BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Anyone use these ?
Any comments on how good (or not) they are ? Will they really protect everything from at least a minor drop ?
Installation issues ?
Something better out there ?

http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 5-609.html

Ric wrote:Anyone use these ?
Any comments on how good (or not) they are ? Will they really protect everything from at least a minor drop ?
Installation issues ?
Something better out there ?

I have to admit that I'm conflicted about the cost benefit ratio of cylinder head guards. These cost more than a new valve cover, so they seem an odd form of insurance. If I do drop the bike with the guards on, am I going to replace the scraped up guard? If so, wouldn't have been much cheaper to just by a new valve cover? If not, and I am willing to a scraped cylinder guard, wouldn't I tolerate a scraped valve cover? If the drop is so bad that both valve covers are damaged then insurance will likely be involved. I can't see the value of cylinder protectors. YMMV

waynemathews wrote:

Ric wrote:Anyone use these ?
Any comments on how good (or not) they are ? Will they really protect everything from at least a minor drop ?
Installation issues ?
Something better out there ?

I have to admit that I'm conflicted about the cost benefit ratio of cylinder head guards. These cost more than a new valve cover, so they seem an odd form of insurance. If I do drop the bike with the guards on, am I going to replace the scraped up guard? If so, wouldn't have been much cheaper to just by a new valve cover? If not, and I am willing to a scraped cylinder guard, wouldn't I tolerate a scraped valve cover? If the drop is so bad that both valve covers are damaged then insurance will likely be involved. I can't see the value of cylinder protectors. YMMV

Sounds like interesting food for thought.

I guess it all depends on how you use the bike. If it's just a Sunday ride and you stay on the paved roads an engine protector (used to be a crash bar) might be unnecessary. But if you travel far from home, ride dirt roads or places where there are no roads or all three an engine protector can come in pretty handy.
I think we're talking parking lot roll overs or low speed get offs. Either one could possibly crack the valve cover or destroy the coil that's mounted on the top spark plug or the plug wire. I don't think these magnesium valve covers are as robust as the old aluminum ones, but I guess they are an ounce or two lighter.

Valve Cover $180.00
Coil $125.00
Spark plug Wire Can't find it but most likely not cheap.

Worst part is a roll over could leave you walking or pushing your bike down the road.

Best of all the engine protector bars make a great place to mount your driving lights.

Another thing to consider is hand guards, they keep your hands out of the wind and driving rain and may also save your hand levers from being broken off in a roll over.

To me engine protection bars offer far more advantages than disadvantages. They offer another layer of protection for the rider, bike and the wallet. In a fall/slide I would rather have the bars being damaged than valve cover taking all the knocks also bars put a bit of space between the rider, bike and road. If the budget allows then good all-round investment.

Cheers

I think the most compelling reason is the bars may be the difference between a tow truck and riding home.

My mechanic didn't like them. Says you have to take them off to do any head work. Recommended the little BMW ones. Said they weigh less, and are easier to get off then the crash bars, but will do just as good in a tip over, or low speed get off. He also said that in a heavy crash, the bars get pushed back into the head, and cause just as much damage.

++ Scuffed up heads would make my bike look mean.

Tarmac wrote:.......... Recommended the little BMW ones.

??? which ones are those....???

Imagine that, a BMW shop employee recommending a BMW product to sell you....




These:








They look nice and would help with a drop, but don't do much good for anything more severe. They are not "crash bars", they are drop protectors that break off like a toy in a crash.
Not even comparable to steel bars IMO.


I really should buy some proper crash bars, I like the looks of these the best, don't like the price...... With where I end up while riding someday I could really regret not forking over $300 while I'm paying much more for a tow, or worse.
Good thing I'm proficient with Quik-Steel and JB Weld.

There must be a reason why BMW sells this emergency kit (part # 71607693897):


I use the GS valve cover protectors on my bike (part # 71607681771) their a little more substantial than the plastic ones and give the added benefit of directing some air flow around the back of the cylinder.


I don't understand your mechanics objection to the crash bars. The BMW protectors have to be removed for routine maintenance of the valves and changing spark plugs. The crash bars however aren't in the way. If you get in a situation where you have to go deeper(IE: removing the head or cylinder) then removing the half dozen bolts that hold the crash bar on will be at most a very minor inconvenience.

ChiTown wrote:Imagine that, a BMW shop employee recommending a BMW product to sell you....


These:

Ahhh....I have those already.

Hi,

I owned a pair.

I had a zero-speed drop in my garage.

The cylinder head got scratched.

I replaced them with SW Motech bars.

I had a low speed drop on a gravel road.

Only the bars got scratched.

I tossed the Wunderlich bars in the trash.

Happy New Year.

Liam

The SW Motech's make good highway pegs to stretch out on. They also stop nonsense like this:

I wonder if these would fit?.... I would think so considering it's the same motor case.
seems like a good design without tubing all the way around the valve cover. In my experience and what seems most common is the lower front corner takes the hit.
http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/PN-0 ... GS-2004-on

Joe -
You really have to see those bars in person before you plunk your money down. I also like that bar that goes across the valve cover BUT most of the manufactures design the bars so that the valve cover can come off without removing the bar, to do that they have to make the bars wider.. Most of the bars I've seen with the bar across the valve cover stick out past the cylinder head further than those without it.
Remembering all the horror tales told by the old guys about cars snagging crash bars with their bumpers (do any cars still have bumpers?) I like bars that stay as close to the head as possible.

Food for thought Harry, I'd imagine that I could get used to the wrap around SW bars, and really do like the price.... Does anyone have any more photos of the SW bars on the R?

Thanks!

My mechanic wasn't trying to sell me anything, I asked him about crash bars before I did track day. He said, from personnel experience, that the little plastic BMW ones would hold up fine in a tip over, or low side crash. He also suggested putting old knee pucks onto the head.

Again, I'll play devil's advocate.

Those bars seem like they belong on a GS, they pretty much ruin the looks (and idea) behind the stripped down, naked R12R. Speaking for myself, im never going to ride my R12R on anything tougher then a gravel road. If you are planning on doing something more extreme than that, you bought the wrong bike.

Lets look at the quantifiable downsides.
Since they have to be taken off to service the heads, they will ether cost you more time (if you diy), or more money if you have the shop do it.
They will add weight to the bike, this will negatively effect handling and suspension.
They will decrease cornering clearance, making your bike less road worthy. Go into a turn a bit too hot, try to tighten it up, but grind a bar, stand the bike up, and ride off a cliff. That is right, those bars will KILL you in the end.

Tarmac wrote:
Those bars seem like they belong on a GS, they pretty much ruin the looks (and idea) behind the stripped down, naked R12R. Speaking for myself, im never going to ride my R12R on anything tougher then a gravel road. If you are planning on doing something more extreme than that, you bought the wrong bike.

Lets look at the quantifiable downsides.
Since they have to be taken off to service the heads, they will ether cost you more time (if you diy), or more money if you have the shop do it.
They will add weight to the bike, this will negatively effect handling and suspension.
They will decrease cornering clearance, making your bike less road worthy. Go into a turn a bit too hot, try to tighten it up, but grind a bar, stand the bike up, and ride off a cliff. That is right, those bars will KILL you in the end.

We've been through this ad nauseam.
But, a sport rider belongs on a R1200S or a S1000RR he/she would just be wasting their time trying to do quick laps on a R1200R. The bike wasn't intended for track use, if it was it would have a fancy multi colored paint job.
The bars don't have to be taken off, by most qualified mechanics, to do routine service on the heads, and in the event of a slide down a long straight they will prevent grinding through the valve covers and getting to the expensive stuff that lives inside them, thus saving expensive shop time and saving your mechanic from going into the next higher tax bracket.
The weight (3 pounds) they add to the machine is down about as low as you could get it and could easily be offset by limiting visits to local fast food establishments or not filling the gas tank all the way. To achieve maximum cornering speed a boxer engined machine is the last thing a fast rider should be on, if you want to go really fast, you bought the wrong bike.
It's obvious, to me, that the R1200R was intended for the older, more experenced, rider that demands a dependable and sedate conveyance to take him into his declining years.

Just FOR FUN an opposing view -

ThX for all your input. I like the looks and SS of the Touratech Crash Bars.

BTW....I'm a long time Jap sportbike rider and can take my R1200R to it's limits. I'd no doubt scratch any bar set just in hard leans. So, one doesn't have to have an S1000RR to enjoy the capabilities of any bike...and the R1200R without cases is a great sportbike. In a way it's a truely great dual-purpose bike for me: sportbike when I want and tourer for my GF and I.

I'm looking for bars because I'm planning a two week trip around southern Colorado next summer fully loaded with my GF on the back. I'm short legged and have grown up tip-toeing the dozons of bikes i've owned but, I figure two weeks fully loaded with my GF climbing on and off I'm bound to tip over in a parking lot sooner or later. Thought i'd save the valve covers and maybe more with a set of bars. The bars would likely come off after the trip, but who knows.

BTW...I've never owned a set of crash bars so it's taking a lot of pride swallowing on my part to even admit i'm considering it....please don't tell my buddies !!!

Ric wrote:ThX for all your input. I like the looks and SS of the Touratech Crash Bars.

BTW....I'm a long time Jap sportbike rider and can take my R1200R to it's limits. I'd no doubt scratch any bar set just in hard leans. So, one doesn't have to have an S1000RR to enjoy the capabilities of any bike...and the R1200R without cases is a great sportbike. In a way it's a truely great dual-purpose bike for me: sportbike when I want and tourer for my GF and I.

I'm looking for bars because I'm planning a two week trip around southern Colorado next summer fully loaded with my GF on the back. I'm short legged and have grown up tip-toeing the dozons of bikes i've owned but, I figure two weeks fully loaded with my GF climbing on and off I'm bound to tip over in a parking lot sooner or later. Thought i'd save the valve covers and maybe more with a set of bars. The bars would likely come off after the trip, but who knows.

BTW...I've never owned a set of crash bars so it's taking a lot of pride swallowing on my part to even admit i'm considering it....please don't tell my buddies !!!

Bravo!

I like what you're throwing down.... The 12R is anything you want it to be - that's the beauty of her.....
You do understand though that because you've put valid thought into it, and will be prepared you'll not drop the bike once on your trip?....
Make life easier and pack light, keep the weight low. 2up traveling on the R is great as long as you pack light.


I've decided to go this route, not being able to give up that last few inches of clearance after being reminded of what any crash bars will do.
I know pretty well how strong the valve covers are when things get bad, and believe these should give me more protection than the BMW drop guards.
http://www.advdesigns.com/xcyhegubymaa.html#

Just yesterday I was in the canyons embarrassing squids with my bags on, grinding my center stand down when I realized I can't give up that last few inches of clearance for better protection. (though it would be fun to grind the bars down, spark flying everywhere!
Those extra few inches of leaning clearance is the difference between being alive and FEELING alive, for me.
I do understand the want and need for steel crash bars, but for now I'll carry more JBWeld.