. As for me, it has taken its toll...yes I have made a good living at it, and have big boy toys, but my devotion to solving problems in production and in the marketplace did catch up with me. I suffered a brain hemmorhage and surgery left me with some problems. I am not so sharp minded with comprehension and memory that I can run a CNC machine anymore, have to get both knees replaced later this month, and argue with my wife about going to my son's basketball game versus working late out in the shop to solve a production issue.
I hope this explanation helps many of you to understand a little more. Maybe more than you wanted. At 55 I am a little feeble minded, before my time ... I guess I ramble on a bit. If one of you comes up with a better mousetrap (heated grip design) and we chose to put it into production, I will put your name on the end as the designer and you can have the credit, how's that for a proposal?
Jim Hollander, Pres.
Hot Grips Mfg., Inc.
www.hotgrips.com
email: hotgrips@cyberportal.net
