How To Put ATV Handlebar Grips On

Table of contents:

Remove the old grips Install the new ones

25 October 2022

New ATV handlebar grips are an easy and cheap way to get your ATV feeling and looking new again. Over the year of rough riding, you’re sure to wear down on the current ATV handlebar grips that you have, making them less effective and making your rig look less appealing.

Luckily, switching out your current grips with new ones is an easy process that won’t take you much time at all. In less than a day you can have your hands padded with new grips and everyone looking after you as you cruise on by.

In general, you’ll want to replace your handlebar grips around once a season. A year of use, if you’re constantly on the ATV, will put even the best ATV handlebar grips to the test and will wear them out. Refreshing for a new season will put some extra life into your ride and boost your entire experience.

man riding atv holding hand on handlebar grips

Remove the old grips

Your first step in learning how to install ATV hand grips is taking the old ones off and leaving a fresh blank slate for the new style to live on.

Sometimes this can be easier said than done. Most grips are made to stay on, not come off whenever you want them to and there are two tactics to getting them off easily.

First, you can destroy the old grips if you don’t want to keep them anymore. Take a knife and gently slice along the grip, shallow enough to not damage the handlebars. Then you can peel away at the grip until fully removed.

The other option is used if you want to keep the old ATV handlebar grips. Take a screwdriver and gently lift the grip up and away from the handlebar. Apply a lubricant in between the grip and the handlebar all the way around until you can work the old grips off of the handlebars.

Install the new ones

Now that you have a fresh set of handlebars, you can work on getting the new grips on.

One great trick to preserving your new grips is to use something like a nickel as a buffer between the end of the handlebars and the grips. This will prevent the handlebar from ripping apart the end of the grips, like it may have done on your old set.

Now you want to apply a lubricant to the inside of the grip. Something like hand sanitizer works well because it will evaporate later on. A more serious lubricant will make it difficult for the grip to stay on while riding.

Next, insert the handlebar into the grip and twist the grip while applying inward pressure. It may get stuck, but try some more lubricant and brute strength to get it fully applied. Move on to the next grip and then you’re all set!