Crashbars - give me the lowdown.

ukgser73

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Hi, despite the fact it has never happened I still have this fear of dropping the bike one day and destroying £kkk's of plastic and other components. Probably a fear based around high insurance excesses and a desire to cling on to NCB.

Anyway, i'd rather spend a few quid on a cage (which I actually think are an enhancement on a bike like this compared to crash bungs on a sportsbike) just in case one day I ever have the misfortune of laying her down.

Anyway, does anyone want to share their experiences, good bad or otherwise before I splash out?

I do have concerns over removing engine support bolts, particularly after a mate stripped the thread on his engine fitting R&G crash bungs. Is that a risk or are they straightforward enough?

Do they genuinely protect the bike or is there a greater risk of damage to the frame etc?

Thanks in advance
 
MrsDave has the Adventure Spec Crash Bars fitted to her 650GS. It has been down once when she lost her footing coming to a stop. A few scuffs on the crash bars (and to the hand guards and mirrors) and having picked the bike up off we rode..

I believe that the metal mule bas are very similar in design to the Adventure Spec ones
 
You might get a better answer by asking what crash bars people have had a bad experience with. There's so many of us all with different bars on, and everyone seems to think 'their' choice was great...
 
Dave Ett said:
You might get a better answer by asking what crash bars people have had a bad experience with. There's so many of us all with different bars on, and everyone seems to think 'their' choice was great...
Click to expand...

Not a bad shout....rephrase my question then - Which ones should I avoid and why? I'm personally not fussed on a brand but would rather spend less than £200 and would like them to do what they suggest in case i never them.
 
ukgser73 said:
Hi, despite the fact it has never happened I still have this fear of dropping the bike one day and destroying £kkk's of plastic and other components. Probably a fear based around high insurance excesses and a desire to cling on to NCB.

Anyway, i'd rather spend a few quid on a cage (which I actually think are an enhancement on a bike like this compared to crash bungs on a sportsbike) just in case one day I ever have the misfortune of laying her down.

Anyway, does anyone want to share their experiences, good bad or otherwise before I splash out?

I do have concerns over removing engine support bolts, particularly after a mate stripped the thread on his engine fitting R&G crash bungs. Is that a risk or are they straightforward enough?

Do they genuinely protect the bike or is there a greater risk of damage to the frame etc?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

i have the hepco becker bars (which are a doddle to fit) and they helped save me from a lot of hassle in italy this year where i had an off at about 20mph on a wet and slippery as fook minor road. one second all upright negotiating a tight(ish) right hand bend next second the front had gone and i was sliding along the road on my right side still seated (more or less) on the bike. when i had ground to a halt and the bike was righted again i feared the worse but guess what, no damage save for a flat ground out on the engine bar, slight marking to the handlebar end and a fair number of scratches on the vario pannier side.
i was very relieved that nothing had broke, the engine bar hadn't moved or bent even though it took a good hit.
i was fine as all the protection in the gear did it's job:thumb2.

so, due to a combination of top engine bars, solid (enough) luggagage and a strong bike plus excellent riding gear instead of being in a pickle i was enjoying a few beers in the hotel bar later with a fully functioning ready to rock bike outside:thumb2 which wouldn't have been the case without the bars.

PS.
turns out there had been a diesel spill on that stretch of road a day before as next day on the way back to the digs after a day out we spotted the sign which had been missed the first time due to it being dark (we always seem to arrive at hotels late:nenau)
 
Thanks - sounds like a glowing recommendation and i'm glad you came out all good. Let me have a google on those.
 
Last edited:
BMW crash bars…… made of chocolate:barf

my bike fell off the side stand (0 speed drop) I caught it, but couldn't hold it and it was lowered to the ground, more slowly than gravity would allow, but not as slowly as I would like…….:blast

The cylinder head BMW adventure plastic protectors snapped, and the welding on the crash bars failed……….:rob

Very disappointed at cost and quality of BMW offering :hide


But I saw the light and having made a purchase I am now more than happy and comfortable with Steptoes head protectors.:thumb:thumb
 
thauma said:
BMW crash bars…… made of chocolate:barf

my bike fell off the side stand (0 speed drop) I caught it, but couldn't hold it and it was lowered to the ground, more slowly than gravity would allow, but not as slowly as I would like…….:blast

The cylinder head BMW adventure plastic protectors snapped, and the welding on the crash bars failed……….:rob

Very disappointed at cost and quality of BMW offering :hide


But I saw the light and having made a purchase I am now more than happy and comfortable with Steptoes head protectors.:thumb:thumb
Click to expand...

Yup. Had Wonderlich crash bars on my 1150, ditched them in favour of steptoes excellent head protectors. very good kit. Unfortunately....













they won't be much good on an F650/800!:blast
 
Another vote from me for adventure spec, had them when I had my 2008 f800gs, tested in slow speed slide after hitting ice and did what they were suppose to do. Removed them after the fall, gave them a light spray and looked as good as new
 
Wunderlich Adventure from Nippy's. I think they look great as they are formed with the lines of the bike but also they have a part that sticks protrudes in front of your feet for additional clearance in a spill.

Only (and hopefully only ever!) tested at low speed and a bit of hammerite for railings is all that was required.

S
 
ukgser73 said:
Hi, despite the fact it has never happened I still have this fear of dropping the bike one day and destroying £kkk's of plastic and other components. Probably a fear based around high insurance excesses and a desire to cling on to NCB.

Anyway, i'd rather spend a few quid on a cage (which I actually think are an enhancement on a bike like this compared to crash bungs on a sportsbike) just in case one day I ever have the misfortune of laying her down.

Anyway, does anyone want to share their experiences, good bad or otherwise before I splash out?

I do have concerns over removing engine support bolts, particularly after a mate stripped the thread on his engine fitting R&G crash bungs. Is that a risk or are they straightforward enough?

Do they genuinely protect the bike or is there a greater risk of damage to the frame etc?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Yes the low down, mine are low down :D Givi work well tested 4 times but 3 and 4 was part of 2 really, test 1.

AdnentureDay020.jpg



I like them as they do there job look ok, and a fair price :thumb

originals still on and after repair had them powder coated so now look like new again :beerjug:

on the F8's I think the adv spec look really good also fit mine but more sticky outy as designed for F8 and mine has less plasticky bitts :D.



Givi :D :thumb
 
A good question ukgser73, I always suspected a big crash will cause the bars to shear off the taped lugs on the engine causing a write off, I don't know what the insurance company would say if they do. However,after looking at the pictures etc I think its time to re consider.
I dropped mine (F800) without any bars and a small knock snapped of the radiator mountings (super glued back on) and did quite a lot of damage to the side panels. Bars would probably have prevented most damage.
My wife high sided hers (F650 no bars) a few weeks ago on to the right hand side and did no damage at all. Thats probably because the 650 is so much narrower at the radiator.
Not all crash bars work, last weekend my friend slid off his Suzuki V strom, this is fitted with factory supplied crash bars as standard. The side panels were fist to hit the road sustaining heavy damage, the foot rest snapped off and the mud guard and screen scratched. The bars did not have a scratch on them and did nothing to protect.
 
On the back of this and the talk of 'necessary' mods on the photos of F800's and bearing in mind the time of year, I have gone and pushed the button on a set of Adv spec crash bars. :eek:

I never felt that comfortable using my old 1150GSA when it was slippery/icy as it was so fecking heavy. The F800 I plan to use pretty much all the year so better I prepare for an off than don't.

Hopefully though, I'll never have to come on here and thank you all for 'forcing' me to spend this cash on the crash bars ... :)

Dave :thumb
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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