Crash bars make me crash

Help me understand the mechanics of this - assuming both are affixed to the same frame and the feelers stick out farther by roughly 2.5". To my layman's eye, the feelers touch ground first, and if you lean further you'll eventually hit the guards.
 
It can be deceptive measuring for lean angle. I'm thinking about doing the Honda engine guards but I want to confirm they don't limit cornering clearance at all.
 
I want the honda engine guards. Also long as the peg feelers hit the ground first I will put them on both bikes. If the pegs are 2 inches or so below the guards I don't think it should cause any problems at all.
 
The only scientific way to test this lean angle conundrum is to go to a supermarket car park when they're closed. Set up your camera on the ground to film the event.

Ride in ever decreasing circles one way and wait for the 'schreeechh'. Cease riding and check video.

Partake of a nerve calming beverage (non alcoholic) and repeat for the other side / direction.

Ride home, post the footage on YouTube, and post us a link here. Simples.
 
You might even figure a way to mount the camera on the bike looking at the area in question. Or mount a sacrificial block the same size to both, and see what happens.
 
Red Mist_imp said:
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?
So...the OEM ones have a better design? I hope so...mine are in and I'm picking them up at the dealer today. After reading this thread...wasn't sure I even wanted to install them.
 
Which crash bar would you want on your bike?

Notice the lower mounting point on the frame and where the bottom bar starts off. Some bars angle up, others go out at a right angle. Seems the latter reduce cornering clearance more than the former.

These bars angle up from the lower mounting point:

SW Motech
4971de33043a34e59e07efaf7b5e55c3.jpg


Active
bd6a2ea9a546c4bd9049ccf6a3bf3228.jpg


Honda (nice and tucked in)
c4da944d73e93929288c4078c2a270ca.jpg


These, not so good - bottom bar angles straight out:

Over
a41f935c058c1d84f1030644a942298f.jpg


Kijma
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At least the Over bottom bar starts above the frame which helps increase cornering clearance.

Not so with the Kijma. Bottom bar starts low AND goes straight out:

26523a058e8ff108b620414f757d979f.jpg
 
I had crash bars almost crash me 40 years ago, but for a different reason. On my Honda CB350 I had crash bars that had foot pegs inside of them that let me put my foot forward like a cruiser. So one day I popped over a hill doing 50+ and there sat a car dead stopped making a left hand turn. First I locked up both front and rear brakes, but I could tell that wasn’t going to work, so at the last moment I let off the brakes and tried to turn to the right. I thought for sure my left leg was going to hit the bumper of that car, but it barely missed. However the crash bars did hit the bumper (that’s how close this was). Luckily for me, the welds on the brackets at the bottom of the crash bars failed so the crash bars were just hanging on by the U-Bolt at the top. I took those crash bars off after that and figured if I ever had to lay the bike down, I’d just get my bottom leg out like a hurdler ;-)
 
Tortuga_imp said:
The only scientific way to test this lean angle conundrum is to go to a supermarket car park when they're closed. Set up your camera on the ground to film the event.

Ride in ever decreasing circles one way and wait for the 'schreeechh'. Cease riding and check video.

Partake of a nerve calming beverage (non alcoholic) and repeat for the other side / direction.

Ride home, post the footage on YouTube, and post us a link here. Simples.

Is there such a thing? I could use just that on a daily basis. Root Beer is my go-to cold drink. Coffee the rest of the time; its hardly nerve-calming...

What's your prescription, Doctor?
 
Just skimmed through this older thread too. I have the SW Motech 'engine guards'. There not terribly large, but big enough. I also think they could never hit as described in the OP.
 
Ugh just read this... I have ordered some engine guards just like his... maybe I can return them when they are finally delivered.

Maybe modify them?
af2b9a56a625ba73f45d3d73a0a1ffbf.jpg



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I wouldn’t use them. You have been warned.

I have sliders on my bike. Dont know how good they work and hope to never find out!
 
Roger that. I should be able to just return them. Probably have to pay for shipping but better that than risk snagging them on the road.


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