TT Head Protectors Review

Spout · Aug 14, 2006

Well I've fallen twice on the LHS one. Once on the dirt, once on the road. Both minor spills, but enough to test the Touratech head protectors.

I'm not too impressed.

I've had the TT guards fitted to my 1150 Adv, and they seemed a well thought out design and certainly worked on numerous occassions. Never any damage to the bikes head covers and they always bent back to shape.

The 1200 TT guards I've bought though seem a cobbled together (hurried?) design and didn't feel as substancial when I fitted them. My main concern being the lower mounting point that takes all the stress on a bolt (rather than against the engine on the 1150).

And sure enough my second spill has caused the guard to shear off this lower bolt (taking a chunk of cylinder head with it!).
No damage to my cylinder head covers - so they have worked I suppose.

See Folkbikers (cheers!) photo below, shows lower mounting point. all sideways force in a fall goes against the bolt.

Padge · Aug 14, 2006

That TPS protector in the photo looks like it will give more leverage to break it off in a fall than give any protection.. Is it just screwed to the outside of the Sensor body?

Spout said:
Well I've fallen twice on the LHS one. Once on the dirt, once on the road. Both minor spills, but enough to test the Touratech head protectors.

I'm not too impressed.

I've had the TT guards fitted to my 1150 Adv, and they seemed a well thought out design and certainly worked on numerous occassions. Never any damage to the bikes head covers and they always bent back to shape.

The 1200 TT guards I've bought though seem a cobbled together (hurried?) design and didn't feel as substancial when I fitted them. My main concern being the lower mounting point that takes all the stress on a bolt (rather than against the engine on the 1150).

And sure enough my second spill has caused the guard to shear off this lower bolt (taking a chunk of cylinder head with it!).
No damage to my cylinder head covers - so they have worked I suppose.

See Folkbikers (cheers!) photo below, shows lower mounting point. all sideways force in a fall goes against the bolt.

JohnnyBoxer · Aug 14, 2006

Paul,
You want a 'retro' HP2..............then you can fit some substantial 'rufty tufty' tubular bars

like these, to protect your heads

But I bet you knew that, after having numerous Airhead GS's

Vern · Aug 14, 2006

You just like showing us pictures of your bike,don't you

Schtum · Aug 14, 2006

JohnnyBoxer said:
Paul,
You want a 'retro' HP2..............then you can fit some substantial 'rufty tufty' tubular bars like these, to protect your heads
But I bet you knew that, after having numerous Airhead GS's

Back in the days when airheads were current, the word was always that you shouldn't fit crash bars because they'd only succeed in bending the frame and it was cheaper to replace a rocker cover than the bike's frame. :nenau

kiwiAdventure · Aug 14, 2006

Schtum said:
Back in the days when airheads were current, the word was always that you shouldn't fit crash bars because they'd only succeed in bending the frame and it was cheaper to replace a rocker cover than the bike's frame.

That sounds good advice.

The BMW plastic protectors has any HP2 owners dropped there bike with these on and did they protect the rocker.

Vern · Aug 14, 2006

I've twated mine on a big rock type thing that jumped out in front of me

and it seemed to work pretty well

I have seen so many broken cylinder head mounting points,caused by those TT guards,it's unreal.I have a cunning plan though to stop that happening

Schtum · Aug 14, 2006

Vern said:
I have a cunning plan though to stop that happening

Do please tell. I've got the TT headguards on my 1200 and if I should ever drop it, I'd prefer it if the mounting brackets didn't shear off in the cylinder head.

Cycletramp · Aug 16, 2006

I think that I agree with that, they are also rumoured to "launch" the bike instead of allowing the bike to slide if you lowside it. Also ,once you're done, a new set of bars costs much more than a new rocker cover.

See Duane's comments http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/crashbars/index.htm

RickA · Aug 22, 2006

Head Protectors

Just my observations on head protectors from my experience with my HP2 and comments from Si Pavey and his crew at the training school:

The plastic guards supplied with the bike protect when falling over - ie very low speed offs, but just rip off at any decent tumble.
The alloy type, either the Touratech or type fitted to the 1200 Adv, WILL break the mounting bolts on the cylinders in a decent bump. Most of the instructors at he Off Road School adreed with this.

The universal reccomendation from the guys in Wales was the carbon-fiber 'Boxer Cup' stick-on protectors. They protect the alloy covers without transfering the impact to weak fixing points.

There you have my tuppence worth!

Cheers, Rick.

(Just back from 3 days on a HP2 at the training school - well knackered!)

kiwiAdventure · Aug 22, 2006

I have had a few parts arrive from Wunderlich today for my new HP2 and they look and feel great.

I like the look of these as well.

TT Head Protectors Review

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