cycle rack! I disagree with it being ugly. Function on a dirt bike is beauty.

 

enduro's and dirt bikes are cheap to fix if you crash offroad. hand guards, stronger handlebars, skid plate, and taking care of the turn signals (removal, shorter, or flexible ones) takes care of all the things that are likely to take damage. For scratch protection a set of saddlebags and tank pannier bags will take the hit instead of the plastics, damage the bags though

 

Yeah...i wish there were some way of keeping handlebars from getting bent and levers from getting broke.

I'm thinking of cutting off my levers by an inch or two. I carry an extra set. And maybe acquiring one of those handlebar bending tools to carry along.

 

Get a pro-taper handlebars and you won't bend it. Get some handgard that attach at the end of the handlebars and you wont break your levers.

 

It's pretty much been said already, but bikes like the KLX are fairly well designed for the occasional drop or crash. The handlebar and bar controls are the most exposed items, but better bars and bark buster style control protection pretty well take care of that. The next target seems to be the radiator and shrouds. There is also armor for the radiators but not a lot you can do for the cosmetics on the shrouds. Opinions on the big Acerbis tank vary a lot, but I can attest to how well the tank protects the radiators, and it's very resistant to damage despite sticking out far from the bike. Believe me...I've tested it.

This business of trying to "bubble wrap" the entire bike has a downside. This kind of stuff almost always brings extra weight on the bike, and you have to live with that all the time. At a certain point you can get to the point where all the bike armor can be a negative to enjoying the bike...and the bike gets harder and harder to pick up. I think most of us who ride off road can attest to how well these bikes like the KLX resist damage from tipovers and crashes. A skidplate, handlebar mods, and radiator guards should probably be all the protection you should need.

I rode with a guy at Moab a couple of years ago who had a KLR650 with every piece of armored, wrap-around, hardware you could think of. He had to ride with someone at all times, because it always took 2 people to pick that beast up. I had a KLR650 and know how heavy they are in stock condition. I don't know what kind of additional weight he racked up on his bike with all those bars and guards, but it was ridiculous. The KLX does not need all that extreme protection. Stay with a skidplate, bar mods, and maybe radiator guards...or get a Goldwing.

 

two drops and one crash at speed on pavement...not a scratch on the plastic or anywhere else i can see....all the impact is on the end of the handlebar from my experience...my pro-taper se bars with crossbar have never bent (no handguards) or had any problems...just some scratch on the ends...can barely see it...i slid on pavement a good distance too...

 

I had a set of givi crash bars on a dl650

in one road crash they protected everything but the peg just fine

on the other crash it bent in and touched the fairings, which saved them
but at $150 a set and I had bought 2 it gets expensive
but they did protect major parts like water pump and fairings

no other protection as its thin wall tubing still bends in

 

Most extensive thing I have seen is this:
https://tciproductsusa.com/index.php...b2a16d9138cfde

 

Slid mine at 50 on asphalt for 120ft. Richochet skid plat, turns signals, and factory bars took the beating. Two turn signal lenses, new left grip and I was good to go.

 

This is ugly yes?

Designer watched too much Mad Max maybe.