BMW 1200 GS Engine Bars - Worth it?

[Reavsie]

I am just asking the question if people think engine bars are worth the money for what they are supposed to do?

I was under the impression that they would save your engine blocks if you had a spill and save the head being ripped off from the engine!? with the link below some poor GS rider has fallen at 30mph, but look at his casings!??

Does this mean that really you should have engine bars AND cylinder head covers???

What is the general rule of thumb here?? not that I want to, or that I am thinking of chucking my girl down the road or anything but i would like to get some sort of protection. Also I have seen that R&G do a bung for the swing arm, but again, would this stop the actual spindal from getting damaged??

take a look at the link below for pics...

http://http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2005-BMW-R-1200-GS-04-BLUE_W0QQitemZ140091651612QQihZ004QQcategoryZ9915QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Cheers Folks!

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Get them as you WILL drop it at some stage.

Andres

 

[Technopole]

Engine bars

Many of us have fitted better value engine bars such as those made by SW-Motech, both of which are sold by Nippy Normans and BMW Bike bits. Do a search and you will find plenty of reading material. These seem more protective than the BMW ones, as far as the cylinder head covers go.
They are worth fitting, no doubt about it.

 

[North]

Get the bars that offer more protection like H & B.

I have both though, engine bars and cylinder head covers.

 

[melegsareboney]

I own a 1200GS and I've had two accidents which involved dropping the bike each time. ( I'm perfecting the art of falling off!!! ) On both occasions the BMW bars have done their job brilliantly. Don't even think about it, do it.

 

[John Armstrong]

Engine bars don't save money or trashing the engine if you come off at "high" speed. I can also vouch for the effectivity at low speeds including one at 10 mph that would have probably holed the rocker cover, but the bars took the hit. BTW the hardcore of adventurers will take rocker cover repair kits with them to cove rthe slow speed offs.

Pay's your money or take your chances.

 

[nick]

The bars on the bike on that link don't really protect the cylinder head.

Motech ones do. The second picture is my bike (there is no damage to the head, it is just a bit dirty !!)

 

[evenflow]

Hi< I came off at about 45'ish on an 1150 with HB engine bars. The heads were unmarked but because the bars were mounted to the frame it knackered the rear sub-frame and I had to have a new one fitted. Would'nt fit HB's again.
Also a fit of mine grounded his HB's when cornering and they lifted his back wheel offa the ground and his bike was written off. Fortunately he was ok.

 

[Horsedribble]

I just fitted a set of Wunderlich Bars to mine (Pt No: 8160034). They were a doddle to fit, they protect all round the pots, and they mount to the engine not the frame. I can't find a decent picture unfortunately.

I also fitted a set of R&G Crash Protectors which stop the Paralever and Fork Ends from making expensive scratches in the tarmac. If the bars were a doddle to fit, these were a hey diddly doddle! Literally only a few minutes, plus they're cheap and unobtrusive too!

I have a couple of pictures but I've given up trying to get them to upload? At the risk of digressing off topic, maybe someone could give me a clue please? The Insert Image button doesn't seem to work unless I'm obviously doing something wrong?

 

[themadprofessor]

I sometimes have diffculty with that, but as I host my pictures on Smugmug I just manually insert the link to the pictures like this

Regards

Chris

 

[Slippy]

Its well worth it. I fitted the Touratech bars and its great. I looks much stronger than the BMW bars.

Crash bars BMW R 1200 GS
01-051-0560-0

Slippy

 

[Supervox]

When I bought my GS the dealer advised me to stay away from engine bars (both BMW & aftermarket) due to the potential for twisting the frame during an 'off'.

As has been mentioned, bars are gonna do very little to protect the engine during a high-speed 'off' - and for low speed 'offs' decent covers should do the job with less risk of damaging anything else.

 

[Dellis]

When I bought my GS the dealer advised me to stay away from engine bars (both BMW & aftermarket) due to the potential for twisting the frame during an 'off'.

As has been mentioned, bars are gonna do very little to protect the engine during a high-speed 'off' - and for low speed 'offs' decent covers should do the job with less risk of damaging anything else.

I tend to agree.

Dave

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

But, IIRC, the bars don't fit to the 'frame' on a 1200, just the engine. There isn't really a frame to bend, other than the rear sub-frame

Or am I missing something here

I don't think covers would have saved Nicks head (above) from terminal damage where as his bars did.

Andres

 

[PhilM]

If I have an "off" which the engine bars (Motechs) can't cope with I'm more concerned about my health than the bikes.

Haven't dropped my one YET.

 

[camel_landy]

But, IIRC, the bars don't fit to the 'frame' on a 1200, just the engine. There isn't really a frame to bend, other than the rear sub-frame

Or am I missing something here

I don't think covers would have saved Nicks head (above) from terminal damage where as his bars did.

Andres

I think the point that was being made is that the bars have a tendancy to transmit some of the impact to the likes of the engine & frame... Should the engine or frame become damaged, they'd cost a lot more than what a rocker cover would to replace.

FWIW - I don't use the bars on mine for that reason...

M

 

[riderbob]

The engine bars work at lower speeds which is what you really want. A high speed impact with or without engine bars will probably make little difference. Unless of course you are just sliding and they come into their own again. IMHO it's better with than without.

 

[Narcoda]

worth it?

YES definately worth it- in fact they are worth it every time (if ever) you drop, roll, chuck your bike- those magnesium rocker covers mark up straight away- I got tipped by gale force wind- stood up- then got blown backwards into a stream! (horrible weather in Torridon)- picked the bike up to reveal deep scratches down one side- (luckily the BMW loan bike! whilst mine was being registered)- I got bars on mine because WHEN i fall off again i don't want to be lying in hospital worrying about the bill- GET THE BARS!