Guards, protectors, whatever... are they really needed?

[n0ct0]

Speaking as someone who only bought the GSA as a road bike, will any of the protectors, guards etc. ever be really needed by me?

The TPS seems quite safe, my leg only rubbed on it when I had the seat in the low position as an experiment. I've never had a cracked headlight on anything, cars, bikes in the last 28 years. My old GSX600F got by without an oil cooler guard, as did my 2CV and I've never had a holed radiator.

Have I been lucky? Maybe, but I know I won't be going offroad or heading too far from recovery anytime soon.

The things that have stopped play in the past have being punctures, a broken drivechain, holed pistons, not on my GS though!

I guess what I'm asking is, can anyone give me real life instances where someone who is a road rider who only rides around europe once a year, where you have benefitted or wished you had fitted guards?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Don't waste your money

 

[Bugbear]

With the amount of granite road dressings used these days and the 'beak' of a 'GS' being a perfect 'channel' for that crap if you buy nothing else a 'polycarb' headlight protector and an oil cooler protector are both good investments and can save you a lot of expense, IMHO, of course.

 

[wheelnut]

A fender extender helps, to an extent, to keep the crap off the engine.

 

[ymfb]

Headlight, fender extenders and and busters.

Everything else will be bling.

 

[sidestand]

As it's winter - ACF50 or the scotoiler FS365 are the best protection for the money IMO

I have got a fender extender, mudsling & a Mark Hooton crud catcher & oil cooler grill fitted to mine though

 

[JayC]

Needed - no.

 

[Jonnybiscuit]

With the amount of granite road dressings used these days and the 'beak' of a 'GS' being a perfect 'channel' for that crap if you buy nothing else a 'polycarb' headlight protector and an oil cooler protector are both good investments and can save you a lot of expense, IMHO, of course.

+1
I run my GSA 99% on road too, but I took a couple of good sized dings to my oil cooler and headlight before I fitted protectors (which I now view as essential additions). Mark's "Crud Catcher" is a "Must" in my book too, if only to stop the cosmetic degradation of the front end.

I've had 3 or 4 car headlights broken by stones on the motorway (one the size of a fist). Bloody expensive
I've also seen several bike rads buggered through stone impact and they're bloody pricey to fix too.

Small price for peace of mind in my book.

 

[Bobbin-Man]

Just 3 must-haves ...

1. Mark Hooton crud catcher (or similar!)
2. Fender extender
These will reduce corrosion to the front engine casing which is inevitable even on a road going GS(A).
3. Mudsling (better option than a hugger on the GS)

And the optional protection ...

I also have an oil radiator guard because the rad's vulnerable ... and messy if it gets holed! But everything else is bling.

Crash bars / cylinder protectors / crash bungs are personal choices and IMHO not really any more applicable to a road GS than any other road bike - damage to a sports bike fairing will probably cost as much to put right as replacing the rocker covers. I use the Touratech stainless crash bars because they're a better looking closer fit than most and because it's a GS they look fine.

Headlight shield - for road use I can't see the point, yes the headlight's expensive but if you added a guard to every bike you've owned I'd bet you'll have spent more than the cost of the headlights you'd have replaced without.

Just my two-penneth!

Stu.

 

[Bendy toy]

+ 1 for headlight and oil cooler protectors. Also a hugger (unless its used off road to protect the back end and shock.
A front fender extender makes sense and maybe a thin alloy plate in front of the engine casing.
Invisible film on the fork legs to protect from stone chips. After that what can you its a bike - things break when they fall over.

I heard the other that the off road school in South Wales dont use cylinder head protectors. Apparently the plastic BMW type collect mud and dont do much protecting. The alloy Touratec type breaks off the mounting lugs - causing more harm than good. They simply replace the head covers when needed & otherwise accept any scratches.

I will stick with the plastic type as they will protect the engine if I drop the bike trying to park it.

 

[n0ct0]

I've already got a Fenda Extenda on the way, and I can see the point about the beak funneling bits and pieces toward the oil cooler and headlight.

Some posts have mentioned glare with the poly headlight protectors. Any feedback on that?

 

[Bmmike08]

I've fitted these.
Safe riding,
Mike

 

[sidestand]

I wonder when Mark Hooton is going to come along & give us his 'Essential Protection' list ?

 

[Greenman14]

+1 for fenda extender, mudsling and oil cooler guard. The mudsling is great for keeping the rear shock clean but does nothing for the swinging arm and torque arm. Holed my oil cooler and the element is very fragile.

How many times do you get stones banging off the car windscreen? Any one of them would damage the oil cooler.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

I've already got a Fenda Extenda on the way, and I can see the point about the beak funneling bits and pieces toward the oil cooler and headlight.

Some posts have mentioned glare with the poly headlight protectors. Any feedback on that?

Just use one that fixes direct to the lamp glass with velcro - cheaper too.

Andres

 

[Sooty09]

Not required.
My bike was knocked off its stand in France and damaged the rocker cover.
I fitted a new one £130.00 and invested in a set of plastic head protectors.

Today somehow or somebody again knocked it off its stand, the bike fell onto the new guard, continued rolling on the spark plug cover, onto the rocker cover and onto the tank side cover and BMW badge. The side of the top box and pillion footrest hanger, hand guard, screen edge and indicator have also been damaged.
Not very good for 0 mph. The protection should be at the design stage with all vulnerable components tucked away safe, or easily replaced at minimum cost.

Seems a good set of engine bars are the only protection.

PS anybody know if you can paint the 08 magnesium covers successfully.

 

[Browny]

Look out in the for sale ads..... I'll be selling a set of BMW crash bars which I've recently taken off my 2010 GS1200. VGC. £80 plus postage (Brighouse, Sooty!)

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Well since it was a GSA you bought your pretty much covered with the engine bars and guards. The rest is up to you but none of it is a must. Fender extender is a good idea and a crud catcher if you like the look. Cooler guards stop a lot of the airflow and aren't for me especially on a pure road going bike. Same goes for the headlight guard. Probably 90% of the bikes out there don't have one and you don't hear of smashed headlights every day. Depends how close you drive the the vehicle in front I guess. Mudslinging is an overpriced bit of plastic but the idea is a good one. There are far cheaper alternatives out there that do exactly the same job.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

PS anybody know if you can paint the 08 magnesium covers successfully.

They paint fine its powder coating that can cause problems.

 

[Jonnybiscuit]

.............Cooler guards stop a lot of the airflow............

You think so ? How much ?