Crash Bars Crash Tested?

[avc8130]

I think it would be good to start a thread categorizing crash bars PUT TO THE TEST!

We have plenty of pictures of NEW installs and a lot of information about how these things actually work buried in other posts. It would be great to have it documented in one "sticky" so anyone shopping for a new or replacement set has a good thread to reference.

ac

 

[avc8130]

I'll go first. Here are a few pics of what happened to my Givi Gen 1 crash bars. The scenario was a "crash" in 1st gear. I was traveling along a wet leave/mud "road". I was in the left truck tire grooves when I saw the groove was overgrown with brush ahead. As I tried to transition to the right groove the front end washed and I went down pretty hard on the right side. The right groove proved to be ~18" deeper than the center section.

Before:


After:






I don't know if it is apparent in the photos, but the whole right side "parallelogram-ed". The bars that connect to the stock crash pad mounts bent backwards almost 1". Clearly a flaw in the design was not triangulating this area.

Clearly a flaw in MY planning was not having better tires or a skid plate...gruesome pics of my Arrow headers:





ac

 

[Dirt_Dad]

SW Motech. Slow speed drop into mud. They did completely protect the bike from damage, but it was a one time use product.

It was replaced with Givi on both our Teneres. Since then the Givi bars on each bike have been tested once. Always protecting the bike, always surviving the test with just some minor abrasions. In my experience I prefer the protection and survivability of the Givi bars. Of course, every incident is different and who knows what the next one will bring.

Givi Test (one year ago this weekend)

[/quote]

Sorry, no write up on the status of the Givi crash bars from this test. There was nothing worth mentioning.

 

[Koinz]

Thanks for posting this, hope you are ok from the fall. I guess if this would've happen on the left side, it probably would not have protected the rad and/or prevent the fan from getting crushed. Thoughts? I have the Altrider bars and haven't had an opportunity to test their effectiveness.

So I guess they get a thumbs down for protection? ::007::

 

[avc8130]

My Givi did not bend in towards the plastic but rather back. My Givi did great in a straight 0mph drop on concrete in my garage. I think adding forward momentum is when things get wonky.

I'm curious if the altrider or toratech do better.

Ac

 

[autoteach]

I think that it is rather important to note that the Givi bars are only $200 or so. I bought mine on sale at $144, retail is upwards of $220. Compare this to $132 retail for the right side cover, a combined cost of close to $240 for the left side, $32 for the factory crash protectors, $461 for the radiator, and $343 for the fan. Basically, what I am saying is that for a mere $200 you can protect a lot more of your investment than you would want to break in a crash. To design crash protection that didn't deform would be... well, we could spend some time talking about weight, physics, and cost but lets say that it would be disadvantageous to do so.

 

[avc8130]

I think that it is rather important to note that the Givi bars are only $200 or so. I bought mine on sale at $144, retail is upwards of $220. Compare this to $132 retail for the right side cover, a combined cost of close to $240 for the left side, $32 for the factory crash protectors, $461 for the radiator, and $343 for the fan. Basically, what I am saying is that for a mere $200 you can protect a lot more of your investment than you would want to break in a crash. To design crash protection that didn't deform would be... well, we could spend some time talking about weight, physics, and cost but lets say that it would be disadvantageous to do so.

If you guys are getting the idea that I am disappointed with my Givi, you are mistaken.

That right side Givi has taken 3 falls. The first was the 0mph drop in the garage that did NOTHING to the bike or bars. The 2nd did the majority of the damage shown. Then the next night I lost it in the rain on wet leaves again and put the bike on the right bar again.

For $150 I paid 2 years ago I can't complain at all. I have a call in to GIVI to see about buying just a right side.

I do think a quick triangulation or plate like Altrider uses between the 2 mounts at the frame would make a HUGE difference.

ac

 

[autoteach]

I understand that triangulating it might stop the bars from bending, but something has to absorb the impact. Infinitely strong crash bars transfer all load to their mounting points. I don't want infinitely strong bars on my bike for that reason.

 

[avc8130]

The Givi bars bent and they took the mounts with them. I think if they had a bat across the mounts like the altrider that would have been prevented.

ac

 

[autoteach]

And that is where I will agree with you. Those are clearly mounts for something like a horn, a random piece of plastic, a hotdog holder. But, they shouldn't bolt the crashbars to them. They are silly and small and weak. Luckily the frame is steal, so when it finally cracks one off you can weld it back on with little consequence. Ideally, a bike seriously designed for offroad would have more substantial mounting lugs on the engine to which the frame would bolt and those bolts would be accessible for bolting a crashbar as well. ours are hid behind the cowling, and it looks like there is some cantilevering off the cylinder.

I guess, be happy that you dont rip cylinder studs/bolts out when you crash?! You could always own a bmw

 

[TenRider]

The Givi bars bent and they took the mounts with them. I think if they had a bat across the mounts like the altrider that would have been prevented.

ac

I crashed the altrider bars and it bent the mount all the same. It is a lot of force for those mounts to take.

I noticed the touratech bars mount to the frame and front engine mounts with one connection point to the front OEM crash bar mounting point. Food for thought.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I don't know if TwistedThrottle sells Givi bars. But they do sell single sides of the bars they do carry.

 

[MrTwisty]

My Givi's did great in a 35mph lowside. I had to cut the crash bar off with a saws all, but the bike wasn't damaged.

 

[avc8130]

I crashed the altrider bars and it bent the mount all the same. It is a lot of force for those mounts to take.

I noticed the touratech bars mount to the frame and front engine mounts with one connection point to the front OEM crash bar mounting point. Food for thought.

Any pics? Care to document your Altrider case for the thread?

The Touratech mounts intrigue me. I would LOVE to hear a review.

Same with Rumbux.

ac

 

[avc8130]

My Givi's did great in a 35mph lowside. I had to cut the crash bar off with a saws all, but the bike wasn't damaged.

35 mph and they didn't bend the frame tabs at all? Any pics? Want to write up the experience for the thread?

ac

 

[trikepilot]

I have dropped my SuperTen too many times to count. I am prone to take Fancy into places that she might not be best suited for or at least where my riding skills are overmatched - just ask SpklBk. As a result, Fancy has spent more than her share of time on her side.

I have the full set of Rumbux bars and engine guard. I have absolutely NO complaints. From ordering and delivery form EricV through the install to actual use - there have been no issues whatsoever. They are super stout thick metal bars with large mounting tangs that appear to be welded very thoroughly. I have not seen the bars deflect or move as per some of the other posts here. I guess the only caveat that I might toss out there is that it appears from that infamous Dragon video, that the Rumbux does reduce your clearance in peg-dragging twisty turns. I don't ride my SuperTen that way so it is not an issue for me.

I will continue to take Fancy into rough terrain as she is way more capable than I - although my skills are getting better due to my WRR seat time. The only thing I may do this winter is to pull the Rumbux bars off so I can smooth over the dings and broken off powder-coating patches and then repaint with some satin black rattle can.

 

[Cykel]

I have the full set of Rumbux bars and engine guard. I have absolutely NO complaints. From ordering and delivery form EricV through the install to actual use - there have been no issues whatsoever. They are super stout thick metal bars with large mounting tangs that appear to be welded very thoroughly. I have not seen the bars deflect or move as per some of the other posts here. I guess the only caveat that I might toss out there is that it appears from that infamous Dragon video, that the Rumbux does reduce your clearance in peg-dragging twisty turns. I don't ride my SuperTen that way so it is not an issue for me.

I had Rumbux for a while. One pretty mild drop in loose gravel bent the mounting tabs (frame and bars). Super easy to bend back. Just depends on how it lands I guess. The skid plate seemed indestructible.

Agree that EricV is great to deal with. I ended up replacing them with the AltRider/ACD combo because I just couldn't get past the fact that Rumbux only mounted to one frame tab on either side.

 

[MrTwisty]

35 mph and they didn't bend the frame tabs at all? Any pics? Want to write up the experience for the thread?

ac

No, it didn't bend the frame tabs. Except for a scratched sidecase and handguard, the bike came out unscathed. However, my wife suffered a broken elbow and now has a built in skidplate on said elbow. I escaped completely unhurt, except for my pride. Sorry, I didn't take any pictures.

 

[trikepilot]

Cykel - can you calrify - " I just couldn't get past the fact that Rumbux only mounted to one frame tab on either side."

On my Rumbux setup, the upper bars appear to attach to two frame tabs.

 

[TenRider]

Any pics? Care to document your Altrider case for the thread?

The Touratech mounts intrigue me. I would LOVE to hear a review.

Same with Rumbux.

ac

Can’t help with photos, sorry. Didn’t get the bike back to the shop for a couple of weeks. When they repaired it, I didn't notice the lugs until I tried to replace the crash bars with the OTR ones I had before I bought the Altrider bars.
The lug holes didn't line up and I noticed rust on the welds of the lug. The shop had forced the plastic OEM bars back on. When I questioned them about it the answer I got was the insurance was going to write off my bike if I wanted the lugs fixed.

The accident caused the bars to twist the mounting plate at the lugs in an slight S type shape. They also bent in toward the side cover and back. The cross brace was hitting the front of the side cover.

In my eye the damage to the bike didn't look bad but the shop ended up replacing the front wheel fender, right side cover and upper cover. They re aligned the handle bars in the clamps that took most of the force twisting back and twisting my front a little.

I have Barkbusters on that I believe helped give extra strength to the bars.

The accident, I think was about 40 to 50Kmh, It was so quick and I was just slowing down from about 80kmh on a gravel Rd. Medium size deer ran panicked into the side of my front tyre sending the bike down to the right and me with it. My leg was caught under the bike and this ended up braking my right fibular.