Harley Motorcycle Grips

There are a lot of things to consider when searching for the perfect set of grips for your motorcycle. There are three points where the rider contacts the motorcycle. The seat, floor boards / pegs, and the grips. With that in mind, the comfort of the grip should be a big consideration. Grips not only should feel comfortable when holding, they should also help isolate vibration from your hands. Excessive vibration can lead to rider fatigue, when can become a safety concern as well. The comfort of the grip often comes down to design, size and materials. The design and material is also important when it comes to grip. A grip that is slick will cause you to have to hold on too tight to maintain your grip. This can lead to hand cramps or loss of control of the motorcycle.

For many riders, the style of the grip is paramount. I suggest looking for a grip that fits the overall style of your motorcycle. As you add any accessory to your motorcycle, you want it to look like you planned it and didn't just randomly add things.

The next choice is heated or standard. I love heated grips. I can't say I know anyone that has them that doesn't love them. Obviously, heated grips add to the cost of the grip and greatly complicate the installation. Often, the choice of heated or not comes down to where you live and the type of weather you ride in. I usually do not turn on heated grips until the temperature dips into the thirties or if it is cool and raining. If you plan on riding in the twenties or below, get the heated grips, it's worth it.

The final consideration is durability. There are some great looking and comfortable grips on the market that wear quickly and look horrible after a few years of riding. Avon Air Cushions come to mind. I see a lot of used bikes with these grips and the texture of the rubber is always worn off. Like most things in the world of motorcycles there is a balance between comfort, durability and performance.

Below, we will check out a few offering from some of the tops names in the business!

• Arlen Ness

• Avon

• Performance Machine

Arlen Ness Motorcycle Grips

Arlen Ness started building custom bikes in the 60's. The company has been a family owned American company since 1970 and is known for making quality motorcycle accessories and they offer several great grip options.

Anodized Knurled Grips	Anodized Knurled Grips Arlen Ness Knurled style grips have a knurled rubber that provides great traction. There is not a lot of cushion, but I find them very comfortable. I love the look of these grips. They almost look metal. Most people have to touch the to see that they are rubber. They are very solid due to the anodized aluminum body and end cap. Check Fittment & Price
Arlen Ness Air Trax for Harley	Air Trax Grips For Harley Grippy is the name of the game with the Air Trax from Arlen Ness. They have a dirt bike tire tread pattern which adds a lot of grip. Some find the pattern a little aggressive. I always ride with gloves and find them comfortable. They have a motocross look to them, which has grown in popularity over the last few years. Check Fittment & Price

Avon

Avon specializes in motorcycle grips, though they do make a few other accessories as well. You can't have a discussion about grips without mentioning Avon. They are simply everywhere. I do not feel their quality is as good as some of the other competitors in this segment, but they are very affordable and they have a ton of options.

Avon Custom Contour Heated Grip	Avon Custom Contour Heated Grips For Harley Avon Custom Heated Grips are manufactured with Kraton rubber and Aluminum. They are contoured, which is to say they are thicker in the middle and taper down on both ends. Most riders find this to be more comfortable than a straight trip for longer rides. They are heated and offer a simple control with a high and low setting. They are available in black and chrome finishes. Installation is fairly easy, as heated grips go. Check Fitment & Price
Avon Memory Foam Grips For Harley	Avon Memory Foam Grips For Harley The Avon Memory Foam Grips are probably one of the most comfortable grips on the market. They are very "squishy"...It's the only word I could think to describe them. The memory foam does a great job of isolating vibration. They are comfortable and feel great with or without gloves. I've seen these on used bikes and the foam holds up well. If you are more of a long haul rider, this are worth a look. Check Fitment & Price
As I mentioned earlier, Avon offers a ton of styles. At the time of this article, there were 56 available options!	Explore Avon Grips

Performance Machine

For over 50 years, Performance Machine has built high quality motorcycle performance parts and accessories. Performance Machine has its roots in custom built parts for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Though their focus is on customization and building a truly unique machine, quality is the bed rock of the company. Their grips are more high end than their competitors and that is reflected in the price, but as they say, you get what you pay for.

Performance Machine Contour Grip	Performance Machine Contour Grips For Harley These grips are made from machined billet and are wrapped in a knurled rubber. One of the things I love about these grips is that the rubber can be replaced without having to replace the entire grip. This is a contoured trip, so it does taper down toward both ends. This makes for a comfortable and natural grip. Check Fitment & Price
Performance Machine XLS Grips For Harley	Performance Machine XLS Grips For Harley These solid billet Aluminum grips are wrapped in knurled rubber. This is a banded grip. The metal bands offer a level of detail not often found in grips. I find the texture very comfortable and grippy. They are available in both a chrome and black finish and get great customer reviews. Check Fitment & Price