Does anyone run barkbusters on their trials bikes? North Alabama woods in the rainy season are about like Cambodia. I keep catching the clutch and brake levers on vines and crap. Has the effect of a sudden turn combined with either a quick stop or power loss, plus the added fun of crushed fingers. Annoying at any time but particularly bad when climbing through trail-less, rock strewn terrain. I run Acerbis Rally Pro's on my enduro bike but they're a bit heavy for a trials machine. I was thinking a set of those Moose barkbusters that are just a bent aluminum bar that attaches to the handlebar inside the grip, and at the bar end.

John

funny you say that 2 weeks ago i was riding a section and got my left pinky finger wedged between a tree and my handle bar tore the fingernail off and half the skin,just havent found any that look right,theres one i saw thats just a piece of aluminum from the end of the bar and clamps to the tripleclamp without the big piece of plastic

It is a Moose. Here is an example: http://shop.thumpert...fault.asp?p=591

Gonna git me a set! Tired of bustin' my hands. And they'll save your levers and master cylinders too!

JB

I used the aluminum bar type on my old monty after I smashed my fingers several times. They worked real well and I left them on even though other riders gave me grief over them. My new Beta has tapered bars and they won't fit on them. The Beta has better brakes and I have not needed them as much as before but have hit the pinky on both hands making think about adapting them to the tapers. They have the down side of allowing the use of bad technique through an around trees by bouncing off them instead of using body english and finesse. Of course finesse is difficult as you are careening out of control.

I ask myself this question every time I run my pinky into a tree while flying around the loop. I went to TN for the trials training days a while ago, and I finally saw a bunch of people on gas gas's with them. Seems like a decent idea to me. The only downside is when you go over the bars and your hands stay behind! :cripple: :eek:

I've had the Rally II handguards on my bike ever since they were introduced. They aren't as strong as the ones with metal in them, but they are strong enough at trials bike speeds, strong enough to protect a master cylinder when the bike falls over, and much lighter than the ones with metal.

http://shop.thumpert...t.asp?p=593&s=2

1992yz125 said:

I have them on my WR- they are rotated(for standing control) down enough that I think if I went over that they would stay out of the way of my hands. A friend had a sapling hit the front brake and he went over the front- thats when I put mine on.

im think the plain aluminum bar would look better as im cotemplating this issue,you know what would be cool is those asv shorty levers for trials bikes?:prof: i think ive stumbled on to something here,i use a wrap of electical tape under my clamps soes theyll spin,but im off topic.crm you are off the hook this week with some good threads:applause:

I don't run bark buster type but do have installed Cycra Stealth MX type hand guards. A few years back I was flying thru some heavy woods when a very small branch found my front brake lever. After picking myself and the bike up I decided to put the guards on and have never had this issue again.

guards might not be such a bad idea...
I broke my left pinky 5 weeks ago during a trials event (pinky was pointing in a very wrong direction after that! I still can't ride full-effort after 5 weeks, cause it hurts)
I was going over a log, and got a bit too close to a branch that was still on the log.
I'm not 100% sure bbusters would have prevented it, but maybe.
i'm using my first set of bbusters on my enduro bike, so maybe if it goes well i'll add them to my Beta

Moose Handguards

I had some on mine but took em off cause they just seemed to bulky on the front end. ( Just My opinion ) They do work well though, I had them on other bikes and they will save your fingers and levers!

Gandalf_WR450 said:

I've seen that before, and in that position, when you hit a substantial tree, they will rotate. Instead of sliding off of the tree like they're designed to do, the upper edge catches, causing them to rotate down, and smashing your fingers anyway. I've had them for many years, and I've fallen more than most people have seat time (John Wayne: "Son, I've spilled more whiskey than you've drank"). Believe me, the hand guards won't catch your hands.

mjedude said:

Sure looks like one of Clay's stickers on your fender! Are you in Kauai?
Where is your machete? I thought it was a rule there that you had to have one attached to your silencer:D

i guess the cat is out of the bag ,i have been running moose bark busters since day one!and i havent replaced a lever ,

Yes, I am here on Oahu! Clay is one of the nicest guys!

mjedude said:

I'll second that! I looked up his place when I was there this winter and he was great. He showed me his bikes and gave me lots of advice- I dont know how long he has been doing trials, but he still gets all excited about sharing trials with a newbie like me.
He got me to a poker run meet that he was helping with, mostly enduro/MX riders, but several trials bikes. In fact, since I dont know of anyone else where I live that does trials, he was the first actual person I saw riding! The start of the race was over a log on top of a fairly steep hill. The first several riders got hung up on the log going down, soon they gave up and cut a trail around it. Then I see Clay casually ride up the steepest part of the hill, softly belly over the log- total control and grace- quite a contrast from the other riders.

Be careful using bark buster type hand guards. If things get out of control and your hand slips forward thru the guard and snap your wrists or forearms. (happens often in an endo situation)

I have never seen it.