Handguards for a KLX250S...
 

There are a lot of handguards out there, but which ones will mount up on the 250S? Dosen't seem to be a lot of room for a mounting system, with the lever perches, & switches. Need advice/info. Thanks.

Handguards
 

I used the Cycra handguards on my 2009 KLX250s. You have to adjust your perches some (in) but they fit fine. Fitting handguards is always like putting a puzzle together. You have to move all of the pieces until they fit perfectly.

BTW - Be aware that the stock handlebars are both soft (prone to bending) and plugged at the ends. If you do some searches you will see that some have cut the plugs out, others have tapped the plugs so that they accept the handguard bolts, and others (like me) have chosen to replace the bars. I went with ProTaper SE bars (7/8) and I'm happy with my setup.

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I also chose to ditch those stock bars before they could ruin my ride. I went with Renthal 7/8 double walls that have always served me well. I chose a CR-high bend which is almost exactly the same as stock.

Anyway, the Acerbis rally pros fit just fine. They are probably the most common bark buster you'll see in the woods for a reason. They work great.

Do not buy any guard that does not include a metal bar connecting the bar end to another inboard mount point. Usually the inboard point is the inner handlebar and some new guards mount to the steering head on the clamps.

The only challenge that I foudn on the KLX was that the brake and clutch cables are a little short. Still works though. Make sure to turn the bars lock to lock when you're done to check for clearance.

One thing that makes mounting the hand/lever guards easier is to get the kind where the inner end mounts to the fork (triples) instead of the bar.

Which ones mount to the triples? Any particular recommendations?

I don't know which mount to the triples. Mine mount to the bar at both ends, that's why I suggested avoiding that kind. Quite a pain. The Cycras in post 2 look as though they might mount to the triple.

Look at these from Moose Racing. I have the straight mounts on my 09 but wish I had ordered the curved ones.

Moose Racing 2011

I should add that it depends on what style bar you have. Mine has the cross brace (like the stock bar) and that's what made the inner end mounting a pain.

Actually, they mount back to the bars. You just have to play with the clamps a little (I mounted them backwards.....on purpose) to get everything to line up.

LCubanaso - I just ordered those same ones in black. They look nice :)

I have straight moose ones on now, and they definitely do the job. They're so banged up though it's time to retire them.

I used the Moose curved versions on my klx4 with shortened alu bars. With all the street controls, room is at a premium but the mounts help alot. You can articulate them a bit more than straight versions for fit. Bike Bonz make a slick inner mount that also serve as the top bar mounts.
Bonz Hand Guard Mounts

I started out with a set of Renthal Jimmy Button bends with Acerbis handguards with flexible mirrors. I broke the plastic parts for the handguards after a year or so. I really didn't like the mirrors sticking out so I found HDB handguards and ordered new fat bars with handguards mirrors and turn signals all in one.
I really like them. The mirrors work very well, and the led turn signals are great.
The whole shabang costs a few bucks but I think it is worth it

Acerbis
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HDB
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Lcubanaso, whats the part numbers for the handguards, & bars? Looks good.

What's that on the end of your lever?

Actually, you probably don't want to go the exact same route I did. I ordered the Cycra CRM (center reach mount) pack. Cycra Pro-Bend Center Reach Clamp Racer Pack - Dirt Bike Motocross - Motorcycle Superstore


Turns out, I could not get the guards installed with the center reach mount clamps. I had to order U-Clamps instead. U-CLAMP HANDLEBAR MOUNT SYSTEM

The U-Clamps are a bit longer so they gave the guards more clearance for the perches and levers. Note - The front brake line (where it bolts up to the reservoir) is extremely close.

A few people have said they have gotten good results using the triple tree mounting clamps. Cycra Pro Bend Alloy Handguard Triple Mount System - Dirt Bike Motocross - Motorcycle Superstore


If I were you, I would buy the Cycra's with the U-Clamps or Triple Mount from the get go. You'll save about $30 over what I did.

Live and learn :D

Good luck.

Ed


PS - forgot that you asked about the bars too. Here are the Pro Taper bars I installed: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...T.ac=SLIsearch

I have Moose Racing curved handguards on my DR650. They are quite good. The DR has been down hard quite a few times without any damage. About all I can complain about is having to scrape dirt/debris out of between the plastic shields and the metal guard :D

I went with the Cycra's for the KLX for two reasons. First, they appear to be a little stronger than the Moose guards (could just be perception). Second, I like the look of the Cycra's over the Moose.

Hey red, what shield is installed on your bike and does it work? I'm not a road guy at all but we were thinking of taking a few road trips...actually self guided dual sports(always too many road miles), and was wondering if the shield helps at all. Thanks!

I have the barkbuster VPS handguards. I like them alot and they weren't too bad to mount on my bars. No trimming of the lever required either. I've heard some of the tighter handguards such as the EGOs required trimming of the lever ball.

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that was an old Versys windscreen that I adapted to fit. I built it for a long trip I did last year. It worked well.

I got the Acerbis hand guards with the built in turn signals. Don't waste your money on them if you can even find them anymore. No bar, poor lighting.

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Here are the Pro Rally ones I put on the wife's bike. Hot wife not included. LOL
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been eyeing the Zeta handguards, any opinions anyone? talk me out of them?

remount the plastic with a bead of silicone and the debris doesn't get caught in there...

Heat shrink to cover the lever ends when I cut them off.

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So at the very end, is the end of the lever actually bent around - then the heat shrink over that? Is that what I'm seeing?

I think I have about decided to just take my levers to my machinist/welding buddy, and get him to cut the balls off, cut an inch out, and weld the balls back on. Maybe I should throw some heat shrink over that. I like shorty levers, and the guards I got but haven't put on yet don't quite have room for stock levers - fancy new levers aren't in my budget...

Great idea! I'll do that next time I have to take the guards off.

Thanks,
Ed

No I just hacksawed the lever off and put a fairly thick heatshrink on and folded it forward and another layer of the red heatshrink over the fold so that it cradles my first two fingers, a custom fit to my hands. I love em.

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Pics for Kojack06
 

Got a PM from Kojack06 asking for some more detailed pics of the handguards and clamps. Here they are:

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Hope the pics provide the detail you're looking for.

Also, the bash plate and engine guards are from TCI/Turbocity. Quality is good. Instructions not so good. Most importantly, you'll need to remove the engine guard everytime you wish to replace the oil filter.

Many thanks Sir!!
Kojack

Question: how bad is the interference with the front brake hose where it passes beneath the left bar mount. I haven't fully mounted my standard Moose guards yet, but it's clear that under fork compression the hose will at least rub on the mount, if not be forced to distort around it. No doubt this will cause some wear issues. I could flip the top hose guide to make the hose clear the guard mount, but then the front left blinker will be in the way. Just curious what you've seen, or work arounds others have tried.

Yeah, I kinda wore some of the black vinyl shrink wrap off of the transition between the hard plastic sheath and brake cable. Nothing some black electrical tape couldn't fix :D

Ed

I did the BARKBUSTERS. They are a PITA since you need to drill out the bar ends to get it to work. Ain't they Perty?

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...r/P1110577.jpg

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Good on ya! Toughest piece of kit you'll ever put on your bike. Mine just smashed their way through 400 km of Australian bush with no worries whatsoever. Great product. You won't be disappointed.

Yes sirree! I finally did some serious enduro trails after a big rain, so it there was standing water and lots of mud! I fell off once and the barkbusters have proven themselves to be everything busters as they performed great...they even have the battle scars to prove it!

Moose on Moose
 

I bought Moose guards to go on my 07'. I just ride mild woods off road stuff, no need for protection beyond what the moose offers. I originally tapped my stock bars (which took ages and was a royal PITA) and planned to try to fit them up after tapping thinking I could adjust them one way or another to work it , then began to realize what looked like a close fit was TOO close to impossible because the mounts wanted to be immediately on top of where the cross bar meets the main bar. After looking at a variety of deviations and possible mods, I just decided the right way to do it was to use this as an excuse to upgrade my bars to larger diameter Moose bars (without a crossbar) rather than hacking it together. This worked out well, with a basic oversize midrise bar the only mods I had to make was removing the clip that attached the front brake cable to the speedo IIRC and making a small cutout in the inside edge of the plastic by the front brake reservoir so it could clear the hose. Otherwise it was a nice tidy fit with matching green handgrips and plastics. Sorry too lazy to take a pic atm and don't recall how to actually post them on here. The front brake slides slightly on the inner edge of the left grip but it's on the heavy coated part that's meant to slide in the guides so it doesn't worry me and hasn't caused a problem at all.

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum. Just picked up my '09 KLX250SF a couple weeks ago w/ 180 miles on the ODO.

I realize I am a little late to this conversation. May need to start another thread??

Anyway, I bought some Cycra hand guards and went to install them today only to find out what LCubanaso said in post #2 about the bar ends being plugged.
...Wondering why the hell Kawi would do that knowing that people are going to want to install hand guards?

I don't really want to get new bars at this point and am wondering about the tapping procedure although that sounds like a bit of a pain. I would love to hear other peoples' experiences working around those welded bar end plugs.

Cheers,
Evan

Use a dremel and cut the welds holding the weights.
Mixed results: some have managed to drill and tap the weights (YMMV).

Handguards
 

Moose Countours on a 2007 KLX, stock bars. Work great.

Watch that front brake line. Make sure it can move under full suspension compression. After my first ride in the dirt it took me a few minutes to figure out why my front wheel kept locking up. The PO didn't do a very good job of installing the guards. I see some problems like I had in some of the pics in this thread.

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I shaved down one of the mounts, routed the brake line in front of the guard, and with a little fiddling the brake line moves up freely. I also needed to add the prerequisite electrical tape.

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I agree the bungs in the OEM bars are aggravating. Not sure what Kawasaki was going for there...

Best solution that I found was to just replace the bars with aftermarket aluminum bars. Even if you cut the bungs out of the OEM bars, you still are stuck with crappy bars and the awkwardly placed crossbar which impairs mounting a lot of handguards.

I looked around and found a set of used Cycra barkbusters with the "U" inner bar mounts. These installed very easily, since the clutch cable and other wiring runs through the channel in the "U" and doesn't have to strain against a standard straight inner bar mount like with most other brands.

Re: the brake hose, on two different KLX250 installations, I have just removed the top brake hose guide. It's not really necessary, and with the addition of barkbusters, the top guide causes the brake hose to rub. Lose the top guide and the retaining slip that goes on the crossbar and there is no more rubbing.

I had a similar problem with mine, I had since covered the brake line in electrical tape since it rubs the mount during suspension articulation, and also re-routed the clutch cables to go above the guard.

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