Engine guards, crash bungs etc.

howardmarks

What are people's opinions on these?
Does anyone fit them every time they get a new bike?
Are they worth it for peace of mind for say dropping the bike by accident in the drive or a low speed fall on a slippy surface?

Del2005

Everyone I know who didn't buy them on their first bike bought immediately they changed, if not already fitted.

mamax

I have crash bars and leave the pannier racks on even when not using luggage, if the bike goes over they will help protect it, I can easily bend/weld/repair them myself with no cost where as the cost of replacing bike bits can be expensive, that's me but it depends on type of bike you have as well and your opinions on how they look.
I've had bars or bungs on most bikes bandit, blade, adv bikes, everything except the cruisers but I'd much rather have them than not.

zubair

Get them as per del, 1st crash was on my 2nd bike. First mod I added to it were bungs after the costly repairs were finished. Bars or bungs both are good, just get whichever suits the look of your bike best. I've used both.

H_Lime

Saved me a fortune from prat falls alone. Deffo a must if its a tall bike for ya.

Interceptor

It depends on the bike. I have only fitted them on bikes that will suffer expensive damage if they fall over. They are mostly useless in an actual crash as they invariably get torn off or do more damage as a result of concentrated impact at speed. They are brilliant if the bike just falls over and they touch down before the bodywork or handlebars do.

The Tetrarch

I have wheel axle bungs, crash bars, plugs, rear wheel splash guards and more if I found the invoices.
Every bike I've had got fitted with crash bars.

Del2005

Interceptor wrote: »

It depends on the bike. I have only fitted them on bikes that will suffer expensive damage if they fall over. They are mostly useless in an actual crash as they invariably get torn off or do more damage as a result of concentrated impact at speed. They are brilliant if the bike just falls over and they touch down before the bodywork or handlebars do.

Everyone I know who's dropped or crashed a bike without protectors has done the crankcase cover, much easier to replace a few bobbins than the crankcase cover if you drop it. At high speed not much difference with or without bobbins, you're going to have a lot of damage.

UrbanFret

Dropped my cbf1000 last November. Last spin of the season. Upper and lower fairings a mess,mirror,brake lever,footpeg, total bill circa €550.
Crash mushrooms fitted now. £45.

BanditLuke

They are of little use for crashes at any sort of speed but will save you a headache if you drop it in the driveway or a low speed spill.

zubair

For 40+ bucks there's no reason not to get them.

Interceptor

Del2005 wrote: »

Everyone I know who's dropped or crashed a bike without protectors has done the crankcase cover, much easier to replace a few bobbins than the crankcase cover if you drop it. At high speed not much difference with or without bobbins, you're going to have a lot of damage.

You are right - the bobbins will protect expensive bike parts and are worth having. I let my GSXR1000 fall over last year (soft ground, sidestand sunk in) and the crash mushroom took the force of the fall - €15 to replace.

H_Lime

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Engine-Guard-Crash-Bar-Protection-Bumper-Block-Bike-Accessories-/193351867611
These are a good idea on the part of bars that touch down. My Dr is very tall (modded suspension) so has gotten away from me on a couple occasions and these save you removing bars for repainting.

zubair

Crash bungs for your crash bars :-)

I've seen these on bikes before but I didn't know what they were. I shall be investing.

H_Lime

zubair wrote: »

Crash bungs for your crash bars :-)

I've seen these on bikes before but I didn't know what they were. I shall be investing.

I never thought of it in that way but that is exactly what they are. Bungs for yer bungs lol:D let's hope they're not from wuhan!

Esel

I think all deliveries from China are affected. Staff have been sent home or let go, air service is severely cut back (listing says "Seller is away"). Not sure about marine shipping. They look good though.

Wonda-Boy

I got crash bars on my new yoke as I see 1st hand the damage when a lad on a course dropped his while standing beside it. It does depend on the bike tbh, if its fully faired then yeah I would but if its a naked bike maybe not.

Also no matter what peeps say it vitally important to buy a decent brand of protection, €10 dollar bobbins and the like will do noting for you in a crash or a fall they will just crack like an egg.

The likes or R&G use very good quality nylon and polymers that are very strong and durable in event of a slide etc.

newmember2

Have seen mushrooms snap frames and engine casings when bike went down the road at speed and mushroom got caught in something as it was sliding.

zubair

newmember? wrote: »

Have seen mushrooms snap frames and engine casings when bike went down the road at speed and mushroom got caught in something as it was sliding.

Did you see this with your eyes or read it on a forum?

The mushroom isn't going to damage the casing, if it got damaged it was always going to get damaged, mushroom or not. I'd expect the same applies to a frame, the bung and bar are both going to be softer than the frame and go before the frame does. If the bung got caught on something it means it went off the road, roads are smooth, a bung is useless then.

batman_oh

Not bothered with them myself, have never bought a set.
Grand for drops or low speed stuff though

Del2005

newmember? wrote: »

Have seen mushrooms snap frames and engine casings when bike went down the road at speed and mushroom got caught in something as it was sliding.

Dropping a bike at speed will more than likely end up with a write off if you have bungs/mushrooms or not, the frame might break with a mushroom but the bike will be fecked without a mushroom anyway.

H_Lime

zubair wrote: »

Did you see this with your eyes or read it on a forum?

The mushroom isn't going to damage the casing, if it got damaged it was always going to get damaged, mushroom or not. I'd expect the same applies to a frame, the bung and bar are both going to be softer than the frame and go before the frame does. If the bung got caught on something it means it went off the road, roads are smooth, a bung is useless then.

Yep it can happen and I've seen it on an early r1 and I've seen it on an 1200 tenere, with me own peepers.
Tis swings and roundabouts with crash protection. As batman and others say, high speed your still taking damage and they can cause em to flip rather than slide.

newmember2

zubair wrote: »

Did you see this with your eyes or read it on a forum?

The mushroom isn't going to damage the casing, if it got damaged it was always going to get damaged, mushroom or not. I'd expect the same applies to a frame, the bung and bar are both going to be softer than the frame and go before the frame does. If the bung got caught on something it means it went off the road, roads are smooth, a bung is useless then.

Didn't see the crash but saw the damage with my own eyes.
Bung and bar mounting bolt will be steel going into alloy frame/engine casing...

Beta Ray Bill

I've been told by a number of retailers and bike mechs that often, bungs cause more damage than they prevent.

Low speed or a gentle(ish) fall they will save the fairing and bars.
Anything rough and they'll damage the frame, and once that's damaged, that's the end of the bike.
They're (the frames) all made of Aluminum these days which will bend easy enough.

enrique66_35

Beta Ray Bill wrote: »

I've been told by a number of retailers and bike mechs that often, bungs cause more damage than they prevent.

Low speed or a gentle(ish) fall they will save the fairing and bars.
Anything rough and they'll damage the frame, and once that's damaged, that's the end of the bike.
They're all made of Aluminum these days which will bend easy enough.

Fair point, is there anything to be said for crash bars/engine guards instead then?

Seem to be standard for adventure bikes knocking around but prob not much use for sports bikes.

Beta Ray Bill

enrique66_35 wrote: »

Fair point, is there anything to be said for crash bars/engine guards instead then?

Seem to be standard for adventure bikes knocking around but prob not much use for sports bikes.

Well they mounted on multiple points and as far as I am aware are designed to protect the bike if dropped while going off road.

That being said there is also an aesthetic appeal to the engine guards.
Plenty of people have them on bikes whose only "offroading" is when the bike goes into the driveway.

batman_oh

Beta Ray Bill wrote: »

Well they mounted on multiple points and as far as I am aware are designed to protect the bike if dropped while going off road.

That being said there is also an aesthetic appeal to the engine guards.
Plenty of people have them on bikes whose only "offroading" is when the bike goes into the driveway.

I prefer when they stand up on the pegs like meerkats when entering a carpark for breakfast

H_Lime

batman_oh wrote: »

I prefer when they stand up on the pegs like meerkats when entering a carpark for breakfast

Lol they're just giving the inflamed prostate a break.
In my case it's my sh1t knee.

Beta Ray Bill

batman_oh wrote: »

I prefer when they stand up on the pegs like meerkats when entering a carpark for breakfast

H_Lime wrote: »

Lol they're just giving the inflamed prostate a break.
In my case it's my sh1t knee.

both legit reasons.

I have neither of these issues and this is what my 1290 Adventure is gonna look like:



Except with more armour!

Armour is class!

Claud 14.7 to 1

I fitted crash bungs and yes, as people mention, for static drops and maybe slow speed falls they are good, at least in my experience (i.e. for bikes with fairings as they can prevent the plastics and plastic mounts from cracking).