QuestionI have a 2001 Honda Shadow Sprit. I changing the handle bar to a drag bar. I can't remove the grip of the old bar. It seems to be glued on. Is there a secret to getting the grips off.
AnswerBarry, depending on what kind of workshop you have, I could tell you that mechanics often use compressed air and a small tipped nozzle to put air into the end of the grips, inflating them and then walking them off the ends.
Yes, they ARE glued on, otherwise they would rotate around on the ends of the bars. If you have no access to compressed air, remove the end cap and and put a very thin flat bladed screwdriver down between the grip and the bar. Push and turn it slowly and it will usually walk around the outside diameter of the bars, breaking the glue free from the bar end. NOTE! You will have to use some kind of grip glue to reinstall the grip again to make it hold. GasketCinch has worked for me in the past or try some kind of contact cement.
Once you get the bar ends off and the grips, look inside the ends of the bars... there are handlebar weights floating around inside, clipped to the very edge of the end of the bar. Pry them both out and install on your new bars, as long as there is sufficient length on your new bars.
As long as you are changing the bars, you can put new grips on too, then you can just cut the old ones off with a razor blade... :>)
Bill Silver
