Acerbis K-Future Handguards

I have gone through a few hand guards over the years and have had my favorites, but recently we got to try the Acerbis K-Future Handguards for our KTM 250 SX-F test bike. The Acerbis K-Future Handguards have dual-injection covering, a lightweight, compact yet flexible flap design that can protect your brake/clutch pumps. I like that you can directly fix the K-Future Handguards to Brembo/Magura clutch/brake systems with just a bolt that is provided by Acerbis. You simply take out your OEM clutch/brake perch bolt, install the Acerbis hardware, one zip tie and boom! DONE! These guards are not a pain in the ass to install and it’s even more awesome that I can replace the stock crappy KTM XC guards with these quickly if need be.  

Acerbis offers a wide range of guards on their site, but we were looking for some handguards that could withstand some light smacking of some bushes (west coast bushes like greasewoods, manzanita, cholla) in the desert as well as deflect some roost/rocks on the motocross tracks. I like that the K-Future guards can pivot along with your clutch/brake adjustments and follows the angle in which you put them. The angle in which the guard is placed in conjunction with the lever seem to be just the right level with a couple test riders that rode with these guards. If you like to have your hand guards offset from your levers then these guards may not be the right choice for you. I would make look into the X-Force hand guards for offsetting your levers in order to get the right amount of courage for your hands. In our case the K-Future guards protected our paws flawlessly with her issues. 

The amount of coverage the K-Future hand guards provide is something I should have looked into a while ago. Although I am not a huge handguard guy, I recently broke my pinky finger and could have used them in a race at Glen Helen. Visually hand guards bother me when riding, but with these K-Future guards, I didn’t really get bothered by the wide look of them. The way the guards are shaped gives my eyes a less wide/fat feel on the bike. Ventilation has been excellent on hot summer days. There hasn’t been one complaint of hot hands during our long summer motos here in Southern California. The vents are not so big that dirt or roost can hurt the hands and I also like that I can hit a right hand inside corner hard enough and not snag my front brake on a stake or hay bale. Yes, we still have hay bales here on occasion! When we did venture out into the desert for some trail rides, we did like that the K-Future guards were sturdy enough to smack some bushes (not trees) at speed without wincing in pain because your hand just took a 60mph impact.

For $52.95 the K-Future handguards are a good investment to help prevent rocks and roost from hurting your fingers/hands. As I am typing this now, my pinky is still pissed off at me because I didn’t have these on. Three months later and it still hurts! I must be getting old because I am wearing a chest protector and handguards! Holy crap, send help!

Acerbis X Grip Frame Guards

When I received a pair of Acerbis X Grip Frame Guards I wasn't exactly going bananas with putting them on ASAP. I mean come on! They're frame guards and the KTM 450 SX-F already comes with a set stock. After I managed to wear the stock ones down in 8.2 hours however I installed the Acerbis X Grip Frame Guards unknowingly that I would be so impressed. 

The X Grip frame guards allows the rider to both protect the frame of the motorcycle from wear as well as trying to add increased grip to the middle of the bike for the rider to hold onto. Made from a dual injected mold; The outer plastic is polycarbonate while the inner plastic is playable and offers added grip for the rider. 

Installing the X Grip Guards are painless as you will only use the existing KTM hardware and the three zip ties Acerbis provides, to secure the guards in place. Once installed and on the track you will immediately notice the added grip you get when squeezing the machine. Compared to the stock KTM frame guards the Acerbis X Grip guards feel like they do not slip/slide around as much on the inside of your boot when squeezing. I also feel at times that the KTM can be hard to squeeze with my legs because it’s so narrow in the middle of the machine. With the X Grip guards I can “lock in” a little better because the middle frame area of the KTM feels slightly wider, in a good way. If you are able to squeeze with your legs more without gripping too hard with your hands, you will be able to last longer on the bike. Loose arms, strong legs is a great way to explain how to go fast on a dirt bike. 

The texture of the X Grip also stays intact longer than the stock frame guards and that grippy material covers a wider portion of the machine. I also tried the X Grip on an aluminum frame Yamaha and there was increased traction for my legs to lock in with my boots, which was a welcomed feeling. The attractiveness of the Acerbis frame guards on an aluminum frame bike isn't very high on my “good looks” scale, but they are effective nonetheless. The X Grip looks way better on a steel frame machine. 

For $49.95 the Acerbis X Grip Frame Guards offer a better gripping platform for the KTM and that grip will last longer than the stock frame guards that come on the KTM 450 SX-F. Acerbis offers a wide range of color options for you and your machine and is available direct at acerbis.com.

Acerbis Footpeg Protectors

Have you ever been ripping ruts or laying it over in a corner only to find that your footpegs are stuck upwards? You either spend the next straight slamming down on the peg (with your boot) or maybe you find yourself pulling off of the track to get the dirt out between your return pedal spring/pegs. Yes, it’s a pain in the ass and some bikes are worse than others (like the Honda CRF450R). Well, Acerbis has been making these rubber footpeg protectors for sometime, but a lot of you may not know about them. 

Constructed of EPDM 40 rubber, the Acerbis footpeg covers are designed to keep dirt out of your footpeg/return spring area so that the pegs can return properly once you bury it into a rut/corner. The installation takes some patience, but once you manage to spread the rubber around the peg and onto the footpeg mount/spring area, you can position it so that it is tucked up in there neatly. 

The Honda CRF250R/450R collects the most mud/debris in the footpeg area and I frankly got sick of trying to stomp down my pegs after I have ripped a deep rut. The Acerbis rubber protectors kept the dirt out of the footpeg springs throughout each moto and I never once had to worry about getting my footpegs hung up. The rubber is fairly durable and can withstand some abuse of rocks, sand, and the occasional strong power washes. I have only ripped one rubber protector (at Glen Helen) on a rock and although it sliced the bottom of the rubber, it still held onto the peg and did its job for the rest of the day. 

For around $20.00 I would keep a couple sets of these Acerbis footpeg protectors handy in the tool box for early morning motos or just leave them on 24/7. The Acerbis footpeg protectors fit all modern Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM, Husqvarna, and Kawasaki dirt bikes. You can get these at rockymountainatvmc.com or acerbis.com.