Auminium Roo Bars

B Murr

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The Roo bars on the post 1990 R100/80GS wigh in at about 2 or 3kg. I think they are steel but wonder whether anyone has made up an aluminium version to save weight but keep whatever bit of functionality they offer.

I'm guessing too costly with fitting the threaded inserts etc.
 
I understand that steel is 2.5 times heavier than aluminium, so you could potentially save at least a kg of high mounted weight. I've the impression that the roo bars are over engineered as the only load they carry is in carrying the tank side panels and in bracing the instrument clusters lateral movement ( there is a strut carrying the weight of the instruments bearing its load on the headstock ( I think). The thing that makes me think it makes no sense to do it is that I've never heard of it being done and that if it did make sense surely someone would have had a go at it by now. I know people will completely strip away the instruments and panels to save weight but I'm a bit stuck in always liking to keep things looking original. Perhaps a kg or two of weight is of little consequence when you look at all the other weighty items in that area such as frame, tank of fuel, after all I used to strap my roller cable lock to the headlight surround part of the roo bars..
 
I'm not sure it actually weighs that much. When you get one in your hand it certainly seems light. The bulk of the weight appears to be in the heavy steel clamps used to bolt it to the frame down tubes.
 
My mate wrote of his Ford F100 light truck in a meeting with a big red, so the roo bars do need a little bit strength.
It is possible to remove them and go back to the earlier style if the weight bothers you, but probably easier to buy one in the first place.
 


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