Cylinder head protectors.

[Deleted account 221212001]

Can anyone advise please which cylinder head guards can be fitted to a GSA 1250 which has the BMW crash bars installed?

Many thanks.

 

[Deleted account 221212001]

Doesn't anyone know?

 

[GSMarky]

Out of interest why would you want both?

 

[GSian]

BMW 77148406187

The BMW ones will allow for the engine bars too.

The reason for both would be that the engine bars won't stop damage from small rock etc that can get through the gaps.

 

[Micko123]

The Wunderlich ones look the nicest to me, they have a telephone number for technical assistance apparently. Probably an understanding of the German may be an advantage though.

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

[crotchrocket]

The engine bars don't stop the cylinder heads being damaged on tarmac either. Utterly useless.

I'm looking at the MachineArt Moto X Heads or my preferred ones, the Ricochet skid plate things, but I just cant get my head around a bent piece of ally costing £170 ...

 

[GSMarky]

Ok.

I have a shiny brand new GS and the lovely Shift Cam heads do look a bit vulnerable.. Evan knocking them rolling in/out of the garage could damage them.

Will investigate.

 

[GSMarky]

Wunderlich ones do look the biz and wouldn't be out of place.

 

[waterloo700]

Wunderlich ones do look the biz and wouldn't be out of place.

I've tested them so you don't have to!

Small scuff on the cover as I dropped it from stationary on gravel and as has been mentioned, the bars won't protect the heads in that case.

On additional factor - the pannier corner took a knock. Not sure what else would have been damaged without it fitted.

 

[Deleted account 221212001]

Out of interest why would you want both?

To protect the cylinder heads against stone chips etc. I'd rather change the covers to keep the bike tidy than the heads.

 

[Deleted account 221212001]

The BMW ones will allow for the engine bars too.

The reason for both would be that the engine bars won't stop damage from small rock etc that can get through the gaps.

Exactamundo!!

 

[Deleted account 221212001]

Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[hawkeye]

I fitted the MachineArt head covers from Nippy Normans (alongside the OEM Crash Bars I have fitted on my R1250GS Exclusive TE)

https://www.nippynormans.com/engine...-2017-on-adv-lc-2014-on-2018-onrt-lcrs-lcr-lc

Nice tight fit. However when refitting the OEM Crash bars, I had to pare a couple of mill from the rubber on the inside rear of the OEM Crash bar, doesn't notice, but a bit surprised.

Whatever you fit though, fitting the crash bars back after fitting the head protectors can be an enigma! After a bit of fumbling the first few times, I found that holding the bars in place and doing up the rear screw (by the footrest) first fingertight, followed by the top one, then the middle one finger tight (and then torquing it all up) worked. Really happy with them now fitted.

 

[Henders]

Nice bike Hawk, is that just generic rim tape by the way?

My bike, same colour, has some other bars protecting the heads, I keep forgetting which, but they also look to not actually protect them, by only a few mm. I was wondering if instead of some head protectors I could 3d print some 'collars' for the bars, effectively making them slightly thicker and thus saving the head in a fall.

Provided I use the right material/design and they don't just disintegrate!

Thoughts?

 

[hawkeye]

Hi Henders, thanks - yes that's generic 6mm rim tape in Dark Yellow (nearest I found to the yellow used on the Exclusive).

I must admit I did a bit of research on the head protectors and whether they are needed - general consensus was yes as the OEM bars - as we know - don't totally protect the heads in a tumble (I guess they flex a bit). If you look at my bars I also have some black roundels on it. These actually are "round saddle feet" that you often find on tubular framed chairs to stop them scratching the floor. Relatively inexpensive (you can get 10 for about £8.00 delivered) and they do 2 jobs - slightly lift the bars that little further (in the event of a tumble) and also are crash bars for crash bars to stop scratching your expensive OEM crash bars (LOL!). You need the 24-26mm Round Saddle Foot - No Peg variety and they can be purchased from https://www.bpfonline.co.uk/show_product.asp?id=1845&catid=3152

Having said all that even with their thickness added, I still wasn't certain that the heads wouldn't get damaged if I just fell over (at a standstill say), and being a bit OCD, decided that the covers were a safer investment. But for sure, I'm guessing if you could get collars that were a bit thicker still and fitted them that could well work.

 

[malcopopolo]

There was video on you tube where a GS with the BMW cylinder guards fitted slid across an island at 40mph and they saved the bike.

I purchased the X heads as they cover a little more. I have had BMW crash bars in the past but imho if they dig in at speed they will wreck engine. Bars are heavy.

Think leather trousers - sliding is far better. All solutions will work at lowish speed, any faster and the bike or you will be fucked

 

[Winjar]

Any is ok, just space out a little and all is ok, no brain need.

 

[batman1]

I have both x-head and OEM bars, they fit fine.

 

[Henders]

Hi Henders, thanks - yes that's generic 6mm rim tape in Dark Yellow (nearest I found to the yellow used on the Exclusive).

I must admit I did a bit of research on the head protectors and whether they are needed - general consensus was yes as the OEM bars - as we know - don't totally protect the heads in a tumble (I guess they flex a bit). If you look at my bars I also have some black roundels on it. These actually are "round saddle feet" that you often find on tubular framed chairs to stop them scratching the floor. Relatively inexpensive (you can get 10 for about £8.00 delivered) and they do 2 jobs - slightly lift the bars that little further (in the event of a tumble) and also are crash bars for crash bars to stop scratching your expensive OEM crash bars (LOL!). You need the 24-26mm Round Saddle Foot - No Peg variety and they can be purchased from https://www.bpfonline.co.uk/show_product.asp?id=1845&catid=3152

Having said all that even with their thickness added, I still wasn't certain that the heads wouldn't get damaged if I just fell over (at a standstill say), and being a bit OCD, decided that the covers were a safer investment. But for sure, I'm guessing if you could get collars that were a bit thicker still and fitted them that could well work.

Cheers Hawkeye, that's pretty much what I was thinking to make, but may be easier to buy, thanks.

 

[yofi]

For what it may be worth, Wunderlich support have confirmed that their covers fit with bmw oem for the 1250,