Handguards typically come in two parts...in addition to left and right...those would be, the metal (usually aluminum) frame and the plastic deflector. Generally, the frame is doing most of the work unless you're deflecting hard roost or deflecting cold wind on the highway. For rally work, all one really needs is the frame to repel trail brush and vine....and, for starters, I'm just installing the frame.
I chose the Tusk Aluminum Handguards for an extremely reasonable $29.99 on RMATV. It's a very simple two point mount solution. It comes with the handguard frames, the handlebar clamps and the handlebar expansion inserts for a 7/8" bar.
In advance, no matter what handguard one buys, there is going to be some level of fabrication and modding to get a good fitment. That is very personalized. In addition, aftermarket bars, if folks have them, come in an endless number of sizes and bends. One size (in a handguard set) may not fit all.
I'll go through my installation of the Tusk Hanguards on the 2019 Stock Bar, but keep in mind there are other methods and approaches to consider that may or may not be discussed here.
Grip Mod or Replacement
To save the grips or not save the grips?
The Tusk Handguards mount to the bar ends requiring either cutting or replacing the grips. There are grips that have holes in the ends for this purpose (or bar weight installation); $20, easy peasy. However, that would double the cost of my mod so I went with cutting the grip ends.
Now, listen....I've seen some pretty bad, raggedy-ass cuts out there in dual sport world. I mean, crikey, did they use a dull steak knife? The right tool for this job is something small, manageable...and sharp! Allow me to introduce you to my $3 Exacto Knife.
This is a simple cut right up, tight to the bar. No raggedy-ass edges. Note that there's a bar insert; we'll discuss that later.
The throttle/right side is different. Essentially, the throttle side grip is installed over a plastic throttle tube and the tube slides onto the handlebar as part of the throttle assembly. So at the right side bar end/tip there is a plastic tube and a rubber grip. Were the clutch side was a simple single step cut, the throttle side is a three step.
If you're going to follow my approach here, read all three steps first before you jump into this, so you know what the end configuration is.
The first step is to cut the rubber grip similarly to the left side...but cut it up to the throttle tube. Again, no raggedy ass cuts! It's way more important to have a clean cut on the throttle side because there is movement that we don't want scraggly rubber shards and pieces interfering with!
The photo below shows the cut rubber grip and the uncut throttle tube.
The second step is to cut the end of the throttle tube. The tube end thickness is 3-4mm. A good sharp cutting wheel of some is needed to do the cut. A Dremel wheel would work great. I have a Ryobi Angle Grinder that I modified to do little jobs just like this one. So, in the phot below the 3-4mm end of the throttle tube have been cut off. What you now see is the bar end and the bar end insert (also referred to above) that is a little ground down from being touched by the grinder wheel.
The third step in the Grip Modification is to establish clearance from the bar end such that the throttle tube can turn freely. When the handguard installation is complete the handguard bar is going to mount to the end of the handlebar. If it's mounting touches the throttle tube or the rubber grip, it's going to interfer with the throttle operation. So we need to give the throttle assembly a little room from the end.
Basically, this is accomplished by loosening the throttle assembly (two screws below where the mirror mounts) and sliding the whole assembly inward. That will result in unencumbered operation of the throttle. Another method is to shim the end of the handle bar with 1-2mm washer of a size that will not interfere with the throttle tube operation.
Don't tighten the screws on the throttle assembly yet. There's still a step involving throttle assembly location.
Handlebar Mod to Accept Handguard Frame
At this point, the installation should literally be just few bolts connecting the Frame to the handlebar end and the inner handlebar. Unfortunately, the OEM bars on the KLX 250 were designed with bar end implants...shown in photos above, probably reinforcements...that need to be addressed.
Normally handlebars are just tubes that allow attachment of the handguard to the handlebar end by using expansion bolts/inserts; bolts that slide into the tube and then expand against the inner tube wall as they are tightened. The Tusk Aluminum Handguards come with such expansion bolts as shown below. Those can't be used without modification to the bar.
I went with the later (tap) because it actually seemed like the easier thing to do. That insert goes back in there quite a ways. Further, a tap wouldn't seem to take away any of the reinforcement that the insert was providing the handlebar...and no, I don't think the expansion inserts would provide that level of reinforcement.
Fortunately, Kawasaki got me started with a hole in the handlebar insert. The photo below shows the hole. It is just a little smaller than an M6.
I tapped the hole at M7-1.00. An M7 is smaller than the two bolts included in the expansion inserts. One thing I learned in this process is that the implant is steel. It was an effort on my part to get an M7 in there. Going to an M8 would probably require the hole to be drilled out a little more...back to drilling. I went with M7 bolts.
Just for the record, for those who may want to consider tapping out to M8, there are tables online that indicate that the drill bit size would be 17/64" or 6.9mm for 1.25 threads and 7.1mm for 1.00 threads.
Okay, with that step the OEM handlebars would accept the Tusk Aluminum Handguards.
Fitment and Alignment
Fitting the bars onto the handlebar without interfering with all the cables takes some patience. There are probably a number of ways to fit them including moving the perches. I have some things about fitment that I like and need; some I don't.
First, in my case, note that I have my handlebar sitting on a one inch riser. The risers already played a part in cable routing, so I had to use some extra caution to make sure I wasn't going to bind anything up on the bar.
Second, there are two plastic cable tie downs that insert into holes on the handlebar and that were fine when I installed the risers. I needed to pull them out to get the handguard frame aligned where I wanted it.
Third, clutch lever and brake lever operation the way I wanted them oriented were interfered with by the handguard frame. Generally, there are two options to get levers that are too long to fit. The first is move the throttle assembly perch inward (it's already loose from the handlebar end mod above) and same with the clutch assembly perch. Moving the perches effects moving the levers inward and creating more clearance for the lever ends. The second is to cut the balls off the ends of the levels. As you can see, I did the later. Actually there's a third...get shorter levers.
Again, this isn't one size fits all. Personally, I like the levers right where they are and I actually need them right where they are. The reason that I need them where they are is I need the room on the inside of the perches for mounting accessories. In particular, I mount my GPS to the right of the clutch perch and I mount my roll chart reader to the left of the brake perch.
The handguard frame clamps now take up all of the available rise in the handlebar, so I'm not going to be able to clamp something there...like a second roll chart or the wireless tire pressure reader I was going to install.
What ever ya'll do, make sure the perches are re-tightened.
Also make sure that the guards are secure.
Lastly, while the cables were checked during the install, an extensive test ride in the back yard is necessary to make sure nothing is rubbing, pulling or tugging.
Overall on the Tusks
The Tusk Aluminum Handguards are a very rudimentary design and fitment methodology. They are light, barely reading on my scale at 1.3 pounds. Sure, they'll bend when I fall, but being aluminum, I'll bend them back.
While fitting them specifically to the 2019 Kawasaki KLX250 was more than I would think most riders would want to deal with, I like the challenges that come with modification. For those that don't, better look for another solution.
I'll let you know if any issues arise out on the trail. Next stop...Devils Creek.
UPDATE:
Devils Creek was knocked out a couple weeks ago and I've been on a couple of other trails, as well. We've had a few falls and, so far, the Tusks are holding up fine. They're getting the job done, no issues. The bar seems to be doing fine, too.
The only thing is, post install, I got to thinking about the end bolt size. I used an M7. In hindsight, I've convinced myself that I probably should have drilled the hole out and put an M8 in there. At the time, my mindset was focused on the integrity of the bar itself. Those inserts were in there to strengthen it and it seemed to me more drilling and tapping equaled more weakening of the bar. Back during the install I didn't consider the "drop scenario" implications. In other words, Tusk thought an M8 was necessary to keep everything together in a fall/drop. I think that's equally important, perhaps more important. If the bar bends, it bends. Wouldn't be the first for me.
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