Newbie says hello and question about crash bars

[dlemisch]

I've just purchased a 2007 R1200R. It's my first motorcycle of any kind (I'm 51) and simply fell in love with it. I'd like to install engine guards/crash bars to protect the bike from my "learning" curves. Any suggestions of what type, (Motech, BMW, plastic covers) would be most appreciated.
Many thanks.

[Cosmic-Rider]

Hi, welcome to the forum , to BMW's and to the world of riding. I haven't yet installed bars on my R1200R, but I've been looking at these and I'm close to owning a set.

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/pr ... /3076/594/

Good luck and I hope you enjoy many years and many miles of riding.

[vielzebub]

I've just purchased a 2007 R1200R. It's my first motorcycle of any kind (I'm 51) and simply fell in love with it. I'd like to install engine guards/crash bars to protect the bike from my "learning" curves. Any suggestions of what type, (Motech, BMW, plastic covers) would be most appreciated.
Many thanks.

Welcome aboard!
I second the Motech bars mentioned above. They seem to be the most robust guards and they look great too.

Have fun riding and only stop when your cheeks hurt from smiling too much.

[curmudgeon]

I have the black SW-MOTECH crash bars on my R1200R. They are very well made, reasonably priced, and do not need to be removed to allow access to the valve covers. These should provide good protection for a moving crash whereas the plastic ones are designed mainly for tipovers.

[famousperson]

We recently had a long discussion about crashbars, and the consensus of this forum is that the SW-Motechs are the ones to get, and that most others are good only for when you drop the bike at 0 MPH. I will most likely get SW-Motechs myself, although I have problems with the aesthetics.

Has anybody installed the classic looking Hepco bars? Or have an opinion? Here they are on a GS. They are available for the R, as well. http://www.farkledup.com/2007/07/bmw-r1 ... -bars.html

[Mollygrubber]

+1 on the SW Motech bars.

Easy install, rugged as hell, looks they were meant to be there.

Pete

[ShinySideUp]

Has anybody installed the classic looking Hepco bars? Or have an opinion? Here they are on a GS. They are available for the R, as well.

Here's a pic of them in silver on my bike.

http://tinyurl.com/nl7gro

If I had it to do over again, I'd probably go with the SW Motech, not only for a bit more protection, but for more places to hang highway pegs, lights, horns, stereo speakers, sirens, BBQ grills, etc.

I've yet to dump the bike at speed, but last month, a cager backed out of her driveway and ran over the curb with her SUV to hit my parked bike hard enough to cause it to skid along the asphalt a little bit. Broke the mirror, deep gouges in the side case lid, cracked the luggage carrier. Valve cover came out unscathed. (Her excuse: "I didn't see your bike.")

[ka5ysy]

I also recommend the SW-Motech bars. The are easy to install, are very well made, and actually match the frame tubing.
They make great highway pegs to rest your boots on too!

[dlemisch]

Thanks so much for the excellent advice. Yesterday was my first full day of riding the new R. I absolutely love it. I'll go with the Motech bars.

[Rocket]

Has anybody installed the classic looking Hepco bars? Or have an opinion? Here they are on a GS. They are available for the R, as well.

Here's a pic of them in silver on my bike.

http://tinyurl.com/nl7gro

If I had it to do over again, I'd probably go with the SW Motech, not only for a bit more protection, but for more places to hang highway pegs, lights, horns, stereo speakers, sirens, BBQ grills, etc.

I've yet to dump the bike at speed, but last month, a cager backed out of her driveway and ran over the curb with her SUV to hit my parked bike hard enough to cause it to skid along the asphalt a little bit. Broke the mirror, deep gouges in the side case lid, cracked the luggage carrier. Valve cover came out unscathed. (Her excuse: "I didn't see your bike.")

Beautiful photo of your bike Bill. Incredibly clear image. What camera did you use for the photo?
Just beautiful.

[celticus]

I installed mine this Saturday morning. That little top screw is a b@stard. I used locktite on all bolts.
Looks good. BBQ grill ....Ha!
Mark

[redwing]

Hi and Welcome,
I'm new too and have perhaps 4 or 5 posts. I bought a 2008, R1200R May 5,2009. The dealer suggested I use a cover for the valve cover that is found on an off road bike, the R1200 GS I think. The covers are made out of aluminum ( I think thats the spelling) and are perhaps a 1/4 inch thich. The covers have a pad inside to prevent covers from crushing in. They costs about $250.00 and have a clean look. Contact Jim Zator at Alamo BMW in San Antonio, Texas if your interested. I can send you a pix but don't know how to post them. Contact me at [email protected] for a picture.
I was looking at the crach bars by sw motech because I think they offer the best protection for the money. However the covers Alamo sold me are very brief. Like the carbonfiber ones sold by wunderlich for $500.00. And they simply bolt on. The R I bought is my first bike and I have dropped the bike 6 or 7 times in the first 200 miles. Every drop was at less than 5 mph. I didn't stop to good but haven't dropped the bike in perhaps a month or 400 miles. The covers are dinged up a bit but the valve covers are still new. The bar end weight on the right is scratched a little. Usually what happened was when I came to a stop I didn't have the bike standing straight up and couldn't hold the bike up at an angle (?).
However the covers won't protect the motor like the crash bars will at speed.
Enjoy your R.... a sweet bike
Robert

[deilenberger]

Saw some today at the MOA rally - if I didn't have the BMW ones, I'd go for these.

Place in NJ - MachineartMoto (www.machineartmoto.com) - engineered plastic, excellent coverage and look very strong. Price was $190.. looked worth it to me.

[LeonardoNYC]

what about these badboys? I am not a fan of any tubular things around the engine if I can help it at all. And since this is a steel version the plastic type protectors --might be better in the long run?

From the A&S Cycles site:
Advantages:
1. A rub through is practically impossible.
2. They are fast to install and de-install.
3. Developing scratches or depressions in the high-grade steel sheet metal can be removed with sandpapier and/or with a hammer very easily and fast (without technical or optical depreciation).
4. The appearance of your motorcycle is virturally unaltered.
5. The total weight of the motorcycle is minimally affected.
6. The aerodynamics are not negatively affected.
The cylinder protectors are the steel part shown on the lower half of the cylinder (see photo). The yellow part is not included.
Made by MV Motorrad - Verholen.

[eddiepat62]

[quote]what about these badboys? I am not a fan of any tubular things around the engine if I can help it at all. And since this is a steel version the plastic type protectors --might be better in the long run?

From the A&S Cycles site:
Advantages:
1. A rub through is practically impossible.
2. They are fast to install and de-install.
3. Developing scratches or depressions in the high-grade steel sheet metal can be removed with sandpapier and/or with a hammer very easily and fast (without technical or optical depreciation).
4. The appearance of your motorcycle is virturally unaltered.
5. The total weight of the motorcycle is minimally affected. /quote]

I was in a recent discussion with my local BMW club. I was told quite emphatically that the metal covers can "act as a can opener" on the valve covers. I have no idea how valid that is, but wanted to pass it in.

As for the bars, I am leaning hard into the mototechs. The pics are great, and the R1200R is one of the pretties bikes out there. How far past the valve covers do the bars extend?

[ka5ysy]

They look good but do not work and cannot take a solid hit and slide. Verholen cylinder protector ( part number 11059, R1200GS cylinder protection)
. This was a 5-10 mph low side crash/slide. I seriously do not recommend these things at all.
These protectors use the cylinder head cover bolts to mount. Bad idea !. Note that there is absolutely NO protection when the bike rolls up on the cylinder head.

The "BEFORE":



AFTER:

[lewellen]

Just my $0.02 worth...

Protection: While I'm not a structural engineer, all else being equal I tend to believe that keeping "bad stuff" (e.g. sliding road surfaces) farther away from the engine is a good thing. The partial head covers allow the bad stuff closer than the tube covers. And if the bike takes a hit hard enough to bend tubular bars into the head covers, well, I probably have other problems to deal with. (Like breathing.)

Maintenance: While not a large amount of extra work, the partial head covers - from what I see - generally need to be removed before the head covers do; while most of the wrap-around bars seem to allow removal without removing the crash bars. (Granted, in the case of the SW-Motech bars, it looks to be a close fit through the bar's cage.)

Aerodynamics: Tubes aren't great but also aren't bad in terms of drag coefficient. The "parachute" effect of the rider (slightly leaning forward to grip the bars) and the area below the headlight and above the fender, probably dominate the drag coefficient. (A Prius probably has about the same equivalent front surface area, in fact ... some colleagues and I did the calculation once, after a discussion about gas mileage). I could easily counter any difference in Cd by installing a windshield (if I wanted one) and get rid of more weight by skipping a couple of meals.

Appearance: Highly personal, of course; I tend to think the tubular style looks more professional and, I suppose, industrial ... in line with the whole naked-bike thing. I find the smaller protectors just look, well, silly.

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[redwing]

In fairness I got to say I like the covers and for now I'll stay with them; however....
All good points and lots of good information. Thanks
Does one have to subscribe to put a pix in a post?

[icecave]

I received and installed the Hepco crash-bar as a present. Previously, I had the BMW "plastic" head covers which I removed. Unfortunately, the plastic part left a black stripe across the head cover when removed that's doesn't come off with a "little elbow grease".

Regarding the Hepco, I had heck of time with the 6mm set screws as the hole was not cut properly through the pipe's hole with the welded nut, thus stripping the screw such that I could not drive it through the hole or back it out, just spun in place. Eventually, I used a drill press to force the screw through the hole and then retapped it. Bottom-line, poor quality control.

[papasong]

Are the SW-Motech crash bars easy to install for someone (me) who is not a wrench, but is also not completely incompetent with tools?
In other words, should I be able to do the install myself without going to the shop?