Who makes good bark busters that I can install on my 74 Jackpiner, and where can I buy them? Want to protect them fingers.
Keith Meatyard
Best thing for vintage bikes is to put a bead of silicone on the back of your levers. Bark Busters in their present form weren't even around until late 1981 so they are out of place on a vintage bike. Also vintage bikes are shorter / lower to ground. Less handlebar swing when going through the trees than say a 1978 up long travel bike. Brian Kirby just discovered what I am talking about. He installed a set on his bike at the lunch stop Saturday at the Vintage 2 day Qualifier. He said he hit more trees after instalation. He removed them for day 2. You can also use electrical tape to tape a short piece of fuel line to back of levers too.
I don't use them either, I run Quad bars at 26-28" wide[:p]
I use these on my Penton Trials Bike. Not to save my fingers, but to save my levers. Got tired of replacing clutch levers, as it gets expensive, if you have good ones. Maybe in Trials you fall more. Or maybe in Trials I fall more. Either way, it always seems to be on a rock. These are inexpensive, so if you find you don't like them, you're not out much $$. I've taken several hard falls with these and they have held up well. Bought a pair for my daughters boyfriend. He ice races, trail rides and now motocross, and he hasn't broken them, his hands or any levers yet.
Your choices are endless, but these work for me.
http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/44/73/268/1036/-/9645/Maier-XC-Pro-Handguards
I have them on my MC5 and Six Day - but not the aluminum bar "bark buster" style. I use the Acerbis Rally Profile guards, which don't add that much width. They are plastic only, very light, CHEAP, but very sturdy - my bars have caught trunks or small saplings a few times and I and the guards were no worse for the wear. : - )
Here is a link to several of the Acerbis products, including the Rally Profile models. Rally Brush looks similar, but there are higher end models also if ya want to spend more money. :)
http://motorcycle.chaparral-racing.com/search?w=acerbis%20rally
Thanks guys. I think I will try the plastic Maier ones that Gordon sent me pics of. They look like they don't add width, not very expensive, and should give me adequate protection at my skill level.
Keith Meatyard