Looking to buy some hand gaurds for my DRZ 400. I'm looking for some that are strong enough so that they won't bend when I drop the bike while riding. I've been down the road of the bent hand gaurd into the lever and I don't want to go there again. Thanks for your opinions.
I was/am very happy with them when I got them from you. Never had an issue with them bending, despite a number of get-offs.
I'm not disagreeing, but I've had good luck with Polisport handguards. Mine have been through 4 years of tree bashing and rock smashing and two bikes and they're still straight. Probably helps that I never tighten them right down so they give a little instead of bending.
Speaking of hanguards, has anyone ever used Cycra adapters that allow you to connect to the tripple clamp pinchbolts. A friend of mine had them on his Suzuki but I can't find them for KTM.
You cant put them on most KTM because the pinch bolts are at the back of the clamp. Highway guards are OK, but weigh 3x as much as the EE guards and are $150 US + shipping compared to $89 for the EE complete.
I've used the EE guards for years and have hit many a solid object . They seem to hold up extremely well...my wrists - not so much :shock:
I have the EE gaurds on my Berg...don't really like them. No better than the cheap Emgo ones I had, in fact the Emgo ones (Acerbis knockoff) were better. The EE use flimsy screw on plastic shields, the Emgo had plastic shields that are moulded around the aluminum core. Both required a whole bunch of futzing around to make them fit correctly on the bars. I also made a simple adapter that screwed into the fork bolts on the DRZ which is much stronger than mounting on the bars.
Been beating the piss outta my Highway dirtbike guards for 4 years now. Aside from breaking the glass in one mirror, I've never had to replace a part on them. You get what you pay for.
i had enduro enginering hand guards on a kx250 set up as a trail bike for 5 years then put them on a klr 650 for 8 years ,last year i sold the klr with the guards and while they scuffed and scratched they still have lots of life left.and any bike i have ridden gets thrown down on the ground a fair bit.
I use KTM cycra probends. I like them better than the EE ones and I am sure they last just as long. Pain to mount though.
+1 for EE I have used them a long time, they stand up well and I like the "flimsy plastic covers that screw on" I've never broken/lost a plastic, but they are easily replaced after a few hundred scratches and dings. Voilà they look new again! Jeremy
I've used both the Cycra and EE styles. The cycras are a bit stronger and have better hand coverage, but are more expensive and are a bit wider via the plastic wear bar on the ends(which is removable). All handguards are a PITA to mount, regardless of brand.
For easy mounting the BarkBuster brand likely wins! They have a fitting chart with notes (ie. Clutch cable in the way. Order swivel mount PN#...) for all the most common bikes. This lets you know what you're facing before starting the task and they offer many optional fittings. The Enduro Engineering have the worst plastic deflectors in the business and the stupid bar inserts fall out unless you almost glue them in place.
+1 for HDB for ruggedness. EE and Cycra's also strong enough but they might move up or down after a hit. Plus, HDB has nice little built-in mirror(s).
