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What are nerf bars?They’re an upgrade to the standard foot peg that comes with most sport ATVs. It’s a simple frame with heavy nylon webbing that attaches to your ATV foot peg creating a safe platform for your feet.
The best ones will protect your feet on all sides – front, side and rear.
An aftermarket ATV mod required for racing.
Yes, you do. They’re probably the single best upgrade you can make to your ATV.
Muddy, wet boots can be incredibly slippery, this can cause your feet to slide right off the foot pegs.
Also, when riding aggressively, it’s possible for your feet to fly off the foot pegs.
Nerf bars in actionThese are both potentially dangerous situations which can cause your feet to get jammed up in the rear tire resulting in rolls, broken bones and worse. The nerf bar helps eliminate both these scenarios.
In addition, they also protect your feet and legs from rocks and projectiles that can be thrown up by the front tires.
A nerf bar will help prevent other ATV rider’s tires from getting stuck between your tires.
Plus, it creates a safety barrier around your feet, protecting it from hazzards and snags.
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The two main downsides are:
But, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Yes, nerf bars are necessary equipment for both the Pro and Amateur race classes.
For Racing ProsAMA Pro Racing 2019 RULES FOR PROFESSIONAL ATV MOTOCROSS COMPETITION rule book section: Frames 3.7 d:
“Suitable OEM floorboards or side bars, known as Nerf Bars, are required either above or below the bottom frame rail. They must be of a closed loop design and not extend beyond a point of widest dimension of the vehicle when measured with a straight edge touching the front and rear tires.
The bars should be covered with a material so as to prevent riders’ feet from going below the bars. Webbing or plastic mesh are accepted materials. No sharp protruding or open tubing ends are allowed. The bars should be securely mounted (welded or bolted) to the frame.”
The AMA Equipment Standards List in the AMA Racing Rule book, which governs amateur ATV competition Section C Equipment 2:
“Tether cords and nerf bars or suitable floorboards are required.”
The average non-mechanically inclined person should be able to easily install nerf bars in under 30 minutes. The experts in the videos below do it in 10 minutes.
The one thing that could slow you down is if you have an older model ATV that would require drilling holes in the foot peg. This isn’t difficult, but you would need the tools to get it done.
With newer ATVs it’s super quick and easy as they come pre-drilled with holes for easy nerf bar installation.
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Home - ATV & UTV - ATV & UTV News - Product Review & Install, Tusk Nerf Bars for ATVs
With the USRA motocross series in full swing already, I have to play catch up if I am going to get my new stock Honda 450R in proper racing order.
The first order of business is to get all my safety items taken care of. As Off-Road.com has reviewed before, for motocross racing, the most basic requirement is a tethered kill switch. Although it is not always mandatory, you really should have nerf bars also. Nerf bars will protect your feet and will help keep competitors from locking up with your bike in tight racing situations.
I bought and installed my favorite kill switch last week, but I didn't have a set of nerf bars picked out. There are several different types; with and without pegs, with and without heel guards, etc. An important factor early in my decision was that I did like the factory pegs and the heel guards on the 450R, and the nerf bars without these options were also less expensive. During a visit to Rocky Mountain ATV's showroom I had a chance to touch and inspect up-close several sets of nerf bars. I decided to go with the Tusk Comp Series. They looked and felt great and the price was very competitive, so with the wallet only a little lighter, I was off to the garage for the install.
What's in the box?
In the box are the right and left bars, mounting hardware, webbing, and the all-important instructions. My initial impressions were very positive. The finish is excellent, the welds looked great, and they appeared to be good and sturdy with the 1-3/8 inch tubing.
Weaving the Webbing
It is much easier to flip the nerf bars over when they haven't been installedt, so I decided to get the webbing laced up prior to install. The instructions are pretty clear on how to lace the webbing, but just make sure you get everything lined up before you start cinching everything tight.
Mounting the Nerfs
The front mount is very simple and utilizes the front motor mount bolt location. After you remove the stock bolt it is then replaced with a longer bolt, spacer, washers, and a nylock nut from that comes with the new bars. Just loosely hand tighten to allow for some movement during the rest of the install.
After installing this piece on both sides you can slide the nerf bars on to the front mounts. The mounts actually slide inside the bars. This will allow them to swing up and down while you are marking and drilling the pegs.
Now here is where things get interesting. The instructions note that some quads require drilling and some do not, but they do not elaborate any further on the subject. The TRX450R requires drilling. I would have liked measurements or a cardboard template, anything to guide me before I start randomly drilling my pegs. No such luck, you are on your own.
Well, not exactly, I will share my secrets.
I e-mailed and spoke with the vendor and they say that you can mount them without cutting the front heal guard mounts on the pegs. Leaving this makes the fitment difficult and I opted to remove them. Like trimming your fenders, you will have to cut until you are satisfied if you choose to go this route.
I lined up the right side and carefully measured and marked my drilling locations.
The trick is to make sure that you drill in a spot that will allow room for the washer and nut to fit inside the pegs. If you have a set or punch, use it to indent the metal on the peg where you marked for drilling. This will help prevent your drill from walking around while getting the hole started.
After I drilled the holes on the right side, I used a piece of card board to make a template. Put the bolts through the cardboard and trim with scissors to make a good outline of the peg. Flip the template over and take it to the left side and your holes should match up very nicely.
Bolt the nerf bars to your pegs, tighten everything up and you are done. I was at first skeptical that the front mounts would offer a rigid platform, but once everything was bolted I was able to stand on these without too much flexing.
Race-proven
I raced my first race with these units and I am very impressed. I didn't have to keep anyone's wheels away from my feet, but the nerfs did keep me from running over my own boots through some rougher sections.
It was a good feeling to have this safety net securely installed underneath me. It was also nice to get a few compliments on the appearance of the new running gear. After the race, the bars cleaned nicely and shined like new.
My overall impression is that this is a great product at a great price. The one negative point is that the instructions could have been more thorough and machine specific.
Tusk Comp Series Nerf Bars are sold and distributed by Rocky Mountain ATV. The only color selection right now is polished aluminum but these will be offered in a several anodized colors soon.
Retail price $109.99
Good luck and good racing,
Mark Lay
Rocky Mountain ATV/MX
com Newsletter Join our Weekly Newsletter to get the latest off-road news, reviews, events, and alerts! There are more and more supporters of off-road driving - in various centers, parks and forests you can often meet many drivers who, together with their vehicle, overcome numerous natural obstacles. The most popular means of transportation in such conditions, of course, are ATVs. According to the results of 2020 , manufacturers and sellers made up rating of the best cars, which included:
Best Touring ATV Yamaha Grizzly YFM 350
The ATV is powered by a simple 348cc single cylinder four stroke engine. see air-cooled, oil-cooled, two-valve SOHC valve. It is paired with an Ultramatic automatic transmission. The transmission of the drive to two or four wheels is carried out through the shaft.
The frame of the entire car is a steel frame with two independent shock absorbers at the front and a trailing arm with a central spring-damping element at the rear. For the design of the brake system, both discs with a hydraulic system were used (in front, one per wheel) and a sealed drum, which were mounted on one of the rear rims. Price is optimal.
Best sports ATV Honda TRX 420FA Rancher AT
Its relatively small size, body silhouette, aggressive headlight shape and massive front bumper give an improved model. Unlike its big brothers, the Rancher doesn't have fender flares. From the cab, you can use the LCD display to see how fast and in what gear you are driving, how far you have traveled and what the mileage of the car is.
The frame is a steel frame. Vibrations generated in rough terrain are absorbed by the fully independent suspension with 160mm of shock travel. The brake system received three hydraulic discs, two of which are located on the front wheels with a diameter of 185 mm, and the third, slightly smaller, is mounted on the rear drive shaft.
Best reliable Arctic Cat TRV 700 h2 EFI ATV
5 cu. The chassis has a fairly wide and stable design, which is especially useful for more sporty driving or for two.
The huge front end resembles a jeep. Large headlights provide good visibility. A strong protective frame with a grill ensures the safety of the headlights. A winch hook protrudes from under it. At the rear there is a backrest for the passenger, which can be easily removed and stowed away under the driver's seat. Instead of a back, the rack will accept a tool box or other load. The four-wheeled vehicle is equipped with an approved hook. The console is fully digital and displays all the necessary information. The rest of the controls are standard, and all controls are ergonomically and intuitively located on the steering wheel.
High quality rated Polaris Outlaw 450
In front of the hood is a fairly strong frame that must withstand many piston strokes after take off.
The aggressive look of the sports car is complemented by kenguryatniks. The standard equipment of the tested machine includes nerf bars. The rear of the ATV is dominated by an exhaust system located centrally under the seat. This is a completely logical position, if only for minimal dirt on the rear wheels. The seat is soft enough and long enough to be able to lean over and balance. Pegs, handlebars, everything is where it should be.
Front suspension adjusted to relieve load. In general, the quad is very short, which makes cornering easier. Rally tires combined with a powerful engine allow for long, controlled drifts as well as cornering on the spot.
Japan's Best ATV Suzuki KingQuad 500 AXi 4x4
It is powered by a 493cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. The timing system has been modernized - two shafts have been replaced with one. Components such as the gearbox, fuel system, independent front and rear suspension, dual front disc brakes and a sealed rear axle drum are taken from Suzuki's largest SUV.
Slim and aesthetic lights, a large and spacious sofa, a prominent front bumper, encased in plastic with a shimmering Suzuki logo. The fuel injection system, through which the mixture is supplied to the engine, is working normally. The drive delivers consistent and predictable power. Double discs at the front and a sealed drum at the rear allow you to quickly and effectively tame enthusiasm. The vehicle is useful when crossing deep swamps, swamps, rivers, traverses and similar obstacles. You can control the ATV almost with your little finger.
Tuning is called the after-sales preparation of a product, which is carried out to give it individual characteristics or qualities. Most often, various vehicles are subjected to tuning - cars, motorcycles in order to get a product tuned in accordance with the requirements of its owner from a standard vehicle. Kymco ATVs were no exception in matters of tuning - most of them undergo at least a minimal alteration after purchase in order to better suit the operating conditions and the wishes of the owner of the ATV.
Tuning can be done by both the owners of the ATV and specialized workshops for the repair and tuning of ATVs. The latter perform a fairly wide range of work and provide a guarantee for the results of their work. There are various types and directions of tuning associated with the alteration of its various systems and components.
To change the power and driving characteristics, tuning of the ATV engine is usually carried out, during which the engine is reconfigured, re-equipped in order to change its power characteristics, throttle response, and increase the speed of the ATV.
Suspension tuning usually involves replacing shock absorbers with the most suitable type of terrain on which the ATV is moving.
External tuning or styling usually does not affect the internal characteristics of the ATV, but is aimed at giving it individual features. Airbrushing is very popular in our time - applying an original drawing to an ATV. Real airbrush artists are able to turn your ATV into a true artistic canvas, and in addition to artistic value, such an ATV decoration also has practical benefits - not every hijacker will dare to steal an ATV with such a noticeable face.
Wheel tuning is usually caused by the need to increase the patency of the vehicle. By increasing the size of the wheels, they achieve improved off-road properties. In addition, for each type of soil there is the most suitable rubber for it, which means that knowing where you are most often, you will be able to choose the right shoes for your device.
In general, in comparison with the basic standard equipment, tuning and installation of additional accessories opens up a lot of opportunities for an ATV. The same ATV model in the hands of an understanding mechanic can become a favorite model for a real macho and a true friend of a hunter, or even a girl’s favorite toy. Of course, the choice of model largely determines the nature of the ATV, and tuning is best done not in defiance. And following the main direction of the design of this model, and, nevertheless, the tuning possibilities are very high. The main thing with all this is not to lose the ATV in a pile of fashionable accessories.
In general, already when buying an ATV, you should think about allocating funds for its initial tuning and additional utilities. First of all, it is of course protective clothing - a helmet, a jacket, protection for the back, knees, elbows. Back protection can be replaced with a turtle - a special shell that protects your back, arms, shoulders and chest. If you intend to ride a lot in a team, do not forget to install a rear-view mirror on the ATV.
The next steps depend on what you plan to do with your ATV. ATVs and their fans can be conditionally divided into three main types - travelers, farmers and athletes, and each of them will have their own tuning.
For tuning ATVs in the direction of sports, all kinds of suspension lifts, variator reconfiguration kits, air intake extensions - snorkels, grilles on the radiator, extending the gauge of the attachment to the hub are excellent. In order to protect the ATV from mud flying in all directions, use mudguards and arch extensions.
For cross-country racing, it will not be superfluous to install protection on the bottom and the fuel tank. Yes, and replacing the standard protector with a more extreme option does not hurt.
The agricultural direction of your ATV will be emphasized by the installation of mounts for various equipment, the purchase of a trailer and all kinds of useful devices in the garden.
Travelers who like to hunt will appreciate special mounts for guns and rods, additional hanging racks. However, why get hung up on a gun, its place on board can be taken by a chainsaw or an ice drill for underwater fishing. Well, for those who go to nature to relax - a small barbecue.
The trunk of an ATV, including the Bashan ATV, can be made wider by attaching a variety of baskets and trunks to it, and, if desired, a removable table, so that you always have a picnic place at hand.
Additional lighting that can be easily reached. Where it is necessary will be provided by the headlight included in the cigarette lighter - the finder.
If you're planning to travel a lot, you can't do without a winch, don't skimp on this accessory. A bad low-power winch is almost equal to the absence of one, and you never know what kind of trouble you will have to get out of.
Some soils require the deepest lugs on the wheels. For such cases, wheel chains are purchased that allow you to increase patency without even changing treads, be sure to try them on before buying, in order to be effective they must fit well on the wheel.
Hand warmers and protective mittens are a touch of convenience, but in cold weather they will not seem superfluous at all. Choose models that will not get your hands stuck in them when you fall.
To reduce unsprung weight, change from conventional wheels to light alloy wheels, but be aware when purchasing that wheel sizes on the front and rear wheels may differ.
Bumpers and nerf bars are a must for those who plan to use their ATV for full additional protection not only for the ATV, but also for you.
