Crash bars / Engine protectors....

Yes ?
No ?

How many have put them on ?

Neil.

There are basically two options, the Stucchi Luigi or the Hepco Becker crash bars. I would guesstimate that about 20% of GRiSO owners mount them.

It's not that they are a bad idea, but they kind of look like shite and they aren't cheap - they're not that expensive, but they are not CHEAP. A key factor in much of Guzzidom.

Also, for a less than catastrophic tip over, replacing a valve cover costs about the same, or a little less than mounting the crash bars. In the end it comes down to personal aesthetics and risk tolerance I think.

The nice part of bars is you hopefully can ride sooner than waiting 12-900 days for valve covers to be sent from some 20km outside of Milan, by a snail with waterwings, then drug by pack ant. the last 300 or so km

I haven't tried this, but in theory they could also be used to mount auxiliary lighting.

FWIW, I don't think they look too bad - but then, they were on my bike when I bought it, so I was used to them before I ever rode it.   

I'm rocking a CARC guard because $99 seemed like cheap protection. I will probably pick up a pair of the HB engine guards, even though like Steak sez, they look a little like shite. But I like strafing canyons and know better than to expect to always stay upright, despite my best intentions.

Me no on guards
Always in the back of my head that they could transfer energy of the fall to some other more expensive part/s.
Are the guards crash tested?

Harry

Me no guard too, for the same reason as Harry and steak.

Phang

I am not crazy about the stucci ones but I do not find the HB very offensive,  I have seen a 2v fall over on hbs,  and they did keep the valve covers from scuffing....but not the brake pedal from breaking

BTW how bad do the HBs look     
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Installed the HB. regards the looks, after a week or so, you won't even notice them anymore. unless you're the type that cleans his bike after every ride.

They don't smell SHITI, sure look like it! My GRiSO is black enough without crash bars. Thought about a windshield but have other bikes to ride for this activity. 2013 FJR1300 for touring action.

Uh, welcome?

  

Unfortunately dropped mine last week. I was entering a parking space so was probably doing less than 10mph. Damage, scuffed head cover, scuffed through black plastic accent on head cover, bent rear brake lever, bent front brake lever.

I ordered the levers which duly turned up, fitted the rear brake lever no problem, fitted the the front brake and Voilla, permanent brake light. Seems that the so called OEM lever is in fact an aftermarket copy and has too much play, you have to nudge the lever away from yourself after use to disengage the light. So have decided to fit a set of ASV levers.

I removed the head cover just to check everything was okay and it seemed to be, wrong, wrong. Although I have ordered a new head cover (still not here even though they said they were in stock) I put the old one back so I could ride the bike. Again straight forward, even decided to try my brand new torque wrench, yes using a torque wrench for this is a little ott. Torqued to 10nm then 15nm and fuck me one of the buggers snapped. The guy that invented screw extractors should be made a saint. All I can think is that the screws got stressed during the tumble, any thoughts?

So now awaiting, new head cover, new plastic accent for head cover, set of ASV levers, and set of head cover screws. No not cheap but I still wont be fitting crash bars.

All the best
Pete

Has anyone installed the Stucchis? How do you get the proper torque on the front bolts?
They are buried inside the mount.

There were issues with the Stucchi bars a while ago as they were cracking at the mountings. The design was poor as it had a long section of tube suspended at both ends which was bound to vibrate/flex which would inevitably lead to cracking and they are not cheap.
I don't know if they have rectified this fault on more recently made versions.
Like many others I am not a fan of crash bars on my GRiSO.

If you pay for insurance to protect your investment, why pay for crash bars to save the insurance company money. The buggers don't give you a discount, do they?

I have alloy head protectors on Bella, that's it.

Beware that the HB guards will ruin your engine cover as well if they bend slightly, they won't if it's just a bike drop but a low speed wipe will make a mess...

ghezzi wrote:

If you pay for insurance to protect your investment, why pay for crash bars to save the insurance company money. The buggers don't give you a discount, do they?

I have alloy head protectors on Bella, that's it.

Well, there's the deductible so you will pay *something* (I think my deductible is $500) and then there's the chance they up your rates after you make a claim.

On top of that, enough damage = you're walking home and then waiting (i.e. no riding) while the dealership does the estimate / then you wait for parts / someone does the work.

My insurance will let me perform repairs instead of the dealer, but they still require an estimate from a dealer, who will also charge you for the time to do so.

So even with insurance you will end up paying, both in time and money. "Like a good neighbor" - yeah, right. (edit: for those outside the US, this is part of the jingle for an insurance co. here that it seems wants you to believe they are your friends and not a money-making corporation  )

Because there are times it would be nice to ride home from the accident instead waiting for a tow, finding a tow (first time, no cell phone coverage, second time, very poor coverage). Bike had a hole worn in the valve cover.
 
So, for those times you are on your own, best to have protection so you have the limp back capability.
 
Kinda like saying why were a helmet, the Doc's can patch you up.  

Does anyone know where I can get some Stucci crash bars.
All seem to be nil stock everywhere I look....

Crash Bar Update:
I returned my left Stucci bar because it was 1/8 inch from the head. The right bar has generous clearance around the head so I figured the bend was wrong. Before I sent the bar back for replacement I emailed Stucci, two weeks later I got this reply:

Dear customer
this misalignment is normal to ensure the maximum space for the rider's legs
the crashbar have just been tested for normal crash with very good result .Only Be sure to have place the rubber seals in the correct way.
We are available for any support
Best regards

L.G.C. srl
Accessori  ricambi e verniciature moto
Proprietaria dei marchi
Stucchi Luigi & Flashback Motors

Wish they had replied sooner. It still seems odd to me, but thats the way it goes.
I will make sure I have a "normal" crash...

Crash bar update:
I recently got a set of the Stucci bars and found that the left bar is very close to the rear part of the cylinder head, while the right bar has more room. I sent an email to Stucci and also contacted MG for a replacement. MG sent me a new bar that while better is still closer than the right bar, so be it. It was hard enough to tighten it with a ball end hex socket anyway.
After several weeks I got an answer from Stucci, here is their reply:

Dear customer
this misalignment is normal to ensure the maximum space for the rider's legs
the crashbar have just been tested for normal crash with very good result .Only Be sure to have place the rubber seals in the correct way.
We are available for any support
Best regards

My legs are not close to the bar, so that sounds like BS, and I guess I will have to limit my crashes to "normal" ones. I give up, the bar is very solid and will protect the head in a tip over, anything more catastrophic will be covered by my insurance. I will henceforth look elsewhere, smell a flower and enjoy riding my bike....

mark111 wrote:

There were issues with the Stucchi bars a while ago as they were cracking at the mountings. The design was poor as it had a long section of tube suspended at both ends which was bound to vibrate/flex which would inevitably lead to cracking and they are not cheap.
I don't know if they have rectified this fault on more recently made versions.
Like many others I am not a fan of crash bars on my GRiSO.

Had the shitty Stuccki ones until one small spill from stopped (chick behind me bumped into me while at a stop sign). result: crash bar cracked at the engine mount, crash bar knocked against the head cover and punctured it. Paid for new covers, sent pictures to MG to claim some kind of refund from Stucchi, silence. Moral of the story: don't drive in front of chicks with nervous throttle wrists, dont buy Stucchi crash bars.
GRiSO sexier without.

After my recent-ish low speed drop and the damage caused, I'm interested in some type of crash protector. Just s thread revival.

Crash bars are great. Since putting mine on, I haven't crashed!

Yet......