Kove 450 Rally: Kove Pro vs Barkbusters Handguards 4K

[@イエンスヨハンセン]

I’ve also fitted the pro guards (actually they were fitted for me before delivery) and my experience with using tape to pad the bar inserts is that they slip out easily under load when the bike is dropped. After a day out dropping the bike five times I noticed they came more than half an inch out of the handlebar ends both sides. The tape just strips off inside the bar ends. I’ve since refitted them, this time stuffed with four short lengths of lamp flex with a rubbery insulation. When fitted I could no longer pull the guards out of the handlebars by hand as I had been able to with tape. I’ve heard some people use a length of garden hose to pad the inserts, which might work even better.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Thanks. Good to know. Another option is to cut a length of “tape” from an aluminium can. I’ll try this for now, but thanks for the tip.

[@spatchist]

6:22 - time for some beer can shimming ? Handgurds seem to be another of those items that come down to personal experience, you'll only really know what suits you after you've tried them all. Re: ball clamps for the doubletake mirrors , if the stock lever clamps have a mirror mount cast in , you can get ball studs that screw in place, and saves adding another thing to the bars.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

The stock lever clamps only have the threaded mirror mount on the rear side of the clamp. And that is replaced when fitting the Kove Pro handguards. I found a solution (Wednesday’s video)

[@enduro1955]

I've used Barkbusters on all my bikes for over 30 years now. I currently have 6 bikes fitted with them. I'm old and clumsy and consequently I fall over a lot. The Barkbusters have survived everything, including some monumental enduro racing crashes. At worst they might be a little bent out of shape, in which case I put them in a vice and slip a bit of water pipe onto them to straighten them - no problem. I can't remember when I last bent or broke a brake or clutch lever. As well, they also seem to help in avoiding bending the handlebar. They are very strong. For me, there is no need to change brand.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

I’m the same for most of my bikes, but I was also curious to try the Kove ones, particularly as that’s what they use on the Rally bikes and they are half a kilo lighter.

[@enduro1955]

@@PeakMotorcycles Great review Andre and I really like the Kove 450.

[@paulds65]

Ordered the same ones for my Kove 450 and indeed also immediately identified the problem with fitment in the end of the handlebars and the fact that you can not mount mirrors anymore. Advantage of these original Kove handguards is that you do not need to put an additional clamp on the handlbars but by removing the mount for the mirror this completely defeats the purpose.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

The Dakar bikes don’t have mirrors so it’s designed for that.

[@coolbananaboy5075]

Great video, thanks!

[@PeakMotorcycles]

You re welcome.

[@Chris_Z.]

I think I would prefer the Barkbusters as they attach to the handle bar. Not sure how the Kove ones would take a hard hit when utilizing the same brackets as the brake and clutch mounting points. Hopefully they don't break or get damaged to the point where you can't use either after a crash?

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Yup, that sort of makes sense, but I’ve yet to hear of anyone breaking the Kove pro ones, and to add another half kilo to the bike to use Barkbusters is a fair bit of weight to carry high up on the bike. And yes, hoping they don’t get damaged. I’ll let you know if they do!

[@Chris_Z.]

@@PeakMotorcycles 500gms is nothing. if anything it could also help with the vibrations through the handlebars? Is the Kove a vibey bike through the bars?

[@PeakMotorcycles]

@@Chris_Z.true, but it’s the difference between adding 1Kg or half a kilo to the bars. The bars aren’t vibey at all (good damping mounts at the clamps) so the vibration damping isn’t really needed. I know that 500g isn’t much, but the higher that weight is added to the bike, the more apparent it is. E.g. adding a kilo under the frame for a bash guard makes much less difference than adding that same weight high up on the bike.

[@enduromotorradtouren]

Good you did the weighing, Andre. Who would have thought that the Barkbuster come in at twice the weight, a pound heavier? Why did you use the Zeta on the CRF 300? I thought about Barkbusters, but... Günter/Nürnberg

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Yup, I was originally just going to put the barkbusters on… but half a kilo at the end of the bars is quite a lot. As for the CRF, I think it was availability. It was 2021 and supply chains were still recovering from Covid and I could get Zetas but not barkbusters.

[@enduromotorradtouren]

@@PeakMotorcycles Are the Zetas sturdy enough for tipping over?

[@PeakMotorcycles]

@@enduromotorradtouren so far I haven’t broken them, but there’s still time!

[@enduromotorradtouren]

@@PeakMotorcycles 🤣

[@clemenswyss8]

Hi Andre, will you (re-)add mirrors? Any ideas how and which?

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Yes. Video on Wednesday 😁

[@airadaimagery692]

Awesome

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Thanks

[@facatube]

hi I like to safe weight but I´ll keep using my Barkhuster, I don´t like that clamps of Kove they looks weak and you have the possibility in case of crash to break levers brackets bad bussines ;-)

[@PeakMotorcycles]

But to be clear, that is speculation about the Kove guards? I don’t know of any that have broken on impact. Not to say that they wouldn’t but for now at least, they seem pretty sturdy.

[@davidkallstrom4349]

looks good

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Thanks

[@Heraklej]

Too expensive, the cheaper one from temu are doing just fine

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Which ones? The Barkbusters do come at a price, but they are good (I use them on other bikes). I haven't tried the Temu ones though so will look them up. Thanks.