Identify This Grip

[ArcticMinibike]

I have some grips that I've been trying to identify for a long time. A few people seem to be sure they know what they were, but for all that certainty, I get lots of opposing answers.

These were sold to me as being for a 1970 Arctic Cat SSSCat years ago when I didn't know any better. Over the years, I've seen and purchased lots of Arctic bikes, but I've never seen any that had these, only the standard Cherry brand shiny hard plastic smooth-ribbed grips that all 70-71 Arctic 6" bikes used. Most '72 Arctics used trail grips with feathery ribs or the older smooth Cherrys, still not a match for these.

Bob Fragoman said they were on Fox bikes, and ONLY Fox bikes as far as he knew, and he was a Fox distributor, as well as Arctic distributor.

Another old Arctic Cat distributor had these listed as Arctic Cat SSScat, part number included. Unfortunately the exploded parts diagrams aren't detailed enough to verify this.

If these were for Fox, what model(s)? Any other make or model that someone is absolutely sure about? Thx!

View attachment 62251

 

[markus]

I have gotten them off fox bikes, bikes like the spoiler with the 10" skinny wheels used them for foot pegs and grips. and the heathkit hilltopper used them as well at least for grips.

penney's original swinger mini bike as well........but that was a fox build bike :wink:

 

[jrzmac]

I had them on my Fox Thunderbolt. From what I remember, the footpeg grips were made from rubber and the handlebar grips were harder and made from plastic. It's been about 30 years since I've seen the bike so If I'm wrong someone else let me know. btw, I've seen pics on here of other bikes with the same grips on them. dont know if they were original or not? I also have never seen them for sale anywhere, ebay.... here.....OldMiniBikes... no place!

 

[jrzmac]

heres an old pic of the Thunderbolt. you can sorta make out the grips, It's not the best pic in the world but is about 40 years old!

 

[markus]

I had them on my Fox Thunderbolt. From what I remember, the footpeg grips were made from rubber and the handlebar grips were harder and made from plastic.

yea its something like that, the left grip was missing on the Spoiler I had, it was also missing a footpeg- so i did the best I could with what I had :laugh:

 

[ArcticMinibike]

From what I remember, the footpeg grips were made from rubber and the handlebar grips were harder and made from plastic.

Seems odd that they would use 2 different materials. As fast as everyone was building bikes back then, you'd think they just slapped 4 on the bike and pushed it out the door. All of the ones I have are flexible rubber. The flanges are pretty much the same diameter on each end. I would assume these are, at a minimum, footpeg covers, and possibly grips as well. Did the grips have larger diameter flanges on one end or were they equal, like these?

I'll have to check the ones I have. I think they are all 7/8" diameter ID. If any of them are 1", then I guess they were grips too.

I ran across some for sale online a while back and they were crazy expensive. Ridiculously insanely expensive. The guy that sold me mine charged me a mint as well but also (apparently) lied about what they were. Maybe due to his own ignorance, but I was green at the time.

 

[jrzmac]

Here's a pretty clear shot of the grips on a what looks to be an original Thunderbolt. You can see what I was saying, about the 2 different types of material.

Heres another pic, of a Spolier, that has one of the footpeg grips on the handlebars for some reason....

 

[ArcticMinibike]

From these pictures, I'd say the ones I have are grips because they have the end flanges. There is one just like it on the throttle in your pics and that would have required a 1" ID. The throttle is the same as was used on all 6" Arctic Cats and those were 1" tubes. The rubber on the foot peg (and the left side dummy grip in one of the pictures) has no flanges on the ends, which makes more sense for foot pegs. Just my best guess... I'll just have to measure mine tonight to look for a 1".

AWESOME pictures btw, Thanks for everyone's help.

Lil Indian was also mentioned by one responder. Anyone else ever see these on a Lil Indian?

 

[Mark G]

original or not? I also have never seen them for sale anywhere, ebay.... here.....OldMiniBikes... no place!

I have a few NOS sets that I'd be willing to trade for a long Cat clutch cover.....:deal:

They came on Fox's, and like mentioned also on Heathkit Hilltopper bikes. My Coleman and my Herters have them as well, plus I have seen them on some Bird bikes. I put a NOS Set on my Scat Bat, when I got the bike it had one on one side and a waffle grip on the other- I'm not a fan of the waffle and I like the cleaner look:thumbsup:

 

[ArcticMinibike]

Arctic Cat Mini Bike grip 2146-010

Pricey little suckers... GASP!!!!!!!! ut:

 

[jrzmac]

:drool:

 

[dgrall]

I have a SSSCAT II owners manual that clearly shows the same grip. I also have several bikes that have that grip and appear to be original. I believe that the style grip was more a function of supplier inventory than anything.

 

[toomanytoys]

fox used to make a set that was very close to that.

Back when I had my first CT70 it had a set of pink grips that were identical in design to those. I left them, everyone was jealous of my sweet pink grips

 

[markus]

fox used to make a set that was very close to that.

Back when I had my first CT70 it had a set of pink grips that were identical in design to those. I left them, everyone was jealous of my sweet pink grips

Maybe those were Oury grips, they have that same kinda style but have their name pimped all over them they are pretty soft. I had a bright blue set that was on a bike I bought. They are sitting around here somewhere unless I threw them away already....

 

[delray]

i always called them a waffle grip,just like markg said. also came on mtds......:thumbsup: i have some nos 7/8 i believe. need them for my mtds. like to find some 1" grips.

 

[toomanytoys]

Maybe those were Oury grips, they have that same kinda style but have their name pimped all over them they are pretty soft. I had a bright blue set that was on a bike I bought. They are sitting around here somewhere unless I threw them away already....

I always thought they were Fox. They didn't have any markings in them. I am Familiar with the oury grips. Probably have a set of those laying around. The Oury grips I have seen don't have the side piece that sticks up

I guess maybe I thought they were fox when I was a kid because Fox motorcross gear was so cool back in the day!

 

[ArcticMinibike]

Maybe those were Oury grips

If I remember back to my BMX days, Oury's had 4 rows of recessed squares, more like a waffle. These are inverse waffles.

 

[ArcticMinibike]

I have a SSSCAT II owners manual that clearly shows the same grip. I also have several bikes that have that grip and appear to be original. I believe that the style grip was more a function of supplier inventory than anything.

I agree on the supplier issue. I've met with the son of Arctic's head of engineering back in the day. His dad designed all the bikes. He has said more than once that if they ran out of something, they would run down the street to the hardware store and buy whatever equivalent s available just keep the line running.

Would you be willing to scan and post a close up of the area of the page in your SSSCat manual that shows these grips? I would love to see that. Wouldn't have to be the whole page.

What other bikes do you have with these on them?

 

[ArcticMinibike]

Here are the Oury's of the old days...

I still have a blue set like this on my 1980 Mongoose with Redline forks and matching bright blue Tuff Wheels (nylon 5-spoke mags). Now the Oury's have reversed the waffle pattern, more like the original Fox grips in this thread. Good times...good times... :laugh:

 

[dgrall]

ArcticMinibike, I don't get on the forum very often. Hope the jpeg is clear enough.