250-500cc Considering a WR300 but I have questions...

I put Flatland radiator guards an aluminum pipe guard and Cycra lever guards/bark busters on mine and 5min into the 1st ride I was going down a 3rd gear hill on some rocks covered with leaves and hit a hidden kicker and crashed hard on my right side. I got up to see a big gouge in my body armor, rocks ground and stuck in my pipe guard and evidence that the bark busters and the rad guards had done some work and me without a scratch thinking money well spent.

Yeah, I can get some enduro engineering ones right now if I want, but they only offer crush protection. Should I wait and get something with puncture protection as well? I'm kind of thinking so.

Look at 7602 guards and braces! They are very well built and priced well.
http://7602racing.com/prod_radiator_brace_husky.php

Barkbusters/wrap around guards are a must IMO, and the first thing that l purchase for a new dirt bike....cheap insurances and its great to bounce off tree samplings

Still new to the sport, which barkbusters are good ones and what is the cheap insurance about? Why the first thing to buy? On my 360 the acerbis plastic oneswont stick on the ends of the handlebars anymore, so it appears I need new ones quickly. Just which ones to buy?

Any aftermarket metal wrap around guards are a necessary addition. Crashes don't wreck your levers, trees don't break your hands. For trails, I don't think the plastic roost deflectors are that necessary, but I've only ridden having them installed thus far.(Enduro engineering, Cycra, Moose, etc. these are plentiful)

2nd, radiator support is essential. With rads being $250+ each, installing a hardened frame around them is cheap insurance. Usually you can pick something up around $100. When you fall, the rad won't get crushed. This time around, I didn't buy rad guards with a front grille to prevent punctures, I hope I didn't make a mistake. I'm just using the stock plastic deflectors. (Enduro Engineering were the only ones I could find on short notice)

This is my first 2 stroke, so I don't have any opinion on expansion chamber guards. Lots of people around here have them on their KTM's, but I don't know if that's just to look cool.

Lastly, a skid plate. Landing hard on a tree with a broken off branch may do some serious damage to the underside of the engine, or a sharp rock? I'm not sure if a full wrap around style is necessary, or if a small one between the frame members is enough.

I think I misread your post, I got all crazy explaining the merits of bike protection on ya. Sorry.

That'll work thanks for the info. No misread just looking for info. So if I understand correctly the metal handguards will keep the levers from breaking. That would be a good thing.

"keep from breaking" maybe not, but help with prevention for sure.

Joe is there a Husky dealer in Calgary? I know there's one in Cochrane but thats a bit to far. I'm head to Calgary tomorrow. Looking for some Husky accessories : ) Our Husky dealer here doesn't stock to much in the way of Husky riding gear.

These type are crap in rut infested, rocky trails:
Only good for roost deflection.

These are better and the full plastics tends to absorb impacts better and lessen the chance to bend bars but they will snap.


These offer the best protection, keep the bar insert bolts tight but not too tight as a hard impact will cause them to move outwards lessening the chance of bend bars.


PS Acerbis is a good brand but any hand guards on the trail will work. We aussie call all wrap around handguards barkbusters

We use barkbusters as a term as well. Good way to perfectly describe the difference.

There isn't a dealer in Calgary, just Cochrane. If you're looking for universal equipment, cycleworks is a good place. Depends on what side of the city you're going to. Even Bow Ridge doesn't have much for parts in stock. I'm glad I don't need an oil filter on this bike, I'd imagine they'd be hard to find.

Not at all. If you did need a filter, you just get on the phone & order a half dozen. They're on you door step in a few days.

There isn't a dealer in Calgary, just Cochrane. If you're looking for universal equipment, cycleworks is a good place. Depends on what side of the city you're going to. Even Bow Ridge doesn't have much for parts in stock. I'm glad I don't need an oil filter on this bike, I'd imagine they'd be hard to find.[/quote]

Thanks Joe,
Just got back from Calgary and seen your post. I suspected there wasn't a dealer in Calgary as per the internet. Funny that. I have shopped quite abit at cycleworks, good prices there. One of the pics in the forum shows me with my WR and a Shift dual sport jacket on that I bought there. Built in shoulder pads, elbow pads and spine protection. 100 bucks off.
Bought some new goggles today at the honda dealer on Macloed trail, 50% off

eh, how many hours on that 2009 wr300? any issues?

what deals available?

I figure since this thread has been bumped, I'll give you my report on the bike. Remember everything is based off a DR-Z400S as my first bike.

Fan-flippin-tastic! The first time I rode it I didn't set the sag, I thought it wouldn't matter too much. At 215lbs, the front end was all over the place. It seemed the clutch was dragging so it wouldn't really idle with the clutch in and in gear. Other than that it was a great ride. Huge improvement, nice power delivery, light over obstacles, light clutch, excellent brakes and good ergonomics.

Before the next ride I installed a Rekluse Z-Start Pro and swapped the spacer around on the foot pegs. It was unbelievable how simple the bike was to ride. No thought at all, point and shoot. It was winter time and there was a lot of snow, so the front end was still a mess, since I was waiting for my new rear spring I never bothered with the sag again. With the studs on the tires, it was a great ride. Power delivery was exceptional with the Rekluse. It had just as much power as I wanted.

Third ride, I added a whack of preload on the stock spring, haven't measured sag, since I still need to get the new spring installed. I just wanted it to be better for the time being. Now, after having ridden it for about 4 hours, the bike has come alive in my hands. I am not a racer, nor anything special, but I did mountainbike intensely for a while. It feels like a piece of art. By the middle of my ride I was experimenting with enduro flip turns with great success. With the Rekluse all you have to do is plant a foot or two and blip the throttle, the front end comes right up, and you can swing it around.

I missed a hill climb because there was no traction for a run up, so instead of maneuvering the bike to get it back down, I blipped the throttle, flipped it around and rode back down. My three friends I was riding with literally cheered, it looked so good I guess. I never used to ride standing up because the ergonomics on the DR-Z were so bad. I stood up for nearly 80% of that ride and when I sat down it felt wrong.

Summary; what was I thinking questioning buying a smoker? The 80lbs in weight savings has made biking into something else entirely. I just hope this bike is as reliable as the DR-Z...