Another possible scource of handguards

[Sindarin]

Barkbusters finally has the NC700 listed on their website with the recommended mounts listed as the S1 and BHG46.2-NP. The S1 only mounts in one location on the bar which I'm not to keen on. There is no link provided for the BHG46.2-NP yet but I'm hoping it will be like the BHG46-NP mount for the Crosstourer providing two mounting locations and keeping the bar end weight.

 

[FrankQC]

I saw some of you removed the bar end weights to install the handguards. Have you noticed any side effect (vibrations) removing those weights ?

Also, Beemer said that there is a NC specific kit (BHG48-NP), but when I search for it on twistedthrottle, I only find the combo (BHG48) with the VPS plastics @ $129, and as I don't care for the VPS, I still need to order the S3 covers @ $44, which makes a total of $173. On the other hand, the "Bike specific" search offers a Storm S4 kit, with the BSC.STD for $93. What is the problem with that kit ? I tried to compare both aluminium hardware and wasn't able to tell the difference.

__________________
FrankQC

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

- Dr. Seuss

 

[Beemerphile]

I saw some of you removed the bar end weights to install the handguards. Have you noticed any side effect (vibrations) removing those weights ?

I removed the weights, but the Cycra handguards that I replaced them with weigh more than the weights. Also, you can get add-on weights for the ends of the handguards if you want them. I haven't needed them.

Also, Beemer said that there is a NC specific kit (BHG48-NP), but when I search for it on twistedthrottle, I only find the combo (BHG48) with the VPS plastics @ $129, and as I don't care for the VPS, I still need to order the S3 covers @ $44, which makes a total of $173. On the other hand, the "Bike specific" search offers a Storm S4 kit, with the BSC.STD for $93. What is the problem with that kit ? I tried to compare both aluminium hardware and wasn't able to tell the difference.

The BHG48 is intended to be sold without the hand guards. It is back to a Twisted website at Twisted Throttle. Call them, and tell them to un-bundle the VPS covers and substitute the Storm S3's. They bought them separately from Barkbusters and they can sell them that way. Barkbusters planned that you could use either, not buy both and throw one away. Twisted Throttle. Grrr. Twisted is right. The S4 is a universal kit and you can piece together a mounting solution, or you can buy the one that Barkbusters developed especially to fit the NC. If the universal was an equivalent solution, I don't think they would have developed a specific kit. You may get it to "go on" but I can't imagine it would fit as well as a purpose designed kit.

If you want more of better information, email the Barkbusters factory (Rideworx) and ask them directly. If you wish, you can email me for the direct contact address of Rideworx's General Manager. Then tell Twisted Throttle what it is you want to buy. They may have some lame story like they can only take orders for what is on their web site, which would be typical of their bent customer service perspective.


__________________

 

[FrankQC]

Now that makes sense.

Thank you.

__________________
FrankQC

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

- Dr. Seuss

 

[Naked_Duc]

Very good info in this thread. Sounds like the Barkbuster kit is the way to go. Before I take the plunge and order a set, just curious on how effective are the handguards in terms of keeping your fingers warm(er) in the winter, vs. heated grips.

 

[L.B.S.]

Very good info in this thread. Sounds like the Barkbuster kit is the way to go. Before I take the plunge and order a set, just curious on how effective are the handguards in terms of keeping your fingers warm(er) in the winter, vs. heated grips.

I had never experienced heated grips before my last bike, and well, man. What was I thinking all those years! lol

So now that I'm a sissy, I'm going heated grips, heated gloves, *and* some BarkBuster-like guards. Screw frozen fishsticks for fingers!

 

[Naked_Duc]

LBS, we are basically in the same area. I totally hear you about frozen fingers. I will get the handguards for sure and see how they do. Maybe there will be a heated grip thread in the near future.

 

[Naked_Duc]

I went to CycleGear for something and saw this. Is it legit for $45?

TRACKSIDE Parts & Accessories - Aluminum Handguard Kit with Shields - Cycle Gear

 

[Naked_Duc]

I went to CycleGear for something and saw this. Is it legit for $45?

TRACKSIDE Parts & Accessories - Aluminum Handguard Kit with Shields - Cycle Gear

 

[V-FORE]

let us know if you go with the cyclegear ones, I just picked up my nc last sunday, I am awaiting the bags I ordered before we start commuting with it I did get me top case brackets installed tonight now awaiting the m5 plate and I can use my current top case until I get a new one. I have givi v35's on the way. I just got my heated grips in the mail today, now to buy a relay and install them! after having them on my vfr & cx I never want to ride without them, I guess with age comes wisdom!

 

[FrankQC]

I went to CycleGear for something and saw this. Is it legit for $45?

TRACKSIDE Parts & Accessories - Aluminum Handguard Kit with Shields - Cycle Gear

I went to CycleGear for something and saw this. Is it legit for $45?

TRACKSIDE Parts & Accessories - Aluminum Handguard Kit with Shields - Cycle Gear

You went there twice ? Just kiddin'

I just purchased a cheap kit on the bay, that also has twin support with an aluminium protection. It looks a lot like the Barkbusters, but for $45. I'll wait to see what it actually looks like and how it fits before giving you the link ;-)

 

[Naked_Duc]

You went there twice ? Just kiddin'

Yah, it was like deja vu all over again and again.

Let me know how yours turn out. I am all for spending money on quality. but sometimes quality can be had without overspending on something advertisers tell us to buy. the cyclegear kit look to be pretty solidly built but appear to be on the heavy side.

 

[Naked_Duc]

I was bored over the weekend so I decided to try out the handguard at CycleGear. For $45, I figure it's a cheap alternative. If it doesn't work out, I can always return it. Here's some of my experience. I am still on the fence about it. I will ride with it for a couple more days and decide.

TRACKSIDE Parts & Accessories - Aluminum Handguard Kit with Shields - Cycle Gear

It's inexpensive and is pretty solid. I do like the extra adjustability built into the bracket for a better fit. But I went into some problem when mounting the brackets to the end of handlebar - I can't get the OEM barend insert out, or put it out a bit so it would stick out past the grip. I tried a couple ways and ended up just mounting the bracket to the tip of the barend weight.



The plastic guard is pretty good sized. But since I mounted the bracket to the barend weight, the whole thing is moved outward about 2 inches. So the tallest part of the plastic guard, that's supposed to be covering the knuckles, is shifted to the side, covering only half of the knuckle. There is more problem with that later. I think I need to find a way to mount it without the barend weight.



Not sure if it's the design of the handguard bracket or the curvature of the handlebar, no matter how hard I tried, I could never be able to mount the bracket straight. As the result, the bracket is rotated downward a bit. The top of the plastic guard barely covers the knuckles and hand. It's a little annoying. If I do choose to keep it, I would trim off the bottom of the guard that I don't need.



There are little vents built into the plastic guards, which I think are nice little touch. They would let some air thru and minimize the drag created by the handguards. Since I had mounted it 2" to the side, the inside vents now sit directly over my thumb and index finger. I am just getting more and more annoyed with this... (OCD kicking in) It just feels like the handguards are doing half the job it's designed to do... I really gotta mount the bracket differently.

 

[dduelin]

I was bored over the weekend so I decided to try out the handguard at CycleGear. For $45, I figure it's a cheap alternative. If it doesn't work out, I can always return it. Here's some of my experience. I am still on the fence about it. I will ride with it for a couple more days and decide.

TRACKSIDE Parts & Accessories - Aluminum Handguard Kit with Shields - Cycle Gear

It's inexpensive and is pretty solid. I do like the extra adjustability built into the bracket for a better fit. But I went into some problem when mounting the brackets to the end of handlebar - I can't get the OEM barend insert out, or put it out a bit so it would stick out past the grip. I tried a couple ways and ended up just mounting the bracket to the tip of the barend weight.

View attachment 1247

The plastic guard is pretty good sized. But since I mounted the bracket to the barend weight, the whole thing is moved outward about 2 inches. So the tallest part of the plastic guard, that's supposed to be covering the knuckles, is shifted to the side, covering only half of the knuckle. There is more problem with that later. I think I need to find a way to mount it without the barend weight.

View attachment 1249

Not sure if it's the design of the handguard bracket or the curvature of the handlebar, no matter how hard I tried, I could never be able to mount the bracket straight. As the result, the bracket is rotated downward a bit. The top of the plastic guard barely covers the knuckles and hand. It's a little annoying. If I do choose to keep it, I would trim off the bottom of the guard that I don't need.

View attachment 1250

There are little vents built into the plastic guards, which I think are nice little touch. They would let some air thru and minimize the drag created by the handguards. Since I had mounted it 2" to the side, the inside vents now sit directly over my thumb and index finger. I am just getting more and more annoyed with this... (OCD kicking in) It just feels like the handguards are doing half the job it's designed to do... I really gotta mount the bracket differently.

I definitely would ride with them and see how they really work. Air flow is affected by the mirrors, the headlight, turn signals and your body and what looks like too low, too high, or too much to one side might be OK. On the other hand you might well be right in your suspicions.

 

[Beemerphile]

I can't get the OEM barend insert out, or put it out a bit so it would stick out past the grip.

There is not going to be any way to "pull it out a bit" but you could easily put a short spacer on the end of it to space the handguard out a bit from the end of the bar. As far as removing the bar-end insert, Honda seems to have reinvented the wheel with their method of installing the inserts. Most of them are wedges that expand against each other as the bolt is tightened. Removing them is a simple matter of screwing a bolt in part-way and tapping it with a hammer to loosen the wedges. On this bike, Honda has chosen to retain the insert with a spring collar. There are holes at 180 degrees where you can see the spring metal clips that hold it in place. The service manual is uncharacteristically unhelpful, saying only to remove the bolt and then the insert. Thanks for that.

Lacking some kind os special pin wrench to press the two tabs in for removal, I simply compressed the spring collar from the handlebar end with a pair of needle-nosed vice grips, screwed a 6mm bolt into the threaded insert, and pounded it out with a slide hammer. Some pics of the process follow below...

 

[gkgeiger]

Great job, as usual.

 

[L.B.S.]

There is not going to be any way to "pull it out a bit" but you could easily put a short spacer on the end of it to space the handguard out a bit from the end of the bar. As far as removing the bar-end insert, Honda seems to have reinvented the wheel with their method of installing the inserts. Most of them are wedges that expand against each other as the bolt is tightened. Removing them is a simple matter of screwing a bolt in part-way and tapping it with a hammer to loosen the wedges. On this bike, Honda has chosen to retain the insert with a spring collar. There are holes at 180 degrees where you can see the spring metal clips that hold it in place. The service manual is uncharacteristically unhelpful, saying only to remove the bolt and then the insert. Thanks for that.

Exactly the same with the (as of the 2006-2010 models anyway, and I don't see them changing yet again for newer ones) CBR125R's and new CBR250R's. Weird pronged internal circlip jobbies. Ugh.

It was a bit of a rude shock to discover this new fangled method of weight retention, after all these years of simple expanding rubber plug style. We hates it, we do!

Plus the verklempt phillips screws were glued in with an infernal thread lock adhesive that defied all attempts to defeat. 90 % of all CBR125R owners have mangled the bejeebus out of their bar end weights trying to remove them, most (including me) resorting to: "ARRRGH HULK SMAAAASH PUNY LITTLE MEAN THING!!!"

 

[Naked_Duc]

Thanks Beemerphile for the pictorial. I am shocked to see how long the insert is. WTF... I did try to pull it out by clamping to a bolt halfway in and hammered at the vice. The insert did not move a bit. I thought they had glued/welded it in. By the look of it though, I think I will give it another shot to pull it out maybe 1/2 inch or so. If not, I will run to Home Depot and get some nylon spacers to fit inside the handlebar/grip.

 

[Beemerphile]

Thanks Beemerphile for the pictorial. I am shocked to see how long the insert is. WTF... I did try to pull it out by clamping to a bolt halfway in and hammered at the vice. The insert did not move a bit. I thought they had glued/welded it in. By the look of it though, I think I will give it another shot to pull it out maybe 1/2 inch or so. If not, I will run to Home Depot and get some nylon spacers to fit inside the handlebar/grip.

It is not glued in, but the rubber inserts at both ends in addition to the spring clip make it a bear to extract.

You cannot pull it out a half inch. It only indexes at the fully in position. There will be nothing to hold it there. Often hand guards come with wedge type inserts for handlebars that are without bar-end weights. Did your hand guards come with some? If so, just remove the Honda items and use the ones that came with it. Otherwise, I am afraid you are in for spacers. If it were me, I would get (or make) 7/8" diameter aluminum spacers and turn down the last 1/16" or so to the ID of the handlebar to give it a place to seat. One thing to watch for is that there is a locating step on the outside edge of the bar insert to keep the end-weight from spinning. It would not give you a flat surface for a spacer to seat on.

 

[Beemerphile]

It is not glued in, but the rubber inserts at both ends in addition to the spring clip make it a bear to extract.

You cannot pull it out a half inch. It only indexes at the fully in position. There will be nothing to hold it there. Often hand guards come with wedge type inserts for handlebars that are without bar-end weights. Did your hand guards come with some? If so, just remove the Honda items and use the ones that came with it. Otherwise, I am afraid you are in for spacers. If it were me, I would get (or make) 7/8" diameter aluminum spacers and turn down the last 1/16" or so to the ID of the handlebar to give it a place to seat. One thing to watch for is that there is a locating step on the outside edge of the bar insert to keep the end-weight from spinning. It would not give you a flat surface for a spacer to seat on.

The 6mm bolt in the stock insert gives a very solid mount for the handguard. I have seen some end-weights with only 5mm bolts which would not have been very secure. A spacer seems like a quality solution. Or hell, lop off about 2/3 of the end-weight and it becomes a spacer.