The Acerbis Endurance X Handguards are getting a workout on the Ultimate Motorcycling Honda CRF300 L Rally Project Bike. Not only do I repeatedly drop the lightweight adventure bike in the dirt, but I also embarrass myself in restaurant parking lots and at gas stations. The bike doesn’t drop itself, of course. I help it with boot misplacement and stopping on uneven terrain that appeared level with the sun in my eyes. I also managed to drop it after ping-ponging off a few rocks on a steep uphill.

In addition to taking a beating, the Acerbis Endurance X handguards add stability at freeway speeds. The Acerbis Endurance X Handguards stiffen up the front end on the highway, and, as an added bonus, reduce vibration at the grips. The two guards fully installed add 2 pounds, 10 ounces to the handlebar.

Installation took less than an hour. Most of the time was spent mocking up the positioning of the inner cuff mounts. Because they are universal mounts rather than bike-specific, the handguards require drilling mounting holes into the Anticorodal (aluminum, magnesium, and silicon alloy) C-section reinforcement bar. Once that was done, the Acerbis handguards were a perfect fit.

It is easy enough to remove the OEM bar-end weights and replace them with the steel expanders. Then, with the holes drilled in the aluminum handlebar to match the placement of the 19mm cuffs, all that was left was tightening all the bolts with Loctite Threadlocker Blue.

I like the protection of the closed handguard design. I have wacked several branches with the Acerbis units that would have broken a finger had the impact-resistant covers not been in place.

After repeated drops, rock hits, and my low-speed tip-overs, the Acerbis Endurance X Handguards continue doing their job, no matter how often I don’t do mine. They’ve taken the abuse from missed footing, uneven stops, and the occasional bad line, and kept both the bike and my hands out of trouble. On the road, the added stability and reduced vibration are appreciated on long freeway runs at high rpm.

The Acerbis Endurance X Handguards run $154 a pair, which is much cheaper than a visit to the ER for a broken finger. The handguards are available in nine colors, including pink, so you can color-match any motorcycle in your stable.