Removing grips dilemma

Girl on Fire · Post by **Girl on Fire** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 8:51 pm

I have read a lot of the threads on this and still wonder how to do it without cutting the grips off or using wd-40.
I tried to pull and no luck. How do you get hairspray in the grip? Tube?

Would a can of compressed air be enough pressure to ease it off?

What do I need to watch out for when taking the throttle grip off?

Are the grips glued on from the factory?

Whimscootie · Post by **Whimscootie** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 2:35 pm

I never could get grips off myself. They're not like bicycle grips.

I would take mine to the shop if I needed a grip swap-out.

Perhaps someone else can respond to these questions.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 3:56 pm

Haispray or WD-40...use hairspray...is for putting the new grips on. The old ones...cut them off...you don't want them any more anyway do you?

Girl on Fire · Post by **Girl on Fire** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:18 pm

Will an air compressor work? I may be able to get my hands on one. My shop will charge $40 to change them out...

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:24 pm

Seriously...cut them off. If you take it to the shop they are going to...cut them off.

misterbrackets · Post by **misterbrackets** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:06 pm

BuddyRaton wrote:Seriously...cut them off. If you take it to the shop they are going to...cut them off.

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:15 pm

I have been told compressed air takes them right off, as if by magic.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:18 pm

I actually managed to get my stock Buddy grips off, but it took about an hour. I guess I hadn't 'committed' to the swap, so I was keeping the stock grips. Silly me. One swipe with a utility knife would have had them off in seconds.

I then used dish soap and a little water to get the new ones on. Make sure you get grips with the proper diameters: 7/8" for the left side, 1" for the throttle side. Otherwise you'll be there for a while trying to get a 7/8" grip onto the throttle tube. It _can_ be done with some grips, but it's not pleasant. I have some really cool Electra bicycle grips (followed Dalvarado's thread), but it took a while.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:22 pm

Compressed air will indeed help take a rubber grip off, but this only works if you can plug any leaks in the bar or the grip you're trying to remove. The stock Buddy grips don't have holes, so in order to blow off a grip, you've got to poke a hole in the opposite grip for your compressor nozzle, get the first grip off, then block up the hole you just poked while simultaneously trying to seal the compressor nozzle in that 7/8 bar you just exposed from the first grip removal. Takes two people or some creative hole-sealing.

Whimscootie · Post by **Whimscootie** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 8:49 pm

Girl on Fire wrote:Will an air compressor work? I may be able to get my hands on one. My shop will charge $40 to change them out...

That price seems mighty high to me...

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:50 pm

Whimscootie wrote:
Girl on Fire wrote:Will an air compressor work? I may be able to get my hands on one. My shop will charge $40 to change them out...
That price seems mighty high to me...

Actually seems reasonable to me. Figure everything a shop needs to stay open. A minimum half hour labor charge is a deal.

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 11:10 pm

BuddyRaton wrote:
Whimscootie wrote:
Girl on Fire wrote:Will an air compressor work? I may be able to get my hands on one. My shop will charge $40 to change them out...
That price seems mighty high to me...

Actually seems reasonable to me. Figure everything a shop needs to stay open. A minimum half hour labor charge is a deal.

Exactly! We all like to save money, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. At least you do have the alternative of acquiring the skills and tools to DIY. In contrast, we all spend a ton on medical services and are very unlikely to be attempting triple-bypasses on ourselves. Unless, that is, we've consumed enough liquid anesthesia beforehand.

Mechanics gotta eat too.

Girl on Fire · Post by **Girl on Fire** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 2:35 am

I'm going to try the air compressor this weekend. If that fails, I'll cut them off.
I bought stock buddy grips (brown) so I assume they will go on ok. Either by compressor or dish soap.
Kicker is, the scooter is an Oxford green 170i that I bought used and the previous owner switched the stock browns to black. Grr. I found a brown floor mat on ebay for $13 at least. Why didn't he leave well enough alone?

Did I mention it was sold with 6 miles on it?

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 2:42 am

But after all this, why not cut them off?

Girl on Fire · Post by **Girl on Fire** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 6:26 am

Syd wrote:But after all this, why not cut them off?

If I can save almost brand new grips, it'd be nice. If I can't, so be it.
I hate wasting things.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:31 am

Girl on Fire wrote:Why didn't he leave well enough alone?
Did I mention it was sold with 6 miles on it?

Well...even for those 6 miles it was their scooter so they did what they wanted to it. Post some photos after the swap...I think it's gona look nice!

Girl on Fire · Post by **Girl on Fire** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:52 am

Successfully changed out the grips without cutting them off! Air compressor was the magic wand.

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:00 am

Girl on Fire wrote:Successfully changed out the grips without cutting them off! Air compressor was the magic wand.

I have my moments.

AF1 Racing · Post by **AF1 Racing** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:07 pm

all we use is compressed air to remove them...just need to get the tip under the grip (either side) and it inflates the grip right off the bar.

good shot of brake cleaner down the new grip and slide it on...once it dries, its stuck there.

DaBinChe · Post by **DaBinChe** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:40 am

grips are like chinese finger traps taking them of is the same way...it's all in the technique, no need for any voodoo spray/air/tools. I've never meet a grip I couldn't take off nor a tire.