If you know for sure you're going to drop it ...

[Trip]

... what do you fit in advance to protect it?

Engine bars, obviously. What else gets hit? Can you get something to protect indicators or am I better removing them? Replacements for the handguards or a lot of spare levers? What do they do to the R12GSs they use on the offroad training for example?

Trip

 

[John Armstrong]

Panniers if you want to protect you and your pillions legs. That and engine bars as well work very well, DAMHIK

 

[Thunder]

The frames for some panniers provide additional protection even when the panniers are not fitted.

 

[HTB]

I'm not sure you get time to remove the indicators if you're about to drop it!!!!

Well, I 'laid mine down' in Arromanche on Monday, follwoing the 'Shortest' GPS route that my Navigator came up with - track went muddy; ended up in fields, road tyres, two up with panniers, tank bag and a full tank of fuel.

Thankfully the surface was soft, and the bike slid slowly from under me, so I was at a complete stop. Just glad that I had BMW engine protectors on the cylinder heads as all that happened was that they got a bit muddy, but no scratches - I guess I was lucky as the surface was soft. Had this been on concreate then I'm sure I'd be looking at scuffs, so I'm thinking that engine bars may just help the inevitable, although of course you have to treat them as sacraficial and not be too worried if they get *dinged*. Would also like to find some crash bungs for the front fork spindle, as I had on my 999, to save them getting scuffed up as they hit tarmac.

Interetsingly, the pannier doesn't look like it even hit the ground.

The old back is still a bit achy from my piss poor pick the puppy up proceedure (PPPPUP)... Photo is just after I'd picked it up and moved it on - look at that scowl!

 

[Taff]

.....What do they do to the R12GSs they use on the offroad training for example? Trip

Can only comment on the 650 Dakar and the 1150 Adventure (the 1200 only came out the weekend I was there), but I remember Simon Pavey saying that they deliberately loosened the cluth and throttle levers, so that they move rather than snap when dropped. You don't want them too loose for obvious reasons, but we had them loose enough that they moved if you tapped them. Not fool-proof mind you, as we still managed to snap a few, but the instructors carried spare ones as well.

From memory, the off-road bikes had their indicators removed. Not much need for them in a pond.

 

[the civil one]

If you know your gonna drop it !

I made the Monumental mistake of trying to hold up my GSA
I was on my back for 3 Months ,
My advice is if your gonna drop it ,,,, Let it Go

 

[Hoseman]

... what do you fit in advance to protect it?

Engine bars, obviously. What else gets hit? Can you get something to protect indicators or am I better removing them? Replacements for the handguards or a lot of spare levers? What do they do to the R12GSs they use on the offroad training for example?

Trip

Just dropped mine from stationary with no engine bars or cylinder head protection fitted and did following damage,

RH rocker cover cosmetic scars and scrapes, replacement £103
Handlebar end weights scratched, replacement £23.31
Pillion footrest, replacement £14.10
RH plastic hand guard, Replacement £18.60
All in all these parts were cheaper then i originally anticipated, I can remember getting fleeced for about £600 for dropping my CBR600 in a simular fashion 10 years ago.

Ive also ordered some ally cyl head protectors £90 and considering engine bars.

All parts sourced from Alan Jefferies

Fully endorse the civil one, i tryed to cushion my bike with right foot as the bike went down in slow motion, now limping around still, a week later. Blindly avoiding an xray and hopeing it will get better.

 

[ROJAZ]

what do you fit in advance to protect it?

A missus who is a nurse - feckin brill at liftin and handling they are.

Last time I dropped mine I was fortunate she was pillion. She was off and under before it hit the ground - back straight, lifted up a treat!

Lads behind thought it was excellent.

 

[piebaps]

A missus who is a nurse

Also useful if it doesn't work out and you need medical treatment and of course there is the fringe benefit of the uniform!!!!

what a top idea.

 

[ROJAZ]

course there is the fringe benefit of the uniform!!!!

Agreed. I assist with removing it at the end of every shift

 

[Dale]

Did the BMW intro course a month or so ago... probably managed to put the bike on its side 20 times in the first day at speeds between 1-40kph. Many others did the same. At the end of the day we compared notes on damage, which overall was far less than I had expected. The best protection seemed to be either BM or Touratech engine protection bars (TT ones dont look so good, but seem sturdier) and the black plastic engine covers supplied by BM. The hard ally covers from TT seemed to break easily if the bike fell on them while the plastic ones scratched lightly.

Interestingly, no one broke an indicator - a couple popped out the socket but were easily refitted. I managed to loosen a rear view mirror with my leg (dont ask!), but was easy to re-tighten.

The black tank covers (1200) had light scratches on them, but have almost managed to polish them out.

As an aside, the instructors recommended NOT removing the mirrors as the stalks protect the brake resovoirs if the bike falls over.

Dale

 

[Trip]

Thanks very much for the all the info. I particularly like the nurse idea.

Trip

 

[Yoda]

She was off and under before it hit the ground.....

The perfect woman.

 

[Desert Rat]

Crash bars

I'd go for the crash bars every time from now on. Car turned across me on Saturday. Did not drop the bike, parked up and walked back to “have a word”. I recon I’d had major damage to my leg if it weren’t for the crash bars and the design of the engine.

 

[Skippy]

Blimey!

I'd go for the crash bars every time from now on. Car turned across me on Saturday. Did not drop the bike, parked up and walked back to “have a word”. I recon I’d had major damage to my leg if it weren’t for the crash bars and the design of the engine.

You ok?

Looks like a chav mobile. Was it? Was it near Reading? Tell all.

Skip.

 

[TheJoker]

In my slight incident with shallow tarmac ono the Nurburgring I damaged the following things:
- H&B Bars - scratched a lot but no bending or anything else
- Pillion foot peg - was folded up so it was scratched underneath.
- Slight scratch on the plastic hub on the shaft drive. An R&G Racing shaft drive protector is highly recommended. See here for the K1200R version: http://jocke.selincite.com/bikes/rg-crashprotectors

I reckon there were some tiny scratches on some of the following; bar end, mirror or brake lever. I'm not 100% that was the case as the scratches might have occurred from simple things like pushing it against the garage wall..

 

[Wreford Miles]

low sided my 1150 trying to hard on a roundabout... the only points that touched was the head and tyres result ground plastic head guard and rocker cover every thing else was fine.

Cost to fix zero... 'I think it looks good with scars'

 

[Desert Rat]

Not in Reading Skippy, Northholt. Going to Collin Colins to get bits for my KTM. It was a woman with a couple of kids in the car. If you look closely, you'll see the baby seat in the back Thank god I did not hit that door at 90* and just glanced it.

I'm still convinced if it were not for the crash bars and the engine talking the force, I'd had a very sore leg. Apparently I buckled the wheel on the car.