Jug protectors

Every Guzzi owner knows that there are not a lot of options for protecting those beautiful jugs. I do not care for the long jug protector in the first photo. The round one in the second is better but costs around $300, ouch! I just fabricated some that are low profile(last picture). What do you guys think? Go with jug protectors or go without.

Craig

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But the 1100 already has sacrificial protectors. Those black doohickeys that you've attached your monstrosity to.

They can break, and they can also break spark plugs and caps when dropped. Don't ask how I know...

Thanks Tony for the heads up I was wondering how the plastic protectors would hold up on a tip over. I think they would do a better job if they were made out of aluminum?

Yes perhaps. They are designed to slide I would imagine, but an "at a standstill" drop puts a lot of sudden weight on them, with predictable results. Mostly to look good, methinks.

If you get some made from Aluminium, I would say there's a market. I have thought of it but have since lost my access to the equipment to do it.

I am not especially offended by the first set, nor -- other than the $300 (tho drops and slides can co$t WAY more than that ) -- the second.

What are the two? Links or just names?

Thanks.

Bill

One set, I think the first, are Agostini and the other are Stucchi. That is going from cloudy memory though.

I've never been a fan for the simple reason that the way they all mount means impact forces are transmitted to the front engine mounting bolts and I'm acutely aware of the history of smashed timing chests and crank cases on Spineframes due to forces imposed by such impacts.

Generally Grisos crash pretty well. As long as you don't hit something. You'll loose the oil cooler housing on the right and footpegs etc are sacrificial but head damage isn't common, although if there is any speed involved you'll likely grind a hole in a rocker cover. Steering lock-stops are weak as well so a drop usually means a new bottom yoke.

I always liked the DTF head protectors first developed by Finebau Forge. Made from 5083 aluminium, they fit between the rocker cover & head, to protect the head & engine (not supposed to work as bike cream protectors). I like the idea of spreading the load all the way across the top of the head. They work, in a serious bingle they minimise the damage, rather than prevent all damage.

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KC34, a small Italian company, has designed & produced several items for the GRiSO.  I do not particularly like them (as I find their designs have too many angles) but you may like them.  They seems well made.

See this link.

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Yes, that is an interesting design, thanks for sharing that!

The first pic are Stucchi/LGC crash bars. They are now made from Unobtainium.  I have a set. Here's a pic on my GRiSO from prehistoric times.


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I resemble those front disks! This was from before oranginification...

The second set are Hepco Becker. They mount on tabs that project at right angles from the main tubes, which I think would tend to bend in a real crash, perhaps saving the hard points they mount to. Here's a photo of them unmounted:

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The lower mounting is to the outside of the beefy downtubes that support the engine, but on the right-angle tabs. Could be a better set up than a V11, I don't know.

I have mine boxed up and ready to ship if any one is interested in them! (Send me a PM.) I took them off my 1100 after deciding the plastic pucks on that model were sufficient. (I also decided that the plastic pucks would be better than aluminum, for what that's worth, on the theory that they are sacrificial and shouldn't be too hard.)

From what I can tell, crash bars are much more important for the puckless GRiSO 1200, which has expensive valve covers exposed to greater risk.

Moto

Having had a walkover-speed tip-over during a storm, the Stucchi engine guards (top pics, my favorite aesthetically) worked well to prevent any damage to the head/rocker cover, although I imagine at high speed the impact will just push the bar into the head with such force that the bars themselves will still damage the rocker cover.
Only had to repaint the right side protectors (carc & head) rather than replace a valve cover so for me the investment already worked out (especially since the bars are still functional).

Had to buy the bars second hand as Stucchi still has them listed but in 2 years I've never seen them stocked:

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+2 for the Stucchi Luigi. They are super sturdy and will protect the 1200 from the random slippery parking lot oopsie. I know (the shame!).

The damage in my recent "incident" required replacing the valve cover which was around $100, and sanding/painting the scratched cooling fins on the head which was an $8 can of paint and some fine-grit sandpaper. Better than replacing $300 bars that don't look very nice, IMHO.

(There was also the oil cooler housing, but I expect you'd scratch that up even with the head protector bars.)

Well those little nylon things worked for me yesterday got hit from behind while stationary at a roundabout bike made it all the way across
I didnt fare so well up in the air then down flat on my back one broken vertebra and a bit of bone floating around
tail plastic smashed clutch lever and gear lever pivot bolt sheered
oh and a bloody scuff on the Ti headers boo

Bad news Steve - any witnesses?

yes a good number of witnesses

Arse! Broken vertebrae and floating bone doesn't sound good.

Was the moron looking at their phone? I don't understand how you can't see a bike or car directly in front of you.

Again, arse!

Look after yourself.

Hi Beetle
I was stationary at a roundabout
it was dark and pissing down but but I have additional brake light so should have been lit up
strange feeling suddenly being horizontal in the air minus motorcycle

Oh man, Steve, sorry to hear about this. Be well and heal up quickly!

Pete (Street)

Good luck on a quick recovery! What a rotten thing to have happen.

I'm grateful to you for posting your sad news under the "jug protectors" topic, since your experience is another piece of valuable evidence in favor of regarding those "nylon things" on the 1100's cylinders as what they really seem to be: effective pucks for sliding down the road with minimal damage.

Anyway, better days!

Moto

I can vouch for the plastic pucks doing their job having lowsided on a hairpin 2km out from Walhalla yesterday.  Did lose my clutch lever and gear shift though.  Thankfully it wasn't at too high a speed.  Sorry to hear your deal steveb.  It sucks when some idiot isn't paying attention.

I haven't seen any worthwhile jug protectors for a GRiSO (esp my 1100) given it has those pucks.

If only, those pucks were made of something more solid! I have broken one and severely scuffed a few others over the years. The broken one took the spark plug and cap with it.