Which are the best handguards (and do they break wrists)? ︱Cross Training Enduro

www.crosstrainingenduro.com tractionerag.com Which are the best handguards for your motorbike? Are full handguards likely to break your wrists? What are the different types? And what are the pros and cons of each? Lets start with the three main types of handguards. The strongest ones are the full wrap design using two mounting points. Often called barkbusters as that was the Australian brand which invented them in 1984. These do the best job when it comes to protecting your hands, levers and master cylinders for your clutch and front brake. Next is the half wrap design. There is only one mounting point, but there is still a reasonable amount of protection as the metal bar extends far enough to cover the hands. And finally, the open style of handguards. These are just plastic so are only designed to protect your hands from roost and very minor impacts. Advantages of the full wrap handguards? Obviously the best protection. They are the least likely to break and very durable. And if you land on the end of your handlebars in an accident, it spreads the impact so less chance of bruising or busted ribs. This happened to me three weeks ago when my bars punched me in the stomach. So glad I had barkbusters fitted! Disadvantages? They cost more. Cheap. So there is a small chance of factures with full wrap handguards. What can we do to lesen the chances? Some riders trim the higher section of the plastic guard or even remove it. Some handguards already have a low profile for this reason. Others actually twist their handguards down so they sit lower. Google around and you will find accounts of this. The big question though, is how often does it happen. Most riders with years of experience agree that it's very rare, and the chances of breaking your knuckles, fingers or hands are much higher for enduro riding. After spending hours searching the forums, and using my own personal experience, I would agree. I have rammed trees countless times, or hit the dirt while still holding on to the bars. All these are possible solutions, but of course too low and you can expose your knuckles to impacts from branches or roost. Don't let your emotions take over. Do your own research. Try to assess the benefits and potential risks of each handguard, and makes your choice. Light. And very unlikely to cause fractures. But they provide the least protecton and are easily broken. The half wrap handguards are obviously a compromise between the other two. Now to the big question. Can full wrap handguards cause fractures? And if so, how often? The main concern is going over the handlebars. If you don't let go of the handlebars, there is a good chance you will break your wrists. Second, there's a small chance in a crash that your hand will come off the handgrip and your forearm could slide down into the handguard and result in a facture. They are the heaviest option, and it does slow your steering down a little. It's also weight placed up high, where you don't want it. And there's the small risk of fractures in an accident. We'll discuss that shortly. Advantages of open handguards. Does this happen? Yes. I'm sure I would have broken bones quite a few times with open handguards. And yes I have been over the bars half a dozen times and always let go instinctively. Personally I think enduro riders will always be better off with the full wrap handguards. Motocross riders will be better off with the open style. And there's always the half wrap design if you really can't make up your mind. What do you use? Ever had injuries that changed your mind? Keen to hear your thoughts and experiences. Also some handguards have a lower section at the side in case your wrist makes contact there in an accident. Others say, just tell yourself to let go if you are going over the handlebars. Ha, easier said than done. Possibly the urge to hang on is stronger in some riders? It's very hard to override your instincts when the shit hits the fan. Use logic when assessing the small risk of fractures from full wrap handguards. On some forums, guys have posted pictures of their broken wrists. Automatically you get certain guys saying that's it, I'm taking my handguards off tomorrow!
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[@crosstrainingenduro]

OVER 100 FREE ENDURO TRAINING VIDS English not your first language? Subtitles in 30+ languages! Basic enduro skills playlist bit.ly/3BtOVyI Intermediate enduro skills playlist bit.ly/3HSkh4r Advanced enduro skills playlist bit.ly/3oNNeqF BIKE SETUP & RIDING GEAR Bike setup playlist: bit.ly/3sBar0i Protective gear playlist: bit.ly/34BYDTI Which bike should I buy? bit.ly/3gLTJG1 Knee protection playlist bit.ly/36fR4Cw OUR OTHER PLAYLISTS Reviews of bikes & products bit.ly/3GQCVrO All about helmets bit.ly/3sJxIgy Enduro philosophy! bit.ly/33meQeV 10 ways to hop logs bit.ly/3JqlOPx The weird side of enduro! bit.ly/3Js1ai2

[@benjaminnielsen5265]

I would've broken my fingers dozens of times without full wraps. Riding the woods up in Minnesota, they are the only logical choice.

[@ferrallderrall6588]

Roost protection comes to mind also

[@Arnelonfire]

Full wrap hands down....I would have broken my hand multiple times without it...riding forrests.

[@ferrallderrall6588]

Got myself a boxers fracture vs a stump in a chute ,would have preferred to never go there lol

[@martinroberts9463]

Barkbusters all the way, had them for years, no broken bones or levers.

[@DmitriyAdv]

Great video/topic and perspective! One of my riding buddies broke his wrist after getting it stuck in the guards in a crash... he still rides with full wraps because he says he'll take one broken wrist over a dozen broken fingers/knuckles. That's a perfect example of risk management when it comes to motorcycling, an inherently risky sport. Another interesting perspective from a pro hard enduro rider interview (I think it might have been Cody Webb). The reason many pros run flags is not fear of injury or that they just don't hit trees. But because when they tumble a bike down a bunch of rocks, as they typically do a few times a race, full wraps often move, jam up the controls, take a long time to fix, and cost them previous time. Not an issue for us gumby riders. I have enough time to do a top end on my bike as I catch my breath between obstacles.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Great info, Dmitriy, I'll put that in a pinned first comment. Quite a few guys are saying 'the pros don't use full wrap so I won't either' which I don't think is necessarily the best reasoning.

[@bikesandstuffwithjoe2215]

Worth mentioning also is the bark buster style guards also lessen the risk of inadvertent use or the front brake, clutch and even whiskey throttle when brushing by a tree or sapling. No one wants to have your front break smashed on when you accidentally get too close to an object!! It hurts cheers

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good point, Joe 👍

[@brucek.345]

I used to run full wrap guards, but now I run the stock flag style on my Husky. They are decently robust. I've hit a few trees with no worries. I also don't go full gas and use a more "trials rider" approach to riding these days.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

It's a good point, Bruce. Our group is almost always in first or second gear on snotty tracks so we could possibly look at the lighter options ourselves.

[@LarryParkerWilliams]

Full wraps no brained. If I’m trying new things on my bike, I’m tipping it over often. My levers and grips are always safe. Punched a tree a couple weeks ago on a single track doing about 15 mph. Would have broken my hand for sure. I run the cycra probends and love them.

[@braapyolefart4865]

Had half wraps until I broke my clamp attached to my hydraulic res on a tip over, now I have full wraps. So far so good🤞🙏🏻

[@moonzy11]

yup this is the problem

[@muddyfilms2632]

I’ve had the full wrap alloy barkbusters for 30 years now. Saved me hundreds of times, never had a broken hand or wrist because of them, and I crash better than anyone I know!😂

[@Boowa4]

Watching your videos closely I'd say you mostly deserve that from leading your "mates" in to difficult spots! 😁

[@crosstrainingenduro]

🤣

[@tannergietzen9539]

Full raps are the way to go! The amount of money I have saved from not having to replace a brembo or mugura lever every ride is way worth the risk. Besides, I’m only 17 and I am more than capable of hoping over my bars in an endo situation so getting injured because of my handgards isn’t a worry for me personally.

[@mikeshem7665]

I've been using full wrap hand guards since I started riding in 1991 and I've not had any broken bones because of them yet. Maybe I have just been incredibly lucky. Great video! 👍👍😎🤟

[@adaycj]

Many riders love the shorty adjustable levers, especially the folding ones. Then many mount them on teflon tape. I think this might allow for a bigger opening or more easily moved lever that will allow your hand into the "rabbit hole" if things get level 10 funky in a crash. For me? Full wrap. I'll take the reduced likely hood of the more common broken hand and fingers, and trade the risk for the less likely broken wrist.

[@mint_au]

cheers for the new vid thinking about what handguards i should buy for my dirtbike next

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Hope it helps!

[@Dadventures1190]

I have the original stock brush guards on my 2017 KTM 350 EXC-F (dual sport). Over 380 hours and 10,000 miles with loads of singletrack, and falls. I did put on aftermarket levers (keep the stock levers in my air box for emergencies) and have had no issues. The guards have cracks from crashes, but I have yet to feel a compulsion to put on the replacement stock guards I bought over a year ago…

[@rickvonderchek6898]

Get sxs i was a wrap guy . The sxs with the burly mount are great . You can hit trees it flexes just enough to slide off the tree . My handguard of choice now

[@Preuling]

Using full wrap hanguards for many years without problem. Every time I rode a new KTM EXC with the yet factory open guards I broke clutch and brake levers. Which turns out to be expensive

[@huskypoop4917]

fulll wrap around for me barry saved my hands and fingers from hitting obstacles and when i do fall off the levers get saved

[@SeatTime]

The EE Open Deflectors have changed the game! I love running these over full wrap arounds.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Not with the trees we hit.

[@zxcvbnmnz]

Used to have Cyrca center mounts but hadn't really hit anything for so long, did have my arms go thru them twice that I remember and probley bent them a bit but never broke the bones. Using KTM flaps for 16 months and mashed the phalanges once and broken cable ties 2x on the brake side while racing and had to repair to stop the brake being pulled on every time something hits the guard. Had to put caps on the bar ends to save the grips.

[@gordonsmithsa115]

Full wrap for me, does the job well, I did ride with the flag style for a short period, but every time I fell I ended up breaking the throttle tube, which in turn caused its own set of problems.

[@ohiodirtbikeriders2218]

I've been over the bars twice with bark busters, first time I let go of the bars. Second time I failed a large log hopping but held on to the bars tight, kissed the log with my face and the only injury was a bruised forearm. I'll always use Cycra full wrap hand guards in the woods and if you tap the end of the bars, the handguards are way less prone to rotating.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good to hear it was just a bruise... did you have the handguards fairly low, or did you change the positioning at all after that?

[@ohiodirtbikeriders2218]

@@crosstrainingenduro Yeah I got lucky. The handguards are clocked at what you could consider the standard position. They are the Pro Bend model. There is a 5cm drop from center of the handlebars to the center of the hand guard. I'm going to leave them in the same position, any lower and the pinky finger becomes exposed. If anything, I would remove the roost deflectors.

[@jeffbrownell279]

I started with bark busters in the early 90,s and now use tusk.I ride in very heavy forest so I have cut my bars down 2" since 1993.Have raced mx with the set up when no offroad races were available and works fine.Some moto tracks will not allow them in Florida because they can get caught on another bike(that's there reasoning)

[@therealinak]

I’ve always run full wrap, but there are some problems I’m not keen on. Firstly, the open end of your grips allows dirt intrusion into the throttle tube. This is unavoidable. The worst, however, is handguard deformation. I’ve yet to encounter a set of guards that haven’t pushed inwards when the bike gets dropped, usually bending the handguard and almost always jamming it into a bad spot. I’ve damaged Tusks, Barkbusters and Zetas this way. This has caused hours of roadside and trailside contrition as I hammer and lever on the guard enough to get my clutch lever freed back up, or my throttle unstuck, or even simply enough room opened back up for my hand. And of course, once you bend that guard a little, it’s always seemingly impossible to replicate the factory geometry when you try to bend them back. Meanwhile, I can’t recall a time when I rammed the handguard hard enough on a tree or obstacle that I think a high-quality flag-style guard (such as SXS) wouldn’t have saved my hand. I tend to avoid ramming trees with my handguards, as they’re obvious things and cause crashes when you hit them hard enough to break bones, handguard or no. For this reason I’m getting keen to get some hours on some skookum flag style guards and see if they’re really the solution to my problems over the decades. I’ve never ruined a ride by snapping a few inches off a lever, but I’ve sure spoiled the mood with bent guards and jammed controls enough for a lifetime.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I hope the flag style works for you. I gave it a try for the first time ever on my current bike but wrecked the clutch master cylinder in a drop at a standstill, doh. $300 for a new Brembo. 😢 I'm back to full wrap now.

[@reecebiddiscombe3117]

Was a full-wrap devotee for 5 years. Could not conceive of riding without them, for all the good reasons. Last year I got a new bike and a mate convinced me to try the factorry fitted flags for a while. He's a much better rider and appealed to the 'no deflection' and 'lighter steering' aspects of flags. It felt like riding naked but after a year: one bruising injury to a pinky but otherwise have to agree, the bike steers and feels 'nicer' and doesn't deflect when I touch a tree. Running shorter levers, the lever mounts further inboard and with slightly loose clamps seems to have prevented breakages when the bike and I part ways. My set of Barkbuster Ego's continue to sit forlornly in the shed. Totally different angle: KTM fit flag style guards to all enduro bikes and their factory riders all seem to use them BUT the Erzberg editions received full wrap guards: are they meeting the market or changing their ideas?

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Interesting point on the Erzberg getting full wrap, Reece. On my next bike I'd be tempted to try the half wrap design... but with my muppet level abilities and constant crashes I think the flag style would end up damaging me and the bike lol.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

"I have been over the bars a half dozen times." 3:05 I rode since the mid 70's (growing up) for about 2 decades and raced for about 10 years, and I can only remember going over the bars once or twice. I am fine with the full wrap, (I made a light, rigid, compact set/system from Yamaha GYTR full wraps.). Those odds are pretty good,---------------------------------------------- and I simply don't plan on crashing anymore. :)

[@crosstrainingenduro]

As with all our training vids, read our disclaimer first before attempting any techniques: bit.ly/2U0bgCy BEST QUOTE: "Hand guards don't break wrists, people break wrists." CR250_182 😂🤣 FURTHER COMMENTS: Piles of feedback on our Facebook version of this vid supports our conclusion. The majority of experienced riders say it's rare to break bones with bark buster-style handguards and the benefits outweigh the risks for dirt riding. The open 'flag-style' handguards are best for motocross riding. What say you? WHY DON'T PRO ENDURO RIDERS USE FULL WRAP GUARDS? I had some guesses at this. Despite their speed, they are still less likely to hit trees and crash than us gumbies! One viewer said he heard in an interview pro riders don't like how they usually move, jam up the controls, take a long time to fix, and cost them previous time if they do crash. And if a lever is broken they usually carry spares. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN HANDGUARDS? If you are worried about fractures, apparently Cycra do a handguard that can bend outwards to reduce the chances, might be worth looking at. However, it seems that most of us who have gone over the bars seem to let go and avoid problems, maybe it's just a minority who instinctively won't let go and hit problems? FULL WRAP GUARDS DON'T ALWAYS MAKE BARS WIDER Very occasionally you'll see mounts that go around the end of the bars instead of into the ends. E.g. check out the Twisted Engineering hand guards. twistedengineering.com/product/bark-guards-aluminum/

[@thisisme7587]

The 2 times It happened to me was blink of of an eye front wheel jams. Eventually go but that split second is where it gets you. The high side just broke my back instead,...but I let go quick haha

[@glauirider1819]

Does anyone know anything about these cycra bark busters that can bend outwards? I’ve been searching around but I can’t find anything. I would really like some, I’m always worried about going over the bars when crossing logs and going over other obstacles.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Not a full blown test by any good standard, but a good overall information package about our options. Good vid. Applauseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :)

[@NEFloridaDirtRiders]

I use the Barkbuster® Sabre™ flags for single track and so far have had zero issues.

[@ruidiasbraga]

I've broken a finger because I was avoiding full hand guards, now I'm buying them, I see that I need them

[@akachristmasrides4230]

I agree with having full wrap hand guards. Just yesterday i was on the xr200r and like a noob grabbed a fistful of front brake in the mud...thus i fell on my left side hard. The left guard dug into the dirt and twisted position on the bars but saved my levers, but not my high beam toggle switch. I however thrown off the bike with full gear on I walked away with only mud on my hands and helmet and a broken pride. Other than the broken toggle switch the only other damage is missing paint on the bars and scratches on the front fender and the airbox cover. On top of that i do a lot of exploring in the woods so hitting brush and sticks is quite common for me and I would only want to run full wrap hand guards on my bikes due to there durability and usefulness. On my crf250l I even have built in turn signals installed on my hand guards.

[@jasonautenzio6369]

Love the full wrap around hand guards , without them I probably would have had broken hands , master cylinders and handle bar's by know that's for sure.

[@moonzy11]

Started w stock flags until I was tired of replacing levers, went half wrap and broke master cylinder on a soft landing, full wraps and no issues ever since. East coast woods riding requires it at my (novice) level

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Woods riding makes it pretty much a necessity from the riding I've done in the PNW.

[@Lib-enduromedia]

It is all about the personel preference i think. In the Netherlands we can do with the open handguards. With enduro's we have endurotest on single tracks but the fingers and hands are protected enough. And they don't break that easily. The ones on my Sherco and GasGas (Spanish one) are from Polisport wich are flexible and tough. It is always good to make up your own mind.

[@johnbranson7253]

You overlooked a con to full -wraps: if you do hit a tree, you tend to pinball through the woods from there into other trees, , with whatever consequences you get. But with the open 1s, you can smash your fingers & break levers. Everything’s a trade-off.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Yep, like a lot of things there's probably no real clear cut answer, John. You just weigh up the pros and cons.

[@cookieguy1770]

Finally, a good informative video without vulgarity. Thank you sir!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Glad you enjoyed it... I must have been low on vulgarity when making this one lol.

[@fintonmainz7845]

Ride me sideways!

[@tazyt3388]

bark busters full loop with modified wind breakers on every bike i own knuckles n wrists saved multiple times winning cheers

[@full_metal2452]

Great video I’m glad I found your channel. Do you have video on best riding gear/protection for enduro/trail riding?

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Sure do, we have a whole bunch of vids about that gathered in a playlist. 👍

[@cokecruzb]

I used full wrap handguards for a few years until one time my bike “whiskey throttled” and the handguard catched a watch I was wearing on my left hand and caused a lot of pain, then I used open/basic guards until I fell one time and hit my hand very hard against a rock and injured very seriously… plus I broked the clutch … so I went back again to full wrap guards!! All and all… I completely agree with this recommendation! Enduro -> full wrap… motocross and jumps -> open. Wet good advice!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Injuries from both sides of the debate, Jorge! Good insights, and I guess it shows that each riders has to weigh up the pros and cons....

[@ogsurferdude]

Stock ktm xcw hanguards are the best! I put them on my beta 500 and liked them so much i went out and bought a new ktm 300 xcw. I also use arc levers cuz i crash alot...

[@777goncharovv]

I have full wrap on my Trial motorcycle. Everyone is making fun on me....Telling me that so many people has been broken wrist.....But my personal experience-it saves me from pinching fingers and saved me from replacing levers a lot ! love it. TUSK Pro

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I did the same thing with my trials bike...

[@wlacking2714]

Super helpful, thanks!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jamesjackson6292]

I have a totally jacked up pinky finger on my left hand when I met a pine tree in 1980 or 81. ( they didn't make them back then)but every off road bike I own has them now! ( full wrap)

[@danlzlz8405]

I went over bars last week with full wrap guards and I badly sprained/bruised the back of my left hand on the top of the plastics, and slightly sprained my wrist. I can't feather the clutch very well for single track now and have to let it heel before I go out again.... I tried 2 days ago and it hurt to pull clutch in. Could have been worse. No fractures. I should have let go...but as you said...instinct hard to override. But I am keeping them regardless. Thanks for bringing up the topic! Good one.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I'm glad there were no fractures, Daniz! Some viewers have said they take the plastic off for this reason. Or try to use handguards that have a thinner more flexible plastic... I'm not sure how much difference that would make.

[@moupy6940]

I use full handgards. I had open ones on my new honda, i broke a finger at my first ride when i fell and the clutch hit the ground and crucht my finger. Impossibile with full handguards. Great video. Chears from France 🇫🇷👍🏻

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Salutations d'Australie!

[@woodsrider117]

I agree. Full wrap around hand guards are best for me.

[@jamesal0]

With full barkbusters, I fractured my right wrist on a steepish downhill kicker G out. Hand/wrist went between barkbuster and front brake. I went over the bars. Kept riding for the rest of the day but it blew up after and I couldnt ride for 6 weeks

[@sukhkarangill5227]

Full wrap, though I have dislocated a finger once. When it got jammed between the lever and the guard., but they've saved on far more occassions, so still using em.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Ouch. Bet you felt that. I did a toe once when the DR650 crushed my foot and the pain as they rejigged the toe was incredible, despite all the drugs lol.

[@dakarinn]

I have been riding enduro since 2006 and always use full wrap guards, we dont have lot of trees here in Iceland but we do have lot of rocks and Im sure that I have broken many fingers if not for the full wrap guards. Many said to my "you will break our wrist" I always response "do you know anyone that did" and the answer was always "no" ;)

[@franciscoshi1968]

I have full wrap guards and angle them down enough so the bar is just below the levers when I am standing. They still provide protection and there is no chance of getting my hands stuck. Even if I didn't let go I still wouldn't get my wrists twisted. I have hit things hard enough that my hand has come off the bars and they always went over the guards.

[@mikebressette6291]

I am a member of a bike club that puts on hare scramble and enduro races sanctioned by AMA and FTR. at Our last hare scramble race we had over 1200 entries, out of the injuries that were reported there were no broken fingers or wrist. If you go to a Florida scramble you will see 98% of the bikes in the pits have full wrap guards.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

It's definitely a rare injury, Mike. Although I suspect we'd see it more in mx if they did use full wrap.

[@garydavey2303]

For enduro and trail riding bark busters are a must. If you are doing Motox and or big jumps all the time then I would not use bark busters. So depends on your riding in my view. Love your channel over here in NZ.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Pretty much my approach too, Gary. 👍

[@Toad_Moto]

I ride with Tusk handguards and they've taken some pretty hard falls on rocks and have held up great. Before them, I was dumb enough to buy cheap ones on Amazon that broke every time I dropped my bike. Great video, my man. 👊

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I remember putting cheap ones on my DR650 year ago, paid almost nothing on Ebay. They didn't break but they'd bend a lot every fall and I'd just wrench them back into shape. It kind of worked well as the stock DR650 bars bend so easily, the nasty handguards were taking the impact instead lol.

[@cedricboivin9422]

The Tusk one are really impressive, even compared with more expensive one. However, it make my bike look even more like if I bought it from a RM worker 😂

[@mmaaddict78]

I run full wrap guards and keep the mounts a little on the loose side so they can move a bit in a crash. I also keep the clutch and brake perches relatively loose.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

A lot of guys use plumbing tape under the mounts so you can still do the bolts up firmly but they'll rotate in an accident.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

If you are in the trees, (or use them to change direction of your bike,---lol), you gotta have the full wrap bark buster style. I am modifying my own (from Yamaha GYTR bark buster style, made by Cycra.). I want to use my stock bar clamp pad, so I can't use the straight diameter of the bars next to the bar clamp like some do. And I don't like the standard clamp that clamps on the taper of the Pro Taper bars. A crash may nick the bar there, and that is called a "stress riser", where a bar can possibly break over time. So I designed my own "joint clamp mounting rod", (I have a small machine shop), and mounting hardware, and cut off the stock bark busters at about the cable end of the controls. My mounting hardware clamps on the straight diameter of the bar between the grip and perches, and that means it can twist around the bar easier because both ends share the same center line through the grip. But I have figured out a way to key the end to the end of the bar to make it more rigid than anything on the market, or you can leave the key out and only tighten them for smaller impacts, so they will actually twist if your wrist falls in there during a crash. I am going to make mine keyed. They can only move in a crash, and probably not most of them. I am testing them this summer, and I would be interested in selling the design to a manufacture. It is clean looking, very durable, lighter, and adjustable for twisting force to a degree of need/want. Doug in Michgian

[@dirtbikesicehockey4788]

Full wrap handguards. I always buy Fredette Racing Handsavers. His shop is only an hour away from my back door and he was also a bad a$$ rider back in the day

[@billmalec]

Riding and racing for 50 years. Yes 50 years. Never had an injury because of bark busters(let's call them what they really are), and never have seen one on a fellow rider. I've seen plenty of broken fingers and levers from those without however...

[@craigallen111]

Hand guards are great for me and they ccame with the ktm. Never broke a lever or a knuckles but my hands have been blown off in big eroded whoops and when it happens you’re very glad not to be caught up on anything like bark busters as the steering snaps out of your hands and your dirt sample is inserted in various exposed orifices

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I have often felt a career in orifice-based soil sampling might be my next move, Craig...

[@PriapismSD]

My Acerbis Rally guards with the added spoilers DESTROYED my right wrist 20 years ago, broke navicular, dislocated the rest like Chiclets. Highsided on XR650L, bent backwards, to this day only about 30 degrees range of motion, and I use a quick turn throttle in my bikes to try to get full throttle. But I is stupid, so my current XR400 has Rally guards on there, but not the added spoilers on top. Normal flag style guards on my KX450 for MX

[@crosstrainingenduro]

A bummer to hear that. Yes there's always the risk of injuries that never heal fully (and I assume can lead to priapism? lol). Great to hear about XR400s still alive out there, I used to love mine. What a wheelie beast....

[@wrenchone5003]

I've seen lots of broken wrists dirt biking but none from handguards . I like the cycra full wraps personally.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Cycra seem to get the nod for heavy duy handguards on all the forums.

[@glennaltschwager5234]

I've always ran full wrap hand guards. Cycra Pro Bend has always been my goto and are probably my favourite. But buying a set for my current 21 model 350 exc was impossible with covid supply not happening here in Oz. I went with a much cheaper Acerbis full wrap and they have been really good, saving my hands every ride in tight single track. My only complaint is they do move a little more with a bigger get off and do find myself readjusting them a fair bit compared to the Cycras. I wouldn't own a bike without a full wrap around for the riding I do, and feel the positives outweigh the negatives by a big margin.👍

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good to hear, Glenn. The Cycras seem to get the best comments from everyday riders when it comes to ultra heavy duty handguards.

[@randybounds2244]

I`ve got to say that Barkbusters like the ones I have on my 84 Husky are some heavy duty hand guards. I`ve hit hard enough to bend the bars and the Barkbusters just say is that all you got? They are old too , been on the bike since the 80`s. Don`t know if they are still that heavy duty but if I ever need another pair that is what I`ll buy.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

My brand new DR650 came fitted with them as part of a special deal, Randy. I think the bars will be bending before the Barkbusters do!

[@79series]

Love my bark busters, saved my levers plenty of times. You know when you hear the branch smash the bark buster you thank it wasn't your knuckles

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I know the feeling, Silvio... 😎

[@jaybray4901]

2 weeks ago I had a small tip over and somehow my left arm went through my KTM full wrap hand guards. First time that has ever happened to me in years of using them. No injuries as I was barley moving but Any faster and it may have been nasty. They have saved my fingers and hands more then once from smashing off trees so I will no doubt continue to use them.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Glad you didn't break anything, Jay.

[@codymusgrave1152]

I rocked the cycra. Full wrap. Busted wrist and thumb in one year. Been without for a year without

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Was that going over the bars, Cody?

[@metlmuncher]

Full wrap!! In single track it feels better to not hammer my hands. I also like the protection to the bike when I toss it on the ground.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

A definite advantage for we bike tossers. 😂 That live chat was funny the other day, glad you could tune in. Talk about unscripted waffle as a substitute for Chuck not being able to make it!

[@metlmuncher]

@@crosstrainingenduro Glad I could contribute in some small underlying way...

[@dragomirionut5992]

I had an accident with wrist fracture after flip over the bike. But, as you said, many other times handguards have protected my hands so i guess is better with them.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Quite a few guys have said that, Dragomir. They've had one wrist or forearm fracture but reckon they would have probably broken a lot of fingers with the flag style guards and find the compromise acceptable.

[@RionGreenhouseKit]

Great video. My neighbor broke both his wrists in a blind-corner head on collision because of his barkbusters. After the accident I was talking to him and he said he thought the busters were mounted just a bit too level/high and it allowed his hands to slip into the gap on impact. I know it is anecdotal and I've ridden tons and never met anyone else that had an injury from them, but I have never been able to ride with barkbusters since and just stick to the flag type.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Yeah, making this vid got me thinking about whether I might try that in between design on my next bike. I have never met anyone who's been injured with barkbusters but there's a small percentage who have been. I like the idea of slightly less weight on the bars too!

[@improvsax]

The HDB (Hiway Dirt Bike) are my favorite full wrap. They have a great fold-in mirror that works really well too. Very good for bikes that are plated, or even with groups when on roads to see if others are still behind. Another point- sometimes there is just not room to mount them. OR if you have flex bars (TE or Flexx) then you need special ones. I run ‘flag’ open style on my ‘long range trial’ bike (currently Electric Motion Escape R) and they help keeping from activating the front brake or clutch in the brush. Plus help a lot for not smashing hands/fingers. Never any injury, but it is very, very rare I fall down.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Enjoying the EM, Mark? A friend of mine has just put a deposit on one, can't wait to try it!

[@improvsax]

@@crosstrainingenduro yes, very much. Super fun and the clutch makes it much more versatile. I fit a special FRB (fixed regenerative braking) button under the bar that I can activate with my thumb- just moving it over slightly. Works great and I almost never use the footbrake. Only issue? Range is not anywhere close to what they say. I just did a fairly long post on the EM owners FB. But I can email to you or something. I also have a video or three.

[@improvsax]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nF7UYqCFdq2ni6s One of the first rides.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

My friend has a property that is constantly climbs and descents so he'll be opting for that FRB I'm sure.

[@billiondollardan]

I just got my first dirt bike this weekend. I got a little trail bike for me and my son but I've got to say I was really surprised at how difficult it was to climb rocky hills. My son had no experience off road and it was really tough for him. I don't know how you guys do it with these big, high hp bikes like I see people ride. It's really impressive

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Welcome to the club! Yes rocky hills are very tricky until you get the power delivery right, get comfortable with standing on the footpegs and knowing how to best get traction to the ground.

[@billiondollardan]

@@crosstrainingenduro well you're pretty amazing! Thanks for all of the videos and especially for the beginner/moderate/experienced teaching videos

[@94SexyStang]

I actually find rocks to be Easy to climb on bigger bikes, LOL.....I find mud and sand more hard to navigate.

[@ThePhotofred]

I use full wrap hand guards. Last year, on a very rocky trail, I came off the bike while my ring finger got caught between the end of the brake lever and the handguard. It snapped like a dried out twig and also broke the end of the brake lever. My guards are still on my bike and I now run 3 fingered levers.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Ouch!

[@patrickunderwood6468]

Full wrap always. Cycra or enduro engineering. Been over the bars many times and never had any wrist issues. I have hit the hand guard into trees with enough force to stop the bike and I'm sure this would have caused broken fingers.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Maybe some of us just naturally let go, Patrick. Natural trapeze artists? 🤔😁

[@ABusFullaJewz]

@@crosstrainingenduro I think that's a big factor. I've never had an issue with full wrap guards but my sister has hurt her wrist going over the bars before. I think some people just instinctively reach forward to brace for the fall and others hold on for dear life.

[@patrickunderwood6468]

@@crosstrainingenduro you never know. I should mention that even though I have not damaged my wrists, I've down a number to my neck and lower back. It seems like my head is drawn to the earth when I fall off, especially when going down hills.

[@dennissawyer8496]

I started using full wraps in the late 80's. Since then I've never broken a wrist or a lever. I feel naked without them.

[@bradybeckner3889]

Sxs burly shiels with the beefy mount...open end hand gaurd and beefy af

[@PBmxer]

had full wraparounds. too restrictive with issues. cycra rebound for me. no issues.

[@wadeliljenquist917]

I agree with full wrap handguards for enduro. I keep mine a little lower. I use full wrap acerbis double mount guards. I did get bucked over the bars once and let go a little late, but thankfully didn’t break my wrists but they were sore and I was a little worried. I think it comes down to proper technique and squeezing the bike to avoid bouncing over the bars. I agree that going over the bars happens more with moto X. And those blokes shouldn’t use handguards

[@crosstrainingenduro]

That does raise a very good point, Wade... and one I should have included in the video. A lot of guys go over the bars hopping over logs or doing drop offs etc and usually if your body positioning is correct you'll minimize the chance.

[@wayward03]

Pretty sure my full wrap guards saved my hands last week....also time to buy knee guards and a armored shirt as my elbow knee and hip all feel less than great. Probably going for the 3do stuff to keep it light and breathable so I will actually wear them.

[@flashpointbravo]

That’s smart, man. When I first started riding off road I bought the Leatt 5.5 armor shirt type thing. Stretchy material with foam and plastic pads everywhere. Super protective but really restricts mobility and blocks all airflow. So much so that I don’t wear it now.

[@brodystott4518]

So far I’ve had tusk dflex open handgaurds and I’ve had these thing bent back all the way and they just bend and then come back to place havnt snapped or cracked I would recommend

[@Ralph7029]

Went flying over the handlebars with barkbusters (honda AT) 2 weeks ago. As you mentioned you instinctively let go and had no issues. However fell with my LEATT neck brace and fractured my collarbone…

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I hope you just have the usual six week recovery, Ralph. I know some guys say they won't use a neck brace after breaking a collarbone but I figure there's a good chance it transferred forces away from your neck to the collarbone... what do you think?

[@Ralph7029]

@@crosstrainingenduro definitely agree, I bought it to make myself feel better about neck/paralysis injuries and will keep wearing it. I might remove it for slower technical riding. Don’t know why the brace has to rest on your collarbone as apposed to the chest area (seeing that theres a common thread of complaints) but Im not a Dr like Leatt so I wont presume to know more. Thanks for your awesome content👌🏼

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Always good to question Leatt in my book, Ralph! Originally the rear strut pushed straight against the spine, it was changed after complaints. Leatt refused to replace a friend's premium Leatt helmet after we found heavy rust after 13 months. We made a video about it (and other cases too)... and then Leatt agreed to eventually replace the brackets with something that wouldn't rust. Almost all the Leatt gear is made in China now so I think it's good to keep them on their toes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jH3Ndnujn5tlgrc

[@LostIn207]

I've had flag style, full wrap, and no handguards. Handgaurds have advantages but a rider shouldn't feel like they shouldn't be out riding without them. I see the appeal of handguards in an enduro race/harescramble, or faster paced riding. But I found that when I had handguards on, I got lazier about keeping my bars out of the way from impacts with branches and small trees while riding slower, tighter trails. I have fold away levers on the bike and feel that its a good compromise between breaking things when you dump but also about keeping me aware of bar placement through obstacles.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

That's true, if I've ever ridden a bike without full wrap handguards I definitely pay more attention to avoiding trees etc.

[@mitchellgould7405]

just broke my leftest metacarpal with genuine full wrap around barkbusters........ not their fault! they are lifesavers and essential for bush work, saving my hands every time I go out!

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Ouch, hope it heals up okay Mitchell. Do the docs say the usual six weeks for the bone to knit?

[@mitchellgould7405]

@@crosstrainingenduro yeah, after they set or pin it in the city tomorrow :)

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Cool, hope it all goes smoothly!

[@wipperwil]

Full wrap for me. Ontario trees to knuckles are WAY more prevalent than the risk of me dismounting dishonourably from air and snapping bones that way.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Yep, the BC ones are pretty nasty too. I couldn't count how many times my bars were hitting trees on some trails.

[@prestonthomas9406]

I will “not” ride at any time without full wrap hand guards. My hands have been hit so hard by branches and rocks on the trail at times that I had to stop and contemplate if my hand/fingers were possibly broken. After a few experiences like that I purchased the very best full wraps I could find, Cycra being my preference. My 2 cents.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Cycra seem to get the most thumbs up from riders, Preston.

[@Gulf9083]

I broke my wrist exactly like the thumbnail. I have still used them on every bike I've had since though. They have saved my hands many times and even my lower leg once. I did change to Acerbis plastic guards after breaking both the radius and ulna in my left arm. What sucked was riding 4 miles back to the car with an extra elbow. Fortunately the trails were easy enough to ride back with just the throttle arm. My dad had to work the clutch at the start standing next to the bike.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

How did it save your lower leg, Erik? Sounds like an interesting story!

[@6226superhurricane]

i've used barkbuster brand since the late 80's never had a single issue and saved me countless injuries and broken levers. also had plenty of trips over the bars (almost a certainty you'll go over the bars riding on stockton sand dunes when you bury the front wheel in a soft patch) but my mate broke his wrist when he hit a washout on a track the impact dislogded his grip on the bars and the suspension rebound pushed his hand down through the barkbusters before he crashed. a poor treatment failed to notice one of his tendons wasn't in the correct spot and his wrist had to be broken again to repair it properly he now has limited movement in his wrist and doesn't ride anymore. but i believe it's a random fluke accident that was compounded by the poor treatment making it a worst case scenario.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Ouch. That would suck having it rebroken again to fix it!

[@johnrichardson8048]

When I was kid my mate nose dived a triple on his wr 200 with bark busters and snapped both his forearms real bad. Couldn’t wipe his own arse for months lol. I wasn’t there but another mate was and vomited when he saw his arms. I don’t really ride MX tracks these days and I mind a few beers, all the time so I was just sick of broken levers every ride, got myself some bark busters and of course I didn’t drop my bike for the time ever lol. But I’m sure they’ll come in handy 👍🏻

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Damn. Yeah I wouldn't want to ride an mx track with full wraps, John! Part of our riding area has some deep sandy woops and I always take it easy as I can picture the Xtrainer bouncing me over the bars lol.

[@lukegibbs8621]

I use the half wrap style from acerbis because they’re atv specific and I didn’t have room for my original flag style hand guards on my new bike

[@crosstrainingenduro]

If I ever change from full wrap it will be to that half wrap style.

[@jeffahearn]

I first used Bark busters in the 80s when they came out. I actually broke a wrist having them on but I would've broke more without them and have used them ever since.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Yep, it always seems to be weighing up the pros and cons, Jeff

[@bigKANG420]

Enduro Engineering full wrap is my choice. I have never worried about my wrists getting caught, been over the bars several times.

[@DamonStangherlin]

Geat video as usual! My 2 cents are; Full wraps are basically non-nogotiable for where I live in BC imo. But if I were to ride in a desert or a place like Moab I probably would not run them, and just loosen my controls. I am sure that I would have broken many fingers by now If I didn't run full wraps. I have gone OTB on a few occasions and haven't been caught, but knock on wood that doesn't happen because it does scare me. I run the busters a bit lower than usual, that way I can still punch trees and bush, but I think if I were to careen into a solid object that wins the standoff, then my hand would go past and over the handguards. I do cuss a lot when rocks ping off my knuckles or branches, I'm just sure to buy dirt biking gloves that have knuckle protection (my knuckles are scuffed as is from work and riding, so I don't think I'll become a hand model any time soon). When I first started riding I rode with someone who was involved in a frontal collision MVA and they completely destroyed their wrists and arms and they claim the bark busters did it (but I also think going into a car at 70km/h will break arms regardless of buster or not. In the end, I think they are worth the investment, largely due to that I have only "broken" one lever while using busters, while I think I broke three in the short year or two before I started running them. TLDR: To each their own in the end. Great video weighing the pros and cons for people getting into it, It definitely should be known that there is a possibility for fractures in some situations.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I would go full wrap in BC for sure, Damon. Man some of those trails had trees so close to the track lol. A new experience for me, bopping along in higher gears and the bars kept brushing against trees... gulp.

[@DamonStangherlin]

@@crosstrainingenduro It's always exhilarating when you're zooming along on a trail and you can feel the fabric of your jacket/jersey graze a tree! A lot of my trails too are 2nd growth forests where the tree's are crammed together and not too old. At points you're at low speeds and weighting the bike so you can bend your handle bars around trees. Not sure if you guys at CTE have done much on the west coast, but the Kamloops area terrain is night and day different than the terrain further west. Should give it a shot some day if you have't already🤙🏻Kinda reminds me more of Romania footage you put up. Cheers

[@crosstrainingenduro]

The eRag guys are based in Kamloops now, Damon. So I did six weeks of riding all around there. Plenty of great terrain!

[@garretthorner]

I didn’t like running full wraps because as my crashes got more aggressive they’d act as leverage to roll by bars backwards which was incredibly annoying. I run open/flag guards with bar plugs now and haven’t looked back. As for hitting trees, I find they offer just enough protection for my bars to start moving so by the time my hand hits the tree it isn’t enough to break anything. I also run ARC levers because I’ve never been able to break one. Open guards also look way cooler.

[@cedricboivin9422]

I'd be curious to try the cycra plastic wrap around handguard one day. Seems to be an interesting middle point in between protection and light weight. There's a lot of various opinion about it though. A lot of people say they break easily, but I have also seen picture of a guy doing a high speed low side on the street and they holded up fine.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

I've never worried too much about having the strongest handguards, Cedric. I'm not sure if this is right, but I figured if the handguards bend then they are taking some of the force that might have bent the bars instead? And I can always straighten them when I get home.

[@cedricboivin9422]

Straightening handguard can get old pretty quickly. I use to have a set of Polisport with a left-right pivot on the brackets. That reduced their strength quite a lot because it wasn't trying to push back when hit on his side. Just the weight of my bike falling at no speed was enough. Now I use the cheap Tusk one and I'm happier. Bonus point, the plastic still look good while the Polisport got white spot just from installation

[@94SexyStang]

@@cedricboivin9422 if you're straightening That much, you might need some improvement or something, quit crashing so much LOL

[@cedricboivin9422]

@@94SexyStang I have lost hope in that a long time ago 😂 P.S: 300+ pounds bike are not easy on handguard

[@muzzarobbo]

acerbis all plastic full wrap are my choice, also another point people mention is the alloy ones changing handlebar flex

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Do you notice a difference, Murray? I've seen a few guys mention this but I find the flex in stock bars to be minimal.

[@muzzarobbo]

@@crosstrainingenduro Nah, ive never tested before and after but can imagine it would make a tiny difference, whether its even noticeable would have to be tested. I do remember seeing that the ktm dakar bikes run full plastic wrap arounds tho. about 90% sure on that haha

[@MegaDezertir]

I broke my wrist when I flyed over the handlebar and hit the ground with the full wrap guards on my bike. They didn't help and didn't hurt either.

[@waimungrel]

Worth noting that adjusting your Barkbusters down can result in more "steering" when clipping trees than having them more level.

[@mitchellgould7405]

The angle they sit is very important from my limited experience

[@marccunningham3302]

I had a scare ridding through single track when my hand slipped off my grip and fell through my wrap around handguards. luckly it was on a straight away and i was able to get stopped and get my arm out. I could feel where my forearm would have broke while trying to stop. I since found Cycra rebound handguards. They are pretty rugged for flag style guards and I've made ends for my bars so I don't get stabbed. I know first hand it works cause i would have been impaled if I hadn't put those end pieces on. The Cycra rebound are no where near as rugged as full wrap, but I've hit trees and they don't collapse on my hands, they stay pretty rigid. i think ill have to replace them every few years. but thats fine with me.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Thanks Marc, I might look into these for my next bike. We rarely get out of first and second gear so these might work well for our riding.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Don't grease your gloves.

[@The-Host]

Years ago I got a hand stuck down in a full wrap over a jump years ago. Luckily I didn't go down or I could've easily seen me breaking my wrist. HOWEVER the peace of mind I get through the trees is easily noticed when I ride with friends. I've noticed they never take good lines if the line squeezes by a tree.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

We did a fair bit of riding in BC Canada where you'd be punting along at a good speed but constantly just brushing the tree trunks... no way I'd do that with flag style handguards!

[@vfischer66]

Another big pro for my when it comes to Full-Wraps: I tend to slide my hand as far outwards on the grips as possible. I rode Flag-Styles for a while and went so far outwards that my pinky clipped the trees. The Full-wrap stops my hands from reaching to far out thus keeping my poor pinky from getting punched from those pesky greenstuff.

[@crosstrainingenduro]

Good point

[@monocogenit1]

That funny. I do the opposite for some reason, always unconsciously moving my hands in towards the center of the bars.

[@vfischer66]

@@monocogenit1 I think that is more common. A few riding buddys of mine always run "grip donuts" so they dont get blisters on the inside because the slide so far in... Cant happen to me...

[@twinturbojunkie7121]

@@vfischer66 I’m one of those guys that always used donuts since I personally would get blisters a lot. They do help a little bit if you ride with your hands in more

[@vfischer66]

@@crosstrainingenduro I noticed another point: If you run really beefy Handguards like some of the Cycras the handlebar gets a lot stiffer which can be less comfortable. Nor a big argument for me as i am a fan of fullwraps, but maybe thats a point for older riders that have problems with their wrists while riding.

[@eatsleepplayrepeat]

I run full wrapped guards because they keep the levers safer in a tip over. Only other thing to save levers are massive and heavy crash bars or changing out the levers for crash resistant ones. A full wrap guard is just the way to go. The extra money and few ounces are far out weighed by the positives.

[@jaimemetcher388]

Crash bars don't remove the need for lever protection. My VStrom slides beautifully balanced on the corner of the barkbusters, the crash bars, and the exhaust hanger. Don't ask me how I know; but I will say it slides so well it'll make it across a causeway and up on the to dry slope on the other side. Most convenient. Without the barkbusters, the bar end would be digging in and giving the lever a facefull of road, which can snap the lever clean off (again, the details of how I know this are unimportant...).

[@fredman1085]

I've never broken my wrist but I've certainly sprained or wrenched my thumb a couple of times. I much prefer the flag style as most of my 'crashes' are tip overs going over rocks or logs. This is just my own experience.