Ducati Monster Forum

So, my 70 mile morning commute has been a bit chilly (45°F this morning). After reviewing a ton of threads here about the subject, I just went on Amazon and bought these: http://www.amazon.com/Cycra-Composite-Probend-Pack-Black/dp/B004MEG928/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_imgnr_1 (http://www.amazon.com/Cycra-Composite-Probend-Pack-Black/dp/B004MEG928/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_imgnr_1)
Hopefully this will help out. I'll review them after I get them put on, hopefully next week.

Hopefully they do the trick for ya [thumbsup]   [thumbsup]

I can't help myself when it comes to hand guards though.  IMO the best hand guards on Earth are made by HDB in the USA by the nicest and most helpful bloke you could ever wish to do business with. 

No afliliation whatsoever, their stuff is just so good and they looked after me (half a world away from them) WAY beyond the call of duty.  So good did they take care of me that I can't resist giving 'em a plug whenever the subject of hand guards is mentioned.

http://www.highwaydirtbikes.com/HDB_Shop/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=handguards_00 (http://www.highwaydirtbikes.com/HDB_Shop/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=handguards_00)

Electric vest?

 I had hand guards on my BMW K100, and did not find them much help in the cold, even with the somewhat weak heated grips that the bike had. The addition of some ATV bar mits, however, made a huge difference. When I'm using them it has to get pretty cold before I even need to turn the grips on.

What about the muff type soft guards. The ones that you put over the bars, controls et al then stick your hands into?

If the cycra ones down work out - Barkbusters make some plus sized 'storm' models

http://www.barkbusters.net/products/storm.html (http://www.barkbusters.net/products/storm.html)

 That is the one I am talking about. The company you reference has some, butt they are rather massive!

Yeah, mainly my hands that are getting cold.
Guards arrived and are installed. I'll ride on Tuesday and see how they feel.

I used to ride a lot in the cold & rain.

Handguards will help, but won't solve the problem. Handguards combined with heated grips are the best combo IMO. Just wear normal gloves (not winter ones) so the heat from the grips can get to your hands. Oxford makes the best grips that I've seen.

When it gets really cold (<40*), then also wear some cheap waterproof covers. They keep the wind off which really helps, even with handguards. Something like this: http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/raingear/over_gloves/fieldsheer/overglove_2_motorcycle_rain_gloves.html (http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/raingear/over_gloves/fieldsheer/overglove_2_motorcycle_rain_gloves.html)

It is also amazing how well a heated jacket/vest helps to keep your hands warm. A warm core = better blood flow to the extremeties, keeping them warm too.

So, rode in this morning, 43°F and the hand guards performed well. Overall, I'm pretty happy wither them, especially considering the price from Amazon (~$40).
One issue which isn't a huge deal for me is that they only attach at the bar end. Because I have clip ons, the part of the guard that normally attaches to the bar near the guages isn't attached to anything. There is no bar to connect to there and the kit didn't come with those parts anyway.
Overall, bang for buck I'd give it a 7-8/10. They have to be adjusted very carefully on the throttle side so as not to bind the twist grip. The clutch side slipped down a few times on the 70 mile trip this morning so I need to tighten it a little.