The days may be warming up, but the mornings are still quite chilly. It’s a 90-minute each way journey to the office for me, so comfort is a big deal, and the reason I have left the touring screen on the Yamaha MT-10. However, the screen was only keeping the wind blast off my chest; my delicate little digits were becoming icicles. Hand guard protection was required, but I was after something a bit more streamlined than the VPS Barkbuster units we fitted to our Royal Enfield Himalayan. There is much less chance of me encountering any low-hanging tree branches on my way to the office. Not impossible, just unlikely.
A quick search of the Barkbusters webpage uncovered what I required: the Storm hand guards (code STM-007-BK), and the bar end adapter (B-083).
The Storm units have a single mounting point that connects to the bar end with a locking system to stop them vibrating loose. Other than the bar end adapter, all the other hardware required is included in the pack, and the bolt threads have been coated with Loctite to ensure they stay in place. Installation took me around 30 minutes, and there was not a single swear word uttered.
The change in comfort level was noticeable as soon as I got back on the bike. My fingers are now as snug as ten little bugs in rugs. The style also suits the bike, and like the rest of the touring gear we have fitted, it’s a quick and easy job to remove them and return the MT-10 to its naked glory.
Barkbuster Storm (STM-007-BK) – RRP$135.95
Bar end adapter (B-083) – RRP$14.95
Barkbusters
www.barkbusters.net
(02) 4271 8244
