Handlebar Guards
 

After breaking a clutch leaver in the sand of all places l think it's time for some lever protection.
I have scoured ebay and seen a few that l like all be it in bright bleeding orange.
Interested in who has bought what and if they work.
Would like to keep my bar ends but definitely need some solid metal protection not just bouncy plastic.
Cheers.

I've got Touratech and I think they are pants. I've bent a lever with them on, they're a poor fit and TT sting you for more money if you want the spoilers. Just fitted a set of Barkbuster Storms to the Missus' KLR and they seem a lot more sturdy.

Buy cheap, Buy twice !
 

I bought a set of 'universal' handguards from fleabay. I have the same ones on my TTR250 that i regularly drop when off road and they are brilliant, aluminium bar covered in plastic, Only cost �25.00.
HOWEVER they will not fit the tenere withoud smashing into (and probably through) the screen! Luckily ive picked up a set of genuine yamaha guards secondhand from the forum :thumbsup:. Not sure about them as they seem to bolt to the mirror and end of bars, but hopefully i wont throw the tenere on the floor as much (or as hard) as the TTR :-)

How about just buying some cheap shorty levers from China? They cost me like 20-30 euro and wont touch anything in a fall.

Tried and tested a few different handguards over the years (not just on the Tenere): Touratech, Acerbis, OE Yamaha and Barkbusters. Of all of them, I have to say the Barkbusters are the best of the bunch.

If you get the Tenere specific kit you get bar end weights (although they are half the mass of the original Yamaha ones), but by adding the optional Barkbusters outer weights you can get the total mass up to the same as standard. I don't find the bars vibrate any more than before with this setup.

I'm sure Barkbusters are the best, but with the extra weights they're 135 of your English pounds...... not cheap!!

Nick

Hmmm. Just what l thought. Going to have to shell out a fortune. Good point about wrong size or shape hitting the screen.
Thanks guys.

If you want a cheaper solution go for the standard KTM ones. They are not metal reinforced, but quite sturdy for being just plastic.

I have the original Yamaha/Acerbis ones and they bolt to the handlebar and to the bar end (not the mirror) and have proven their worth when I dropped the bike on tarmac, and also excellent in traffic protecting my hard from car mirrors too hehe....

You're not wrong there!

Luckily for tenerod, they're made in Australia and he lives in Australia! ;)

I have used the Acerbis bark busters and they not only save your levers but your hands too, I wouldn't buy anything else....

I have been green laneing my XR400 all year with them through sun and snow and the bike has had some really hard knocks and they shake it all off with ease....

I have adjusted to them so well that when I hit the dirt I rarely let go of the bars when I go down as it's often the safest place for my hands....
They do Black glossy ones that look the Muts !

I would have to agree.

Just mounted a set of Barkbusters, very nice. Custom fit for the Tenere and they seem very strong.

my bike has been battered and my Barkbusters have been brill!!

the only prob is i have Renthal Dakar High bars and you have to slightly adapt the barkbusters to make them fit. (& even then the fit isnt brilliant)

Just bit the bullet and have a set of Barkbusters on their way with accompanying Renthal RC high Fatbars. Looking forward to taking the road less travelled without fear of bending bars, levers, or hands.

Just a bit of warning - The barkbusters does not fit the ABS with the stock bar. Not unless you add some risers. The tank has a slightly different shape and the guards will hit either the tank or the fairing. But with 30mm risers everythings fine - and i needed those anyway.

Acerbis Rally 3
 

I ended up getting the Acerbis Rally 3 as l like the look of them the best and a lot cheaper than buying Bark Busters, despite living in the same country of manufacture.
Has anyone else fitted the Acerbis to stock bars on a 2010 model?
They are supposed to clear everything according to OTR but alas they clear nothing!
The brackets hit the tank and the guards hit the sides of the screen.
Only the ABS model is supposed to need 25mm risers but l guess l will to.
Not happy.
I will continue to try and fit tomorrow.

Quick update for ROAD use: I decided to test my OEM Yamaha/Acerbis hand guards(!) by sliding off on a patch of diesel fuel recently and the poor bike went down hard at about 100 kph and slid for ages. When I picked her up and hobbled back on the bike was virtually undamaged as the impact was taken by the hand guards at the front and the Givi pannier brackets at the back, so not even the gear lever was damaged!!! Shame about my left foot and ankle but otherwise unscathed......hand guards just scratched.

Hope you're ok mate. Sounds like you didn't break any bones.
I had to get some 25mm risers to fit the Acerbis Rally 3 hand guards.
Went for a ride today and boy is it different.
No bar end weights and hands in the air.
The position is ok just l think the slightly increased vibes will kill my hands by lunchtime.
Also the brace on the handlebar had to go, really not happy with that!
Went for a ride down a few dirt roads standing up, oh yeah much better with the bar risers.
Hit some deep sand and all was good.
Came back the same way and all was not good, maybe a bit too fast.
Put the bike down in sand, all good just a few bumps and sprains.

Will need to replace OEM bars with some better ones that will accommodate my handle bar guards and have a brace.

CYA
:wave::wave::wave:

If it helps, you can shorten the OE cross brace quite easily which will bring the brackets inwards a bit and out the way of the guard mounts. It's just a hollow tube.

Cut it to length, flatten the cut end in a vice, drill it, shape it with a file, paint and refit.

Although slightly lower, it will still give some added strength to the 7/8 stock bars and stop some of the flex and vibrations.

Thanks mate l will give that ago.
Got my eyes on some no name bars at my LBS but have to sus out whether all the controls will fit onto a 28mm bar. Or how to fit.
Heading for the outback in 5 weeks, gotta get sorted quick.

Had Acerbis Multiplo

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto650-ADYJGOQB.jpg

They bent (on impact) a few times before they break (after multiple crashes/drops).

and ZETA

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto650-FX6YMXYJ.jpg

which use a nice linkage to guarantee a tension free fit:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto650-ZW6ZQGY7.jpg

Nice linkage. Good idea that.
I got the acerbis rally 3 to fit after buying risers, moving leavers in a bit and refabricating handle bar brace.
Now my clutch leaver hits the pass switch so a bit more fiddling required.

acerbis rally 3
 

about those:

i bought the rally 3 guards and they do not fit, OTR is full of sh*t .
I do not want to move my brakes inwards, I do not want to remove the crossbar. These guards simply do not fit. Besides, the locking mechanism (anti rotation) is only working with the original insert wich is not used on the Ten, instead they supply a treaded bushing wich doesnt support the mechanism.
Oh yeah: and they hit the tank on 3/4 full lock on the ABS with risers !
And they do not support bar ends: vibyviby
I'm not happy :067: I better read this tread before I spilled 99 euros.

Be warned: do not buy or be prepared to mess in great extend with your handlebar to make it fit.
barkbusters next..