How-To: Fit Handguards

This content was originally published in issue #19 of Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine, May 2012.

Any trail or enduro rider who’s experienced the joys of squashing a pinkie against a gumtree will attest to the value of handguards. But, despite their design simplicity, full-wrap handguards can cause all sorts of frustration if not installed properly. They can shake, rattle and roll all over the place, resulting in bolts loosening, controls binding and, most importantly, no protection when man meets tree! The key to avoiding such trail-side consternation is proper installation, which requires a few tricks of the trade, especially on the throttle-side. So read on to see how to correctly install your handguards in less than 30 minutes.

Stanley knife.
Phillips-head screwdriver.
Fine-toothed hacksaw or Dremel.
8-10mm T-bars and Allen keys.

There are plenty of full-wrap handguard options on the market – from Italy’s stylin’ Acerbis Multiplos to the virtually indestructible Cycra CRMs out of America. But it’s hard to go past the new Jet handguards from Aussie company, Rideworx, who make Barkbusters handguards.Over the years, the Australian brand’s product range has become so well known that – just like Camelbak, Quikshade or Coke – many people now generically refer to any set of handguards simply as “barkbusters”

Grab a Stanley knife and cut a smooth hole in the end of your grip. The hole should be roughly the size of a 5-cent piece to match the diameter of your handlebar. Loosen the front brake perch, switchblock and throttle assembly, and slide the throttle tube as far off the end of the bar as possible.

You can even disconnect the throttle cable and remove the housing completely if you prefer. Once the throttle tube is clear, roll back the end of your grip to expose about 1-2cm of throttle tube.

You have two choices on how to proceed at this point. What you’re aiming to do is open up the butt of the throttle tube to allow clearance for the handguard’s mounting hardware.

Our preferred method is to use a Dremel tool and a small grinding wheel to slowly enlarge the end of the throttle tube’s plastic so it’s slightly larger than the internal diameter of the handlebar.

Alternatively, you can take a fine-toothed hacksaw and remove the throttle tube’s end-cap. We like the first method because it allows us to retain the full length of throttle tube and gives a neater finish.

Regardless of whether you used a Dremel or hacksaw to bore out the throttle tube butt in Step 3, it’s very important to clean away any burrs or excess material from inside of the tube to prevent your throttle inadvertently sticking when you bolt everything back into place.

When you’re happy you’ve cleaned the inside of the tube effectively, slide the throttle tube back into place – making sure to line-up the now enlarged end-cap flush with the end of the handlebar. Tighten the throttle tube back into place and give it a few twists to make sure the action is smooth and unimpeded.

With the required hardware, bolt the end of the handguard straight into the end of the handlebar. You can leave the triple clamp end of the guard until later. At this stage, don’t worry about tightening the bolt up – just a few turns will do so the guard roughly sits where you’re guessing is the most comfortable.

With the remaining hardware, you can now loosely bolt the guard to the triple clamp end of your bars using the supplied clamp. Take extra care at this stage to make sure you have the right mounting hardware for your brand or style of handlebar.

There’s often subtle differences between bar diameters and bends, and even handguard styles, that require very specific hardware. Also pay close attention to installing the clamps in the correct orientation for the bars. This will ensure they fit snuggly.

T he handguard should now be loosely assembled on the bars. This is a great opportunity to check the position of the guard for clearance from levers and cables. Make sure your levers don’t snag on the guard rail, that your throttle action isn’t binding, and there’s no pinched cables, wires or hydraulic lines. If everything checks out, tighten your controls into place.

Once the levers are locked down, clamp the guard into place. Start by securing the hardware closest to the triple clamps, and finish with the bolt at the end of the handlebar. Check everything once again for peace of mind before you hit the trail, because clamping everything down can often reduce the clearances between the handguards and your controls.

It’s now time to repeat the process for the handguard on the left-hand side of the handlebars. Because there’s no throttle tube to operate on, you can skip Stage 2 of the process and get stuck into bolting everything in place.