Engine bars

[mylovelyhorse]

Does the panel recommend any particular set of engine bars for my August 1999 R1150GS? Or is it better not to bother with them?

Essential criteria:

Must protect in a spill
Must not make servicing difficult​

Your advice and suggestions appreciated

 

[mylovelyhorse]

Ha! Just found the appropriate thread.

 

[Avaword]

Engine bars...

Depends if you want to shell out for new cyclinder head covers if you throw it down the road...
Bit more expensive to service as they charge you a little bit extra to take them off to access covers etc..
Will offer an element of protection depending on the severity on the spill..I've got them on my 1200 and flippin glad I did...they're looking battered now but not as much as the rest of the bike had they not been on.

 

[davegs]

bar none

Avoid 1150 Adventure bars, in a hiogh speed prang these cause the bike to flip ove and smash tank dash and headlights along with the beak. The bars survive ok with a bit of distortion but haedlights are £143, and £95 a go and thats without all the other bits. Don't ask how I know.
dave gs.

 

[Shurv]

The BMW ones look good and do the job. Not too expensive either.

 

[Steptoe]

Must not make servicing difficult​

)

The BMW ones look good and do the job. Not too expensive either.

But they fail on the servicing criteria - they have to be removed just to change the oil.

 

[Cornish Bob]

But they fail on the servicing criteria - they have to be removed just to change the oil.

I think that my Touratech bars are a copy of the BMW ones but with a break in them so that you can just remove the bottom section for servicing.

 

[Shrimpo]

counterpoint

The BMW ones look good and do the job. Not too expensive either.

My experience with the BMW bars was not so happy. Low speed black ice spill. Bars bent like jelly annd didnt really protect the cylinder head cover from any of the scraping damage. They "may" have protected the cover from the initial impact with the road, however, I can't be sure.

Also as stated, they have to be taken off for servicing.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[jonesai]

H and B are good - tested them with an 'off' recently so have first hand experience
only maintenance problem is access to change the alternator belt - they have to be removed to remove the alternator belt cover but the belt change is only required every 30000 miles or so from memory.