Bar Pads

24MX Bar Pads: Stylish Safety Gear

If you need a handlebar pad that's as flamboyant as it is functional, you've come to the right place. 24MX's range of bar pads looks great and are tough enough to take the knocks.

What is a handlebar pad?

At one time, handlebars were made of steel tubing and offered a degree of flex. As dirt bikes became more powerful, it was evident that 7/8" diameter steel handlebars weren't able to cope with faster crashes. Cross bars added some much-needed strength. Yet, while it was easy to weld a crossbar onto steel bars, increasingly popular aluminium handlebars needed to bolt them in place. The crossbar did the trick, but it was also another object for the rider to collide with in the event of an accident.

Enter the bar pad, a tube-shaped foam roll attached to the crossbar to absorb impact. Thanks to advances in injection-moulded foam, the simple barpad now includes some high-tech innovations. Handlebar pads consist of high-density injected moulded foam. This material, although ultra-lightweight, is strong enough to protect the rider from injury by absorbing the force of an impact.

In addition, bar pad foam, referred to in the description as 'closed cell,' means the foam will not collect dirt or absorb water. These are two vital attributes, as water and dirt degrades foam and reduces its impact potential. Closed cell foam also means there is no need to worry when it comes time to clean your dirt bike with a power washer. You will see several different shapes and styles among the vast range of handlebar pads offered by 24MX. Here's a rundown of the different types.

Narrow bar pad

As its name suggests, this bar pad style is narrow and chunky and made for fat/tapered bars. This bar type is strong enough not to require a crossbar and the narrow bar pad positions over the handlebar clamps. These narrower bar pads also fit handlebars with a high bend/rise.

Wide bar pad

This classic style bar pad is for handlebars that feature a top rail. It's possible to fit the wide pad in seconds, and it secures in place via a wrap-around cover with Velcro fastening.

Next-level bar pads

Lack of storage is an ongoing issue for dirt bikes. The good news is, though, you can choose a handlebar pad with a built-in storage pouch for small essential items if you need to stash a cell phone, key, or credit card. If you want to crank it up a notch, you'll also find bar pads with an inset stopwatch. This feature is handy as running hours, not mileage, dictates dirt bike engine maintenance.

Graphics

Most dirt bikes and motocross bikes, in particular, roll out of the factory with bright colour schemes. A handlebar pad provides an excellent canvas for graphics and logos. For this reason, the 24MX range offers colours and manufacturer logo options to suit everyone. Graphics are screen-printed, so colours are vibrant, logos are clear, and fade-resistant.

Regardless of your dirt bike's handlebar style, whether a fat/tapered bar or conventional style handlebars with a crossbar, a bar pad is essential. Riding off-road is action-packed, and spills are commonplace, so make one of the 24 MX range of handlebar pads a part of your safety kit.