BMW Engine Bars

[Mr K]

Well..They're great: Unlike others they come with multi-lingual instructions and diagrams, they fit straight on the bike without bending, drilling or filing. So I say thank you BMW for selling me engine bars £2 cheaper than Toura*ech, that actually fit, from stock.

In case you hadn't noticed this is praise for Mill BMW parts dpt and BMW UK.

 

[Andy Davies]

Well..They're great: Unlike others they come with multi-lingual instructions and diagrams, they fit straight on the bike without bending, drilling or filing. So I say thank you BMW for selling me engine bars £2 cheaper than Toura*ech, that actually fit, from stock.

In case you hadn't noticed this is praise for Mill BMW parts dpt and BMW UK.

Post a photo Chris. Let's see how they compare.

Andy

 

[Hector]

BMW Engine bars

Fitted mine Monday evening,no problems Tuesday a.m. pillock car driver reversed (blind) in car park knocked me A over T . No damage to bike, so as far as I'm concerned, good enough for low speed spill.

 

[Mr K]

I will post pics when I am sponsored up.

1st test of 160 miles shows they don't fall off when you ride like a silly person.

I totally love this bike....but in a manly, non-intimate way...obviously.

 

[Tim Cullis]

The joint at the top part of the bar that helps make it so easy to fit is also a massive weak point. You may not be so ecstatic when you've had a low speed tumble.

Tim

 

[GSmonkey]

I had a look at the BMW Engine bars on the display 1200 at the BMW day at the Ace Cafe. Have to say I wasn't impressed by them....no way can they offer much protection. H&B or TT seem to be the only proper options to choose between.

 

[Mr K]

They offer more protection than the Touratech bars that didn't fit and were sent back.

 

[Alphason]

I dropped the bike jerkit on Sunday at 0mph. The TT bars were awkward to fit but the result was a couple of minor scratches on the bars and not a mark on the bike

 

[Emoto]

I dropped the bike jerkit on Sunday at 0mph. The TT bars were awkward to fit but the result was a couple of minor scratches on the bars and not a mark on the bike

And, because they are stainless steel, they won't rust in the scratches.

Mine are due to arrive tomorrow...

 

[Alphason]

I dropped the bike jerkit on Sunday at 0mph. The TT bars were awkward to fit but the result was a couple of minor scratches on the bars and not a mark on the bike

By the way, the scratches were the result of dropping the bike, not fitting the bars. I did loads more damage fitting them!

 

[TerryM]

The joint at the top part of the bar that helps make it so easy to fit is also a massive weak point. You may not be so ecstatic when you've had a low speed tumble.

Tim

As those two joints are actually comprised of deep and close fitting spigots stabilised by the multiple mounts and the secondary locating screws which pass through, the "weakness" at those points is largely illusory. Unless the remaining structure fails it is irrelevant as it is mimicks shear in a normal low speed off and compression if just dropped. And in the former protection will be speed and obstacle dependent. So probably a solid kerb at normal road speeds would flatten any bars we could reasonably fit.

As it(the spigot joint) is part of a deformable structure, which will absorb a lot of energy that would otherwise transmit into the engine/gearbox unit, it may have additional merit.

And from the description of the use of grub screws and the like through one outer tube wall into holes or depressions in inner tubes on after market items, plus poor fit, I am unsure how superior they may truly be. What happens to that sort of joint in a prang? I would imagine that a single blow with a two pound hammer would part any such joint. The same must me doubly true of a 1g slide on tarmac.

But the replacement of perceived after market poor quality with oem, as we see in this thread, may be indicative.

Though the new(stainless steel?) oem mag. cover protectors, which will fit with the oem bars, look to be a useful insurance so I think that I will fit them..

 

[Mr K]

Well said, that man!

 

[Paul Wakefield]

I've been pondering getting bars for a while. I don't really like them but I do fancy the protection offered in the event of a drop. Consequently I prefer the BM bars for their simplicity of design.

I'm really only looking for protection in a stationary or very low speed drop. I don't expect anything to offer too much at higher speeds.

So it seems to me the only function the bars have to perform is keep the cylinder heads off the ground. Surely the BM units do that as well as the after market versions? I know there is no bar going back across the heads but isn't this apparent extra protection illusory unless you fall on a funny shaped rock?

I can't make up my mind what to go for. I'd prefer the BM ones but is the protection offered by the others that much better?

Paul

 

[TerryM]

I think you are probably right Paul. Ultimately I think we will each buy those that please us and hope that they are not tried out in anger as no independent crash data is available.

Terry

 

[John Armstrong]

I'm really only looking for protection in a stationary or very low speed drop. I don't expect anything to offer too much at higher speeds.

So it seems to me the only function the bars have to perform is keep the cylinder heads off the ground. Surely the BM units do that as well as the after market versions? I know there is no bar going back across the heads but isn't this apparent extra protection illusory unless you fall on a funny shaped rock?

Paul

I know its a different bike but a 1150 GS that stalled and toppled on the Hardnose pass with BM bars bashed the cylinder cover. Granted he could still ride it but it was on a road. Similar stall fall overs with H&B bars again on a 1150 didn't cause an damage, except to the pride.

I don't expect either that engine bars will provide damage free protection over 5mph and its not scientific analysis at all, but i'm happy with the H&B bars on my 12GS, and which I've yet to test.

 

[wilbjr21]

Tested H&B bars on my drive - bike went right over on the RH side. The bars were the only things scrathed around the engine area but my mirror and handguard were marked. Anyone know of a paint match for the H&B silver bars?