No one likes cuts or scrapes while riding their motorcycles. A way to protect your hands from the external influences of the environment is to use a motorcycle hand guard. You can easily attach these accessories to your motorcycle. It would take roughly 20 minutes of your time to install. They offer an aesthetic look while also ranging in ways they can protect your hands and bike controls. They can help protect against bad weather, off hanging branches or twigs and they can also protect your hands during the event of an accident.
Types of hand guards
Two types of hand guards typically divide based on the level of protection they offer. Motocross also known as open-ended hand guards, and off road hand guards more commonly known as full wrap-around hand guards.
Open Ended Hand Guards
Open-ended hand guards are a great option for lightweight protection against mud, wind, rain, or rocks, they can easily deflect these small objects and protect your hands. A hand guard that offers this can be Ali Wheel’s Hand Guard Protector for Kawasaki
Full Wrap-Around Hand Guards
On the other hand, full wrap-around hand guards offer much better protection for more intense situations. If you fall off of your bike or have a crash in which you make contact with the ground, you will better protect your hands if you use these hand guards. They emerged in the 70’s as bikers began going into the wilderness and started exploring and riding in the great outdoors.
Protect against:
Harsh weather conditions
Motorcycle hand guards come in handy during bad unpredictable weather conditions. Especially during the cold winter months or during heavy rain. These hand guards will protect against the cold wind and keep your hands dry from the rain providing you a better sense of comfort to allow you to ride for longer without inconveniencing you.
Losing control
During an accident, these hand guards can help prevent you from losing control of your bike. In the instance of having a direct impact with the riding surface, a motorcycle hand guard’s metal frame will protect the bike controls, allowing the clutch and brake lever to remain untouched if you fall and will stop your bike from going out of control
Broken wrists
During a high-intensity impact the main joint that can break or get injured while riding is your wrist joint. This makes your wrists a vulnerable target that can break in an accident. Using a hand guard provides another layer of added protection to prevent this. It also helps protect against the possibility of broken wrists.
How To Install A Motorcycle Hand Guard
Installing a hand guard is based on what type of hand guard you have. The process is more or less the same as the one listed below. You might need to make a few minor tweaks and adjustments. A general guideline on its installation is given below and adjustments may be needed.
Tools you will need:
- Utility knife
- Motorcycle hand guard
- Allen wrench/key
- Drill machine
- Screwdriver
- Thick gloves
Installing The Hand Guard
- Firstly remove the grip on the handle.
- Take a sharp utility knife and cut off the end of the grip that is connected to the handlebar of the bike.
- The thick gloves will prevent your hands from getting any nicks or cuts.
- Drill a hole into the plastic throttle handle of the bike, roughly the same size as the handlebar.
- Now that the handlebar is prepped and ready we will start to assemble the hand guard on it.
- Place the hand guard on the handlebar so that the holes on the hand guard align with the holes on the handlebar.
- Use a screwdriver to insert the screws in the holes, attaching the plastic guard to the metal bar.
- Place the rings on top of the screws and use your Allen wrench to tighten it.
- Tightened the screws and rings in place with your Allen wrench.
- Lastly, make sure to check if the hand guard is mounted on nice and snug on the handlebars.
Choosing A Hand Guard Fit For You
Choosing the best motorcycle hand guard all comes down to preference. The user needs to determine their own needs and the amount of protection necessary.
For mild protection, a lightweight open-ended hand guard would be a suitable option. Although restricting in allowing movement for your hands, it protects them well. These are better for bikers who mainly travel in cities and just want some protection against rough weather conditions and small objects such as rocks.
For moderate to high protection a full wrap-around hand guard would be an appropriate choice. It provides more protection during demanding circumstances such as a crash or accident. This type of hand guard although restrictive in the allowing movement of your hands is much safer. It also prevents the brake and clutch levers from being affected during a crash. High forces can easily break open-ended hand guards attached to bikes at a single point. Full wrap-around hand guards attached on two points make them more durable and less prone to breakage.
