Installing stylish built-in hot grips on a CT125 (Trail 125)!

• CT125
• CT125 Hunter Cub

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Winter in Japan last year was apparently the second warmest winter in recorded history, but this year is expected to be back to normal. In other words, it's going to be colder than last year. As winter approaches, people start thinking about buying items to keep themselves warm, and the most common item for motorcycles is probably the grip heater. They are very effective in warming up your hands when it is very cold, which makes a big difference in the winter.

So, here I'd like to introduce a grip heater and show how it's installed. We will install the DAYTONA Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S, which is so stylish that it doesn't look like a grip heater at first glance. The silhouette is so sleek that you can even leave it on all year round, and the switch is embedded in the grip, so the look is perfect. The grip length on my CT125 (Trail 125) is different from stock, so I'll see if I can actually install these grip heaters without any problems.

The wrap-around type is easy to use

Now, before we get to installing the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S, I have a recommendation regarding grip heaters. For those who are new to grip heaters or those who want to enjoy the benefits without a lot of extra effort, my recommendation is a wrap-around type. In particular, DAYTONA's Hot Grip Wrap Around Type EASY is incredibly easy to install because it operates on USB power. You can put it on during the winter and easily remove it when it gets warm. It is incredibly practical and easy to use.

The built-in type is stylish and can be used all year round

Of course, I also recommend the built-in type, which is the star of the show this time. I particularly recommend the type which replaces the original grip and has the switch embedded in it. Among grip replacement types, those with a separate switch are more affordable, so both do have their advantages. When the switch is embedded in the grip, they are usually located on the flange, but the DAYTONA Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S has a small switch embedded by the base of the thumb, which makes it less likely to push accidentally. The grip diameter is also small, so much so that it is hard to believe it has a heater inside. At a quick glance, you would think it is just an ordinary grip.

Comparing the thickness with the stock grips

Now let's see how thin this Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S is by comparing it to the stock grip. First, the stock grip is about 32.4mm. I measured this myself, so I apologize if there is any error.

Next is the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S. It is about 32.2mm, which is surprisingly thinner than the stock one.

However, the stock grip has a ribbed design, so it may be different in terms of actual grip feel. Nevertheless, it is amazing that it is as thin as the stock grip.

Installing the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S

Notes on installing the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S

There are a few things to be careful about when installing these grips. Basically, there are three cases that will be a problem: cases where power generation is insufficient, cases where the handlebar diameter is something other than 22.2mm, and cases where the stock grip length is too short.

When installing on the CT125 (Trail 125), there are two points to note. First, the power output of the CT125 (Trail 125) is 190W for JA55 and 230W for JA65, and I don't know how much of a margin can be used for accessories, but since it is a moped, there probably isn't that much leeway. So, I approached it from another direction. I thought the power consumption of a stock Honda grip heater for the CT125 would be a good reference. Since it is a stock product, it should be designed with room to spare. For a stock Honda grip heater, the power consumption of the half-circumference type looks to be about 18W according to the internet.

So, there should be leeway of at least 18W if the battery is healthy. The Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S has 4 levels of warmth, but as for power consumption, Level 1 = about 12W, Level 2 = about 19W, Level 3 = about 28w, Level 4 = about 32w. So it seems to me that up to Level 2 will have no problems. Please note that using other equipment with high power consumption, such as fog lamps, will increase the possibility of battery strain.

As for the handlebar diameter, it is 22.2mm, so no problem there.

Lastly, the length of the grips. The Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S is about 120mm, but the stock grip length is about 115mm. This is not good, so let's replace the throttle tube as well.

I chose KITACO's Super Throttle Pipe, which is compatible with the CT125 (Trail 125) and has an overall length of 120mm. This is the perfect item that will allow me to install 120mm grips on my CT125. It's a high throttle, so for the CT125 it will increase the throttle opening by 20%.

Also, if there is interference with the bar ends we can replace them. If they are the same size as the handlebars, there should be no problem. These are the KIJIMA Bar Ends that I use.

What you need to install the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S

There's something you'll definitely need to install the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S, and that's the special grip bond. The inside is made of resin and it's hard, and regular grip bond might not be able to withstand the temperature. Since the inside is resin, you can't use wire, so bond is a must.

Next are the tools. Here's what I used for this installation.

・Phillips screwdriver #2
・Ratchet handle
・5mm hexagon socket
・10mm socket
・Seal pick tool

The Phillips screwdriver is for removing the handlebar switch. The 5mm hexagon socket, 10mm socket, and seal pick tool are needed to remove the exterior. You can also use a 5mm hexagon socket to remove the headlight. A 6mm hexagon socket is useful to loosen the handlebar post and loosening the post makes it easier to pull out the throttle tube.

Finally, you will also need a pair of electrician's pliers and a bullet terminal to connect the wiring. The bullet terminal is CA/CB103 for Honda. If you use the latest D-UNIT EASY, you don't need to convert to a bullet terminal.

First, replace the throttle and check for interference

Now let's get to the installation.

I think the biggest challenge in replacing the grips with hot grips is the removal of the stock bar ends. Without an impact driver, it is quite difficult to remove them by hand. However, it depends on the individual bike, and I've heard other people say that they came off easily.

Once you are able to remove the bar end, you can then remove the two Phillips screws from the switch box and loosen the handlebar clamp to pull out the right grip with the entire throttle.

The stock grips are 115mm and the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S are 120mm. Although it is only 5mm, it is not good if the grips have interference from the bar ends which can cause problems with throttle operation.

Hence the aforementioned KITACO Super Throttle. Modern throttle tubes have a lip inside that matches the grip, so when replacing grips, that has to be shaved down, which is quite a hassle. Personally, I recommend getting an aftermarket throttle tube when replacing grips. It's easier to replace and you can keep the stock grips as is if you need them later.

The Super Throttle and Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S fit together perfectly. It is very difficult to pull them apart once they are in place, so don't push the throttle in all the way. I pushed it in so far that I had a hard time pulling it back out.

I tried again and found that a gap of about 5mm was just right.

This is what the Super Throttle with Hot Grip looks like when installed on the stock handlebars of a CT125 (Trail 125) with the stock bar ends.

Looking at the bar end, there is a gap of a little over 1mm. With stock there's a much larger gap. There was no interference with the throttle when I tried it.

Let's connect the harnesses

Throttle interference was not a problem, so the next step is wiring, which is quite simple. Just connect the red wire of the supplied harness to the accessory wiring and the black wire to the minus, or ground, wire. The harness is designed to be long enough, so you can adjust it according to the position of the power supply.

Accessory wiring is a wire that only conducts electricity when the power is turned on. In the case of the CT125 (Trail 125), power extraction harnesses are available from various companies, so it's easy if you use one of them. In my case, I have a D-UNIT installed, so I just connected to it.

After connecting the red and black harnesses to the positive and negative, we bring the bullet terminal on the other side close to the grips. Route it so that the harnesses are hidden. Connect the red wire to the left hot grip and the black wire to the right hot grip. Connect the hot grips to each other with the couplers to complete the wiring.

Then there is the routing of the wires. The important thing is not just to make the wiring inconspicuous, but also to make sure that the wiring on the accelerator side does not interfere with the rotation of the throttle.

Glue the grip section

Lastly, glue the grips on. Let's get out the hot grip adhesive that we bought, and mix the two solutions together.

Mix the two together and when the bond goes from clear white to a solid white, it's done. Then you apply it to the inside of the hot grips and to the handlebars.

Incidentally, in the case of the stock handlebar, the left grip also fits very snugly and there is almost no gap, so it might be better not to apply too much.

My CT125 (Trail 125) has an XSR700 stock tapered handlebar equipped, which has a little more room than the stock handlebar. Specifically, with the stock handlebars, I feel like I might not be able to pull the grip off once it's on, but with the XSR700 handlebars, there's plenty of leeway to pull it off, though it doesn't feel loose. So I'm laying on the bond a bit more thickly.

Since the hardening time of the special bond is 24 hours, we'll take a little break here and continue the work the next day.

After 24 hours had passed, I checked and found that it had adhered perfectly. Since the grips protrude from the handlebars a little, I decided to add bar ends.

Since my CT125 (Trail 125) uses an XSR700 handlebar, I used a shockless hammer to install the 14mm KIJIMA Nylon Bar End Caps.

It's a little short, but this is simple and good. I'm just happy that I was able to instal the grips even though they're not the same length to begin with.

Testing out the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S

When the bond is fully hardened after 24 hours or more, test the actual operation. Please do not switch on the switch until 24 hours have passed.

First, start up. After turning on the key, press and hold the power button on the hot grip for 4 seconds to turn on the power. When you turn it on, the indicator flashes red, which means it is in quick heat mode. This mode warms up the grip all at once. This operation lasts about 4 minutes, so if you want to cancel it, just click the power button. The temperature level will change with each click of the button.

The day I installed it, the temperature was 27 degrees Celsius, but it still got warm enough to be clearly noticeable. See the video below to check out how it works.

Conclusion

I used to use the wrap around type grip heater in the winter, but now that I have the Hot Grip Heavy Duty Built-in 4S, the feel of the controls is so much better. After all, it's as thin as the stock grip. Being this sleek, it feels like it will be easy to use with a handlebar cover. I'm going to use these hot grips to get me through the winter.