Cylinder guards r1250gs

[Hann]

The OEM 1250GSA engine bars: are they (unpainted) stainless, painted stainless, or painted mild steel?

 

[BobJ]

The OEM 1250GSA engine bars: are they (unpainted) stainless, painted stainless, or painted mild steel?

Unpainted Stainless steel.

 

[FurryFox]

I'm considering which cylinder head guards to fit. I have BMW bars on my R1250GS. I'm currently favouring the MachineArt ones.

But I'm wondering if these guards (any/all manufacturers) have been found to scratch the cylinder heads, due to ingress of grit / small stones between the head and the guard?

Has anyone removed the guards to find that this has happened?

TIA

 

[Engineer]

I'm considering which cylinder head guards to fit. I have BMW bars on my R1250GS. I'm currently favouring the MachineArt ones.

But I'm wondering if these guards (any/all manufacturers) have been found to scratch the cylinder heads, due to ingress of grit / small stones between the head and the guard?

Has anyone removed the guards to find that this has happened?

TIA

The BMW head guards have rubber inserts that press against the head cover - this traps water (salt) between the rubber and the head - if not removed and cleaned regularly and liberally dosed with ACF50 or similar then the head paint bubbles and corrodes. This is likely to be the case with other brands of head protectors too. I stopped using them because taking them on and off each time I cleaned the bike was too much of a faff, so I just rely on the standard engine guards these days.

 

[FurryFox]

The BMW head guards have rubber inserts that press against the head cover - this traps water (salt) between the rubber and the head - if not removed and cleaned regularly and liberally dosed with ACF50 or similar then the head paint bubbles and corrodes. This is likely to be the case with other brands of head protectors too. I stopped using them because taking them on and off each time I cleaned the bike was too much of a faff, so I just rely on the standard engine guards these days.

And I assume you would have to remove the bars first; if so then not something I'd want to do regularly.

When you say "standard engine guards", do you mean the bars?

I've so far been unable to convince myself to buy these guards, particularly as I don't expect to do any off-road riding except a bit of gravel / unpaved occasionally. This concern is tipping me towards probably not bothering (I'd just have to try not to drop the bike at no/low speed, particularly where there's a sticky-up rock on the floor).

Also, I saw a comment (I think) that suggested that the cost of the cylinder head covers being protected isn't actually that much greater; not sure if this is true. OK, there's the problem of having a hole in one of them when out & about, but the risk of that happening seems low-ish.

 

[HGS]

I'm considering which cylinder head guards to fit. I have BMW bars on my R1250GS. I'm currently favouring the MachineArt ones.

But I'm wondering if these guards (any/all manufacturers) have been found to scratch the cylinder heads, due to ingress of grit / small stones between the head and the guard?

Has anyone removed the guards to find that this has happened?

TIA

The MachineArt ones will maybe leave a thin black line on the cylinder head from the outline of the rubber insert...mine did

I contacted them and they said it is due to the heat cycles that cause a thin layer of the rubber to transfer. No other explanation or resolve

I tried all sorts to remove the outline but couldn't so I left them on the bike when sold

The seal works well at keeping stuff out though

I did have a couple of photos that I sent to MachineArt, but can't find them anywhere

 

[FurryFox]

The BMW head guards have rubber inserts that press against the head cover - this traps water (salt) between the rubber and the head

The MachineArt ones will maybe leave a thin black line on the cylinder head from the outline of the rubber insert...mine did

So BMW's guards trap stuff, but MachineArt's mark the cover (do they also trap stuff?). Do the Wunderlichs have any issues, apart from perhaps being brittle?