Bark busters

[96xr400]

i gotta get some bark busters, i've seen a whole variety of types before - any best to get or types to avoid?
also, do they also get called another name? i'm just searching on web for bark busters
thanks

[oldguy]

Try trademe check these

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Parts-accessories/Other/auction-111536329.htm


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Parts-accessories/Other/auction-111374981.htm

[Colapop]

Oh right, coz I was thinking the collar thingys...

[warewolf]

BarkBusters (http://www.barkbusters.net/) work better than the plastic ones like Acerbis Rally II (http://www.acerbis.it/moto/index.php?module=catalog&type=detail&id=173&cat=16). The latter use a plastic part keyed into the handlebar end mount that would turn with very little force. I broke heaps of levers with them fitted.

[Rupe]

i gotta get some bark busters, i've seen a whole variety of types before - any best to get or types to avoid?
also, do they also get called another name? i'm just searching on web for bark busters
thanks


Think they are just called hand gaurds. I've got Ego bark busters which seem very hardy. They fully protect your hand/levers although my levers can't extend fully, doesn't effect the use of them though.

If you can afford it don't go for the cheaper ones that don't return into the bear end as you'll prob find them a waste of money long term.

best of luck

[chop]

get Zeta ones thats what ive got and by far the best ones ive seen

[96xr400]

good to know, thanks for the replies

[civil]

Be warned the ones that have a metal rod and return to the ends of your bars while are good at protecting your levers etc, they also make a nice location to get your wrist broken when you come off and if your wrist slides into them.

[96xr400]

Be warned the ones that have a metal rod and return to the ends of your bars while are good at protecting your levers etc, they also make a nice location to get your wrist broken when you come off and if your wrist slides into them.

you mean like if your hand has gone between grip & guard, yeah i see what you mean, you can't pull hand to side like you'd be able to without guards, could be nasty.. i was wondering why people buy the other type. ta

[Danger]

I've heard that but never seen or heard of it actually happening. I just run the bark busters just tight enough so that with a good impact they can move on the bars and help to negate the possibility of that happening.
Ego are the original and the best in my opinion, I don't like that cheapo chinesse crap from Zeta, and supposedly they are full of heavy metals and could be dangerous if you end up with one in the mouth lol.
With the amount of people running bark busters on their bars I think the chances of breaking your wrists inside them is pretty slim. If it was easy to do, I'm sure that we would have heard of some instances of it happening.
The bark busters have saved my hands 10 x more than I've ever come even close to dropping my hands through them and snapping my wrists. I just don't think its a real concern personally.
The open roost deflectors that the MX'rs use offer no real protection from hitting a tree. I've hit trees so hard that the bark buster has popped out of the end of the bar. That would have been another smashed hand and another 3 months of work, and I've had a few of those.

[cynna]

any other thoughts on zeta hand guards vs bark busters

a set of zeta alloy guards and the plastics hand hand guards is around $130 - cant seem to find any info on barkbusters but will keep searching

has anyone got the zeta guards and had any problems - do they fit easy, have enough room for the levers etc

[xen]

I have the zeta alloy guards, got the plastic bits too but haven't bothered to mount them yet, reckon they would probably break with the amount of falling over I do.
Definitaly recommend them, as Danger says hitting trees is no problem and also laying it over they protect the levers from snapping.
I think breaking your wrists with them is going to be a real slim chance, you can angle them a lower so it won't happen.
Only thing I've noticed is last ride one of the handlebar bolts came out, thought I sheared it off on a failed slide but musta just come loose, so have put loctite on it now.

[camchain]

Previous bike had ego barkbusters. Strong, but quite difficult to get back into shape when I bent them. Personally I wasn't keen on the weight, and it's weight that is magnified being at the ends of your handlebar.

Current bike has Acerbis with plastic bar. I really prefer the lighter weight and I think they might actually teach me to be a bit more respectful of immoveable objects and therefore ride more accurately. (This view may be subject to revision next time I smack a tree too hard. lol) I run the guards and levers loose enough to move around a bit in a get off.

I find a good side benefit with full wrap around versus open end MX style guards is when dropping the bike in mud, your grips stay clean.

[fergie]

I made a real arse of the job of cutting my grips to fit the bar end into the bars,is there a correct method or anyone no of a pictorial how to? to fit bar ends?

[Danger]

Hit them with a hammer when the grip is fitted to the bar. The end of the bar will punch a hole in them but the throttle side you might want to enlarge with a cutting knife so that the throttle spins freely without any drag from the grip. I usually space the throttle side out a little with an appropriate sized washer to facilitate no drag from the grip when turning the throttle.

[Dutchee]

I've heard that but never seen or heard of it actually happening.

Danger, you need to talk to the infamous Mick about it. Coming down the Firehut track in Riverhead, he clipped a tree or branch, and broke his wrist on his bark busters. Was 2-3 (or maybe more) years ago. I'd always thought it urban myth until he decided to be a myth buster and try it out ;)
As for the open ended type of handguards, MXers use them as it's illegal to use closed end type per the rules. Something about safety - landing on another rider or somewhat at a guess.

[warewolf]

I used the plastic Acerbis Rally Pro guards and they were next to useless. The plastic end fitting isn't strong enough to stop them turning on the bars on impact, so I broke lots and lots of levers with them fitted (yes perches were slightly loose). Hitting the ground off-road twists them visciously; I very rarely run into trees with them, just the odd glancing blow.

Haven't broken any levers with proper barkbusters fitted, despite some serious impacts.

[Reckless]

I've got the Ego ones on both bikes and am impressed with the sturdyness of them. Not too badly priced at about $130-00 (I think?)for the complete kit. Good thing about the Ego ones is you can buy just the buster part seperatly if you ding them up and the fitting kit part is ok, saving you a few pennies. Although I can't imagine looking at the strength of the Ego ones that if you've had an off hard enough to bugger them up your bars and your body would be pretty knackered as well!! LOL!:bash:

[FROSTY]

Could I have your thoughts here for a novice rider who IS going to crash a lot. I thought in his case the "roost protectors" that MX riders use would offer him protection from flying dirt /stones whilst stopping busted wrists when he crashes.