One of the first mods I made on my KLR was to replace the plastic stock "wind guards" with a set of legitimate handguards. That was the plan. The problem was that I played it cheap and bought universal fit, handguards and got what I paid for.
I ordered these from Western Power Sports and no longer remember the specific brand name. That's unimportant since these are sold under several different brand names from various retailers. You can find them all over eBay for under $30.
Installing them was a real pain as it is with anything that is "universal" fit. The short story is they would not fit properly. No matter how they were positioned, they interfered with the brake and clutch levers. After several hours of bending and hammering on them with a rubber mallet, I finally added spacers and longer screws on the handlebar clamps.
This repositioned the guards so they did not block the brake or clutch levers movement. On the left side handlebar, I used a Dremel tool to cut off the metal loop cable guide. Next, I used the Dremel to grind off the remaining "nubs." Because, naturally, that was the exact spot where the handlebar clamp went. At last, with the spacers and longer screws I finished on the left side.
When everything was finally done, I was pretty unhappy and regretted not buying a better product. The handguards have been on the bike for several years and have worked fine. But I hold a grudge against them for the hours of work needed to get them installed. If you are thinking about buying a set like these, seriously think about something else.
Installing them was a real pain as it is with anything that is "universal" fit. The short story is they would not fit properly. No matter how they were positioned, they interfered with the brake and clutch levers. After several hours of bending and hammering on them with a rubber mallet, I finally added spacers and longer screws on the handlebar clamps.
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| Left side showing where cable guide used to be. |
When everything was finally done, I was pretty unhappy and regretted not buying a better product. The handguards have been on the bike for several years and have worked fine. But I hold a grudge against them for the hours of work needed to get them installed. If you are thinking about buying a set like these, seriously think about something else.
