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Barkbusters
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Posted by: ericf7---------------------

I am the new owner of a 2003 kdx220. I was wondering about handguards. Does anyone have a preference about brand, type, etc..... I am hoping to be able to mount handguards to stock handlebars with stock levers. Does one brand fit better than another, stronger than another, cheaper than another, etc.....thanx for your help in advance.

Posted by: Smit-Dog---------------------

Enduro Engineering (www.enduroeng.com) or Fredette Racing Products (www.frpoffroad.com) carry great bark busters. Also check out www.motonation.com for the Wacker, or www.Cycra.com. My only personal experience is with the EE bark busters, and I recommend them.

As far as mounting them into the stock bars, you may want to consider replacing them with a stronger aftermarket bar (Renthal, TAG, Pro Taper, etc.) before installing the bark busters.

1) The stock bars will bend and tweak easily when the bike gets dumped.

2) The stock bars have these little steel washers spot welded into the ends of the bars. You have to drill them out to secure the BB ends. Or you could take a pipe cutter and cut off about .5-1" on either end of the bars. This gets rid of the washers, and makes the bars narrower for tight woods riding.

When checking out FRP, also look at getting the 1-piece top clamp for the handlebars. The handle bars use rubber bushings for mounting, and get easily out of whack. Have to loosen them and re-seat them to get the alignment back, but the FRP 1-piece top clamp helps to reduce this from happening.

Posted by: KnoxKDX---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Smit-Dog
2) The stock bars have these little steel washers spot welded into the ends of the bars. You have to drill them out to secure the BB ends. Or you could take a pipe cutter and cut off about .5-1" on either end of the bars. This gets rid of the washers, and makes the bars narrower for tight woods riding.

Adding a bit to this...the stockers (@ least on a '98) are more than just a washer spot-welded on the end. They have solid steel inserts several inches long aimed at lessening vibration. At standard length, the bars were too long for my taste and would not allow my Moose busters so I took about 3/4" off each side, took a punch and drove the damper inserts deeper into the bars (no way to get them out since they are VERY snug) and mounted my busters. Worked great!!!

Posted by: 23jayhawk---------------------

If you want to use the stock bars for awhile, I suggest you drill & tap the vibration plugs instead of removing them and using the expanding bar ends. It will give you a stronger installation. I think it's an M8 tap.

I did this on mine with EE 'busters, and they seem to strengthen the bars considerably. I had some pretty gnarly drops in the rocks and never bent the stockers. Finally put on some Tag's, but that was just to get a higher bar.

Posted by: ericf7---------------------

thanx for the help, does any brand fit better than another over the stock clutch and brake lever? i am trying to replace as little as possible for now($$$$$$$$$$$$)

Posted by: limitless---------------------

Well, I have som acrebis BB's and I am not real impresed with the way they fit (I did get the universal rally pro 2 kit though). I haven't tryed any others, I just modified these and they work just fine.... They've saved me many-a'-times

Tom

Posted by: Tantrum---------------------

As far as brands go, that is your preference. If you do anything, make sure that you get the style that mounts in the ends of the handlebars. All others that mount to the inside of the grips are inferior.

Some things to keep in mind. If you are a tree smacker, consider the hard plastic ones without the alum reinforcing bar. If you whack alot of things, something has to give, and its usually the mount on the inside of the grips for the barkbusters that have the alum. reinforcing bar in them. Plastic ones seem to absorb the shock a little better, but put your hands at greater risk. 6 to one and half a dozen to the other. Either way, its a huge improvement over the air deflectors that are on there now.

PS. Get some new bars now and save your self the hassle of dealing with the recycled Yugo that Kawi calls handlebars.

Hope this helps.

Posted by: Michelle---------------------

Between my husband & I, we broke two plastic bark busters (think they were Egos, something cheap anyway) within 2 weeks. Both were low speed offs. Henk usually crashes faster/harder than I do & he never had a problem until on my bike (marking out trails or something). As we only had one spare, it was decided I'd get the steel barred next time -Acerbis Rally. They've lasted well, bent in a bit, have to watch my levers don't get tangled in them, but next time I'd get some with replaceable plastic.

Henk got some Rally II's which have a plastic bar on them instead of steel & broke them not too long after. He decided to get the same as me, especially after a friend managed to clip a branch which broke through the plastic bar, hitting his hand, pulling on the brake & causing him to crash hard, damaging his ACL.

Either way, get some. Oh, I agree about the stock bars - they're crap. Mine got given to a friend as at least they were straight (never been used).

Posted by: Smit-Dog---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Tantrum
... If you are a tree smacker, consider the hard plastic ones without the alum reinforcing bar. If you whack alot of things, something has to give, and its usually the mount on the inside of the grips for the barkbusters that have the alum. reinforcing bar in them. Plastic ones seem to absorb the shock a little better, but put your hands at greater risk. 6 to one and half a dozen to the other.

Call me crazy, but there is no way I would suggest hard plastic "hand guards" over aluminum bark busters if you are smacking trees. The plastic-only guards only protect you from mud, roost, and very small branches. If you smack a tree with one of these, you'll have plenty of time to shop around for a decent set of aluminum BB while your broken fingers heal in a cast.

Posted by: Fred T---------------------

www.enduroeng.com

The only way to go IMHO.

Posted by: Jackpiner57---------------------

I agree with 23jayhawk.
I drilled and tapped the vibration inserts in the stock bars. It worked great. I use Enduro Engineering busters, but I have a complaint. The plastic deflectors are mounted on the inside. I went down and it ripped the deflector right off one of the little screws that hold it on. I'll have to take the screw out and put a little washer on it.

I've gone down hard more times than I'd like to admit, but have not bent the stock bars yet. I would use the stock bars until they get wrecked beyond repair.

Posted by: KnoxKDX---------------------

Moose Racing Busters=Enduro Engineering Busters...just in case you have easier access to one or the other and they are priced the same.

Posted by: KDX'r in IN---------------------

I've got 909 bars, cut down about 1.5" on each side. Barkbusters from moose with the plastic hand guard. You can get just the alum. bar but I went for both. The plastic seems to help out in cold weather too.

Posted by: Tantrum---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Smit-Dog

Call me crazy, but there is no way I would suggest hard plastic "hand guards" over aluminum bark busters if you are smacking trees. The plastic-only guards only protect you from mud, roost, and very small branches. If you smack a tree with one of these, you'll have plenty of time to shop around for a decent set of aluminum BB while your broken fingers heal in a cast.

Maybe I should have been more specific for the objective members that do not seem to see that I have covered the possibility of injury, and style of plastic handguard that I am referring to.

As I stated at the top of the post, there is no other style than the kind that mounts to both the inside of the HB and the outside of the HB. The kind of plastic HG you are referring to mount on the inside of the HB like the stockones. They do NOT protect you from trees, or any solid objects. On the other hand, there are "plastic" HG, which are not really plastic, but very strong composites, that do have a 2 point mount that are a very good product. I have owned and broken both styles. Both have redeeming qualities.

Posted by: Timr---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Jackpiner57
I use Enduro Engineering busters, but I have a complaint. The plastic deflectors are mounted on the inside. I went down and it ripped the deflector right off one of the little screws that hold it on. I'll have to take the screw out and put a little washer on it. 

I use EE busters too.  But, I have the Cycra deflectors.  They mount on the outside instead of the inside.  I've been really please with both.  I've been using the EE guards on all of my bikes since 1988.  Let's see that's 7 pairs of EE guards.  Do they have a bulk discount or frequent purchaser program? 

Posted by: Smit-Dog---------------------

And now for something completely different...

www.dirttricks.com

http://www.dirttricks.com/ktm-clutch-2_600pix.jpg

Personally, I still would not want the ends of the bar open like this. The ends/sides of my EE BBs are where most of the scratch/rub marks are located.

Posted by: KnoxKDX---------------------

man that is wild...not to mention it looks like your hand could get crushed if that front bar got mashed in a hard crash.

Posted by: XRDadKDXBeni---------------------

Our 2002 220 had the end washers with the metal inserts. We cut the bars about 1/2" and then drilled into the remaining solid metal insert. As we drilled, it began to rotate inside the bar and came out easily. We are using the original factory bars and Maier bark busters (aluminum) and the Maier plastic guards that use machine screws for attachment to the bark busters. They have performed very well in several bar-to-tree-to-ground-crashes. I think the bark busters may actually strengthen the stock bars - also helping out is the Fredette one piece bar clamp ( a must have for this bike IMHO). Hope this helps.

Posted by: bh---------------------

Man there is no way I would have those Dirt tricks handgaurds. I have Moose busters they are the only way to go. Look at the price too!

Posted by: ericf7---------------------

what about clearance over stock levers>?

Posted by: Smit-Dog---------------------

Clearance with the stock levers on a KDX 220 are fine with Enduro Engineering bark busters.

Get them... you will be happy!

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