If you’re installing heated grips or swapping your throttle tube or handlebars, like it or not your grips are going to have to come off. And if you’re like me, you’d prefer to keep the grips intact so you can use them again.
Here are two methods for removing motorcycle grips without destroying them, with one big caveat:
Required Implements
"If you, the previous owner of your bike, your mechanic, or your Aunt Sally used Super Overkill Grip Glue when installing the grips, there’s a chance you’ll be out of luck if you want to save them. That being said, some grip glues are more forgiving than others, so give these methods a try — but don’t blame me if the grips don’t survive removal."
Required Implements
The only required tool is a long, thin, probing instrument. A wooden chopstick is damn near perfect, but the handle of a small paintbrush would work too. You can also use a thin screwdriver, but using it won’t be quite as easy as you’ll have to take care not to tear the grip with the screwdriver’s tip.
Method 1: Got Air Compressor?
If you have an air compressor and a blow gun attachment, removing grips is trivial. Stick the end of the chopstick under the end of the grip and pry it away from the handlebar.
If the grip was glued, use the chopstick to separate the grip from the handlebar by gently running the chopstick along the outside circumference of the bar.
Once the grip has been loosened, position the chopstick so that there’s a small gap (as in the photo above) and then use the blow gun to blow air between the grip and the bar. This should “blow up” the grip enough for you to slip it right off the end of the bar.
Method 2: Got Windex?
If you don’t have an air compressor, Windex (or soapy water) can be used as a lubricant to slide the grip off intact. Use the chopstick to pry the end of the grip up, then grab the Windex and spray away.
Between sprayings, use the chopstick to separate the grip from the handlebar. As with the air compressor method, you can do this by gently running the chopstick along the outside circumference of the bar. This also distributes the Windex around underneath the grip.
Once you can insert the chopstick almost all the way to the switch cluster, give it a few final sprays, then start pulling the grip off.
If you need to, stop and spray more Windex, then slowly rotate the grip around until it slides completely off.
Give the grips a nice rinse with some hot water to remove the Windex residue and you’re set.
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