Crash bars make me crash

cosmos_imp

First service completed
Thread starter
Ok, title may be a little dramatic but here's my little story. Ordered some Kijima engine guards from webike, only took 5 days from Japan so I was pretty excited.
Webike: Motorcycle Parts, Accessories, Gears, OEM parts & Reviews
Straightforward to put on, even with Japanese instructions, although I did break one of the two supplied bolts which didn't impress me much. Something new on the bike obviously requires a test ride, right? Great day, 70 degrees, partly sunny, nice day for a ride. Headed to some nearby twisties, not to actually test anything but just because it's fun. About halfway through the twisty part came into a yellow signed 35mph hour at about 50-55, fast enough to be fun but not exactly speed demon stuff. Halfway through the turn I started to scrape. First thought was footpeg, wasn't expecting it but there it was, no big deal. But it wasn't just scraping, it felt like it was digging and really unsettling the bike. I came up a bit but that wasn't going to work so went back down. I had probably let off the gas so that was the beginning of the end. I was heading for the gravel on the outside and didn't want to hit that leaned all the way over so plan B. Came back up, maybe I could still stay on the side and slow enough. Nope. Plan C, fairly shallow ditch just try to stay on while slowing. Worked fairly well but went over the handlebars right at the end. Picked up the bike and gave it a once over, no real damage just broke a mirror off. Started it and rode down the ditch a few feet til I could ride out then went down the road a bit to a pull off. Looked over it more carefully and cleaned out some mud but basically nothing had been damaged or even scratched. Rode home a little embarrassed and deflated but no worse for wear. After it was parked I looked at the footpeg and didn't see any scaping, kept looking around an saw this
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Ok, they didn't really cause the crash, I could have handled it better, maybe I should have known better, maybe it's common knowledge the things stick way out, I should have thought....blah blah blah.
Anyway, learning experience, they are coming right back off, and for anyone else unaware like me, you've been warned!!!
 
Wow! Glad you and the bike are ok. So the bottom on the crash bar dug in and started the amazing sequence of events? (I'm checking mine as soon as I get home).

I think you did an amazing job of preventing a major crash. Thanks for the heads up!

Sliders in your future?
 
that IS crazy, lucky it was not worse, can't wait to hear if others with crash bars think theirs hang down that low or are designed better.
 
Glad your OK!!!
Damn, those things are bolted to the frame good thing it didn't come out from under you. I ride pretty spirited and have yet to scrape a foot-peg feeler, Just my foot under the gear shifter a few times. If they hit before your pegs get them off the bike.

Edit:: Cosmo, i would also send an E-Mail to Web Bike before someone gets hurt or worse.
 
nice description...almost felt like I was watching a GoPro video. Glad you're ok. I have been wondering about the engine guard clearance because in some pics they look pretty low. I share Hiker's curiousity about other riders with engine guards have experienced.

CIP57, I have only scraped a peg once (on Tale of the Dragon) and I mention it any chance I get. LOL. Also, every so often a sport bike rider will ask if I have ever dragged a knee and I reply "nope, but I drag my left toe often". They usually stop asking me questions at that point.
 
Unfortunately for you and your bike, this is the result of installing non-OEM parts.

The footpeg feeler should be the first thing to touch down, not something bolted to the frame. That's why I won't remove my feelers even though occasionally I touch one down; they're an early warning system. After that comes the centerstand, and what happened to you, perhaps.

That sucks but please be warned, folks; use the Honda OEM engine guards or at least make damned sure whatever you're using isn't going to hinder cornering clearance.

I assume you are going to remove those?
 
EmptySea_imp said:
nice description...almost felt like I was watching a GoPro video. Glad you're ok. I have been wondering about the engine guard clearance because in some pics they look pretty low. I share Hiker's curiousity about other riders with engine guards have experienced.

CIP57, I have only scraped a peg once (on Tale of the Dragon) and I mention it any chance I get. LOL. Also, every so often a sport bike rider will ask if I have ever dragged a knee and I reply "nope, but I drag my left toe often". They usually stop asking me questions at that point.
I had such a lean angle on a right entrance ramp yesterday to check out the new tires, I was amazed nothing started scraping. I even forced the damn thing over further. I think I'd have to be at the track or in trouble to scrape stuff. ( OR THE DRAGON:thumbsup: )
 
WOW, I hadn't heard of that before!!
Yes, you were a little hot into that corner and must have been out on the edge of your tires, but even so, the design of the bars shouldn't be such that they would touch down first.
You were lucky and I'm glad that you and the bike are more or less OK.
 
Glad you're okay Cosmos. You told the story well, but not a good one to have to tell.
 
Crash bars should not scrape. Those should be scraped! I would send them back with a saftey letter attached !! Could of turned out very bad. Glad u and bike is ok. He owes you a mirror also.
 
My only motorcycle crash was similar to that. In 1976 I had a Yamaha XS650 and had crash bars on it. I was a new rider. I went around a reverse cambered curve and the bike leaned until it was on the crash bar and I slid right off the road into a ditch. Bike really wasn't damaged much and I got a broken thumb where the bone meets my wrist.

The cop that showed up said that curve got at least one bike or car every week.
 
Ridem32_imp said:
Crash bars should not scrape. Those should be scraped! I would send them back with a saftey letter attached !! Could of turned out very bad. Glad u and bike is ok. He owes you a mirror also.

I'm schizophrenic. So am I!
 
The Spaceman_imp said:
When I started working at the HD dealership they told me: "we DO NOT SELL CRASH BARS! They are ENGINE GUARDS."

Snicker snort.
What made this poet great was the careful addition of the Snicker snort. Lol. :D

I had a similar mantra dictated on me when working as a motorcycle instructor. We did not wear 'crash helmets' because we didn't advocate crashing. :dodgy:
 
For reference, the OEM OS bars have about 2.5" (6.3cm) clearance from my unscraped peg feelers. This was scientifically determined by finding taking the least warped piece of lumber in the garage and setting it level with the peg feeler.
 
Wow...Glad you didn't get hurt (besides ego, maybe). Last time I was at the Dragon, I found it very easy to plant the feelers of my foot pegs down through the corners. I was surprised at how well the bike handled up there, and it wasn't like I was hauling A**. I was thinking of getting some "engine guards", but now I am not so sure. Do they have some that are OEM?
 
Todd_K_imp said:
For reference, the OEM OS bars have about 2.5" (6.3cm) clearance from my unscraped peg feelers. This was scientifically determined by finding taking the least warped piece of lumber in the garage and setting it level with the peg feeler.
No good to figure with the bike just sitting there. The suspensions on these are pretty soft and in a hard corner compress probably almost all the way, which makes clearance a lot less.
 
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