I have just done a two up ride from Brisbane to Cairns just under 2,000k on a KLR650. I think I will be doing most of my 2 up ridding on my DL650. One day of the ride was pouring with rain what I did like on the KLR650 was the hand guards esp in the rain. So has anyone used the OEM ones and what do they think? Or any recommendations?
Happy New Year
Nick

They are fine to protect your hands from the wind/rain. They won't save your levers if you dump the bike however.

I just wanted the for weather protection. I have seen a person who broke there forearms when they slipped through there Bark Busters.
Thanks for the advice

Yes, they are structurally fragile, but will help with wind and rain. You can cut the wind and rain altogether if you place hippo-hands over the guards.

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07 DL1000, all farkled up

I have ones off a bmw 1150 gs. they mount much better and fit perfect.

The oem guards do a good job of weather protection

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Motorcycle.com App

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Scoot - #27, Flat Black Club

The first time I test rode a Wee I found my hands starting to sweat and wondered why, as they hadn't been sweating on the ride to the dealership on my own bike. Of course, it turned out that it was the OEM handguards that had been on the Wee that was blocking the air and preventing my hands from cooling down.

At that point I decided that whatever Vstrom I ended up with was going to get handguards as I suffer greatly from cold hands in Canberra's winter. Unfortunately they didn't really help much when the temperature approached freezing, so I decided to throw some Hippo Hands over the top of the guards. Surprisingly this also did not make much of a difference. I ended up spending $150 on the most heavily insulated MC gloves I could find, which helped a bit.

This coming winter I will be using OEM hand guards, covered with Hippo Hands, with Oxford Hot Grips. If that doesn't work then I have no option but to pay the big dollars for electrically heated gloves.

So yes, OEM handguards are effective, but only up to a point.

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Owning a Vee is the very definition of a love-hate relationship..

That exact combination has served me well while living near Seattle where it doesn't get that cold. However, now that I have just moved near Denver, I think I am going to have to pony up for the heated gloves. The high will be over 40F this weekend, so I think I will plan for my first Colorado winter ride.

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07 DL1000, all farkled up

I ride with a combination of OEM hand guards lighter winter gloves and Oxford heated grips. Good down to freezing temp. If it is really cold and wet, I layer a rain glove shell over top of the winter glove. It should be mentioned that the OEM hand guards do not keep your hands dry in heavy rain, but they do cut the wind.

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2009 DL650 ABS (with touring kit)
2004 Honda ST1300

But can be fairly easily repaired with ABS cement.

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2007 DL650
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