GIVI EH2139 Hand Guard Extenders

I so did not want to be dumping a bunch of money into my 2019 Yamaha Tracer 900. In the bigger scheme of things, it's a cheap bike with the Yamaha seal of quality behind it and with all the things one should need in a sport touring model ... like a screen that needed replacement and now the hand guards that need correction.

The hand guards on the Tracer 900 are simply of an underwhelming design that is both too narrow and too low to protect the rider from cold and rain. Further, because the inner mount position is the mirror perch, adjustment upward of the guard isn't sufficient to correct the problem. 

So, after a very chilly trip mapping loops in Ocala National Forest last week, I broke down and purchased the GIVI Hand Guard Extenders.

EH2139 Smoked Plexiglass Hand Guard Extension (MSRP $95, @Twisted Throttle, $84)

The hand guard issue is well know in Tracer-Owner circles and there are only a couple options including the Pyramid and Powerbronze Extenders. I have never laid hands on either of the other options, but I think the GIVI is probably the better of the three.

For starters, the GIVI EH2139 adds 2.75' (70mm) in height, has a "full coverage" wrap-around design, is a thick 3mm and is more solidly mounted with four mounting points (new hardware is provided).

Powerbronze Wind Deflectors (US$55)

Starting with the Powerbronze, there are two main deficiencies. 

The first deficiency is that the deflector doesn't offer full coverage that one would expect from an effective hand guard. As can be seen above, the GIVI guard extends inward to the mirror perch and wraps around the outer side offering ample protection. The second deficiency is that installation is supported by only two center-mounting points (compared to GIVI's four mounting points) that would seem to set these guards up for flexing in the wind and ultimate failure.

Powerbronze represents the guards to be 3mm in thickness (same as the GIVI) and offers them in a wide range of options including smoke (shown) and 16 solid color options.

Further on the Powerbronze guards, I'm not sure they're available outside the U.K. because I don't even see them in the PowerbronzeUS site. Shipping from the U.K. could be cost prohibitive.

Pyramid Hand Guard Extensions (US$95)

The Pyramid is an upgrade over Powerbronze in terms of coverage (although not as much as the GIVI), but, like the Powerbronze, has the problematic two-point installation. 

Pyramid's hand guard extenders are made of Carbon Fiber which may, indeed, be a stronger material than the acrylic used in the GIVI and Powerbronze. However, bear in mind that the actual construction of Yamaha's base hand guard design, as discussed below, is a big factor to consider in deciding which guard is better to hold up in the wind.

So, what's up with the mounting points issue?

The Tracer's factory hand guard is comprised of two parts, sandwiched as shown in this photo of an installation I found online. The two parts are the actual hand guard and a forward facing plastic cover that are held together with a couple screws.

All three of the hand-guard extension options discussed in this post attach to the back side of the hand guard using the two "cover" mounting points. 

The issue is that cover is a flimsy, plastic, entirely cosmetic feature that will allow the extension to flex with the new "top end" pressure brought by the extensions. Further, as you can clearly see, those nuts in the cover aren't even real nuts; yet those are what the bolts screw into. While indeed convenient, very simply mounting into the cover is not a solid means to mount the extensions. Seriously, you'd probably be better off drilling holes all the way through the cover and mounting the extensions with a more appropriate nut and bolt arrangement..

The only upside among the three offerings is that the GIVI offers two additional mounting points that are at the more secure mirror perch as can be seen in the photo below. Certainly, those two additional mounting points will minimize the risk of excessive flex, but I couldn't tell you if it'll be enough.

Overall, I firmly believe that either an extender or a whole new model hand guard is in order for the Tracer 900. However, I think the pros and cons of each of these models discussed in this post should be weighed relative to each riders individual needs and desires.

Prices in this blog post were obtained from the vendors in mid-January 2021 and, of course, may change.