I finally changed out my OEM grips. They were basically comfortable, except that my hands fell asleep between 58 and 65 or so mph...where I spend a lot of time. I rejetted again (more on that later) and it seems as though the vibration through the grips was more noticeable in this range than it was before (my hands would still fall asleep before...no, it wasn't past their bedtime, lol). I had previously installed Liquid Bar Snake...what a bloody mess! It helped a little. I could gear around the range, but I like the gearing just as it is. Speeding up or slowing down isn't always an option.
Were it not for the chrome, I'd probably have gone with the Iso-Grips(I have seen some company offering metric Iso-Grips, black powdercoated for $75 :eek: ). HD grips (I liked the Nostalgia best) weren't the compound that I was looking for. Nor were the neoprene foam grips.
I finally bit the bullet and ordered a set of Pro-Grip 842s in 1 inch sizehttp://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/photos/300/g6133.jpg
from a local indie. They are a dual-density grip with a gel outer layer. You don't realize that it's gel until you push and laterally move it...it's not noticeable when you grab the grip. It's not thick enough to be 'squishy' and has a very 'solid' feel...actually feels unpadded...a little larger in diameter than the new 'reduced diameter' OEM grips, but very comfortable to my small hands.
I went for about a 25 mile ride yesterday...there is a definite improvement. They offer kind of a weird sensation (to me, anyway)...you can still feel the bike's vibes through the bars (as an aside, I grabbed the bars halfway to the risers for the first time...absolutely no vibes...only out at the end of the bars), but it's as though the bike is vibrating under your hands, not through them. You can't see it. To me, it's kind of a pleasant sensation...my bike is alive, but it's not turning my hands numb.
I will report back over time as I take longer rides...this one was long enough for me to tell a major difference from the OEM grips.

Kim

I looked these up... they sound interesting... Can't believe how cheap they are, about $12. Is that for the pair? Did they fit the standard throttle sleeve all right? Do they come with adhesive for the left grip???

I looked these up... they sound interesting... Can't believe how cheap they are, about $12. Is that for the pair? Did they fit the standard throttle sleeve all right? Do they come with adhesive for the left grip???They fit the throttle sleeve just fine. I actually ordered another pair of sleeves from DK for $1.99 apiece. No adhesive is included...I ordered some Threebond Grip adhesive, but used the Honda product that I already had (appears to be same formulation) and saved the Threebond for later. DK no longer stocks the 842s in 1 inch, so I had to get them elsewhere...it was worth it.
The feel is...so...unusual. Reading the description, I expected lots of 'gushy'...not so. You can definitely feel the gel at the ends, but not really at the barrel, where they are dual density. They feel really solid to grab...you only notice the 'fluidity' of the gel if you try to move the barrel laterally with your finger...you really can't do it using the larger surface of your hand. What it does to the vibe is really cool...the bars seem to shake under your hand...it's really unusual.
FWIW...I had decided to order spare ferrules(always good to have when you inevitably lose one from the throttle cable:censor ) and some spare clips for both cables...all cheap stuff that's indispensable when you need it, along with the Threebond...so I also ordered a pair of ProGrip 'damping' grips for $9.95. They had the chrome, which I didn't care for, but for ten bucks, I wanted to compare the two grip styles. The Damping grips (862s, if I recall) are solid gel (an oxymoron in the making, lol!) rather than the dual density of the 842s. Also, I was not able to get the 862s on either the bars or throttle sleeve without first removing the inner chrome trim (no loss, and it comes off and is replaced easily). While the 862s feel softer and more 'gushy' in the hand, the opposite is true when mounted.
I have found the 842s for as low as $9.21 online (that is for two, lol!)

Kim

thanks for the feedback... Those grips may go on my shopping list...