TECH TIP: BARKBUSTER STORM HANDGUARDS
- Mark Mitchell
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Barkbuster Storm handguards create a massive "dead air" pocket
If you’ve ever ridden through a torrential downpour on a 35°F morning and felt like your fingers were about to snap off like icicles, you know that standard "OEM" handguards are usually about as effective as a cocktail umbrella. After a particularly miserable rainy trip, I finally pulled the trigger on the Barkbusters Storm setup. Here is my take after 500 miles of use and the occasional "oops" in the dirt.
Let’s be honest: the Storm plastics are huge. If you’re looking for that sleek, slim "Enduro" look, these aren't it—you’ll want the Barkbusters VPS model for that. The Storm is the "dad bod" of handguards: it’s wide, bulky, and prioritizes comfort above all else.
The plastic guards are significantly deeper and wider than the VPS, designed specifically to wrap around your hand and deflect the wind blast that usually hits your knuckles and the base of your thumbs.
On my old adventure bike, even with heated grips, the back of my hands would freeze while my palms were burning. The Storm guards create a massive "dead air" pocket. I can now wear mid-weight leather gloves much deeper into the winter before having to break out the bulky "astronaut" mitts.
Like any other handguards they don't keep you 100% dry (physics won't allow it), but they do deflect the brunt of the spray. My gloves stay dry for about twice as long in a steady drizzle compared to riding without them.
I’ve tipped my bike over once in a gravel parking lot and once on a slow, muddy trail. Both times, the aluminum backbone took the hit. My clutch lever didn't even touch the ground. If you buy the "single-point" mount version, keep in mind you’re only getting wind protection—not crash protection. The "Storm" plastic is surprisingly thick. Even after taking some stone hits from trucks on the highway, there are no cracks—just a few light battle scars.
In warm weather they block not only wind, they also block all the airflow. In 90°F weather, your hands will get sweaty. The "pro tip" here is that the plastics are only held on by two screws—you can swap them for the smaller VPS plastics or take them off entirely in July and just run the aluminum backbone alone.
Depending on your bike, it can be a tight fit around the brake reservoir and cables. It took me about 45 minutes of "fiddling" to get the angles perfectly symmetrical.
Final verdict: If you are a fair-weather summer rider, these are overkill. But if you’re an adventure rider or a commuter who doesn't stop for "bad" weather, the Barkbusters Storm is the best upgrade you can make for your hands. They aren't the prettiest, but they are the toughest and warmest guards I’ve ever used.
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