engine break in

[Christopher Eckert]

I am trying to choose a set of crash bars, highway pegs and bash plate. I plan to buy the bash plate from whom ever I get the bars just to simplify my life. That's me, mister simplification. Options so far seem to be as seen below. I think my questions are as follows but I may have missed stuff so all info is welcome. Question 1) Have I missed any reasonable options? Question 2) Anybody tried the very affordable Whitehorse crash bars? Qquestion 3) Other than protecting the plastic side panels, how much do nerf bars get you over the basic crash bar, is the radiator comonly damaged in falls? Options currently on the table Option 1) Twisted throttle Nerf = $425. $240 for bars plus $125 for bash plate plus $60 for pegs http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/3812/653/ Option 2) Happy Trails Nerf = $340. $270 for bars plus $70 for bash plate, includes pegs. http://www.happy-trail.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1014 Option 3) Happy Trails Engine guard = $160. $90 for Crash bar w/ highway pegs Plus $70 for bash plate. http://www.happy-trail.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1014 Option 4) Whitehorse Engine guard = $140, Engine Guard with highway pegs $55 plus $85 for bash plate http://www.whitehorsepress.com/ My most humble thanks in advance! Skypilot

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Christopher Eckert" wrote:

> > I am trying to choose a set of crash bars, highway pegs and bash > plate. I plan to buy the bash plate from whom ever I get the bars > just to simplify my life. That's me, mister simplification. > > Options so far seem to be as seen below. I think my questions are as > follows but I may have missed stuff so all info is welcome. > > Question 1) Have I missed any reasonable options? > > Question 2) Anybody tried the very affordable Whitehorse crash bars? > > Qquestion 3) Other than protecting the plastic side panels, how much > do nerf bars get you over the basic crash bar, is the radiator > comonly damaged in falls? > > Options currently on the table > > Option 1) Twisted throttle Nerf = $425. $240 for bars plus $125 for > bash plate plus $60 for pegs > http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/3812/653/ > > Option 2) Happy Trails Nerf = $340. $270 for bars plus $70 for bash > plate, includes pegs. > http://www.happy-trail.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1014 > > Option 3) Happy Trails Engine guard = $160. $90 for Crash bar w/ > highway pegs Plus $70 for bash plate. > http://www.happy-trail.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1014 > > Option 4) Whitehorse Engine guard = $140, Engine Guard with highway > pegs $55 plus $85 for bash plate > http://www.whitehorsepress.com/ > > My most humble thanks in advance! > Skypilot >

You have not considered the SW Motech bars (dunno the cost) or what I feel is the best option, the IMS tank, radiator protection plus 50-100 miles additional range.

[David Bell]

I got the twisted throttle stuff and it looks hell for stout. I am totally satisfied with the apparent quality. I say apparent quality because I haven't crashed yet. If I crash I'll let you know how it held up. I also have a set of highway pegs with the little rack that looks like the Whitehorse gear. It came on my used KLR when I bought it. It's laying in my garage and I'd sell it to you like really cheap because sooner or later I'll trip over it. I did not really look at it but I don't think you can mount crash bars with that thing on it. db ----- Original Message ---- From: Christopher Eckert To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 8:40:47 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] 3 questions about Engine guards I am trying to choose a set of crash bars, highway pegs and bash plate. I plan to buy the bash plate from whom ever I get the bars just to simplify my life. That's me, mister simplification. Options so far seem to be as seen below. I think my questions are as follows but I may have missed stuff so all info is welcome. Question 1) Have I missed any reasonable options? Question 2) Anybody tried the very affordable Whitehorse crash bars? Qquestion 3) Other than protecting the plastic side panels, how much do nerf bars get you over the basic crash bar, is the radiator comonly damaged in falls? Options currently on the table Option 1) Twisted throttle Nerf = $425. $240 for bars plus $125 for bash plate plus $60 for pegs http://www.twistedt hrottle.com/ trade/productvie w/3812/653/ Option 2) Happy Trails Nerf = $340. $270 for bars plus $70 for bash plate, includes pegs. http://www.happy- trail.com/ category. aspx?categoryID= 1014 Option 3) Happy Trails Engine guard = $160. $90 for Crash bar w/ highway pegs Plus $70 for bash plate. http://www.happy- trail.com/ category. aspx?categoryID= 1014 Option 4) Whitehorse Engine guard = $140, Engine Guard with highway pegs $55 plus $85 for bash plate http://www.whitehor sepress.com/ My most humble thanks in advance! Skypilot [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[David Bell]

The ones from twisted throttle are SW Motech. That's what I bought. ----- Original Message ---- From: Jud Jones To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 9:11:33 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: 3 questions about Engine guards

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogro ups.com, "Christopher Eckert" wrote: > > I am trying to choose a set of crash bars, highway pegs and bash > plate. I plan to buy the bash plate from whom ever I get the bars > just to simplify my life. That's me, mister simplification. > > Options so far seem to be as seen below. I think my questions are as > follows but I may have missed stuff so all info is welcome. > > Question 1) Have I missed any reasonable options? > > Question 2) Anybody tried the very affordable Whitehorse crash bars? > > Qquestion 3) Other than protecting the plastic side panels, how much > do nerf bars get you over the basic crash bar, is the radiator > comonly damaged in falls? > > Options currently on the table > > Option 1) Twisted throttle Nerf = $425. $240 for bars plus $125 for > bash plate plus $60 for pegs > http://www.twistedt hrottle.com/ trade/productvie w/3812/653/ > > Option 2) Happy Trails Nerf = $340. $270 for bars plus $70 for bash > plate, includes pegs. > http://www.happy- trail.com/ category. aspx?categoryID= 1014 > > Option 3) Happy Trails Engine guard = $160. $90 for Crash bar w/ > highway pegs Plus $70 for bash plate. > http://www.happy- trail.com/ category. aspx?categoryID= 1014 > > Option 4) Whitehorse Engine guard = $140, Engine Guard with highway > pegs $55 plus $85 for bash plate > http://www.whitehor sepress.com/ > > My most humble thanks in advance! > Skypilot > You have not considered the SW Motech bars (dunno the cost) or what I feel is the best option, the IMS tank, radiator protection plus 50-100 miles additional range. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[fasteddiecopeman]

Jeff, FWIW: when I built a Triumph 650 fuel dragster bike back in '64 or '65, I ran 12 to 1 Power Sphere brand pistons and Harmon & Collins roller cams. The engine "break-in"? Launch at 7,000 rpm, shift between 8 and 9,500 rpm, a quarter mile at a time!!! Wasn't burning oil when I sold it, and it went on to power a custom street "Triton" with Manx frame and forks. Cheers, Ed (whose Versys is running VERY strong at 325 miles)

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, jokerloco9@... wrote: > > In racing, they have a name for new things. It is called "trick of the > week"! > > Jeff A20

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Christopher Eckert" wrote:

> > I am trying to choose a set of crash bars, highway pegs and bash > plate. I plan to buy the bash plate from whom ever I get the bars > just to simplify my life. That's me, mister simplification. > > Options so far seem to be as seen below. I think my questions are

as

> follows but I may have missed stuff so all info is welcome. > > Question 1) Have I missed any reasonable options? > > Question 2) Anybody tried the very affordable Whitehorse crash bars? > > Question 3) Other than protecting the plastic side panels, how much > do nerf bars get you over the basic crash bar, is the radiator > commonly damaged in falls? > > Options currently on the table > > Option 1) Twisted throttle Nerf = $425. $240 for bars plus $125

for

> bash plate plus $60 for pegs > http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/3812/653/ > > Option 2) Happy Trails Nerf = $340. $270 for bars plus $70 for bash > plate, includes pegs. > http://www.happy-trail.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1014 > > Option 3) Happy Trails Engine guard = $160. $90 for Crash bar w/ > highway pegs Plus $70 for bash plate. > http://www.happy-trail.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1014 > > Option 4) Whitehorse Engine guard = $140, Engine Guard with highway > pegs $55 plus $85 for bash plate > http://www.whitehorsepress.com/ > > My most humble thanks in advance! > Skypilot >

Chris, Many riders will never need a metal skid plate. cough. I saw one last week that was 'deformed' a full 1/2 inch after it fell on a boulder.... Judge by your riding conditions on what you will need. I have highway pegs with my PD-Nerf bars--I use them infrequently, and then only for a few moments. I think they are a waste of money-- and rarely see any KLRista riding with his feet on them--although they usually come as part of the 'deal'. On the other hand-- You pose an interesting question that validates a specific course of action to armor your bike: What will break when I fall down. (If you ride, you will fall down; if you ride fast, you will fall down HARD.) That said; I am by no means an expert, but do have some recent, experience with two types of radiator protection--real, fall down, bone-breaking experience. I have one KLR that I have equipped with HT PD-Nerf Bars. Two years ago, I had a 15-20 MPH tip-over that collapsed my collar bone longitudinally and broke 6 ribs. The bike 'flopped' over in a quasi- high side while encountering a rut; the HT- PD Nerf Bars plus the Barkbusters were the huge winner. $30K dollars damage to me; zero damage to bike--just tweaked the Nerf bars slightly. Admittedly, it fell on the right side but there was no damage to the tank faring or displacement of the overflow bottle/assembly. The HT PD nerf Barf did their job--understanding the bars don't make the bike superman would ride, but give the bike a measure of protection not expected from any other product out there. Fast forward to the past three weeks. My 2d KLR had a "C" shaped radiator protector, nothing on the right side when I took off on the GDR for a 5,500+ mile trip from Canada to Mexico. My riding companion John had the PD Nerf Bars installed on his bike. Our riding conditions were far from ideal, and we both fell down a lot. I fell down more in one day than I have fallen down in the past 2 years. One of the falls was in a boulder field. John fell down twice in the same boulder field, but with a better armored bike. It would be the theme of the ride--the Great Fall Down Tour. I think it would be a full week before we could go all day and not drop the bike- -mud, sleet, rain, snow, hail, spit and anguish. Something for everyone! All that damage from dropping was masked by my panniers--I thought I was going unscathed...not so fast Virginia! Nearly at the end, while licking my wounds and repairing the damage in the garage of Jeff Saline, the first thing I noticed as I stripped off the tank were both tank shrouds were broken--followed by that sickening feeling that you would get when you see that the fan blade was NOT in the proper location. YIKES! No previous grinding noise, an occasional cycling of the rad/fan-- When did that 'break'? Who knows. Could have been on the first fall down on the left side, could have been in the last few hundred miles when I dropped the bike on the left side in a rest area in NE New Mexico. Further inspection showed that the "C" shaped rad protector did its job--on the leading edge of the radiator. The aft edge was pushed in, pushing the lower left mounting point of the rad/fan/shroud into the fan and its subsequent self destruction; ripping the blade assembly from its aluminum hub (which was remounted and potted in with JB QUICK Weld). The "C" shaped rad protector did only a partial job--earning a grade of C-. I am certain the PD Nerf bars would have given greater protection...as I am certain that the contents of the panniers contributed to the 'damage' sustained. Got to put all the adventure stuff somewhere...and while we are at it, Those big beautiful metal panniers you see on the backs of bikes are 'future leg breakers'. Both John and I sustained great physical pain and damage when his KLR fell on him three times, me once, while trying to wrestle his KLR out of the bolder fields and the mud. I would not walk across the steet to get them if they were free. Yes strong words, but they will hurt you, if not cripple you if you are unfortunate to be under them when the bike falls. John's bike, equipped with the HT PD Nerf bars fell more often than mine, and did not sustain any of the damage I have described...although he was not riding with tank panniers. In one of the two fall downs in the boulder field, John fractured an ankle bone (trapped under the metal rear panniers); no sustainable damage to the bike. The nerfbars did their jobs. Admittedly, my bike with tank panniers strike the ground before the handle bars/barkbuster devices, thus supporting the weight of the bike and transferring that weight directly to the tank shroud/rad assembly/tank overflow, depending on which side you drop the bike. I contributed to the damage by having tank panniers, cough, I also contributed to the damage by engaging in such a ride. shrug. Point is, the Nerf Bars give better protection. I wished I had demounted them from the 01KLR and remounted them on the 98KLR for this ride. shrug. 20/20 hindsight. smile. we still had fun! Now that you think I am a Happy Trails zombie--there have been some issues that have been discussed here in the past; some, to include me, have had the Nerfbars interfere with the steering head position when the wheel is turned full right. That was corrected by cutting off the mounting point and pulling it aft. I also have had two welds fail; was it from dropping the bike? Could be. Could have been a poor weld. It is nice to have a kind, fellow KiLeRista with a welder that can fix such things.... Now, as to your question of who to buy from. I am not certain who manufactures what in the list of suppliers, or who is selling what from your list of descriptors: but I do know/have seen that the HT product is of a heavier gauge pipe than the copycat Nerf bars sold by some other companies (of which I have no immediate recall of that brand). If I wanted maximum protection, I would buy the HT PD Nerf Bars. Yes, I would pay a little more for the heavier gauge pipe. If you ride, you will fall down. If you ride fast, you will fall down HARD, cough, but I said that already. Buy the protection once and protect the vulnerable parts. The protection cost is about equal to the replacement cost of what you will break. One tank faring on a pre 08 with decal is some $100. shrug. Mine have been repaired with pop rivets and reinforced with strips of aluminum. It is well on its way to joining the happy ranks of Mad-Max bikes. You ride yours very much, and it will begin to have a look of Mad-Max as well... Armor up, change the gas. Repeat. HTH revmaaatin.

[boulder_adv_rider]

As I've recommended a couple times, the toughest setup that works for me is: 1 IMS plastic gas tank 2 highway bars/engine guard 3 hd skid plate 4 custom designed SOFT expedition panniers 5 PD nerf bars with reinforced upper welds and single, through the frame bolt 6 low profile oil drain plug 7 reinforced handguards like bark busters or Acerbis 8 tall windscreen with airplane-grade plastic for protection The PD nerf bars upper mounts are whimpy. Grind off the mounts and weld on a serious (ear-like) flange instead. Then drill a hole through both flanges and through the frame and install a bolt. Bottom-line is work my KLR like a used mule. If you want a setup that'll take a beating without giving you one (skip the metal boxes, folks), then go with a setup like this. Over 20k smiles of harsh conditions including plenty of dirt naps and crashes, simply this works. My center stand is disfigured and deformed along with my skid plate. My skid plate has a baseball sized dent (depth) smashed into it from striking boulders and climbing over 'things.' The sight of my skid plate is insane (bolts and brackets deformed, gouges, etc.), it's well worth it and engine death without it. The scars near the low profile drain plug make even me cringe.

[boulder_adv_rider]

I haven't tried the Whitehorse crash bars (never seen them). The PD nerfs work very well for me with the IMS plastic tank. I've seen a lot of money wasted fixing carnage without them. It's a wise investment. Fully-loaded my KLR has smashed to mother Earth many times including static drops when 80mph gust blow it over in a parking lot. Smash onto the concrete! No worries/all systems go. I crash hard--like high side heading up granite walls--never damaged the radiator. How? I never know. Bent a clutch lever in sand...that's it. I went with the HT nerfs and highway bars/engine guard gift set along with a Moose skidplate. Very pleased. Others will have to comment on the other brands/designs.

[jokerloco9@aol.com]

You mentioned here that you have the HT PD nerf bars and are using them with an IMS plastic tank? I thought the PD nerf bars won't fit with an IMS plastic (military?) tank? Thanks, Jeff In a message dated 9/25/2008 10:46:04 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, boulder_adv_rider@... writes: I haven't tried the Whitehorse crash bars (never seen them). The PD nerfs work very well for me with the IMS plastic tank. I've seen a lot of money wasted fixing carnage without them. It's a wise investment. Fully-loaded my KLR has smashed to mother Earth many times including static drops when 80mph gust blow it over in a parking lot. Smash onto the concrete! No worries/all systems go. I crash hard--like high side heading up granite walls--never damaged the radiator. How? I never know. Bent a clutch lever in sand...that'know. I went with the HT nerfs and highway bars/engine guard gift set along with a Moose skidplate. Very pleased. Others will have to comment on the other brands/designs. **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]