Front Crash Bars - You won't believe this!

[Loafer]

Braid some leather or a material over them. Be original!

[schoeney]

Set of engine guard chaps are $59 @ classic chaps (link below). Synthetic marine grade material. Not the hi quality leather like Cycle Cat used to make but they look fine and would be a cheap fix. I have had mine for 3 years. Still look new and easy to clean and take on/off. Side benefit....helped alot w/buffeting.

http://www.classicchaps.com/My_Homep...les/Page7.html

[Bull Durham]

Just kind of odd that someone would put them on upside down, whether it was the dealer or previous owner. I really don't think it was the previous owner, I don't think he ever really touched it. Like I said, the way they looked always bugged me, I knew there was something that looked wrong with them. I even thought about them maybe being backwards / upside down, but I thought there was no way that could be, because you'd think they'd be made so they could only bolt on one way. Like I've said before, I was never impressed with the crash bars or any crash bars on newer bikes. They all look pretty chint'ze, and they all seem to bend right over in the smallest of accidents. I've seen bars bend just from people dropping their bikes. I think new crash bars are built more for looks now, than anything else.

I've been thinking about going with the hard lowers, especially for around here where it rains a lot, would be nice. But for you guys with them, how is it in the summer when it's hot out? I know they have the vent to open for air control, but is that enough?

[cactusjack]

If you ever drop your bike, you'll see just how valuable the crash bars are. They will protect it from serious damage. I'd rather have to replace a $80 crash bar than a $1200 saddlebag or $1000 fuel tank.

[lw]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

If you ever drop your bike, you'll see just how valuable the crash bars are. They will protect it from serious damage. I'd rather have to replace a $80 crash bar than a $1200 saddlebag or $1000 fuel tank.

+1

[Bull Durham]

'juz saying, if they were real crash bars, you not only wouldn't hurt the saddle bags or the tank, and also wouldn't hurt the crash bars!

[lw]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

'juz saying, if they were real crash bars, you not only wouldn't hurt the saddle bags or the tank, and also wouldn't hurt the crash bars!

but the true purpose is to prevent damage to other parts of the machine, i.e. be sacrificial. They were designed to keep the engine (hence the name engine guard) and painted/plastic parts off the asphalt/concrete etc if the bike is dropped or suffers a relatively low speed crash. In higher speed crashes all bets are off anyway. If you were to make them of a more rigid material they would withstand the "drop" scenario well, however the forces of a crash would be transmitted into the frame mounting points and could/would result in a "battle of the weakest metal". Even though the guards dont seem to extend that far, when the linear forces of the forward motion of a crash are applied, the frame can still be tweaked at the attachment point.

[waterman]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

If you ever drop your bike, you'll see just how valuable the crash bars are. They will protect it from serious damage. I'd rather have to replace a $80 crash bar than a $1200 saddlebag or $1000 fuel tank.

Are they that cheap on a Harley?? No being an ass Scott, just curious.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by waterman

Are they that cheap on a Harley?? No being an ass Scott, just curious.

Are what that cheap? Do you mean how much do they cost, or are they that flimsy?

[waterman]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

Are what that cheap? Do you mean how much do they cost, or are they that flimsy?

Prices for replacement bags and tank on your Ultra.

[Bull Durham]

Listen, this is going to be one of those topics where there is no right or wrong opinion, opinions are like a$$holes - everyone has one!!

I think new bikes crash bars are crap, period. Crash bars are not suppose to be sacrificial to the extent they are now a days. 5 - 6 years ago, had a friend on a HD Road King, 3 days old, brand new. It's pouring rain out, he's driving into a parking lot. The rain is coming down so hard, it's hard to see. He's probably going top speed, 4 -5 miles an hour, hits one of those little pipes that direct cars in parking lot, they are about two feet high and about 8 -10 inches around. He hits it with his, I believe, left crash bar, going so slow that when it happened, he actually just stepped off the back as the bike went down. Were not talking stepping off and running or taking other steps, I'm talking takes A STEP. He's still holding onto the handle bar in one hand.

The crash bar bends backwards like it's a spaghetti noodle, crash bar folds like Dick Cheney at the Army recruiters office during Vietnam, bends the floor board, etc. Damage to bike? TOTALLED!

1970's: My mom is on the back of a '70's Honda 750-4, going about 65 - 70 mph. Bike has front and rear crash bars, real crash bars. Rear tire blows, ends of fishtailing around and goes down the road backwards sliding on the front and rear crash bar, both people ride it out, never come off the bike. Figure by the time it was fishtailing around, say you lose 5 - 10 mph. Still means your going 55 mph. Damage to bike? Handle bar, front blinker, rear blinker, crash bars.

1982: Kawasaki KZ 750, I still own it, it's in my garage right now. Drunk as hell, riding wheelies in a parking garage, it's raining and blowing rain water into the parking garage. I go for my last stupid, stupid, show off wheelie, hit a bunch of grease, I go one way and bike goes another, but we both happen to be sliding down the down ramp. Bike comes down out of the wheelie, crashes and slides down the down ramp for probably 30 - 40 feet. Damage to Bike? Right handle bar, rear blinker, front blinker, some scrapes on the rear seat grab bar and of course, a lot of scrapes on crash bars. Crash bars not even bent, still on my bike.

Other times in those dark, hard to remember times. Drunk, forget to put feet down at red lights or stop signs on a number of times. Bike falls over, Bull goes boom. Crash bars, no damage.

Cactus Jack, your accident the other week. What type of damage to your bike? From what you said and the pictures you posted; fairing, handle bars, crash bar, floor board, frame, saddle bags, etc. Front crash bar looks like it was worn half way through from the slide and you weren't even going that fast, correct? 20 - 30 mph?

Like I said, there is no right or wrong, it's just my opinion that crash bars on the bikes I see now a days, I think, are mostly for show. There pretty, shiny and look nice.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by waterman

Prices for replacement bags and tank on your Ultra.

No idea. Don't want to know. ::) Not sure where to find out. I don't have a parts catalog. I doubt the bags are as expensive as the Nomad, though.

[cactusjack]

Well, I was doing 35-40 miles per hour when I went down. Bike laid over on the left side, then flipped over on the right and slid maybe 50 feet down the road. They totaled it due to frame damage. If it wasn't for that, I figured $2600 in parts, a good part of that was the tank and fairing. The tank was damaged when the frame damage occurred. The handle on the right side bag was damaged, but not the bag itself. Bags and tourpak didn't have a scratch on them, thanks to the crash guards.

[schoeney]

CJ, Your avatar pic is still scaring the bejeezus out of us!

[rewindgy]

I tend to agree the newer crash guards are almost just there for looks. When I popped that little old lady the crash guards folded likea cheap suit! I pulled the ones side back with bare hands! The tubing isn't that weak - it's the way they mount it to the frame work - the tabs bend real easy. Of course the crash guard folded up into the tank! I think the ones on the 1500 are better as they are one piece? However, the Kawaski one's I put on my 800 Drifter state right on the instructuions that they are basically for show and not for crash protection ( and they are a one peice design) - I still have the instructions - I should go and read it again - I remember i had a good laugh the first time when I opened the box!!