Suzuki GSX650F Forum - www.GSX650F.biz

Hi Guys,

I am interested in trying out grip puppies, so I have two questions :
1) I once bought some foam grips that fit on your bike the same way that other grips do. Is this what our US friends refer to as "Grip Puppies", or are Grip Puppies something designed specifically to fit over other grips.
2) Where do you get them in Aus? Everytime I order something from the US, the postage ends up being about 5 times more than the cost of the actual item.

Can answer 1/2 your question!
Yes, grip puppies slip on over existing grips.

Maybe if admin/mods allow could look into a group buy for the ozzy riders to reduce shipping from OS
But then would have to factor in cost and stuff around for shipping from your place to their place.

I'm not wanting a set but thought it might be an option for those that do

Grip puppies are just foam tubing with the right size internal diameter to fit snug over the existing grips. They have about an 1/8 inch thickness that adds another quarter inch overall to the grip. It also helps to dampen some vibration. If you want these, look for foam tubing that can handle UV rays.

I found this ebay link that I think sells in Australia:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Foam-Tubing---2- ... 5001r15671

I forget the diameter you need, but you want something that will just fit. They stretch a small amount, but not much. Hope this helps.

David

perhaps you could have a look at clark rubber or a place like that for foam/rubber tubing
don't forget you need to be sure that the tubing is stuck to the grip underneath really well. hate for it to come off or go really loose as your riding along.

I am really looking for a professionally made option, my bike is already barely held together with DIY solutions

I can't believe there is no ozzie importer for these things. Every American motorbike forum is always going on about them.

What if I were to buy some in the US and mail them to you? I can get them with free shipping for about $10 US. I don't know how much it would cost to mail them to you from the US...

http://www.casporttouring.com/store/mer ... Code=grips

About $11 via 1st class international mail. Isn't that ridiculous!

I would be glad to help out my Aussie buds. PM me and we can set it up for me to order them for you and mail them to you. No problem at all.

Just so you know, that foam tubing that I linked to is basically the same stuff. The "Grip Puppies" are just cut lengths of closed cell foam tubing. Nothing more. You can either pay more to have that shipped to AUS, or just find someone who supplies black closed cell foam tubing in your area and same a lot of money. I own some grip puppies and found out that it was the same foam tubing that I had purchased a few years ago for my hang glider base tube. However, the price was okay enough that I wasn't that worried about it. So don't feel like it's a DIY thing. Just trying to save you some money.

David

Thanks for all the advice and offers. Gecko, do you know what specs I should ask for? I might check out my local clarke rubber store. It would be handy if I could just say "I need this diameter of this type of foam".

I'm assuming the 650f has the 7/8 handlebars (I don't own one yet, so I'm not sure). Here are the specs of the website:

Made of CE (CPE/EPDM) Foam which is U.V., ozone and oxidation resistant.
CE Foam will not weaken or crack as a result of years of outdoor exposure.
Wall thickness is approximately .15 inches (you could go thicker if you wanted, but I think this is the standard thickness for foam tubing).
"A" dimension in picture is 5 inches. (note that this is the length. I would buy as much as you want to get and then trim as needed)
Fit over grips that are 1.25 to 1.45 inches in diameter. (note that you want a diameter that will fit snug so it doesn't slip, but don't go too small. I can't measure what the diameter of mine are now that they're on the handle bars, but I would say that it's probably 1.25")

As I said, the grip puppies aren't anything special. They just saw a market for the foam tubing and decided to sell it precut. They also kept the price reasonable enough that people wouldn't mind buying them. I hope that helps. Sorry about the english measurements. That's what was on the site. Good luck in your search. By the way, I found that they made an improvement on hand comfort on my Burgman. They do dampen vibration some and the extra thickness really makes it easier on the hand. Well worth doing.

David

Bars are 7/8

Wooah, this is where my thread went ! Everything looks different here. I dont know if I have ever been in this forum before !

Thanks for the research Gecko, I will see if anywhere local has the kind of tubing you are talking about. I am more comfortable talking about inches than millimetres (my dad is British, so Ilearned to do everything in pounds and inches )

No problem. Just would hate for you to pay so much for something so simple. I think the important things are that the foam is closed cell (won't absorb water like a sponge) and that it has some UV resistance. Good luck with the search.

David