Machineart xheads or Engine Bars ??

[Spud]

Looking at a way of protecting the bike should the worst happen and it get dropped.
I quite like the look of the Machineart xhead protectors, and not the biggest fan of engine bars.
I've also heard that there may be an issue with bent frames if you drop a bike with engine bars (Old wives tale ? )

Anyone have any experiences or wisdom they'd like to share?

Thanks

 

[DING-DONG]

Looking at a way of protecting the bike should the worst happen and it get dropped.
I've also heard that there may be an issue with bent frames if you drop a bike with engine bars (Old wives tale ? )

Thanks

It ain't a tale, I'd opt for the BMW bars if any, reason why is because if you drop the bike the bars do bend, taking some impact. Bars like the TT are solid once fitted and will transfer the drop directly to the frame and surely that cannot be a good thing.

 

[dogmaboy]

Evotech

Have you seen the Evotech bars.They don't look like the normal engine bars.They are bit more expensive but look the part.

 

[Roadrash Rider]

No right or wrong answer to this one, but my experience having tipped the GSA over on the drive with full crash bars it still came to rest fully on the head covers. On the new LC GS I have opted for the machineart covers. Lets be honest for anything but a very low speed off or tipping it over at home, bars and headcovers are going to get damaged.


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[Grim Reaper]

It depends on whether you are looking for protection from flat surfaces or stony ones.
The bars will work if the bit you end up tipped over on is flat, like tarmac, but it only takes an errant stone larger than the bars diameter to end up between the bars and punch a hole in the cam covers.
I opted for both.

 

[MrMcNamara]

Bars!

Looking at a way of protecting the bike should the worst happen and it get dropped.
I quite like the look of the Machineart xhead protectors, and not the biggest fan of engine bars.
I've also heard that there may be an issue with bent frames if you drop a bike with engine bars (Old wives tale ? )

Anyone have any experiences or wisdom they'd like to share?

Thanks

No brainer! bars on the road every time - head protectors in addition if you plan to go off road, the better bars will bend into the cylinders before damaging the frame, spreading the load as they go. a direct hit on the protruding cylinder will pass to the frame anyhow - the impact load has to go somewhere after all.

 

[JimVonBaden]

It depends on whether you are looking for protection from flat surfaces or stony ones.
The bars will work if the bit you end up tipped over on is flat, like tarmac, but it only takes an errant stone larger than the bars diameter to end up between the bars and punch a hole in the cam covers.
I opted for both.

Right answer!

I have just the MAM covers, but I only do a few dirt roads a year, and nothing challenging.

Jim

PS Yes, they work well, as I tested them.

 

[yankeedoodledandy]

Looking at a way of protecting the bike should the worst happen and it get dropped.
I quite like the look of the Machineart xhead protectors, and not the biggest fan of engine bars.
I've also heard that there may be an issue with bent frames if you drop a bike with engine bars (Old wives tale ? ) Anyone have any experiences or wisdom they'd like to share?

There are tradeoffs with each approach, especially if you rarely venture further offroad than plain gravel. If you have OEM bendable bars that will require replacement anyway, a new cylinder cover will cost about the same as a new bar, and the bar may still damage the cover. There are a couple of stories floating around about bars bending frames, but IMHO those crashes were hard enough to probably total the bike anyway, whatever type of bars or guards were on there.

I have touratech bars, mostly because a buddy was selling his pristine used ones for a good price. I probably would have gotten the xhead covers instead if that hadn't happened, just to save weight (although I really don't notice the additional 10 lbs anymore). One thing: I do like that I can straighten and rest my legs on the bars (pseudo highway pegs) on those rare occasions where I'm on the highway for more than an hour or so.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Knocked over hard, and this is what I got:

You can see that the MAMs did their job. No damage to my valve covers.

Jim