Handguard Option

[SnoNinja]

Okay, so looking into what to do for handguards on the Viper and not really liking anything that I found aftermarket or from Yamaha made specifically for the Viper, I decided to go cannibalistic on my SXR and install the Phaser guards that I installed on it. Phaser mounts wont work on the Viper, so here is what I did:
Get some aluminum mounts made for the Viper and cut off about two inches (where the slotted holes are).

Using the old guards for a templet for CTC distance on the holes, drill and tap 6mm x 1mm holes for the 6mm bolts centered in the new shortened mount arms. You can see one of the holes in the pictrue above. The outside hole is about 1/2" from the end of the shortened arm.

Nice thing about the aluminum arms as the are forgiving and once on the sled can be tweeked slightly to get them into the right position and to get the guards positioned equally. I used a adjustable wrench closed on the square aluminum over a thin microfiber towel to adjust the bends, but be carful when tweeking so you don't crack the aluminum at the new holes that you drilled.

Mount them up inside the control pods on each side.

I painted some old black guards a color that looks pretty darn close to the Yamaha "Blurple" It's a Duplicolor rattelcan that I got at Autozone. Color is BHA 0980 Electron Blue Pearl (B95P). I scuffed the plastic with a scuffing pad, and wipped them with lacquer thinner before I sprayed them. I paintethem (several thin coats) and then Duplicolor clear (several coats also). Paint seems to be holding up well considering it on plastic. Had scrathes in them after pulling them off the SXR so I buffed the scratches out using McQuires Fine Cut Finisher. I use that to take out any scratches in all my painted toys as you can hand buff out most scratches or even wet sand with 1200 grit sandpaper and then buff to a shine.

Here it is all finished up. IMO the old guards look alot better with the Viper styling than so the plastic guards that are out there for the Viper.

Now, ride it, first oil change, tighten chain, install shapers, revalve shocks, clutching, float guards, fourth wheel kit......
Wife is going to need to get another job

 

[09nytro]

Looks good , I've been looking at the rox's handgaurds ... The ghost ones , I really like those !

 

[yamahaguy]

Best looking hand guards I have seen on a viper.. Its kinda nice to see some OEM yamaha hand guards on the yama-cat.

 

[BigDogrx1]

Okay, so looking into what to do for handguards on the Viper and not really liking anything that I found aftermarket or from Yamaha made specifically for the Viper, I decided to go cannibalistic on my SXR and install the Phaser guards that I installed on it. Phaser mounts wont work on the Viper, so here is what I did:
Get some aluminum mounts made for the Viper and cut off about two inches (where the slotted holes are).

View attachment 106580

Using the old guards for a templet for CTC distance on the holes, drill and tap 6mm x 1mm holes for the 6mm bolts centered in the new shortened mount arms. You can see one of the holes in the pictrue above. The outside hole is about 1/2" from the end of the shortened arm.

Nice thing about the aluminum arms as the are forgiving and once on the sled can be tweeked slightly to get them into the right position and to get the guards positioned equally. I used a adjustable wrench closed on the square aluminum over a thin microfiber towel to adjust the bends, but be carful when tweeking so you don't crack the aluminum at the new holes that you drilled.

Mount them up inside the control pods on each side.

View attachment 106581

View attachment 106583

I painted some old black guards a color that looks pretty darn close to the Yamaha "Blurple" It's a Duplicolor rattelcan that I got at Autozone. Color is BHA 0980 Electron Blue Pearl (B95P). I scuffed the plastic with a scuffing pad, and wipped them with lacquer thinner before I sprayed them. I paintethem (several thin coats) and then Duplicolor clear (several coats also). Paint seems to be holding up well considering it on plastic. Had scrathes in them after pulling them off the SXR so I buffed the scratches out using McQuires Fine Cut Finisher. I use that to take out any scratches in all my painted toys as you can hand buff out most scratches or even wet sand with 1200 grit sandpaper and then buff to a shine.

Here it is all finished up. IMO the old guards look alot better with the Viper styling than so the plastic guards that are out there for the Viper.

View attachment 106584

Now, ride it, first oil change, tighten chain, install shapers, revalve shocks, clutching, float guards, fourth wheel kit......
Wife is going to need to get another job

I just posted about the new Powermadd SG1 HANDGUARDS. Velcro on-off. Real nice guards and no jerryrigging on or off.

 

[FX_Nytro212]

Or you could just get the new powermadd sentinel guards like I did. Look and fit great plus you can get a mirror kit and an extension kit for them. They're a little expensive though, $46 for the guard and $50 for the mount kit

 

[SnoNinja]

View attachment 106606
Or you could just get the new powermadd sentinel guards like I did. Look and fit great plus you can get a mirror kit and an extension kit for them. They're a little expensive though, $46 for the guard and $50 for the mount kit

Not having to modify something to fit would be way to easy LOL.

They do look good, but do they give complete coverage to the end of the bar without the extension? The yamaha OEM guards give complete voerage inclding extending to the end of the hook. Cost less, but you have to modify the mount arm like I did. Guards are less than $25 and come in colors (as long as you know which particular past model to order the replacement parts from), and the mounts were $42.

 

[FX_Nytro212]

Not having to modify something to fit would be way to easy LOL.

They do look good, but do they give complete coverage to the end of the bar without the extension? The yamaha OEM guards give complete voerage inclding extending to the end of the hook. Cost less, but you have to modify the mount arm like I did. Guards are less than $25 and come in colors (as long as you know which particular past model to order the replacement parts from), and the mounts were $42.

They go to about halfway down the hook, which should be good because your hands aren't on the hooks all the time anyway