Crash Bars...yay or nah?

[Buffalo Bill]

I was thinking about case protection, but I remembered better ways racers have done it for the GS.
Reinforcing the the case cover by welding an aluminum plate over them, maybe bolting a plastic disc on the ends, like knee pucks.

[Dogma]

I was thinking about case protection, but I remembered better ways racers have done it for the GS.
Reinforcing the the case cover by welding an aluminum plate over them, maybe bolting a plastic disc on the ends, like knee pucks.

Interesting. I've never taken note of how the race teams protected the GS.

[mrhedges]

I actually have an '81 I put the wrong year down. I sent you a PM

[Steve]

Back to one of your questions about compatability: If you really DO have an '81, anything from a '79-'81 850 G or GL should fit. The frames on the '80/'81 1000 G and GL are the same as their 850 counterparts, but that one leg that goes to the engine mount bolt might be different, so I can not guarantee that a 1000 set will work on an 850.

The '82 and '83 850s had a different frame, but I think most of the differences were at the tank mount, seat mount and seat latch areas. I know the engine cases were a little bit different at the back (they lost the hump that used to house the kick starter), I don't know if the front mounts were any different.

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[dpep]

Almost all of my riding is on trips of from a few hundred to a few thousand miles. I would never leave home on a bike without case savers. Have a simple little lowside and they are the difference between picking up your bike and finishing your trip or instead having to arrange transportation hundreds or thousands of miles back to home for you and for your motorcycle. And then there are the repair costs and maybe great weeping and gnashing of teeth if it got through to your crank end.

Three point is better but two point works if that is all you can find. I've been down at reasonable speed (50-60 mph) on the 1100E and the two point held up, took all the scraping and bent ever so slightly. It is still on the bike. That by the way happened in Kentucky on my way to a GSR ride. Because of that little round bar of metal was able to attend the ride and have a good time before returning to Florida. It would have been a whole different story if I were sitting on a Kentucky back road at dusk with a non running bike.
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[Burque73]

Looks like the bike in question is in fact an 81 so the crash bars in my post will be shipped to Mrhedges tomorrow.

[mrhedges]

Back to one of your questions about compatability: If you really DO have an '81, anything from a '79-'81 850 G or GL should fit. The frames on the '80/'81 1000 G and GL are the same as their 850 counterparts, but that one leg that goes to the engine mount bolt might be different, so I can not guarantee that a 1000 set will work on an 850.

The '82 and '83 850s had a different frame, but I think most of the differences were at the tank mount, seat mount and seat latch areas. I know the engine cases were a little bit different at the back (they lost the hump that used to house the kick starter), I don't know if the front mounts were any different.

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This is really useful info thanks for sharing. I just paypaled Burque73 for a set off a '81 and I guess I need to change my signature.

[mrbill5491]

Now that my bike is running should I put crash bars/ highway pegs on it? Does that make it easier to pick up if you drop it?

If you are talking about one of those big loop ones, NO. I had one on my bike and hated it. When I had an accident, dang thing just folded back and the hiway peg hit my left case and put a hole in it. I use case guard types now. Triple mount, the double mount is useless.

[mrhedges]

If you are talking about one of those big loop ones, NO. I had one on my bike and hated it. When I had an accident, dang thing just folded back and the hiway peg hit my left case and put a hole in it. I use case guard types now. Triple mount, the double mount is useless.

The ones Burque73 is shipping me are 3 point. I did see the big hoop ones for sale on ebay. Glad I didn't get'em now based on everyone's suggestions.

[Burque73]

Hey guys, I've been emailing messages back and forth with the Mrhedges who started this thread, and am at a loss here. The case guards that I sent him didn't fit. They came from my 81 GS 850 G which has a born on date of December, 1980 according to the tag on the frame. I don't have the exact date of his but the vin numbers short of the last seven digits are below. His description of the way they are fitting is very similar to how they looked to fit my 83 850. If I'm reading his description correctly, on the right side (as if sitting on the bike) the center mount is about one inch short. The left side center mount doesn't come close to lining up. Our VIN numbers have a difference of one character and I wondered if that indicates a problem.

The first ten characters are

Mrhedges's- JS1GS71GXB

Burque's- JS1GS71G1B

Is one of these bikes a hybrid frankenbike throwing a wrench in the gears here? At only $35 including shipping, the cost to ship these case savers was almost twice my asking price of the part so returning doesn't make much sense. I suppose Mrhedges could turn and sell them for more to recoup any loss here but what a pain in the neck!

Any words of wisdom from the GS Guru's would really be appreciated.

Thank you

[mrhedges]

I think tomorrow I will post more pictures. These Frame bolts don't look original so I wonder if the frame has been modified?