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Crash Bars...yay or nah?

mrhedges

mrhedges

Forum Mentor
Past Site Supporter
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 don't, and you drop the bike you will quickly find out why they are a useful accessory. The bars with 3 mounting points bars are much better as they will not easily bend in a crash, potentially trapping your feet between the pavement and a hot engine. Highway pegs... it is a matter of preference. Personally I don't like them.... too much like a Harley.
 
Those bars have saved both sides of my engine. Dropped it three times and only a broken blinker lens and scratched guards. They're worth having!
 
I like the IDEA of crash bars, but like everyone else says, it is worth it to spend the time to source ones with three-point mounts.

The ones I have on my 550 look good, match the frame, are period correct, but are only two-point mounts. There is always a lingering thought that it is a weak point in the system, but it doesn't stop me from having them on there until I can find something with which I can replace them. Definitely worth having.
 
I got a 3 point mount on clutch case side, but a 2 point on stator side. I don't expect them to save me at speed ,but they do prevent needless damage if you get silly getting on or off.
 
mrhedges said:
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?
Click to expand...

I dont think having them makes it any easier to pick up if dropped. Highway pegs may be nice to have, never tried them before. I have to stand up before a stop to make sure my legs still work, especially in winter. Frozen knees don't straighten out very quickly.
 
Ok... cool maybe I'll source some on ye ole' bay. Does any have any idea about interchangeability? or should I just find ones for a '81 gs850g ?
 
mrhedges said:
Ok... cool maybe I'll source some on ye ole' bay. Does any have any idea about interchangeability? or should I just find ones for a '81 gs850g ?
Click to expand...

81 or 82? Your sig says 82 maybe theyre the same but I'm not sure.
 
I just checked a set from my 81 parts bike and they do not fit on an 83. If that helps any. Incidentally, if you need 81's I've got em.

Three point mount type.

 
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Be very careful when buying guards, they are one of the most specific things to buy for bikes. They have to be exact to the year and model, they are really best tried on before purchasing.
 
The 3-point bars on my 1000G have been through two low-sides, one with a mighty long slide. That last time, they probably saved the ignition bits and maybe the end of the crank; not just the ignition cover. Well, they're not on it anymore. They were dented and ground down too far to bend back into shape to re-use.

A few folks worry about giving up cornering clearance, but if you're leaning the bike that far on the street, you're doing at least two things wrong.

I don't care for foot pegs up there, but you may like it for eating up the miles on the highway. The pegs I've seen on them would have knocked a hole in the case covers in my wrecks, though.
 
I had a 650L which I dropped on the street, not running. (don't ask) Leetle piece of gravel made enough of a ding in the stator cover that it dripped a little oil forever after. (Or until I put an ugly glop of JB weld on it.) After that, I put 3-point bars on every bike. Won't do nothin in a crash..but around the yard, they're golden.
 
Dogma said:
The 3-point bars on my 1000G have been through two low-sides, one with a mighty long slide. That last time, they probably saved the ignition bits and maybe the end of the crank; not just the ignition cover. Well, they're not on it anymore. They were dented and ground down too far to bend back into shape to re-use.

A few folks worry about giving up cornering clearance, but if you're leaning the bike that far on the street, you're doing at least two things wrong.

I don't care for foot pegs up there, but you may like it for eating up the miles on the highway. The pegs I've seen on them would have knocked a hole in the case covers in my wrecks, though.
Click to expand...
If you do want some back on your bike, you should consider repairing those with improvements.
A nice creative project, not so big that it would eat up too much time.
 
Buffalo Bill said:
If you do want some back on your bike, you should consider repairing those with improvements.
A nice creative project, not so big that it would eat up too much time.
Click to expand...

Are you suggesting training wheels?

I have replacement parts on hand, waiting for the last piece of starter clutch before I finish putting it back together
 
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.
 
Buffalo Bill said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

.
 
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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