safety wire for grips

[chrissa]

Ohh yeah, and if you go to buy a set of safety wire pliers, and you see a small pair and large pair, get the LARGE pair!

[E-man811]

And note that not all safety wire is made equally. Get a spool of good stainless steal wire from a motorcycle shop. The stuff you find in cheap tool stores can sometimes be crap (a few twists, and the wire snaps). For general wiring, you want 0.032" (32 mil) diameter wire. This'll do grips, bolts, whatever. For really fine detailed work (like small hoses or thin electrical wire boots, etc) get a spool of 0.020" (20 mil).

When wiring grips, I like to wire it in three different places (both ends and in the middle), and I wrap each wire around the grip twice. Snip the ends, bend and jam it into the rubber grip to hide it. And don't wire the grip super close to the bar end. Leave 3/4" to 1" space between the bar end and the wire. A good crash can rip the wire off the end of the grip if it's too close.

I find that wiring grips this way keep them from being torn to bits in a good crash on a hard packed track. And obviously, it can be a monsoon where your riding and the grips won't move.

Ohh yeah, and if you go to buy a set of safety wire pliers, and you see a small pair and large pair, get the LARGE pair!

Chris.

All spot on advice in my opinion.

Also, for heavy wire jobs you can use your wire pliers to twist 2 strands of wire into a wire "rope".

Small stuff that we wire

- Fuel line to petcock and carb, so that the race doens't end due to a tangle with another bike or small crash.

- Throttle cable to carb, safety and crash protection

- Throttle cable to throttle housing, safety and crash protection

- Brake pedal and shifter to frame with cables, crash protection and prevention of various trach debris getting stuck up in there.

- Grips of course

- Electrical connections

I agree that not all safety wires are created equal. Most of the stuff that I've used in the last couple of years doen't measure up to the old can that I had.

If you can find an old can from like the 60's or 70's, now that's some good wire.

[Summit]

I use any wire I have on hand, tie wire, copper wire, etc. Just wrap it around and twist it good and tight then cut off the twists pretty short and bend them into the grip.

[Tubo]

I use any wire I have on hand, tie wire, copper wire, etc. Just wrap it around and twist it good and tight then cut off the twists pretty short and bend them into the grip.

I always make sure that I tuck the twisted end back under the wire and tap it with the ball end of a small ball peen hammer. You only have the wire dig into your hand once before you are extra carefull about how you deal with the ends.

[irace511]

Even with grip glue wire is good security. Wet conditions can make glued grips come loose easily.

These screw-on grips are sweet - http://www.odipowersports.com/MX/MX_Str.htm

ODI. The Best Grips Money Can Buy.

[Erik Marquez]

Bronco78: It's only taken a couple of days and you're already starting to reply with sarcasm and mean spirited posts (I'm betting you saw it as a friendly jest). SandFlea corrupts quickly and absolutely.

Thanks.. I'll certainly keep your post in mind

[Kx250FRiDeR651]

$100 gets you a snap on set.http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=770&store=snapon-store

It works well on grips,, most of the time.

what a joke...you can buy the same thing at a dirtbike shop for $20 bucks..100 is just a rip off

[Erik Marquez]

what a joke...you can buy the same thing at a dirtbike shop for $20 bucks..100 is just a rip off

No you really can not. It's the difference between a tool an amateur with occasional use might deem an ok tool. And What a professional requires in the same tool.. As well as the support from the servicing provider.

If your happy with the quality of a low end product. that’s ok If it does the job you need it to do,, even better.

But unless you use tools for a living....you probable will never understand why top quality and service is worth the money.

.. Not a flame,, just is.

[chrissa]

what a joke...you can buy the same thing at a dirtbike shop for $20 bucks..100 is just a rip off

You know, I was at my friend's race shop last night, and we started talking about SnapOn Tools. He has probably $50,000 worth of SnapOn lying around. You know why he buys all the SnapOn stuff? 'Cause he can be working on a touring car engine at 10PM at night (due to be on the delivery truck at 8AM), break a tool, call his rep up, and the rep'll drive right over and replace the tool right on the spot for free. He can call his rep up and warranty $2000 to $3000 worth of stuff and no one gives him any hassle over it. One of his employees showed up at a SnapOn distro center once with a 35 year old ratchet. They took it right there and completely rebuilt it and polished it up and gave it back to him. They gave him some coffee while he waited.

You buy SnapOn because of their service and the time it saves. For every hour lost because the tool you needed broke, or time wasted having to go to a store and buy a replacement, or the headache of using cheap tools that just end up wrecking whatever it is you're working on, the extra money you pay for SnapOn is worth it. If you put bread on the table for your family with your SnapOn tools, you'd appreciate them.

For some guy doing a little wrenching in his garage on the weekend, yeah, SnapOn is overkill. But it's not a joke.

Chris.

[Erik Marquez]

ok smartass, if u think i cant fill my tank your a dumb ****, i know what way is tightening it and want way is loosening it

OK,, got ya big guy.. I was funning ya a little... see the at the end of that line???

If you managed to take it someother way.... Well.. ,, don't It was meant in a light hearted joking mannor.. Nothing more.