Nerf Bars

[sbetts1]

Who rides with them, who rides without? Especially for desert racing, what are the pros and cons of having them? I was reading about Matlock's 500 win on the TRX 700 xx and I didn't see nerfs on there. They are mandated on MX...

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[rob-u]

Nerf bars are mandated in mx cause of the way mx races start. One single line with riders next to each other. So nerf bars prevent riders from getting tangled up with each other. They also serve as protection from your foot getting caught in front of your footpeg while going through some whoops and braking you leg (yes that happened to me). Most desert racers dont use them cause they could get in the way while going to rocky section. I've been preruning for baja races on my personal LT-R with nerfs and they have not been a problem so far.

[trentk]

I love mine and would never ride or race without them but it comes down to personal preference. I feel they have saved my feet on plenty of occassions. I think they are a requirements in MX because of all the banging and bumping in mx races.
If you decide to get some and you race get some that are meant for racing. I had the IMS GP series peg/nerf/heel guard combo and it was not cheap and the heel guards broke and I welded them a few times. Then they broke during a race and they are now sitting out in the desert in Page, AZ. So that was $130 down the drain. I called IMS and they said the GP series isn't meant for hard racing and they had me upgrade to the Pro series which are quite a bit more robust. I somehow managed to break the heel guard on those too but IMS warrantied them without questions.

I have heard good things about the Rath stuff.
I have also never had a problem with the AC racing ones on my 05 honda but I am using the stock heelguards and pegs on that quad.

[StrunkBro]

I only use them for motocross in desert they are not needed. They are just something else to get in your way and weight you down. Desert quads have enought extra weight on them why add more.

[calexiraptor]

I only use them for motocross in desert they are not needed. They are just something else to get in your way and weight you down. Desert quads have enought extra weight on them why add more.

ur worried about weight and yet u race a freakin utv better be safe than sorry, +1 for nerfs

[J Caster]

I do not use them, however I only race in the desert. I don't even have heel guards on my quad. At first I was worried about no heel guards but it keeps me from getting lazy. It also makes me feel more like I'm riding a bike and forces me to keep my feet on the pegs where they belong.

I've seen more people get hurt with nerf bars than without and I think its because people get a false sense of security with them.

[A Vance]

i agree with strunk and caster. the problem with nerf bars in the desert is that if you catch a rock with them or a bush it is something that can take off your whole peg. or one more thing to break and be in your way. they are only aluminum and mounted to your pegs. and caliexraptor if you ever seen the "utv" it has floor boards. so no need for them on the outlander/ renegade. ha ha

[D Bergstrom]

I would not ride without them, they have saved my butt a few times. I have got bounced off the quad and landed on them. If they were not there, I would have hit the ground and the quad would have ran me over.

I do see what Josh is saying, if I did not have them I may be more inclined to not be lazy. Unfortunately though, when I get tired, I do get a little lazy. I have never found them to be any kind of hinderance, and neither have my teammates.

Doug

[Socalloco]

I have never had nerf bars or heel guards on my own bike...I have run nerf bars once and they cost me a 2nd place expert class finish at a BITD race when they broke off one side of the bike. I ran heel guards once and one side loosened up and bent and I had to stop and keep bending them back until I got to the next pit and took them off. Another BITD race...this time was a contributing factor to finishing 2nd rather than 1st (there were other factors in this one, too). I have quite a few races with nothing and have only lost a footpeg one time. It was my first race. I'm probably not as crazy as some of you, but I have never had my feet land somehwere other than the footpegs either.

For the record, nerf bars feel heavy to me and make a bike feel much lower. I hated them. Heel guards I could live with.

[Bill]

I feel much safer with them.