Highway Dirtbike Handguards

Dabo wrote:

I have a WRR and I'm also going with the Highway dirtbike Handguards, but want to keep the stock overall height of the bars. My main concern is stretching out the cables.

Questions:
* Has anyone matched the existing setup with the fat bars and risers?
* I like the Henry bars, but to match the existing overall height I think I need to go with the 1 3/4" and the Woods low or Carmichael bend.
* Has anyone asked for a shorter bottom clamp to match the existing 1.4" clamp?
* I'm concerned the large top clamp will interfere with inserting the key if I go to low, any issues?

I've emailed Paul, but wanted to get advice from WRR riders before ordering.

Thanks for the help,

Dan

I have the 1 3/4 bottom clamp and the henry's with no installation problems.

Thank you,
Being an engineer, I typically over analyze everything. I ordered the hand guards and will pick up the setup next week.

Dan

Hmmm... doing my guards install now and it looks like others before me are split between routing the throttle cables inside or outside the guard. Both are going to rub in my configuration it looks like. Going back to the shop, maybe I will try inverting for more slack.

I picked up my hand guards from Paul at his shop last weekend. Great guy and the guards are bullet proof. Upon installation to the handle bar, I noticed that the aluminum guard bar was ~2" away from the center clamp. Did anyone else have the same issue? If so, did you put them in a vise and bend the aluminum guard bar to fit correctly?

Thanks,

Dan

Dabo, Mine was the same. Unfortunately my shop is in Colorado and I am in San diego. If I had my shop I think I would have done a little bending but you really don't have to. Install all the bolts loosely. Install the handlebar end bolt last. The guard will just pull in and work fine. I had to loosen the banjo bolt at the front brake resovior and rotate it up a bit to clear. Try not to loosen it much or you will get air in the system.

Yes they will pull in from the bar end bolt. I used a spacer on the throttle side to make it not stick due to the tension.

So far I've seen the HDB set up on several bikes, and alot of WRs, but none with a steering stabilizer installed.
Any pics or info on this?

Rapid Dog wrote:

So far I've seen the HDB set up on several bikes, and alot of WRs, but none with a steering stabilizer installed.
Any pics or info on this?

I'm not sure what info your after. The HWDB stuff has no effect on a steering stabilizer.

...yeah I guess that was vague...I was thinking about clearance for the under the bars Scotts or GPR .
Might have seen a pic with the HDB risers or something.

Oh, here tis, see the mount/bracket on top of the triple? It cuts around the steering stem?
Looks like there wouldn't be room for a stabilizer...

Rapid Dog wrote:

So far I've seen the HDB set up on several bikes, and alot of WRs, but none with a steering stabilizer installed.
Any pics or info on this?

Straight from HDB gallery. They have more. This guy has a nice set-up huh? Though I don't see his indicator switch?

Rapid Dog wrote:

Looks like there wouldn't be room for a stabilizer...

Assuming that you're talking about fat bars, you might need to select custom for the lower clamp and explain what you're planning to do.

It appears that they may not offer that exact top clamp design any longer - see the fitment guide. Only reason I brought it up is that the newer designs might make it hard to use the damper controls.

Found a reference here that mentions them having a Scotts Damper sub-mount: http://us.phpdi.com/viewthread.php?tid=73433

Send them an email, I'm sure they'll be helpful.

Thanks, I am going to order them now.

Here's mine. One issue I have is the Henry Reed bend bars. They don't have enough "control surface" (the straight part of the bar that your grips and controls are on). You can see this pushes your controls out to the bent part of the bars and this puts your levers at an awkward position. I'm trying to figure out what bar I need at this time. Everything else is great and I'd do it again.

[quote="Blackdog"]Here's mine. One issue I have is the Henry Reed bend bars. They don't have enough "control surface" (the straight part of the bar that your grips and controls are on). You can see this pushes your controls out to the bent part of the bars and this puts your levers at an awkward position. I'm trying to figure out what bar I need at this time. Everything else is great and I'd do it again.

I just finished my installation of HDB last night and I had run into the same problem with the handle bars.
I really liked the bend of the stock bars, I took my stock bars to the dealer and matched them up to every bar they had! The closest to stock was the Protaper Evo Windham bend.

The Windham bend is 31.50 inches long and stock is 30.75, I cut it down to stock length and threaded the ends mounted it on the bike and...had to throw the bars out because the controls where in the bend!!!

I bought the Renthal fat bars with the Enduro bend, the length is just slightly longer then stock and the control area is 189mm vs. the Protaper which is 180mm before I cut it.

Works great. The only probelm I am having is I do not like how the clutch cable is under pressure because of the routing around the HDB guard mount.

I will post when I get that issue solved

So I attempted to install my handguards, but it doesn't seem to fit... I got a Pro Taper Pastrana handlebar and used it without cutting it because that seemed too much was involved. Well, handguards are too short so looks like I have no choice but to cut down the handlebar. Before I cut it, I just want to make sure that is the solution. Did all of you had to cut down the handlebar? I feel like if I cut it down too much, I too will lose the mounting surface for all of my controls...

WR25RY wrote:

So I attempted to install my handguards, but it doesn't seem to fit...  I got a Pro Taper Pastrana handlebar and used it without cutting it because that seemed too much was involved.  Well, handguards are too short so looks like I have no choice but to cut down the handlebar.  Before I cut it, I just want to make sure that is the solution.  Did all of you had to cut down the handlebar?  I feel like if I cut it down too much, I too will lose the mounting surface for all of my controls...

Wish I could help, I'm still looking for the bar that fits. Have you talked to HWDB?

I'm calling them tomorrow. Funny thing is that I ordered my Pro Taper Pastrana bar from them because they can tap the handle... Seems like they should also cut it down to the size that fits their handguard. I lined the guard against the handlebar and looks like I only need to cut 1cm from the each end. Will report after talking to them tomorrow.

Great discussion guys. Looking forward to hearing more about bars. I thought I heard the some success with the YZ High Bend?

Is our top clamp geometry 100x40mm?

It is 100x40mm. I got the ADV clamp, but with this clamp, my key in the ignition have to be in the LOCK position before I can insert or remove my key. I guess it's not a deal breaker, but it is kind of pain in the neck.

Do not cut the bars. All the pro taper contour bars are 800mm and will fit the HYDB guards? Use a little elbow grease!

I agree. Do not cut the Pro-tapers I had to throw out a brand new pro-taper bar because I cut about 12mm off of each side.

I bought the renthal Fat bar and it worked great.

You do have to tweak the HDB guards in a vice for them to fit!!!

What is your exact problem with the guards?

Thanks. I emailed HDB because there is no number for them. He replied me back and he also said do not cut the handle bar. Instead, I need to bend the hand guard. He suggested I attach the bar end first and stick a stick of some sort in an "eye" of the guard and bend and tweak the guard into a shape I want. I will try it little bit later and let you know.

Well, I could not bend that sucker and HDB guy said he will prebend it and send me a pair of guards that fits on my handlebar. I got it now and it fit like a glove. I sent him the original bar back to him. So for a easiest way to get this system is to buy a Protaper bar from HDB pretapped and ask them to prefit the guard for that particular handlebar. Since the guard was prebent, it was hard to put the plastic protector on it, but it all worked. Pretty happy with the result. Since I was getting the whole new set up, I also added G2 Ergonomics throttle tamer as well. Finally all the basic upgrade I wanted is done and is ready to hit the dirt now. Maybe next year I will work on performance upgrade...

I was drilling a dimple in my Protaper handlebars during my upgrade to the HDB guards and just measured to the old hold in the stock bars. This is distance, is not the distance you likely want. after cutting the plastic end off the throttle grip, you want to measure in from the end to the bump. Otherwise you'll have to cut about 3/8" off the end of the throttle grip, or drill a new dimple in the bar. Measure at least twice. drill once.

I see the NextGen guard kits are going to be available late Oct. They look pretty sweet!