Anyone ever try or see turned handlebar grips?

[curtis rosche]

Been massively caught up in work this summer and a motorcycle that keeps askin for performance parts,,,, so I haven't been near the lathe lately. Or really at all. But the swingset season is winding down and another semester of school is starting so I think there might be some turning time ahead. I really wanna add some custom wooden touches to my bike and was thinking hand grips would be the best thing, but I have only a slight idea where to start on the production side, but I'm at a loss for what wood would hold up best to be handled in a twisting motion without giving splinters, yet won't crack in the sun and moisture changes.

[curtis rosche]

No suggestions?

[Don Orr]

A friend made a pair for his Harley out of Bocote some years back but I have no idea how they held up. Outdoor woods, as I'm sure you know, include Teak, White Oak, Black Locust. A good spar urethane should help preserve them and keep the splinters to a minimum.

[john taliaferro]

For hand grips maybe Walnut with a viniger steel wool wash, not black but close . Then a wipe on poly to get protection but not slick. A sleeve that fit over thermal tape on the muffler would be cool .

[Bob Bergstrom]

Just a guess, but perhaps like the pen turners, drill or turn to fit and cast it it plastic. A brass tube to fit the handle bar would be ideal. Remount it on a mandrel and turn the plastic down to act as a covering. The wood wood would essentially be a veneer over the brass, similar to pen. Just a thought?

[curtis rosche]

I thought about a slip on for the exhaust but I'm sure it would crack or catch fire between the heat and the first time it rained a little

[Doug W Swanson]

I wouldn't use wood grips. It may look nice for a while but the look might not last very long....

JMO

[Rick Gibson]

About the only wood I would suggest is teak. Seems to last for years on ships without to much problem.

[curtis rosche]

Bob has a good idea with a resin cast wood,,, maybe use one of the dyed lamination blanks... Im gonna keep playing with this idea. If all else fails, maybe Ill incorporate the tools of the trade. cheap/old gouges as pegs and such