Off-road riding is an entirely different beast than cruising down the smooth stuff. Not only does it require a completely different approach and a handful of new techniques, but a full day of trail carving can also wring you ragged, too. The trick is to make sure you and your bike are fit and prepared to handle the rigors of off-road riding. For you, it’ll take practice and some training. For your bike, it’s a little easier.
From the factory, motorcycles are built to fit a wide range of riders, making the chances that the new bike you just bought will fit you perfectly quite slim. It might sound petty to complain that handlebars are half of an inch too low or foot pegs are a touch too forward-set. After a few hundred miles, a sore back and never-ending arm pump, however, you’ll realize smallest changes can make the biggest difference when you’re wrestling a 400-plus pound motorcycle up a mountain. There are a few easy ways to upgrade your bike to both protect it from inevitable falls, crashes and close encounters of the tree kind, and to tailor it directly to you.
Hand Guards
Along with protecting your vulnerable digits, hand guards safeguard against trees and branches catching the clutch or brake lever – and help prevent them snapping off in the dirt or on a rock too. The stronger and more sturdy, the better.
Good: Moose Racing Aluminum Handguards $40+
Better: Barkbusters Storm Handguard Kit $112
Best: SW-Motech Kobra Handguard Kit $124+
