Grip change

[artguy]

I just installed a new set of grips on my '06 DR650. Who else has done this? Fun, huh? I replaced the cheesy stock bars with a set of TAG T2s and put on a set of gel Progrips. No big deal except for the throttle grip. Evidently Suzuki does not want you to replace it. I suppose they want you to buy a new throttle tube/grip assembly if you biff the grip. How did you handle this? Not that I plan on doing this again for a long time but, it might help others doing a grip swap. My solution was to strip as much of the grip off as I could with a knife and remove the rest with a fine steel wire brush in my electric drill. The fine brush removed the rubber but didn't harm the plastic throttle tube. I used a Dremel tool to remove the ridge at the end of the tube so that the grip would slip on. What should have been a 30 minute job ran about 2 hours but in the end it was worth it to dump the crappy stock bars and grips

[jrs200]

I did it last weekend. Yes it did suck! I removed the clutch side 1st. No problem at all. The throttle side I used a utility knife and pliars. After I got all I could with the pliars, which wasn't much. I scraped the rest off with the utility knife. The gel grips are a huge improvment. Also the new renthal bars are great to. The bike fell off the kickstand once and bent the stock bars. Cheapest bars I ever seen. Had to drill a hole in the renthal's for the high/low beam horn switch. There is a little notch in it. I filed it down a little so I didn't have to drill to big a hole. Then checked the valves which was off a little on the intake and exhaust. Not bad though. Now I am ready to ride. Been a little to hot. Was like 100 here the last few days. Hopefully be a little cooler this weekend.

[artguy]

It's been near 100° here for weeks. Makes working in the shop a challenge. It's so dry it's like riding into a giant hair dyer.

I just ground the little tabs off of the switches with a Dremmel tool. Now I can adjust them the way I want.

[DansDR]

I just replaced my bars and grips, all in under an hour. After reading about the throttle side grip hear on TT, I ordered a new throttle tube from Jesse($9) to save a lot of time and aggravation. Worked like a charm! As for those little plastic nubs on the controls, I just filed them down flat because I didn't want to drill and weaken my new Renthal bars, and also, I wanted the ability to move the controls if I had to. The controls are on there real tight and don't move at all without those nubs. Kind of a stupid idea by Suzuki if you ask me.

[JBBURTON]

I just installed a new set of grips on my '06 DR650. Who else has done this? Fun, huh? I replaced the cheesy stock bars with a set of TAG T2s and put on a set of gel Progrips. No big deal except for the throttle grip. Evidently Suzuki does not want you to replace it. I suppose they want you to buy a new throttle tube/grip assembly if you biff the grip. How did you handle this? Not that I plan on doing this again for a long time but, it might help others doing a grip swap. My solution was to strip as much of the grip off as I could with a knife and remove the rest with a fine steel wire brush in my electric drill. The fine brush removed the rubber but didn't harm the plastic throttle tube. I used a Dremel tool to remove the ridge at the end of the tube so that the grip would slip on. What should have been a 30 minute job ran about 2 hours but in the end it was worth it to dump the crappy stock bars and grips

You bet your butt, that the stupid throttle tube grip SUCKS!!!!!? I took the throttle tube grip off my DL1000 with no problems. I too have taken off about as much as I can with a utility knife, guess I'll use a brush or sandpaper now. I agree....what a jacked up idea, they know that people are gonna replace/wear out grips, why the heck did they make the grip part of the tube?

[heykenny]

I just happened to work for a suzuki dealer and notice the throttle tube from a katana 750 fits with a little grinding of the travel limiter tab....

and it has an easily removeable (not glued) outer grip

[Rick Blunden]

I'm modifying the throttle tube to fit an NEP throttle lock. After changing grips without damage on numerous bikes over the years, I too was frustrated by the DR650 throttle grip. First one I ever destroyed. I used a belt sander to remove final remnants of what looked like vulcanized glue and rubber from the plastic throttle tube. PITA. Nice to know that throttle tubes from other Suzukis will work.

Rick - 2003 DR650

[JBBURTON]

I just happened to work for a suzuki dealer and notice the throttle tube from a katana 750 fits with a little grinding of the travel limiter tab....

and it has an easily removeable (not glued) outer grip

Very good to know, I think an R1 throttle tube works too. I bought some 60 grain sandpaper, I am going to try and get off as much of the old grip as possible. I'll slip the grip on with soapy water if need be. I am going to be saftey wiring the grips anyways.

[Old Wild Bill]

Glued on stock grips not a big problem. I bet Suzuki wants stock grips to stay on. I put new grips on with soap and have never had them slip off.

[yamahaareone]

I cut/stripped as much rubber off as I could, then used the wire wheel on my bench grinder to finish it off. If you watch closely, you can clean it off easily without damaging the plastic tube.

[JBBURTON]

I also used the utility knife to get off the majority of grip. I then used 60 grit paper, and cleaned things up real nice. With a little soapy water, the grip went on pretty good. I used grip wire to hold them on tight. I LOVE the Pro Grip Gel 714's, I have them on both bikes.

[bobcarlmtg]

I cut/stripped as much rubber off as I could, then used the wire wheel on my bench grinder to finish it off. If you watch closely, you can clean it off easily without damaging the plastic tube.

Yup, The wire wheel works good but gawd what a pain to have to do that.

I use the blowgun method to get them back on. Using soap, etc. has allowed other grips to slip when wet.

[Mean Gene]

Squirt a little WD-40 in the grip for reapplication. Will slide on and then stick like glue.

[WayneN]

I changed my grips last weekend. I've never seen a throttle grip like the one on my 98 DR650, what were they thinking when the did that? Anyway, I did pretty much like everyone else who has posted to this topic, cut as much off as I could with a sharp knife and then sand/grind the rest away - but carefully. I found that a battery powered dremel tool with a medium coarseness sanding drum did a nice job in a short amount of time. I reapplied the grips using hair spray - a tip from my local shop, but have also used WD-40 as someone else mentioned.

[colbylikesdirt]

I'm doing this as we speak. I thought I was doing something wrong...

Getting a new tube sounds like a nice idea. I don't have a wire grinding wheel or sander and the thought of sitting here and scraping of all the little bits seems unnecessary. Plus it increases the likely hood that I'll slice myself in the process.

[DaringD]

I'm glad I wasn;t the only one who had to take drastic action when changing the grips, I've got an olf 91 DR650RS (the one with the really ugly fairing - in the process of chopping it off now) and they have been doing it since back then, I spent an hour whittling it down while watching Nuerburgring fails on YouTube.

Does anyone know what year they began fitting the twin accelerator cable twist grips on DR 650s? Mine is a single cable and I don't really like the idea that my being able to shut off all rests on some dodgy spring on the carb on a bike thats getting on for being 30 years old.

2 hours ago, colbylikesdirt said:

Plus it increases the likely hood that I'll slice myself in the process.

My chances turned out to be 100% I'm a complete spaz with a blade at the best of times, cutting through old rubber pretty much ensures I;m going to end up sitting on a stool in the corner of my garage looking pale with a slowing-turning-red tea towel wrapped around my left hand.