I know I'm replying to a post that's years old, but for anyone else looking for some input on this...
On my 1999 YZ125 I had a little bit of arm-pump, which I thought was just the norm. Then I recently purchased a 2007 CRF250R, and I had terrible problems with my hands & wrists. I'd go out for 5-6 laps and have to come in to rest because my arms & hands were so strained. So, to combat this problem, a friend suggested switching to RG3 upper-clamps and a set of Pro-Taper handlebars. I purchased a package deal from Motosport that had the RG3 top-clamp & the Pro-Taper Contour bars.
I was a little skeptical, especially with spending that much money. I had hoped there would be at least a noticable difference so I'd know I didn't waste my money. I just wanted it to be enough of a difference that I wasn't left trying to decide if it was really better or if it was just in my head. The results were quite surprising. What I expected was less arm pump. What I got instead was NO arm pump whatsoever!! I couldn't believe it! I'm not sure which piece helped more, the clamps or the bars, but either way, I went from major problem to zero problem. Even at the end of the day, I could barely tell (from my arms/wrists at least) that I had ridden at all. I even noticed less impact when landing a jump. I had read about that in the reviews before I made the purchase, but really, I hadn't noticed much impact before on landings. Now that I have the new setup, I can definitely tell that it's less jarring when landing.
I used to come in to rest after about 4-6 laps due to arm fatigue. Now I come in to rest after 10-12 laps due to body fatigue (because I'm out of shape). If you are having arm-pump problems, rest assured that going with this setup will make a huuuge difference for you. I was hesitant to spend that kind of cash, but after riding with the new setup only once I'm convinced it was worth every penny. In fact, my friends got a little tired of hearing me constantly rave about how good my hands felt.
Anyway, there you have it. IMO the RG3/Pro-Taper handlebar combo is worth every cent!
