“It’s just grips, who cares”? Uhhhhhh…..No sir, it’s not just grips, it’s where your hands live while you’re riding, so that is pretty damn important to me. A pair of grips can be like an old pair of shoes you love and want to wear every day. Changing from your favorite pair of grips to a different set is not always a great experience, as the fit and feel is a very important aspect in motocross and off-road riding. I will be completely honest with you guys, I have been a Renthal half-waffle soft guy forever, but felt I needed to branch out and see what else is out there (I have another analogy to go along with this, but I will keep it PG rated with this test). I purchased a set of Pro Taper’s Race Cut Half-Waffle grips to replace the Renthal’s that have graced my machines for years and went riding.
The Pro Taper Race Cut was designed with its soft waffle pattern that incorporates wire tie grooves and an extra-supple layer of rubber. Installing the grips is simple and using the contact cleaner/super glue slide-on method didn't tear or eat away at the grip. Some other super soft compound style grips will actually tear and get eaten away from some types of grip glues, but the PT Race Cuts came out fine.
I wear a large glove and the feel of the grip in my hand felt adequate and is not too large when riding. I hate large feeling grips because I usually suffer from arm pump when the grip is too big. The feel is also very soft and plush while riding with the PT’s. I could feel the extra cushion in my palm when I landed from jumps and the grip took some of the bike’s vibration away from my hands (compared to a stock lock-on Husqvarna Rockstar Edition grip). Durability of the grip is what impressed me the most. I will normally wear down a set of grips near the flange very quickly, but the PT’s lasted 20 engine hours until I began to notice a wear mark in the grip (where your thumb rests).
The occasional crash that occurred didn't tear the Pro Taper Half-Waffle Race Cut Grips all to hell and they also did great over several pressure washer sessions. I am impressed with the Pro Taper Race Cut Grips and for $9.99 a pair they are not expensive like some other grips on the market. You can check them out over at protaper.com and if you have any questions about this test please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com.