Motorcycling, love, cold weather, heated handgrips and magic

It all began mid April 1997, when I installed myself a pair of electrically heated handgrips on my Kawasaki 454 LTD "chopper" 1988 motorcycle, bought 2nd hand one month before, fulfilling a youth dream and love since 30 years.

I was leaving on short notice to follow a therapist week-training halfway cold Holland and I intended to do the long trip with my newly acquired, black and chrome motorcycle. To keep it comfortable, I searched and found - just one day before leaving - a pair of heated handgrips and installed them right away, not aware I was going to make a stupid mistake...

 

The handgrips where dutifully installed with the wiring diagram in front of me! Unfortunately, in the frenzy of the last night before leaving for the weeklong training, I connected the wires and switch directly to the battery under the seat, instead of starting after the general switch (even not knowing where I could have connected it properly at that moment, having only one month of experience with the beautiful machine!!).

Anyway, when I realised myself that I made a mistake it was too late to change it. So, when using the grips, I would have to switch them off separately to avoid exhausting my battery and certainly NEVER, EVER forget it! All went well, I invited on the free evenings several charming ladies for my daily cycle "walk" in the neighbourhood and didn't once forget to properly switch it of each and every time in the cold April countryside.

During the next months, I didn't use the heated handgrips in the nice Spring weather and bothered myself not so much about them anymore. Than, at the occasion of the next maintenance of the motorcycle, 2 months later in June, I asked the busy Kawasaki dealer and shop owner to rewire as well the grips to the proper electrical connection point...

You must know this guy has ALWAYS way too much work and, unfortunately, he just did the regular check-up but didn't touch the electric grips... "No time" he said...!

My goodness, still nothing... At home, I checked it again and indeed, the grips where still in the old, "separated" way connected, as I did it previously, 2 months earlier...

My life was undergoing hectic changes that Summer. I was in the middle of the preparations of my move, busy changing my life fundamentally and restarting my old therapist job as well. A few weeks later I met a nice girlfriend, I moved, painted, decorated... my life exploded literally and I had a 1000 things on my mind. Mostly rather upbeat, interesting, loveable matters...!

My life was in those days a waterfall of energy, motivation, love... "in the flow".

The handgrips where completely forgotten in the lame-duck Belgian July weather, until one really freezing night on an evening trip... You know it was just plain COLD for the season (estimate 8 deg. C. - 40 deg. F) and I used the heated grips for more hand comfort.

I enjoyed myself in the cosy atmosphere at my favourite pub and afterwards, on the trip home, talked to myself repeatedly OUT-LOUD: "CERTAINLY NOT TO FORGET to switch off the grips manually when home or I would find my battery exhausted at the occasion of the next ride..."

... and, unfortunately, I did "forget" it... as future events would show!

Some days later, when going off for my next trip, I turned on the key switch and saw at the same time lighten up the green warning lamp of the grips as well! I did forget to switch off the grips a few days before and the switch had been active all the time, my battery was obviously NOT exhausted and the grips where now seemingly connected BEHIND the general key switch and I understood really nothing about it.