Every dirtbike has grips on the handlebars so we can place our hands them and hang onto the motorcycle. A lot of modern grips are bolted on, meaning they are moulded to a plastic that fits over the handlebar which gets clamped to the bars. Older style grips are glued on and lock wired. Many standard grips are glued on with a super glue like these Yamaha grips, which makes them really difficult to remove. Here is the easiest way to get them off.

#1

Place the motorcycle on a sturdy stand so the bike cannot slip. You will be working with a very sharp blade so any slippages could be harmful to your fingers.

#2

Take a sharp Stanley knife or razor blade, preferably one with a brand new blade. Then start by slicing through the thick end of the handlebar grip. A sharp blade should slice through relatively easy but keep all fingers and extremities away in case you slip.

#3

Once you have cut through the thick end of the grip, continue along all the way to the end  of the grip until you have put a clean slice right through the top side of it.

#4

Once you have sliced the grip you can put the blade down and use your hands to peel the grip away from the handlebar. Starting at one end and continuing along until the entire grip is removed.

#5

Once you have removed the grip from one side you can go ahead and remove the grip from the other side using the exact same process.

#6

Once both grips are removed you can clean up the handlebar and get ready to fit a new set of grips.

Dos

  • Use a new razor blade.
  • Keep all fingers away from the razor blade.
  • Start at the thicker end of the grip and work down.

Don’ts

  • Cut towards yourself with the razor blade.
  • Put to much pressure on the blade or it will start to cut into the handlebar or throttle tube.
  • Be too rough with the razor blade. You do not want to slip and cut into any wires or cables.

Tools: Razor blade

Warning:

Operating a razor blade is always a dangerous act. Make sure you are careful and take your time.

What Grips To Use?

Glue-on grips have been around for centuries. They are perfectly fine if fitted correctly. They need to be glued on and then lock wired to prevent any movement. If you are not proficient in fitting this style of grip then maybe lock-on grips are for you.

Lock-on grips are more expensive but eliminate the need to do any gluing or lock wiring. Lock-on grips clamp to the handlebars so they stay in place and do not move. The throttle grip is all one piece so the throttle housing needs to be taken apart and the throttle cable hooked up when fitting.

Both styles of grip work fine when fitted correctly but they require different processes to fit.