Highway Dirt Bikes Handguard Install

Highway Dirt Bikes handguard install for f800GS:

OK here is the test install first, installed on the bar end but left the rest loose to see how it will all fit-up. I didn't like the fit in particular on the clutch side. Given the lever arm, I didn't want to really load-up the end of the handlebar, I guess I am anal about it...












Anyways, a bit of time with a vise and careful persuasion got me to where I wanted to be... this is without the bolts installed at the handlebar clamp - much better!



A view from the side on level ground, I think this is a good height for the handguard, I should get decent protection. I don't think I can really go any higher. Lower would reduce wind protection.



Here it is buttoned-up without the plastic handguard piece - I am liking it now!



It just barely touches the shield, if I rotate the handguards down there is better clearance but less hand protection...



Now to put on the plastic guards... they just came in and I gotta go pick them up. But I think it is better to show the install without the plastic to see one persons install orientation re levers et al.

Aw shoot, the photos from flickr won't upload? Does this site provide the link back to flickr as per below from the flickr guidelines?

"Flickr makes it possible to post content hosted on Flickr to other web sites. However, pages on other web sites that display content hosted on flickr.com must provide a link from each photo or video back to its page on Flickr. This provides a way to get more information about the content and the photographer."

Looks good!

Let's see if this works...





OK,
From in Flickr, click "share this" and grab the HTML/BBCode

Did you not get the wind guards or just not put them on before taking the pics?

I had initially installed my guards on the bar ends then tried to mount to the topclamp but had to reverse that because the guards were quite a ways off ... I've got them mounted, but there is a lot of tension on the small screws in the top clamp (especially for a custom part...). hope it doesn't become an issue - would like to have heated and bent them in about 1.5" to allow them to fit more naturally but don't have a workshop to do that right now.

The hand guards are certainly difficult to get started...
When tightened up they fit perfectly!!

Just installed my third set, and it's pretty straight forward now.
S.

Anyone running these hang guards with a Ralle Moto steering dampener? I just installed them on my G450x - really like them a lot!

Thanks for the photo upload lesson, got that figured-out and edited my original post.

Myself, I did not like the fact the guards were so far out and put tension on the end of the handlebar due to the long lever arm. The handlebar is aluminum and aluminum does not have an infinite fatigue life beneath the yield strength like steel, so the less load the better at least in my opinion. But again, I am probably over exaggerating it and it is not a problem.

You can bend them in a vise without heat, it is no big deal, but it was a lot of trial and effort to get it perfect, then again my vise sort of sucked as it was not properly bolted down to my workbench but only retained by pins for easy removal.

I think maybe HDB should have a template that is a go or no go for these guards to get a better bend accuracy, seems like we all have something in common that way. But then the hour or so I spent bending would be spent by HDB and the hand guards would be more expensive.

Just my opinion... thought I would share my install cause it was not completely painless - but the outcome is awesome!

I found when installing them on my G450 that if you install everything loose then slowly work your way around tightening everything gets pulled into place. This was with CR High bars - whatever brand HDB sells.

Stock bars? Could be the bend that makes it a little more tricky.

A set of these are going on my F8GS next time I bent the barkbusters beyond repair.

I'm looking at getting HDB guards as well but I notice in the pics below that one left the bar weights on and the other took them off. Could this be the cause of the tightfit?

In this pic it looks as though one would not be able to fold the mirrors in like you're supposed to able to. It might be just camera perspective and the flattening of depth that happens when using a flash, but man it seriously looks like those mirrors are permanently going to be in the "deployed" position.

you actually just fold them slightly back, then rotate them over and inside the guard (mirror still facing you)

i had them on my guards but didn't like them / took them off before riding with them (if anyone wants to upgrade their hdb's by adding these mirrors let me know / pm me an offer zip=22202)

Ahh, I see! Nice!

I doubt it... I don't know what the "tight fit" problems were. For my bike I ordered the HDB kit for the F800GS and everthing bolted-up pretty smoothly once I bent the guard a bit to get a better geometry for the fit.

The bike with the black handlebar was a new handlebar and the HDB kit was ordered based on the lenght of the new handlebar. So that bike had the handlebar tapped at the end for the threaded insert that allows you to bolt-up the HDB guard. Therefore there is no bar end weight.

You can easily trim the handlebar a bit to deal with any problems as long as you got the right length kit. Anyways the guards are slotted at one end to allow some free play for irregularities.

So I do wonder, what was the "tight fit" issue?

My set up was "custom"... as I ordered new bars.

Paul sent me the F800GS setup for my friends bike and the guards were WAY longer, not to mention the funny weights in the box.

We got it sorted out (thanks Paul).

I'm using Paul's internal weights.
Fit wise... one needs to "cold set" the guards for a proper fit. I would guess there are so many variations he can't get it dead on for everybody.

Griz, I can fold the mirrors in (as the other inmate indicated). Just got back from 5 days of Death Valley... most of the time with them tucked in... must be the angle of the pic.
Didn't happen if there is no pic????

Cheers,
S.

Thanks for the info!

Was in a hurry, and may have missed it. But what mirrors are those and can you tell me where to purchase - they are sweeeeeet

http://www.highwaydirtbikes.com/HDB_Shop/

I know I'm ressurecting an old thread, but how is the visibility out of the mirrors on the HDB guards?

The mirrors work great for their size if you take your time and find the "sweet" spot before everything on the handguards is tightened. There is a limited amount of adjustability so don't expect them to perform as the stock mirrors.