Vstrom Knuckle Covers, not quite right yet

[dubwise]

I was looking for handguards to ease winter riding.
Some people use motocross guards, but they're flashy and expensive,
tending toward $100 a set for a little plastic and some brackets.
People are using Vstrom guards over on the GS500 forum at GSTwins.com.
Looked to me like they'd work on the GZ250, and the styling is appropriate.
I bought a set from rf900guy on ebay for $52 delivered.
He lists them under the title Suzuki V-Strom Black Handguard Set.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0320676631



The very detailed instruction sheet that came with them says they're
genuine Suzuki accessories Knuckle Cover Set for the DL650, part number 57300-27820-291

The various parts all seemed to relate pretty well to my 2000 GZ250,
so I went for it. I had to do a little modding, and hit a couple of snags.

First you take the handlebar balancers off the bar ends. What it doesn't point out,
is that if you just take the long screw out, the nut may drop off inside the handlebars,
and then you're pretty much screwed. On the left side, the nut stayed in place,
and I put the spacer on the provided longer bolt and it all went back together.
On the right side, the nut fell off, and I pretty much destroyed the expanding rubber piece getting it out.
I have the bar end reasonably well remounted, but I really need to get a new insert.
I guess I was supposed to pull the rubber expander out intact somehow.
I'm not sure how that was actually supposed to work.

Next you replace the clutch and brake lever pivot bolts with the provided longer bolts.
The knuckleguard mounts to the bar end spacer and the top of the new pivot bolt.
It's also supposed to mount to the bottom of the pivot bolt, but that didn't really work or seem necessary.
Right hand mounted perfectly. Once mounted, part of the brake lever rubbed inside part of the knuckleguard,
so I chewed the knuckleguard away with a knife until it cleared. An artisan I'm not.





On the left side, the replacement pivot bolt didn't work. It was only threaded part way, where it
needs to be fully threaded to the round shoulder. I'm going to try to put together a bolt and sleeve,
with a fallback plan of threading the replacement bolt.



The knuckleguard does kind of snap into place anyway, secured by the bar end.
Doesn't seem to be going anyplace.









So, not quite done, but functional nonetheless.