Search this topic and you land on forum threads, not articles. The titles tell you what people
are actually asking: best grips for long rides, most comfortable grips, best
grips for vibration reduction. Nobody is shopping for grips because the old ones wore out. They
are shopping because their hands go numb at the ninety-minute mark and they want it to stop.
That is a solvable problem, partly. But before any of it matters there is a question that decides
whether the grips you order will physically fit your motorcycle, and it is the single most expensive
mistake in this category.
Your Harley has either a cable throttle or an electronic one, and grips are made in two
separate versions. The listings look identical. Same photograph, same price, sometimes the
same product name with three letters different in the part number. Order the wrong one and you have
a box of grips that will not go on your bike. One of the products in this guide carries Amazon’s own
warning label: frequently returned due to compatibility issues.
So this guide starts there, then deals with the numbness question honestly – including the
uncomfortable finding that for some riders the grips were never the cause – and then covers 17
products, checked page by page, with the throttle compatibility of each stated plainly.
#1 Pick: Best Hand Grips for Harley-Davidson
Kuryakyn 6228 Premium ISO Grips with Throttle Boss
Rubber isolation plus a matching throttle assist – it attacks vibration and grip force together, which are the two separate causes of numb hands. Sold in both cable and electronic versions, so choose the one that matches your throttle.
The top best product [hide]
Cable or throttle-by-wire? Answer this before you shop
Harley moved from a cable-operated throttle to electronic throttle control across its range over
several model years, and the right grip on a Harley depends on which one you have. On a cable bike
the right grip is a simple tube that turns a spool and pulls a cable. On an electronic bike the right
grip is part of a sensor assembly, and the geometry is different.
How to check in ten seconds
Do not rely on a compatibility chart and do not guess from the model year. Look at the bike.
- Look at the right switch housing and follow what comes out of it. If two cables
run from the right side of the handlebar down toward the engine, you have a cable throttle. If there
are only electrical wires and no cables, you have throttle-by-wire. - Roll the throttle with the engine off and the ignition off. A cable throttle
usually feels mechanical and slightly notchy, with cable drag. An electronic one feels smooth and
spring-loaded with no cable friction at all. - When in doubt, look up your VIN with a dealer before ordering, or buy something
that fits over the existing grip instead – see below.
The market is split into two identical-looking product lines
Once you know which you have, the shopping problem becomes obvious. Nearly every serious brand
sells the same grip twice:
| Brand | Cable version | Electronic (ETC / fly-by-wire) version |
|---|---|---|
| Kuryakyn ISO | 6320 – Dual Cable Throttle | 6321 – Electronic Throttle Control |
| Avon Air Cushion | AIR-90-ANO | AIR-90-ANO-FLY |
| Arlen Ness Fusion | Cable variant | Separate ETC variant |
| Benlari | Cable SKU | Separate ETC SKU |
Same photograph in the listing. Same price. The difference lives in one line of the description.
What it looks like when it goes wrong
The one-star reviews in this category are almost all the same review. An Avon buyer: “Order by
description, not picture shown. Thought I was getting grips for cable, not fly by wire grips. Have to
return now.” A Kuryakyn 6320 buyer: “The description of the product was incorrect and now it
doesn’t fit my bike and I’m stuck with these useless grips.”
An Arlen Ness owner who got it right leaves the warning for everyone else: make sure you choose
the correct model for cables or electric.
Watch for model exclusions inside the right version
Getting the throttle type right is not always the end of it. Two separate ETC products in this
guide – the Kuryakyn 6321 and the HEYOMOTOR grips – both specifically exclude the 2018 to 2019
FLTRXSE, the CVO Road Glide. Read the exclusion line, not just the headline fitment.
The way to sidestep the question entirely
If any of this is uncertain, buy something that goes over the grip you already
have. Foam sleeves, Grip Puppy covers and the Kuryakyn clamshell all slide onto the stock grip and do
not care what is underneath. No throttle type to match, no adhesive, nothing to return. For a lot of
riders with a 2008-onward Touring bike, that is the sensible first purchase – and if it fixes the
numbness for $24, the question of which $110 grips to buy never comes up.
Why your hands go numb – and what grips can actually do about it
Grips help. They do not cure. The honest reviews in this category are unusually clear about the
distinction, and it is worth taking seriously before spending a hundred dollars.
A Street Glide owner on Kuryakyn ISO grips: “The rubberized bumps soak up most of the Harley
vibration so I can go farther before my hands start to go numb.” Farther. Not never.
A Grip Puppy owner: “They don’t eliminate numb hands, but I can ride much farther in
comfort.”
That is the realistic outcome, and both of those are positive reviews from satisfied buyers.
Three different causes, and grips only address one and a half
Vibration. This is the one grips are built for. A rubber-isolated or air-cushioned
grip puts a compliant layer between the handlebar and your palm. On an engine that shakes – and a
Shovelhead owner in these reviews confirms even plain rubber helps there – that is a real reduction
in what reaches the nerves in your hand.
Grip force. Underrated, and possibly the bigger factor. Squeezing a thin grip for
an hour restricts blood flow and fatigues the muscles in your forearm. A thicker grip lets you hold
the bar with less clamping force. A Heritage 114 owner explains the mechanism exactly: “Since I’m
not having to squeeze the grip my hand never gets tired, even on long rides.” Note what he
credits – not the rubber, but not having to squeeze. A throttle assist that takes the load off your
wrist on the highway does the same job for less money.
Posture and weight on your hands. This one grips cannot fix, and it is where the
most instructive review in this whole category comes from. A rider dealing with swollen palms worked
out that the cause was his riding position and the weight of his upper body pressing through the
bars. He removed the Grip Puppies, fitted bar risers to change the reach, and the problem went away
completely. He also reports that the thicker grips had given him a new strain in his wrists.
What that means for you
If your hands go numb, ask which one it is before you buy:
- Numbness that builds gradually with engine speed, worse at highway rpm, better
when you shift or slow down – that is vibration. Isolated grips are the right answer. - Aching, tired hands and forearms, relief when you shake your hand out – that is
grip force. A thicker grip and a throttle assist will help more than isolation will. - Numbness with pressure in the heel of your palm, worse when you lean forward,
better when you sit up – that is weight through your hands. New grips will not fix it. Bar risers,
a different bar bend, or a backrest that changes how you sit will. - Numbness in specific fingers, or that persists after you park – that is a nerve
issue and belongs with a doctor. One owner in these reviews with carpal tunnel and cervical
radiculopathy bought the best isolated grips available and reports honestly: “I haven’t noticed
much relief yet.” That is not a product failure. It is the wrong tool for the problem.
Four ways grips deal with vibration – and one that does not
Rubber isolation (Kuryakyn ISO)
The engineered approach. The grip body is mounted to the handlebar through rubber elements, so
metal never touches metal, and air pockets sit under the contact surface. That is a genuine
mechanical isolator rather than a soft cover – and it is why these cost three to five times what a
plain rubber grip costs.
Air cushion (Avon)
Sealed air chambers moulded inside a solid rubber grip. Different mechanism, same objective: the
palm never rests directly on a rigid surface. The practical bonus with Avon is installation – see the
adhesive section, because they are the ones that mostly skip the glue.
Foam covers and sleeves (Grip Puppy and similar)
The cheapest thing on this page and the highest-reviewed by a wide margin. It is a foam tube that
goes over your existing grip. It adds diameter and a compliant layer, does nothing about metal-to-metal
transmission, and works better than the price suggests. Crucially it is throttle-type agnostic.
Heated grips
A separate category with a physical conflict at its heart – covered below.
Machined aluminium – the one that does not
CNC billet grips look superb and isolate nothing. Metal bolted to metal, with a thin rubber or
knurled contact surface at best. If your reason for buying grips is numbness, aluminium grips are the
wrong purchase no matter how good they look – and they carry a safety issue covered further down.
Thickness: bigger is not automatically better
The conventional advice is that a thicker grip reduces the force you need to hold on, and that is
true. It is not the whole story.
A grip that is too large for your hand forces your fingers into a straighter position and moves the
strain into the wrist. The rider quoted earlier who fixed his numbness with bar risers found that his
oversized grips had introduced a wrist problem that was not there before. Larger hands and long rides
benefit from more diameter; smaller hands often do better on a moderate grip plus a throttle assist.
Rough guidance
- Small hands, or any history of wrist trouble: stay close to stock diameter. Solve
comfort with isolation and a throttle assist, not bulk. - Average hands, long highway days: a modest increase – a standard foam cover or a
standard ISO grip – is the sweet spot. - Large hands, or gloves in winter: the oversized options exist for you, and this
is where the biggest covers earn their keep. - Test before committing: a $24 foam cover tells you within one ride whether more
diameter helps you or hurts you. That is cheap information before a $110 purchase.
Length matters too, and nobody mentions it
Grips vary in length and your switch housings do not move easily. One product in this guide runs
about half an inch longer than stock, and the owner had to reposition the switch housings to fit it.
Another runs shorter, leaving a visible gap between the grip and the housing. Neither is a defect –
but check the stated length against what you have if the finished look matters to you.
Heated grips: the trade-off nobody explains
Heated grips and vibration-isolating grips want opposite things, and you cannot have both in full
measure from a single grip.
To get heat into your hand, the grip wall has to be thin and conductive. To isolate vibration, the
grip wall has to be thick and compliant. A grip that is good at one is compromised at the other. A
BikeMaster heated grip owner puts it plainly: “The grip is a little hard and it transmits a little
more vibration.” That is the physics, not a manufacturing fault.
Three ways to get heated hands
- Replacement heated grips. One grip does both jobs, compromised on comfort. Also
the most involved installation – this is wiring, not gluing. A Kuryakyn heated grip listing is blunt:
not a plug and play. You will be finding a switched power source yourself, and on some kits
the cables route outside the handlebar rather than through it. - A clamshell heater over existing grips. Wraps around whatever you already have.
The comfort of your current grips is untouched and there is no throttle-type question at all. - Heated gloves. Not in this guide, but worth saying: they heat your whole hand
rather than one contact patch, they move between bikes, and they leave your grip choice free. If
vibration is your main problem and cold is secondary, this is often the better split.
A note on electrical load
Heated grips draw current continuously. On a bike that is already running heated gear, extra
lighting and an audio system, add it up against what the charging system produces at idle rather than
at cruise. A long stop-and-go commute in winter is exactly the condition where a marginal charging
system leaves you with a flat battery.
Installation: the glue, the left side, and the instructions
Fitting grips is not difficult, but there are three things that catch people out and all of them
are avoidable if you know in advance.
1. The adhesive grabs instantly
Kuryakyn supplies its Black Widow adhesive and it is not forgiving. An owner: “Once you stop
moving it, it will instantly bond.” There is no sliding it into place and adjusting it
afterwards.
The protocol that works:
- Dry fit first with no adhesive at all. Push the grip fully home.
- Mark the final position – a chalk or marker line across the bar onto the grip, so you know when it
is seated. - Remove the grip, clean the bar of every trace of old adhesive, and let it dry.
- Apply the adhesive, then push and twist the grip on in one continuous movement until your mark
lines up. Do not stop halfway to check. - Check the adhesive before you start – one buyer opened the tube to find it already hardened.
2. The left side is the hard one
Every complaint about difficulty in these reviews is about the clutch side. “Installing the
left side was nearly impossible without a second pair of hands.” Plan for two people, or plan for
patience.
3. The supplied instructions are frequently inadequate
This comes up brand after brand. On the Kuryakyn 6321: “Provided instructions are not
complete. Be sure to read the service manual – you must wedge in a spacer on the brake-side lever
before loosening everything up.” On the Avon grips, a five-star review: “Great product.
Instructions suck.” Most owners end up on YouTube. Watch a video for your specific model before
you start rather than halfway through.
The glue-free options
Avon is the notable exception here: the clutch-side grip has a ring that is captured under the
switch housing, so it is held mechanically rather than glued. An owner rates that as the best feature
of the product: “I love that the clutch side has a ring so that the grip can be held in by the
switch housing and not have to be glued.” Some machined grips use a locking clamp for the same
reason.
The flip side: cheap grips that rely on friction alone do not stay put. Owners of two budget
products in this guide report the left grip constantly rotating and sliding, and in one case a worry
that it could come off entirely. If a grip is not glued and not mechanically locked, it is going to
move.
Fitting foam covers
Different problem – not adhesive, just getting a tight sleeve over a grip. As one owner put it,
it is a pain, and the compressed-air method is the answer. What works:
- Pinch the far end of the cover shut and blow compressed air into it to expand it as you push.
- Soapy water – about a teaspoon of dish soap in a cup – as a lubricant that dries away and leaves
grip. - Cable ties slipped under the cover as spacers, then pulled out once it is positioned.
And one mandatory check afterwards, which the same owner flags: make sure the cover has not
created drag against the throttle housing. The throttle must snap fully closed on its own.
The safety check everyone skips
This section exists because of a specific failure that turns up in these reviews more than once,
on more than one product, and it is not cosmetic.
A grip that binds against the throttle housing can hold the throttle open. An Iron
883 owner describes it on a machined aluminium set: the throttle had a tendency to stick, and in his
own words one could quite easily wreck if caught by surprise. He fixed it by sanding the grip,
lubricating and adjusting the cable. A buyer of a different aluminium grip reports the identical
problem and the identical fix.
It happens because a metal grip has less clearance than a rubber one, or because a foam cover is
pushed too far inboard and rubs the housing.
Before you ride, every time you change grips
- With the engine off, roll the throttle fully open and let go. It must snap closed on its own,
briskly, with no hesitation. - Do it again with the handlebars turned fully left, then fully right. Cable routing changes with
steering and a marginal setup binds only at full lock. - Check there is a visible gap between the grip and the switch housing – the grip must not be
rubbing. - Start the engine and repeat the snap-closed test at idle, standing still, before you go anywhere.
- If it hangs at all: stop. Adjust the position, check for rubbing, or check the cable free play.
Do not ride it and see how it goes.
Eight ways this purchase goes wrong
- Ordering from the photo instead of the description. Cable and electronic versions
look identical in the listing image. Read the text. - Assuming your model year tells you the throttle type. Look at the bike – cables
or wires. - Missing a model exclusion. Two ETC products here specifically exclude the
2018-2019 CVO Road Glide. The exclusion line is below the headline fitment. - Buying $110 grips to fix a posture problem. If the numbness is weight through
your palms, risers will fix it and grips will not. - Going as thick as possible. Too large moves the strain into your wrist.
- Applying the adhesive before dry fitting. It bonds the moment you stop moving.
There is no second attempt. - Expecting heated grips to also isolate vibration. Thin conductive wall or thick
compliant wall – pick one, or run a clamshell over comfortable grips. - Not testing the throttle snap-back. A grip that binds the housing is a genuine
hazard, and it takes ten seconds to check.
17 grips, with throttle compatibility stated
Every product below was checked on its own listing: price, rating, review count, bar diameter,
throttle compatibility, and what owners complain about. Where a product exists in both cable and
electronic versions, that is noted – buy the one that matches your bike.
Prices were accurate when we checked and move around; use the links for current pricing.
Comfort and vibration-isolating grips
The engineered solutions: rubber isolation or sealed air chambers between your palm and the
handlebar. The most effective category for genuine vibration numbness, and the most expensive.
Check the throttle type on every one of these.
Kuryakyn 6321 Premium ISO Grips - Electronic Throttle
Type: rubber-isolated comfort grips. 1 inch bars. ELECTRONIC THROTTLE (throttle-by-wire) only. Black Widow adhesive included. Around $109.99.
Fits: 2008-2019 Harley with electronic throttle control. EXCLUDES 2018-2019 FLTRXSE (CVO Road Glide). If your bike has throttle cables, you need the 6320 instead.
Rating: 4.7 / 5 from 551 ratings
The reference product for vibration isolation on a throttle-by-wire Harley. Rubber pads are mounted so they are isolated from the handlebar itself, with recesses between them that let air through – which owners note also gives some relief from engine and exhaust heat, a real consideration on a bagger in traffic.
The most instructive owner report explains a mechanism most listings never mention. A Heritage Classic 114 rider: “Since I’m not having to squeeze the grip my hand never gets tired, even on long rides.” The benefit is not only the rubber – it is that a fuller grip lets you hold on without clamping.
Two things to sort out before you start. The supplied adhesive bonds the instant you stop moving the grip, and several owners report a botched clutch-side install because they paused halfway. Dry fit, mark the position, then commit in one push.
And the instructions are incomplete. One owner had to go to the service manual to learn he needed to wedge a spacer into the brake-side lever before loosening everything. Watch a video for your model first.
What owners say: “Since I’m not having to squeeze the grip my hand never gets tired, even on long rides. – RockingCPA, 2019 Softail Heritage Classic 114”
Kuryakyn 6320 Premium ISO Grips - Dual Cable Throttle
Type: rubber-isolated comfort grips. 1 inch bars. CABLE THROTTLE only. Adhesive included. Around $110.99.
Fits: 1982-2019 Harley with dual cable throttle control, excluding Street models. If your bike has no throttle cables, you need the 6321 instead.
Rating: 4.6 / 5 from 128 ratings
The same ISO construction as the 6321, built for the cable throttle bikes – which means everything from an FXR through to a pre-electronic Touring model. The 1982 start date is the useful part: there is not much else on the market that addresses vibration properly on an older Harley.
An FXRS owner captures what the upgrade feels like on a bike that has always buzzed: the comfort and vibration damping is fantastic, and the feel compared with the originals is night and day.
The removable end caps matter on older machines with air reservoir handlebars, which many grips simply will not clear.
Two cautions. The adhesive on the clutch side sets extremely fast – an owner warns you have to get that grip on and in position rapidly. And this listing is the one that generates the category’s most common one-star review, from buyers who own a throttle-by-wire bike and ordered from the photograph: “now it doesn’t fit my bike and I’m stuck with these useless grips.” Check your throttle before you click buy.
What owners say: “The comfort and vibration dampening is fantastic. The feel of these grips compared to the originals, is night and day. – SC, 1993 Harley FXRS”
Kuryakyn 6228 Premium ISO Grips with Throttle Boss
Type: rubber-isolated comfort grips plus throttle assist. 1 inch bars. Sold in both electronic and dual-cable versions – choose at checkout. Around $127.99.
Fits: 2008-2019 Harley with electronic throttle control in the ETC version; a dual cable option is selectable. Confirm the version at checkout, not from the photo.
Rating: 4.8 / 5 from 481 ratings
The same ISO grips with a matching Throttle Boss included – a throttle assist that rests against the heel of your hand so you can hold speed without gripping. That combination is the most complete answer to hand fatigue on this page, because it attacks vibration and grip force at the same time, which are two different causes of numb hands.
The owner quote here is the honest benchmark for the whole category: “The rubberized bumps soak up most of the Harley vibration so I can go farther before my hands start to go numb.” Farther, not never. That is what good grips deliver.
Chrome-plated aluminium housings with EPDM rubber inserts, and removable end caps for air reservoir bars.
The drawbacks are the family ones plus one of its own. The left side is genuinely hard to fit alone – one owner calls it nearly impossible without a second pair of hands. The supplied adhesive can arrive already hardened in the tube, so check it before you start. And some owners find the throttle grip a little loose where it meets the switch cluster.
What owners say: “The rubberized bumps soak up most of the Harley vibration so I can go farther before my hands start to go numb. – SmartAleck73, Street Glide”
Avon Contour-Air Cushioned Grips - Fly By Wire
Type: air cushion comfort grips. 1 inch bars, 1.625 inch OD. FLY-BY-WIRE (electronic throttle) version. No adhesive required. Made in USA. Around $65.03.
Fits: 1981-onward Harley models, fly-by-wire throttle side. The cable version is a separate part number – order by description, not by the photograph.
Rating: 4.4 / 5 from 213 ratings
A different mechanism to Kuryakyn’s and half the price: three ring-shaped air chambers moulded inside a seamless rubber grip. Seamless matters more than it sounds – there is no moulding seam pressing into your palm on hour four.
The genuine advantage is installation. The clutch side has an extended sleeve captured under the switch housing, so it is held mechanically and needs no adhesive at all. Given that glue is the single biggest source of grief in this category, that is worth real money.
A Tri Glide owner describes a side benefit of the shape: he can rest his hand on top of the grip and the throttle stays put, which takes the load off on a long highway stretch.
Three warnings. This exact listing is the fly-by-wire one, and the Avon line generates the classic ordering mistake – “Order by description, not picture shown. Thought I was getting grips for cable.” The printed instructions are poor enough that a five-star reviewer says so outright. And the clutch-side collar has a left and a right and must be clocked correctly or it will not seat.
What owners say: “Love the grip, these make it very easy to simply rest my hand on top of the grip and have the throttle stay in place. – Erik, 2019 Tri Glide”
Avon AIR-90-ANO Air Cushion Grips - Cable Throttle
Type: air cushion comfort grips. 1 inch bars. CABLE THROTTLE version. No adhesive on the clutch side. Made in USA. Around $62.72.
Fits: 1981-onward Harley models with a cable throttle. The fly-by-wire version is a separate part number.
Rating: 4.6 / 5 from 112 ratings
The cable-throttle sibling, and the better-rated of the two Avon listings. Same three-ring air cushion construction, same seamless rubber, same switch-housing retention that means no glue on the clutch side.
The rubber compound stays tacky, and owners report it grips well through gloves – which is the practical test.
The owner comment worth reading is about what it replaces. An Electra Glide Classic rider on original grips had been forced to wear gloves just to ride, and reports liking these more the longer he uses them. On an older Harley that has never had anything but hard factory rubber, this is a large change for sixty dollars.
Honest limits: it is a lot of money for a rubber grip and buyers say so, some question how long soft tacky rubber will last, and roughly one rating in twenty is a single star – most of those being the throttle-type ordering mistake that runs through this entire category. Confirm you have cables before ordering this part number.
What owners say: “Pretty sure the grips on it were the original, I had to wear gloves when I rode. Seems the more I use them, the more I like them. – Joel Harmon, 2003 Electra Glide Classic”
Classic rubber and styled grips
Plain rubber still helps – even a Shovelhead owner in these reviews says so – and this is where
the money makes sense if your bike does not shake much or if looks are the point. The machined
aluminium options isolate nothing at all: read the safety section before fitting any of them.
ODI Vans Cult Street Grips, 1 inch
Type: plain rubber slide-on grips. 1 inch version for Harley (also sold in 7/8 inch). Single-ply soft rubber. Around $19.
Fits: universal 1 inch handlebars – Harley Touring, Softail, Sportster, Shovelhead and customs. No internal throttle mechanism, so throttle type is not an issue.
Rating: 4.8 / 5 from 1,611 ratings
The cheapest real-brand option here and the highest-rated plain rubber grip, with the Vans waffle pattern that suits a bobber or a custom far better than billet ever will.
The most useful review comes from the harshest possible test bed. A Shovelhead owner: “Anybody who owns a Shovelhead know they vibrate a lot. Even with the vibration these were great. No slipping of the hands, gloved or not gloved.” If plain soft rubber survives a Shovelhead, it will do something useful on your Twin Cam.
They slide on, so there is no throttle tube to match and no compatibility question to get wrong – which makes them a safe purchase in a category full of expensive mistakes.
Two limits to be clear about. There is no isolator inside, so a rider with serious vibration numbness will not get ISO-grip results from a $19 sleeve. And durability is the recurring complaint: soft rubber wears, and Amazon’s own review summary notes that some owners report them falling apart too quickly, particularly on the throttle side.
What owners say: “Anybody who owns a Shovelhead know they vibrate a lot. Even with the vibration these were great. – WTFOver, Harley Shovelhead”
Arlen Ness Fusion Knurled Grips
Type: billet and rubber styled grips. 1 inch Harley bars. Sold in both cable and electronic throttle versions. Grip glue and pre-lubed throttle tube included. Around $62.95.
Fits: Harley 1 inch bars. You must select the cable or electronic version yourself – an owner’s own advice is to make sure you choose the correct model for cables or electric.
Rating: 4.6 / 5 from 533 ratings
The styling choice that does not abandon function. Billet aluminium inner collars and end caps with a firm linear knurled rubber surface that bites into gloves – a Nightster owner describes the rubber as super firm and giving maximum grip, comfortable with gloves or bare hands.
What lifts it above the other styled options is the box contents: grip glue and a pre-lubricated throttle tube are both included, which are exactly the two things people end up buying separately after they start the job.
The Fusion is one of a family – Arlen Ness also does versions with air cushion thumb pads and integrated air pillows, so if the look suits you there is a more comfort-oriented variant to look at.
Watch three things. You choose the throttle version yourself and getting it wrong is on you. The cable-end slots can arrive with moulding flash that needs trimming with a knife, and one owner found the cable holes undersized. And the left grip can sit slightly short, leaving a small gap at the switch housing.
What owners say: “The rubber is super firm (feels super high quality) and creates maximum grip. Comfortable with gloves or bear skin. – Frederick, Harley Nightster”
Benlari 1 inch Handlebar Grips - Cable Throttle
Type: CNC aluminium grips with rubber inserts. 1 inch (25mm) bore. CABLE THROTTLE only. Set-screw retention on the clutch side. Around $22.99.
Fits: Harley Touring 2000-2007, Sportster 883/1200/48 1996-2021, Softail 1996-2021 with exclusions. Not for 1.25 inch bars. Read the safety section before fitting any metal grip.
Rating: 4.1 / 5 from 791 ratings
The volume budget option, and the one that best illustrates why this guide has a safety section.
An Iron 883 owner writes the sentence that should be in every metal grip listing: “Throttle side has a functionality issue, of which all metal grips seem to be plagued – which is the tendency for the throttle to stick.” He goes on to say that one could quite easily wreck if caught by surprise. He fixed it by grinding the grip, lubricating the contact point and re-tensioning the cable. That is a real fix, but it is also work you did not expect to do.
To its credit the listing carries a detailed model-by-model fitment list with explicit exclusions, which is more than most budget sellers manage, and the seller honours warranty claims.
But solid aluminium means no isolation whatsoever – metal against metal – so this is a looks purchase, not a comfort one. Owners also report the clutch side twisting in its rubber and set screws stripping. At 4.1 it is the lowest-rated product in this guide, and that rating is earned honestly.
What owners say: “Throttle side has a functionality issue, of which all metal grips seem to be plagued – which is the tendency for the throttle to stick. – Harrison M., 2019 Iron 883”
i5 Chrome Skull Hand Grips
Type: chrome and rubber styling grips. 1 inch bars only – will not fit 1.25 inch. CABLE THROTTLE only, stated in the listing bullets. About 6 inches long. Around $34.95.
Fits: cable-throttle Harleys across Sportster, Softail, Dyna, Road King, Electra Glide and Touring. The listing states plainly that it will not fit throttle-by-wire.
Rating: 4.5 / 5 from 205 ratings
The classic skull grip for a bobber or a custom, in real metal and rubber rather than plastic – and notable for one thing the rest of this category should copy: the listing says outright in its bullet points that it will not fit throttle-by-wire. That honesty is rarer than it should be.
If the look is what you are after, this is the segment standard at a sensible price.
The thing to check before ordering is length. These run about half an inch longer than stock, and an owner had to move his handlebar switch housings up the bar to get the grips to seat properly. That is not difficult, but it is an extra step and on some bikes the wiring does not have much slack.
Other reported issues: the clutch-side grip can arrive loose on the bar and need shimming or glue, chrome quality control is inconsistent on the end caps, and there are scattered fitment misses where the marketplace data said it fits and it did not. As with any styling grip, expect nothing in the way of vibration isolation.
What owners say: “Compared to the original, they are about 1/2 inch longer. Had to move my handlebar controls up to get the grips to bottom. – Guillermo B.”
Heated grips
Remember the trade-off: a wall thin enough to conduct heat is a wall too thin to isolate
vibration. The clamshell option avoids the compromise entirely by going over grips you already like,
and it sidesteps the throttle-type question as well.
Kuryakyn 6781 ISO Grip Covers for Heated Grips
Type: two-piece clamshell ISO covers that clamp OVER factory heated grips. 1 inch Harley bars. No wiring, no throttle-type question. Around $167.99.
Fits: 2010-2020 FLHTK Electra Glide Ultra Limited, 2020 FLTRK Road Glide Limited, and 2008-2020 Touring models or Trikes fitted with factory heated grips.
Rating: 4.5 / 5 from 126 ratings
The elegant solution to the heat-versus-vibration conflict, at least in principle: it clamps over the factory heated grips you already have, adds Kuryakyn’s ISO air-pocket damping on top, and leaves the heaters and their control knob working. No wiring, no feeding cables through the handlebar, and no cable-versus-electronic question because it never touches the throttle tube.
An Ultra Limited owner picks exactly that reason: he did not want to buy new Harley heated grips and feed the wires through the handlebar, and the install was very simple.
Here is the honest problem, and it is the physics this article warned about. Putting an insulating layer over a heated grip insulates the heat too. The same review section contains the verdict: “When using the heated grips, it’s almost non-existent… I put it on level 6 and on a 35 minute commute, it doesn’t even feel like it’s on.”
So it is a genuine choice, not a free win. Vibration damping on a heated bike, at the cost of most of the heat. The same owner also reported paint bubbling on the right grip and the temperature knob stiffening over time, and opinion divides on the added diameter.
What owners say: “I put it on level 6 and on a 35 minute commute, it doesn’t even feel like it’s on. – verified purchase, on the heat loss”
Kuryakyn 6470 Heated ISO Grips - Electronic Throttle
Type: heated grips with ISO air reservoir damping. 1 inch bars. ELECTRONIC THROTTLE version. Five heat levels, low-battery shut-off. Around $311.99.
Fits: 2008-2020 Harley with electronic throttle control. EXCLUDES 2018-2019 FLTRXSE. This is a wiring job, not a glue job.
Rating: 4.2 / 5 from 26 ratings
The only product here that attempts heat and isolation in a single grip, using Kuryakyn’s ISO air reservoir technology with EPDM rubber inserts. Five heat levels controlled from a switch on the clutch grip, and a low-battery cut-out that is meant to stop it flattening your battery.
Set expectations on both counts. An Electra Glide Classic owner: “Not as hot as the OEM but they are hot enough for 30 degree riding.” Warm enough to ride in cold weather, not as fierce as factory heated grips – which is exactly the compromise the physics predicts.
The installation is the real consideration. The listing is blunt that this is not plug and play: you find a switched power source yourself, and on this kit the cables run outside the handlebar rather than through it, which some owners dislike aesthetically.
Two more honest points. The advertised automatic shut-off has failed for at least one owner, who reports having to jump-start his battery after the grips stayed on. And at 26 ratings there is very little evidence either way, on a $312 product.
What owners say: “Not as hot as the OEM but they are hot enough for 30 degree riding. The cables run on the outside of the bars. – Mrpauljwolf, 2015 Electra Glide Classic”
BikeMaster Heated Grips with LCD Voltage Display
Type: heated grips with LCD controller. 7/8 INCH BARS ONLY – will not fit a stock Harley 1 inch handlebar. Five heat levels plus live battery voltage. Around $98.99.
Does NOT fit a stock Harley bar. Included here as the contrast case: most inexpensive universal heated grip kits are 7/8 inch, which is the metric standard, not Harley’s 1 inch.
Rating: 4.2 / 5 from 132 ratings
This one is in the guide as a warning rather than a recommendation, because it is exactly the product a Harley owner buys by accident. It is a well-specified heated grip kit at a third of the Kuryakyn price – five heat levels, a rapid heat mode, an in-line fuse, sealed connectors and an LCD that shows live battery voltage, which is genuinely useful information when you are running heaters.
And it is 7/8 inch. It will not go on a Harley handlebar. Most cheap universal heated grip kits on the market are 7/8 inch because that is the standard on almost every other brand of motorcycle. Harley uses 1 inch. Check the bar diameter before the price.
It also demonstrates the heat-versus-comfort conflict in one owner’s sentence: “The grip is a little hard and it transmits a little more vibration.” That is not a fault. That is what a thin conductive wall does.
Other reported issues, if you own a 7/8 inch bike: the supplied super glue is widely criticised as poor and irreversible, the harness is too short to reach the battery on many bikes, and the crimp connectors are undersized.
What owners say: “The grip is a little hard and it transmits a little more vibration but it hasn’t really bothered me so far. – Mkimny”
Grip covers and foam sleeves
The cheapest and most-reviewed products in this guide, and the smart first purchase. They fit over
your existing grips, so cable or electronic throttle makes no difference, there is nothing to glue
and nothing to return. If a $24 cover fixes the numbness, the rest of this page is academic.
One sizing trap, and it catches a lot of Harley owners. The famous Grip Puppy
with over 6,000 ratings is the Original, and its own listing says it fits most motorcycles
except Harley-Davidson, Indian and other heavy cruisers. Harley bars are 1 inch, and the
correct product is the Big Paw. Buying the more popular one because it has more
reviews is the mistake here.
Grip Puppy Big Paw Comfort Overgrips - 1 inch
Type: closed-cell foam over-grip. THIS is the Harley 1 inch version – fits over grips with an outside diameter of 1.45 to 1.65 inch. No adhesive, no tools. Around $24.99.
Fits: Harley, Indian and other heavy cruisers with 1 inch bars. Works over heated grips. Throttle type is irrelevant – it slides over whatever you already have.
Rating: 4.6 / 5 from 1,008 ratings
The single smartest first purchase in this guide, and the correct Grip Puppy for a Harley. The more famous Original has six times the reviews and is for 7/8 inch bars – its own listing excludes Harley by name. Big Paw is the one you want.
Twenty-five dollars, no adhesive, no throttle-type decision, nothing to return if it does not suit you. It adds diameter and a compliant foam layer over your existing grips, and for a large number of riders that is the whole problem solved.
The evidence is specific rather than vague. A rider with a previously broken wrist, whose right hand went numb within minutes: “Was able to ride pretty happily for much longer without having to shake out that hand.” And a Canadian owner gives the honest ceiling: “They don’t eliminate numb hands, but I can ride much farther in comfort.”
Closed-cell foam means it does not soak up water or turn slippery, and it passes heat through from heated grips well enough that owners keep both.
The complaints are consistent: getting them on is a fight, durability is mixed with some owners getting only two seasons, and you must check throttle-side clearance afterwards.
What owners say: “My right hand often goes numb in just a few minutes… Was able to ride pretty happily for much longer without having to shake out that hand. – Eric Erickson”
Grip Puppy Original Comfort Overgrips - 7/8 inch
Type: closed-cell foam over-grip. 7/8 INCH – fits over grips with an outside diameter of 1.25 to 1.45 inch. The listing states it fits most motorcycles EXCEPT Harley-Davidson and Indian. Around $23.99.
Does NOT officially fit Harley or Indian. Listed here because it is the most-reviewed product in the category and Harley owners buy it by mistake – for a 1 inch Harley bar you want the Big Paw above.
Rating: 4.6 / 5 from 6,418 ratings
The most-reviewed comfort product in this entire guide with over six thousand ratings, and the one Harley owners most often order by mistake. Its own listing says it installs over most motorcycles except Harley-Davidson, Indian and other heavy cruisers – because those use 1 inch bars with correspondingly larger grips.
It is included here for exactly that reason. If you found this product first because of its review count, buy the Big Paw instead.
What it does, it does well, and the reviews are worth reading whichever version you end up with. One rider on a twelve-hour trip: “They killed the vibration, and honestly you’ll notice the difference.” The foam is closed-cell so it stays grippy in rain, the ends are hand-radiused so they do not catch and wear, and it works over heated grips.
The complaints are the same as its bigger sibling: they are hard to slide on and the old grip tends to curl underneath, and the extra bulk creates a new problem for some riders – one reports the bars becoming very thick, which is precisely the wrist-strain risk covered earlier.
What owners say: “They killed the vibration, and honestly you’ll notice the difference! I did a 12 hour trip with them and they were great! – AFM05”
CHENGRUN Motorcycle Foam Grip Covers, 2 pcs
Type: high-density foam sleeves. 25mm / 0.98 inch inner diameter, 4.52 inch long – fits standard 1 inch Harley grips. No tools, no glue. Around $8.79.
Fits: universal – slides over existing grips on any motorcycle. Fully throttle-by-wire safe because it never touches the throttle tube.
Rating: 4.5 / 5 from 87 ratings
The cheapest thing in this guide by a distance, and the lowest-risk way to find out whether a fatter, softer grip fixes your hands. Under nine dollars, twenty seconds a side with soapy water, and no compatibility question of any kind.
The owner report is the sort of specific claim worth paying attention to: “My hands would hurt after about an hour and a half of riding, especially with gloves on. These have made a huge difference.”
If it works, you have solved the problem for the price of lunch and can decide later whether to spend properly. If it does not, you have learned that diameter is not your issue and saved yourself a hundred dollars on ISO grips that would not have helped either.
Manage expectations on quality. It is thinner and less substantial than a Grip Puppy – one owner notes it is not as thick and the size is thin – the foam can tear while you wrestle it on, and it will not last like rubber. It is a diagnostic tool and a cheap comfort fix, not a permanent upgrade. Check the throttle snaps closed after fitting.
What owners say: “My hands would hurt after about an hour and a half of riding, especially with gloves on. These have made a huge difference. – Shawn J. Bias”
Throttle-by-wire specific grips
Made for electronic throttle bikes. Confirm your bike has no throttle cables before ordering any
of these, and read the model exclusions.
HEYOMOTOR Billet Grips 1 inch - Electronic Throttle
Type: CNC billet aluminium grips with silicone pads. 1 inch bars. ELECTRONIC THROTTLE only. Locking clutch-side design, no adhesive. Around $32.99.
Fits: 2008-2023 Touring and Trike (EXCEPT 2018-later FLTRXSE), 2016-2023 Softail, 2016-2017 Dyna FXDLS. Amazon flags this listing: frequently returned due to compatibility issues.
Rating: 4.4 / 5 from 197 ratings
The budget throttle-by-wire option, in edge-cut billet that suits a blacked-out bagger, and with a locking clutch-side design that needs no adhesive – which removes the worst part of the job.
When it fits, owners are pleased in a specific and reassuring way. A 2016 Street Glide rider: “FINALLY I found grips that are exact fit for my bike. The switch housings fit good over the grips. The throttle snaps right back into place as it should.” Note that he checked the throttle snap-back and said so.
But look at what Amazon itself has attached to this listing: frequently returned due to compatibility issues and unexpected size. That label is generated from actual return data, and it is the clearest possible signal that people are ordering this without checking their throttle type. One one-star review reports it not fitting a 2007 Road Glide – which is a cable bike, so that buyer bought entirely the wrong version.
Also note it is billet: silicone pads on aluminium, no isolation. And some owners report throttle sticking that needed sanding and lubricating, which is the metal-grip problem covered in the safety section.
What owners say: “FINALLY I found grips that are exact fit for my bike. The throttle snaps right back into place as it should. – drummer boy, 2016 Street Glide”
Rudyness Shallow Cut Grips - Harley Touring Throttle-by-Wire
Type: billet aluminium with soft rubber inserts. 1 inch bars. THROTTLE-BY-WIRE only. Grip glue needed on the clutch side. Larger OD than stock. Around $36.98.
Fits: Harley Touring 2008-2023 throttle-by-wire – Street Glide, Road King, Road Glide, Electra Glide – and 2016-onward Dyna and Softail ETC models.
Rating: 4.4 / 5 from 136 ratings
A budget alternative to the Kuryakyn ETC grips at a third of the price, in chrome housing with black rubber that matches a stock Street Glide well. The larger outside diameter than stock is the functional selling point: more diameter means less clamping force, which is a genuine comfort mechanism even without any isolation.
A 2015 Street Glide owner confirms the working setup: grip glue on the clutch side, no issues with the throttle, and a noticeably larger OD than stock.
The recurring weakness is that clutch side. Unlike a factory grip it is not captured by the switch housing, so it relies entirely on adhesive – and owners who skipped or skimped on the glue report the left side constantly rotating and sliding, with one worried it could come off altogether. If you buy these, glue them properly and do not shortcut it.
There are also fitment misses: at least one owner could not get them to seat under the clutch switch housing on a Street Glide at all. And like every billet grip here, the rubber pads sit on an aluminium body, so this is not a vibration isolator.
What owners say: “I used grip glue on the left, clutch side grip, works well on my 2015 street glide throttle. The grips are a larger OD then stock. – Musickfam”
Harley Hand Grips - FAQs
What are the most comfortable motorcycle hand grips?
Will new grips fit my Harley?
How do I know if my Harley is throttle-by-wire?
Do anti-vibration grips actually stop numb hands?
What is the best brand of motorcycle handle grips?
Do I need glue to install motorcycle grips?
Why does my left grip keep spinning?
Are heated grips worth it on a Harley?
Are thicker grips better for long rides?
Why do my hands go numb even with good grips?
What size grips does a Harley take?
Can grips cause the throttle to stick?
The short version
Check your throttle first. Cables or wires – look at the bike, not the model
year. Every brand sells the same grip in two versions with the same photograph, and the return
queue for this category is full of people who ordered from the picture.
Work out what is actually numbing your hands. Vibration wants isolated grips.
Grip fatigue wants more diameter and a throttle assist. Weight through your palms wants bar risers,
and no grip on earth will fix it. Numbness that persists after you park wants a doctor.
Start cheap. A foam cover costs about $24, fits over anything, needs no adhesive
and tells you in one ride whether more diameter helps you. That is worth knowing before spending
$110 on isolated grips.
Then check the throttle snaps closed. Fully open, let go, at full lock both
ways. It takes ten seconds and it is the one step in this whole job that matters for more than
comfort.
#1 Pick: Best Hand Grips for Harley-Davidson
Kuryakyn 6228 Premium ISO Grips with Throttle Boss
Before anything else: look at your right switch housing. Cables mean one version, wires mean the other, and the photographs are identical. Then check the throttle snaps fully closed once the new grips are on.
