DIY Coolant heated handle bars

[Danceswithtrees]

5 hours ago, CR250_182 said:

I have seen some funky things on here, but this has to take the win as the strangest, but honestly pretty well done.
I wouldn't want to go through all that trouble of modifying the stock cooling system though, I'd just get regular grip heaters and run them off a LI battery.

This is not an uncommon thing, Raze Motorsports makes a kit for heated handlebars.  These are used for snowbiking in the winter.  As for modding cooling systems on my buddies bike we eliminated the left hand radiator and installed a modified snowmobile tunnel cooler in his Timbersled tunnel.  Now that bike stays perfect temp all the time.  I'd do it to mine too, and the heated handlebars if my bike was going to be a dedicated snowbike.

[ktm300]

There are kits to do this for the snow bikes allready, coolant flows from end to end. I use AME grips but have electric liners for back up and they actually work pretty well if you turn them on before you can't feel your hands.  

[Erik Marquez]

Nice idea...
A little extreme for most as good gloves and or heated grip liners work well enough for many. 
I really don't like the idea of weakening the bars with the threaded holes .......So.....

Consider a through flow end to end. Incorporating a banjo fitting in a hand guard. A smaller OD SS/ Teflon line can follow the hand guard back to the center of bars and then down to cooling system plumbing. 
You might get a small differential in heat from start to finish though the bars, and since the right side has the extra insulation of the throttle tube, id plumb the flow right to left .

 

[mxrider_34]

Nice idea...
A little extreme for most as good gloves and or heated grip liners work well enough for many. 
I really don't like the idea of weakening the bars with the threaded holes .......So.....

Consider a through flow end to end. Incorporating a banjo fitting in a hand guard. A smaller OD SS/ Teflon line can follow the hand guard back to the center of bars and then down to cooling system plumbing. 
You might get a small differential in heat from start to finish though the bars, and since the right size has the extra insulation of the throttle tube, id plumb the flow right to left .

 

I thought about going through the ends, but that seemed more likely to be damaged, as anytime the bike is dropped, it would land directly on the end of the bar and hit the banjos

[Erik Marquez]

3 minutes ago, mxrider_34 said:

I thought about going through the ends, but that seemed more likely to be damaged, as anytime the bike is dropped, it would land directly on the end of the bar and hit the banjos

for sure its a risk, one Id mitigate with a custom bar end, hand guard mount. So not a piece together with hardware store items like the solution you came up with which is a nice DIY option.

[ohgood]

On 3/4/2018 at 0:23 PM, mxrider_34 said:

 

I've seen a couple people talk about this idea, but not a write up on how to do it, so I figured I'd share how I did it.

 

I started by buying some generic 3/4 heater hose to replace the existing radiator hose. I used a 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/2 female thread (the threaded hole was in the middle). Then used a 1/2 male thread by 3/8 barb into the tee. This is the feed, on the high pressure side of the engine.

 

I used cheap 3/8 fuel line to run up underneath the plastic and between the frame and the gas tank where I added a ball valve to help control flow.

 

Then it runs under the bar where I have a 3/8 x 3/8 x 3/8 barbed tee to split the flow to the ends on the bar

 

Each side from the tee runs down the bar to a 3/8 barb by 1/8 npt elbow, just before the grip. I tapped pipe threads directly into the bar and used thread sealant to seal it.

The coolant runs through the bar down to the middle where it drains out through a fitting that is 1/4 npt on one side and a 3/8 barb on the other. My bar is 'oversize' so it's diameter is 1-1/8 in the middle. A normal 7/8 bar may not be big enough for the 1/4 npt so you may have to use 1/8.

That line runs down to the engine and dumps in just before the water pump with the same barbed tee, and elbow as the high pressure side.

You also need to plug the ends of the bars. I used 5/8 plugs

Here's an overview

I filled the coolant by putting the bike on it's side so the end of the bar is the highest point and then fill it with coolant and then plug the end of the bar.

 

way cool (warm!) man ! thanks for sharing your cure for the winter blues ! neato :-) 

[bowhunter007]

I really dig the ingenuity of this project. Like others have noted, this may solve a comfort issue, or create a large failure potential. I applaud the OP's creativity. I love this kind of stuff. I would enjoy seeing any updates/improvements, if you develop this further.

[SnowMule]

A lot of snowbike guys are doing this - adds a little more coolant capacity, and you're not robbing power from the engine for electrics. 

[kdxyardsale]

22 hours ago, Red Eye said:

kdxyardsale.... that’s why he has shutoff valves.  if there’s a leak, he cranks the valves  to off.  This is a prototype.  I think this man is genius.

Not saying it isn’t a cool idea but look at the lower radiator hose with a T and an elbow no shut off there and none of this parts are rated for high temps and glycol

[The Inquisitor]

Ya dude awesome fab job and if you don't have a battery on the bike, why not just get a 6000 mAh or larger rechargeable battery and wire in electric hand warmers?

From the mock up of my 36W LED head light build on my CRF250R. 2 hours of full run time with the 36W light and IMO $35 battery and $2 container work great.

anyway, keep up the good work BUT I glad I don't live anywhere were I have to wear a snowmobile suit or use hand warms if I want to ride in the winter ?

 

 

 

[Red Eye]

32 minutes ago, kdxyardsale said:

Not saying it isn’t a cool idea but look at the lower radiator hose with a T and an elbow no shut off there and none of this parts are rated for high temps and glycol

Sorry kdxyardsale, for a minute there, I thought you were not being supportive.  I think this guy is incredible.  Working prototypes require inventiveness, and a willingness to spend the time, money and effort to get it working.  Just so you know, those valves work fine in my hot water boiler heating system with antifreeze at 205 degrees temperature, run 24/7 for 10 years now, so he will be just fine in that regard.

[kdxyardsale]

9 minutes ago, Red Eye said:

Sorry kdxyardsale, for a minute there, I thought you were not being supportive.  I think this guy is incredible.  Working prototypes require inventiveness, and a willingness to spend the time, money and effort to get it working.  Just so you know, those valves work fine in my hot water boiler heating system with antifreeze at 205 degrees temperature, run 24/7 for 10 years now, so he will be just fine in that regard.

Actually I was referring to the plastic fittings. Also when is the last time you dumped your boiler after a 5G G-out LOL. I have been guilty of some of these kinds of things myself, that is why I am so critical, I hope he takes it as positive criticism to improve it.

[SteveThe Snakes]

Well I think you solved the life long question of what nobody wants. ?

[Home Skillet]

https://www.razemotorsports.com/products/engine-coolant-heated-handlebars-yamaha-450

[bryanaverill]

Wow! That's full Steam Punk.

[scott_01_xr400]

Fuel hose is not made for antifreeze and not for those temperatures either.  Most likely, the tube will become brittle and start to break off inside and run into your radiator.  At some point, it may just fail and spray hot antifreeze everywhere.  SS braided hoses will most likely have Teflon tubes so they could be used.  

[JohnnyAirtime]

Pretty interesting idea... that of course, can be improved upon. But the point is... it works for YOU, and you took the time to show others your work and process.  Hats off to ya man!!

My thought would be to use much smaller hose and fittings. No need to use such large hose. You don't need that much "exchange" or flow. In fact, one line at each bar end is sufficient. IN on one side, OUT on the other. No need for a center (bar clamp) "out".  And because of the flow, you wouldn't need to put the fittings too close to the outside of the bar as you have them. I'd bet... just outside of the bar clamp would work.

Keep updating (re-posting) how they work for you. I'm curious!

[Darvo]

I love my coolant heated bars. 

[Trail_Ryder]

Very cool and innovative, however this seems like an overly complex alternative to electric grip heaters.

If you crash with electric grip heaters then worse case is your electric grips heater don't work for the ride home.

However, if you crash with your set up, not only could you burn yourself with hot coolant, you could very well end up stranded with no coolant.

[Doc_speeder]

I think it’s brilliant. And very nicely executed (especially for a prototype design). Keep us updated on successes or design tweaks you make please!

I can’t believe how many experts these threads attract...[emoji849]