Crash bars

[AndyB]

They've got their place if you're going to ride off road and risk dropping the bike on rocks but if that's not part of the plan why waste your money?

A lot of the people who buy big adventure bikes have come from sports bikes which they wouldn't dream of fitting bloody great big crash bars to so why not go down the sports bike route and fit crash bungs as they would on a sports bike?

The same riders wouldn't fit additional spotlights on a sports bike so unless it's because the manufacturers are fitting rubbish lights on adventure bikes why bother? It can't be to make yourself more visible because the frontal area of an adventure bike is far larger than a sports bike so what's the reason?

I've got crash bars on my KTM because they came as part of the deal along with the bread bin luggage otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered and I'd only fit extra lights if I was using it after dark on unlit roads but at the moment that rarely happens so the money stays in my bank account.

[bimota]

I fitted crash bars to my wifes 650 transalp for the reason it might save the bike from being a write off or pick up and ride home on a small off.

yes good thing to as she was knocked off yes on the road no mud rocks involved, bike slid on the bars and hit the pavement, luckly she didnt break anything just upset and badly bruised.

we got the bike up straighed a few things and we managed to ride it home so i,ve got them on my xt1200 for that purpose.


rob

[Nigel]

Agree, never fitted them to the S10 as I don`t take it off road and don`t (didn`t!) intend to drop it but after an "incident" in a bike park the other week she had a gentle lie down, fortunately Yamaha fit crash bungs that protrude from under the side panel and they now have a scratch on them, if it had been a full drop I think they would have snapped but they are meant to.

[OnHellas]

Crash bars and extra lights?? It's the 'LOOK' that people want.

Crash bars can be great off road and in a low speed drop. But I've seen bikes with broken frames because the crash bars or bungs have transferred the force from what would have been the impact area.
A favourite for this (not an adventure bike I know) is the Yamaha FZ6-N and Fazer models. But in general they do prevent damage I think.

As for the lights......not for me.

I did hear of a chap that 'needed' extra lights and an HID setup on his Adventure Bike because his journey home took him through Hyde Park in London and it gets very dark in there!!!!!!! But, somebody sold some stuff and earned some wages fitting it all so............

And anyway, each to their own.

[TomBoyNI]

I'm happy to say for me the reasons are two fold.

1. Firstly it is the look I want. I like it. I think it looks good.

2. Secondly, the bike isn't mine. It's on finance so if I can protect my money a little bit more then so be it.

I can see where your point is going but the same argument could be transferred to sports bikes with different elements...

Why are you driving about branded by Repsol, they don't sponsor you?

Why does you bike do 190 mph? That's completely impractical and more important, if on a road dangerous as hell and completely illegal.

Let's be honest people buy bikes that they like the look off initially. It's bred into us, as a kid we don't go, oh crash bars they are a practical edition to a bike, ah spots they will make you more visible. Or oh look, a quick shift and semi slick tyres will improve your acceleration.

As a kid you are like, oh look a bike. Cool!

And I don't think we ever loose that and more importantly why should we.

If we like it we like it.

Who care if someone Touratech's up a £15k R1200GS with every add on they can find and it only ever sees gravel in the motorway repair truck it once travelled behind.

Each to their own and if people are enjoying themselves so what, fair play.

I doubt it is the point you are trying to make though, and maybe I have started ranting hmy: but sometimes I feel that some people feel they are more 'entitled' to have an 'adventure' bike and the gear it goes with because of some trip they have done or the amount of time they stay off the Tarmac.

Some guys adventure may be a Sunday afternoon when he leaves his real world worries behind for a couple of hours and goes for a spin. The next guy's adventure may be round the world in 80 days.

Why should either be more entitled than the other. If each one is happy then the world should be happy for them.

[Simon_100]

My particular beef is being dazzled - in daylight! - by those f***ing spotlights they all seem to have!

As I 'live' on the N-260 trans-Pyrenean highway in the summer I can't even drive into town foer a coffee without being X-Rayed by dozens of blinged out 'Adventure' bikes!

Regs

Simon

[OnHellas]

I know you've seen it before but...........as I say each to their own.....this is one of mine.

14868313010_1f77c1bc95_z.jpg (103.6 KiB) Viewed 1637 times

[AndyB]

It'd be a boring World if we all had to ride the same bike wearing the same kit but when I see so many references to the cost and the high weight of modern bikes then a fair percentage of new owners increase the cost by a grand and the weight by a few kilos adding things they really don't need it makes me stop and wonder why they do it?

The thing that started me off on this (again) was seeing a picture of a Pikes Peak version of the Ducati Multistrada that was covered in carbon fibre bling to save a very small amount of weight at a high cost fitted with the biggest pair of steel crash bars I've ever seen :pinch:

A set of crash bungs plus bungs on either side of the front & rear wheel spindles would do as good a job, look neater, weigh less and certainly cost a lot less but the chances are Ducati don't offer them as a factory accessory.

To be fair I hadn't considered owners who've bought their bike on a PCP needing to keep them in as close to showroom condition as possible because that's a very good point.

As for riders wearing replica kit or adding replica paintjobs and stickers to their bikes; I could have a good holiday on the difference in price so it's not a route I've ever gone down (thumbs)

[Nigel]

Each to there own and it would be boring if we all thought the same way but it does amuse me when people say how heavy the S10 is and the GS is lighter, really :whistle:

BMWR1200GSAdventure141.jpg (61.92 KiB) Viewed 1637 times

so this is lighter than my S10 without crash bars and panniers :whistle:

[picos mestizo]

They've got their place if you're going to ride off road and risk dropping the bike on rocks but if that's not part of the plan why waste your money?

A lot of the people who buy big adventure bikes have come from sports bikes which they wouldn't dream of fitting bloody great big crash bars to so why not go down the sports bike route and fit crash bungs as they would on a sports bike?

The same riders wouldn't fit additional spotlights on a sports bike so unless it's because the manufacturers are fitting rubbish lights on adventure bikes why bother? It can't be to make yourself more visible because the frontal area of an adventure bike is far larger than a sports bike so what's the reason?

I've got crash bars on my KTM because they came as part of the deal along with the bread bin luggage otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered and I'd only fit extra lights if I was using it after dark on unlit roads but at the moment that rarely happens so the money stays in my bank account.

Lifestyle must haves, a bit like the tassled leather waist coat of the cruiser brigade which is probably more useful.
If your headlight is inadequate then get it working properly.
There are some brilliant CREE units (bulbs) around @ the moment which draw less current & give the equivalent of 80watts output = win on light, win on energy used, win on longevity.