Beakless
New Member
What is it you did not like about the Givi's? or liked better on the Altrider?tomatocity said:
Crash Bar advice
- Thread starter Llamaman
- Start date
mebgardner
Active Member
I've installed the Givi TN355 kit today. '16 ST, Non-ES.
I suspect they'll be "One and Done", but at the price point, I'm OK with that. I read the previous poster's comments to the contrary. I hope they will take more than one hit, but I also hope to never find out!
I read elsewhere that it's important to install the middle pieces first, under the cycle's front end. Yup, that's for sure, do that first! Use hardened sockets and a breaker bar for the engine mount bolts. I broke a good 6 pt. socket figuring that out.
My considerations were, clearances, for myself (in a getoff), and previous installed stuff (a Denali Soundblaster horn under the left brace, using a Twisted Throttle mount piece attaches to the (Stator?) housing down there. Anyway, plenty of clearance after bars installed, and I *think* the horn will survive a 0 MPH hit/tipover). Looks, no "big ears" sticking waaaay out. Ability to take one hit, then replace'em, if needed (I don't like my cycles to appear damaged for long. I clean things up quick if I'm keeping it). Ease of adding a lower crash bar (maybe later, maybe not).
So, these Givi bars kit TN355. Fitted right up. I was short 2 washers. No biggie, but annoying.
Pretty far into the install, starting to tighten everything up. There are 2 "headless" bolts, per front end brace (2 braces, and 2 bolts per brace: One Left and One Right side). The bolts are press fit into the brace. The side bars attach to these as part fo their mount points. So, they're press fit and have no "head". They're basically a threaded shaft sticking out of the brace. You torque on those, and they pop out of the brace. Yup, then you're left sitting there, OK *now* what? The side bars don't brace up now...
I think the engineers did that so they would sheer away in an "incident". They would absorb and transfer some energy, then give way. Well, *that's* not gonna work anymore...
I torqued the 1st one good, and it sheared off. I did the 2nd one, on the other side, on purpose.
Find two more bolts, washers, and nuts, of correct length and bolts stuff together. Whew, almost screwed, looking at how much (not much after all), I was gonna have to take back apart to fix it.
They look sturdy, solid. Yup, I would buy this again, (and hope I never have to!).
I suspect they'll be "One and Done", but at the price point, I'm OK with that. I read the previous poster's comments to the contrary. I hope they will take more than one hit, but I also hope to never find out!
I read elsewhere that it's important to install the middle pieces first, under the cycle's front end. Yup, that's for sure, do that first! Use hardened sockets and a breaker bar for the engine mount bolts. I broke a good 6 pt. socket figuring that out.
My considerations were, clearances, for myself (in a getoff), and previous installed stuff (a Denali Soundblaster horn under the left brace, using a Twisted Throttle mount piece attaches to the (Stator?) housing down there. Anyway, plenty of clearance after bars installed, and I *think* the horn will survive a 0 MPH hit/tipover). Looks, no "big ears" sticking waaaay out. Ability to take one hit, then replace'em, if needed (I don't like my cycles to appear damaged for long. I clean things up quick if I'm keeping it). Ease of adding a lower crash bar (maybe later, maybe not).
So, these Givi bars kit TN355. Fitted right up. I was short 2 washers. No biggie, but annoying.
Pretty far into the install, starting to tighten everything up. There are 2 "headless" bolts, per front end brace (2 braces, and 2 bolts per brace: One Left and One Right side). The bolts are press fit into the brace. The side bars attach to these as part fo their mount points. So, they're press fit and have no "head". They're basically a threaded shaft sticking out of the brace. You torque on those, and they pop out of the brace. Yup, then you're left sitting there, OK *now* what? The side bars don't brace up now...
I think the engineers did that so they would sheer away in an "incident". They would absorb and transfer some energy, then give way. Well, *that's* not gonna work anymore...
I torqued the 1st one good, and it sheared off. I did the 2nd one, on the other side, on purpose.
Find two more bolts, washers, and nuts, of correct length and bolts stuff together. Whew, almost screwed, looking at how much (not much after all), I was gonna have to take back apart to fix it.
They look sturdy, solid. Yup, I would buy this again, (and hope I never have to!).
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
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No, please do forget about the Touratech option. Over priced and under performing. No one that has an incident ever stays with Touratech crash bars. They simply don't protect the bike.2112 said:
To the OP, why are you concerned about the weight of the bars? The bike is heavy. Going with light weigh bars is not a great idea. The weight of any crash bar set or system is extremely well balanced across the bike, simply due to the desired protection coverage and design of the various crash bars. If you think you can tell the difference, you can't, it's just in your head. For most riders it's just the visual of the bars in your vision the first week or so that takes getting used to. Especially for riders with lots of miles on bikes w/o crash bars.
Most of the options for upper crash bars will protect the bike for average conditions. Low speed or no speed drops are more common than high speed and hard impacts. Pick something that you feel meets your riding style and needs. Don't buy anything just because you think it looks good. Buy it for the protection it provides and the quality of construction, along with feedback and reviews from people that actually crashed or dropped the bike with that product in place. A positive review from someone that has never 'tested' the bars doesn't really provide meaningful feedback on the product.
I often get asked by anyone with a Tenere, after they get a good stare at my engine bash protection, "how heavy is it?"
I usually tell them "even heavier than it looks"
Then I pause.
"However, I'm not holding it in my hands. Nor can I even tell it is on or off the bike"
I guess my point is I support what Eric just stated. Crash protection needs to succeed at its mission. Otherwise, why even have it?
A Tenere carries its crash protection almost transparently, weight wise.
Much like an F350 carries a brush guard and headache rack.
I usually tell them "even heavier than it looks"
Then I pause.
"However, I'm not holding it in my hands. Nor can I even tell it is on or off the bike"
I guess my point is I support what Eric just stated. Crash protection needs to succeed at its mission. Otherwise, why even have it?
A Tenere carries its crash protection almost transparently, weight wise.
Much like an F350 carries a brush guard and headache rack.
mebgardner
Active Member
+1 to that!
BTW, in my view, the mission is to save *my* a$$, not the cycle. If the protection keeps *me* from being hurt, then mission completed!