This is an off-road must-have. Once, in a light rain on a wide trail coated in greasy mud, I was in third gear and moving right along when I noticed my back wheel nearly parallel with my front -- at the wrong angle, though. I shot sideways into a tree so quickly I didn't realize what had happened until the bike stopped. My hand guard was through the bark and half an inch into the tree, but I have all my fingers. They're just a good idea. Handy, if you like.
There are lots of brands to choose from, most of them good, and all priced roughly the same. If you order a set, make certain they're hand guards with a metal bar in them and not hand protectors, which are usually simple plastic guards and won't protect you in an impact.
The Rally Pro from Acerbis works just fine and is fairly easy to install. These come in eight colors to match most Japanese and Euro-bikes. The "plastic" is actually a nylon composite molded around the anodized aluminum bar. Also available is the Rally Pro Spoiler, sold separately, which is a larger nylon cover for cold weather and attaches right over the existing guard.
All hardware for 7/8" bars is included, but you must purchase a separate mounting kit for larger bars. Additionally, Acerbis has come up with a Swivel Joint mounting kit, which has a hinged mount that allows adjustments in three directions; this one could prevent some frustration on more crowded handlebars.
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