AltRider High Fender Kit for Africa Twin

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

If you have done any serious off-road riding on your Africa Twin, you’ve most likely experienced the frustration of having the front fender packed solid with mud and rocks due to the low clearance of the stock front fender. AltRider has built a comprehensive kit that solves this problem and, in my opinion, improves the overall appearance of the Africa Twin with a more aggressive off-road look.

Unlike some other kits, the high fender kit from AltRider includes everything you need in one complete package, including a mid-length plastic Polisport fender, powder-coated steel upper bracket, custom aluminum fork leg guards, and coated stainless steel brake hoses. Installation is not too complex if you follow the detailed instructions included with the kit. There are also some great videos online that will walk you through the installation and were a great help when it came time to route the brake lines. The most complex part of the project was installing the brake lines.

 

As with all products in AltRider’s line, the engineers did their research and designed a set of beautiful-yet-functional, custom-manufactured fork guards. The aluminum, laser-cut 5/64-inch guards mount up seamlessly to the OEM mounting points on the forks and are designed with the perfect mounting points for brake hose routing. Additionally, the custom upper bracket goes into place with ease and provides a complete base for the fender to attach to and for securing the brake lines.

After the installation I quickly realized the bike had been transformed, and that I had opened up the limits of my Africa Twin.

I did not notice any difference in handling or wind buffeting with the high fender installed. I did notice a slight increase in road noise but nothing too extreme. The high fender did a great job of deflecting water and mud when cruising down wet and muddy back roads. The stainless-steel brake lines are also a huge improvement over stock and there is a noticeably firmer pull in the brake lever and improved feedback, providing for more precise front braking. If you were to just upgrade the stock rubber front brake lines alone you would spend $200 on a stainless-steel hose kit, which makes this complete package a steal in my opinion.

The kit is currently available in black, white and red and is compatible with all AltRider parts. MSRP: $325.97 AltRider.com

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PROS:

• No more mud/rock jams in front fender
• Complete kit ready to install
• High quality components
• Bonus upgrade to factory brake lines

CONS:

• Might not be compatible with all aftermarket crash bars

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