crash bar oem or...
 

I have a 1150GS ADV and this weekend I met with a fellow rider using the HB guard , they look like they will protect the cylender head better than my oem one but they are mounted on in a way that in case of crash they will maybe crack some part of the bike.He was argumenting that the oem on the bike tip over and damage the bike more than normal,I went to look at the touratech and they look like they will protect the bike well but not much better than the oem.I was thinking to keep the oem and just add some cylender protection from TT .
What do you guys think

crash bar
 

any opinion:(

I bought the HB bars for my 1150GS for the sme reason. Seemed pretty well designed and cheaper than the OEM, as well as better protection that the SWmotechs (IIRR).

My GS got mashed by a myopic Fiesta driver and got totalled. Bars did the trick though: cylinder heads were fine: pitty the impact ripped off the centrestand and sump....

However, do think about the expense. You can get plastic cycinder ends for abrasion: other than that the boxer pots are pretty robust. Any impact that messed them up would have killed the bike!!

If you decide to get them, go for it they are nice kit!

Crash bar
 

I heard goo things about the HB bar , I like my OEM bar on the GSA but they do not protect the cylender head, for the price of the TT head protector I could get the HB but they have the reputation of braking at the mount on the bike .

Look at it this way. These are supposed to be sacrifial parts if its comes to a big off... If the impact is strong enough to break the mounts it would put a hole in your cylinder head. Which is cheaper to replace and which might leave you stranded?

Either way, if you want to go C-bars, then I think all three are good in their own right. Andn none would be strong enough to come away from a big prang without needing replacement...

Keep the OEM bars and save your money for the trip. ADV bars are good also for "legs forward cruising" - very comfty to stretch your legs while riding if you know what I mean on a boxer bikes(?) :thumbup1:

No real advantage for H&B bars (I had them on mine previously) except when the bike tips over it'll stand even higher up than normal - a bit easier to pick the bike up (something that boxers are good at anyways).

You'll be fine 98% of the time with OEMs. 1-2% chance left maybe on a sharp-rocky terrain, where you can be unlucky and hit a hole into cylinder when sliding over hard sharp fixed rocks when some sharp rock "reaches over" crashbars - additional TT alu head protectors would avoid that, but IMHO you have to be very unlucky - as said engine bars will take most of the hits and keep the pots away from the worst. Pots themselves are surprisingly strong too.

Your choice anyways.

Ride safe, Margus

OEM bar
 

Thanks ,its pretty much what I was thinking to do .

I recently went down hard on asphalt at 65mph (105km/h) with the stock R1150GSA crashbars.

I only needed to replace the black plastic cylinder guard and a couple of bolts. The crash bar was strightened with a sledge hammer. No dammage to the engine itself.

http://kilroy.smugmug.com/photos/526820242_TmxVS-M.jpg
http://kilroy.smugmug.com/photos/526820246_RLV28-M.jpg

OEM bar
 

Pretty impressif to see that the crash bar did its job at this speed.

Riding in Snow... H&B crash bars
 

Were you riding in the snow at the time?

I have HB crash bars but on a 1200GS and they are the best investment I've bought for the bike (with the exception of the headlight protector and TT bashplate) well worth every cent.

I did scratch the cyclinder head even with the HB bars when I laid it down in Cambodia on gravel roads, the bars dug in a bit and the gravel scratched the cylinder head but it is only cosmetic damage. They've saved my feet from stray dogs and other obstacles also, whatever you get just bite the bullet and get them straight away.