Jaypro55. I run the Acerbis Flag guards... With those, you have to buy the guards, (which they now have the flag, vented flag, and flag lites) for about $25-$29 and the mounting kit is universal for all 3, $10. I dont know if the MX guards have the kit or not, you would have to look into that.
Anyway, I went with the flags, for some of the same reasons you said. A friend of mine has the aluminum, "Barkbusters" and they look like crap!. the grips are all cut up at the end, his lever scrapes the aluminum guard each pull, like nails on a chalkboard...PLUS, I run an aluminum throttle tube, and there is no way I am drilling a hole in that after spending the money to upgrade for the tube.... so I went with the flags , they are adjustable, keep you hands clean and free from brush. My bud went down with those alum guards, they bent all the way down and stayed that way. I havent lost a lever now since I have run the guards. I keep them semi tight, when I go down, they pivot down, then i PUll them back into place, bo bigge. THE DOWNSIDE, they wont offer much crash protection, when impact occours, they fold in.
CASE IN POINT. I ran a harescramble this year, on first lap, we went into woods, people everywhere, I tracked off, around a tree on this tiny trail, WHACK, left guard hit a tree, how I didnt wreck , I have no idea, but I keep 2 fingers on the clutch, those were fine, my pinky and ring finger were on the grip, which when the guard collapsed, the lever collapsed and bent over my fingers, I thought they were broken for they bled all race. ...SOO, I know you said they dont offer much crash protection, I was just reaffirming that to you, but for the price, they are worth it for like sticker bushes, roost and rocks, and just cleaning is not as involved on all your controls since it covers it, also in rain it can keep your hands dryer, or crossing water or mud... just some input... :D