Emgo grips failed before they were even installed

cmyoch

cmyoch

XS650 Junkie
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I purchased a pair of Emgo Gran Turismo "Tittie" grips off ebay. The left side installed fine but the inside section of rubber tore and rolled up the inside of the grip for the throttle tube. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there another brand besides Emgo that I should have purchased? This is frustrating. At least there are several days of rain in the forecast so I won't be in a rush to hunt down a replacement.
 
I have a pair of genuine NOS titty grips that I got about 4 or 5 years ago on eBay. They said "titty" right on the package, and the packaging looked like it was from the 70s.
I very recently worked on a bike that the owner had just put the Emgo Gran Tourismo grips on. Compared to my genuine ones, the Emgos are styled the same, but are bigger in every dimension, and the rubber seems really spongy and cheap.
I looked at some ads, the Emgos are 5-1/4" long, whereas mine are 4-3/4" long. Knowing that, maybe you can find a pair of the original ones.
As for the rubber ripping when you installed yours, I usually use dish soap as a lubricant when I install grips, but if you use too much they will slide on the clutch side. On the clutch side the old school trick is to use spray paint as a lubricant, then when it dries the grips won't move.
 
I should have asked here about them before making the purchase. The seller offered to send a replacement grip to me so I'm happy about that. I can see though that the quality in rubber is to be desired. I'm not sure how happy I'd be in the long run.

I think I'll bite the bullet and look for a different brand GT grip. I like the style and feel, although I have yet to ride with them yet. I'll hunt around on ebay tonight and post my findings for your opinions before making a purchase.

Thanks guys!
 
"Back in the day" these also were known as barrel grips. They had a nice air space between the layers. I bought some knock off's this summer for my Bonneville. Nothing like the originals. Wish I had seen these first.
 
Put glue on the bar and stick zip ties to it. The length hanging off the end is roughly equal to the length of the grip.

LHam09.jpg


Slide the grip on. The zip ties act as a bearing so there is almost no friction. They also keep the grip from wiping off the glue.

LHam10.jpg


Pull the zip ties out one-by-one then give the grip a twist to evenly spread the glue.
 
I put them on with isopropyl alcohol. Pure shit, not pharmacy grade rubbing alcohol. The natural friction of the stretched rubber holds them in place when it dries, and no glue to clean up or clean off when you replace them. Put 4 sets on my SV this way, and they never slip. 4 sets because I wear them out. I wore out the foot pegs too. A daily driver's human interface points will wear out on a 70 mile commute in mixed conditions. A Sunday driver can take decades to trash this stuff! Shifter rubber is about toast right now, and need bushings in the levers and perches! She's only got 74K miles on her. Lol
 
Wow, I have always used compressed air to slide grips on....and nobody here is a golfer?

They make a double sided tape, wrap the handle bar, spray some water on it, slides right on and in a few hours, done. You will destroy the grip before is pulls off.
 
These are all awesome installation methods. I'm a compressed air guy myself. I have a basketball needle that is bent enough to fit under the grip perfectly. They pop right off.

BTW, I have the authentic grips from ebay on the way. If these fail, I have an eye on a pair at Dime City Cycles.
 
The old school grips showed up today. Hands down these grips are totally legit. The packaging was old and weathered but the grips were still supple and tacky on the inside. The quality of rubber is definitely a plus as well. Side by side comparison to the Emgo shows that the originals were a little shorter too.

These were well worth $13. I should purchase another set to sit in the drawer as a back up.
 

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The SHA-KE-DA's are copies as well, of the original Granturismos from Italy.
 
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