if you're wearing a gloves? I mean when I fall they're not gonna protect my hands anyway and chances of flying rocks or birds into my hands are rather slim...

They do a job in stopping vegetation and branches, particularly brambles, from wacking into your hands off road. They also protect your levers from being damaged in a fall. But perhaps the biggest advantage is that they deflect the wind, cold and rain of your hands giving your gloves a better chance of staying dry and your hands warm.

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+1 to all that! My biggest reason for hand guards is to avoid breaking the levers in a fall - guards have done their job for on numerous occasions!! - and also to protect my hands from getting wacked by various vegitation (like pleiades said) when off road. I wouldn't ride without them the amount of times they've saved my hands from injury and my levers from breaking they are worth every penny.

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XT660Z

AltecH Wheels
Wheel building and refurbishment, UK wide
AltecH Designs
XT660 Radiator guards, sprocket guards, luggage racks, DNA air filter covers

ok, I do need hand guards then, my bad although not sure how they can protect from braking the lever, it's just thin plastic...

can I have them at least like these, with led lights?

Depends which you get! The cheaper ones are indeed just plastic and will give the weather and will keep vegetation at bay, but the more expensive ones from Acerbis or Barkbusters have a strong metal spine behind the plastic and will prevent lever damage.



Not sure about ones with lights in, as the lights will get wrecked after the first drop or branch you hit? For road use, and if you're not prone to chucking your bike on the floor, then I'd guess they'd be fine?

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I have an XT660X road bike as well as a Beta Alp 200 trials bike. Both have Acerbis hand guards (with Aluminium spines) and both have saved my hands (as well as the levers and other bits) several times. VERY strongly recommended.

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(Now sold on, sob) 2011 Blue XT660X with gold wheels, was 26,500 km.
Engine mods: K&N Stage 1 filter, DNA Stage 2 filter, snorkel removed, Kev fuel mod fitted.
Plus: smoked Puig screen, Yam aluminium sump guard, Yamaha / Acerbis handguards, Givi Trekker aluminium side cases, Leo Vince X3 cans plus Kev front fork mod and Fender Xtender. Just fitted Michelin Road Pilot 3 tyres.

SOLD the XTX for a Super Ten 1200. And just bought a Raptor 700 so staying on here for some tips....