• A few people have been scammed on the site, Only use paypal to pay for items for sale by other members. If they will not use paypal, its likely a scam NEVER SEND E-TRANSFERS OF ANY KIND.

Crash Bars NC700X

bobk100

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
29
Reaction score
11
Points
3
Location
Belgium
Visit site
Hi All

As I posted earlier Picked up my 2012 NC700X yesterday.

It came with bars that can only be described as badge/lights bar.

Any recommendations on a set of 'crash' bars that will sustain a slide down the road or more likely when I fall base over apex manouvering it around the garage/drive!

Regards
 
Most bars are simply "light bars" and not really protective.

I don't think any bars will help a bike survive a real slide. Slide a bike at most speeds and the bike is almost always totaled by the insurance company. Consequently I personally believe there is no actual reason for a 'crash bar' for bike protection in a slide unless you want it to mount highway pegs, lights, etc. The evidence that bikes survive slides with crash bars is very thin.

The Gaza bars (and other brands of similar design) stick out pretty wide and will protect the bike's plastic pretty well in a simple tip over/drop. However wide crash bar designs tend to flip bikes in a slide so I believe these bars actually will cause more damage in a slide and will virtually guarantee the bike will be totaled in a slide. Pick your poison? Gaza style to help in a tip over, but probably makes slide damage even worse.

If you have hard cases/panniers on your bike and drop it in a parking lot its likely the side case and the handlebar end will take the impact and neither will be damaged more than a minor scuff (I know this because my wife has dropped hers 3 or 4 times in tight parking lot & low speed gravel turn situations), consequently I personally believe there is no actual reason for a 'crash bar' if you hard cases unless you want it to mount highway pegs, lights, etc.

My opinion is worth what you paid for it. But to my mind, most crash bars simply add a couple pounds to a bike and serve minimal utility while draining your wallet of cash. MANY others will disagree with me. I want my bike as light as possible while still fulfilling all my actual needs. Your needs may be different and you should outfit your bike accordingly.
 
Last edited:
I personally have Puig guards, fairly similar to Givi if I recall correctly, much lower profile.
I found out about Gymkhana riding last year and promptly added engine guards and Barkbusters -I am glad I did. I have never laid the bike down on the road, but I have put it down while teaching myself some Gymkhana courses and the guards have significant scrapes, the BB's have minor scratches, as do mirrors.
As Melensdad said, their actual value in a road accident may be negligible, but for a 15-20mph slide out, I feel they saved some expensive plastics and became mounting point for.pegs and auxillary lights. They do add some requirements of additional finesse to remove plastic for some later mods.
I rarely us see my sidecases, but they do also save the bike in a low speed.
I actually dig the wY they look too.
 
Any recommendations on a set of 'crash' bars that will sustain a slide down the road or more likely when I fall base over apex manouvering it around the garage/drive
I have some experience in both those situations ;-)

The Arizona Police report said the bike slid 568 ft down I-40 after impact. I depart the bike way before that. Driver behind me (it was about 10pm) said it looked like a 4th of July sparkler display as the bike slid on it's left side. Sadly <just> before stopping it high-sided and tumbled which caused a lot of damage. The crash guards did their job and were worn down to nubs. This was on a Honda Goldwing which comes factory equipped from Honda with crash guards.

I am convinced and the evidence shows that the guards prevented serious lower leg injuries. They kept my left leg from being ground down from the weight of the half-ton motorcycle and a 68 mph (GPS) get off on asphalt.

When I bought the NC one of my first mods was fitting crash guards (engine guards?) that would protect not only the engine but also the transmission (I have a DCT) and my lower legs. As others have posted, most of these bars are simply to mount lights and do very little in the way of protection. I did find a set (from the Ukraine!) that I thought would do the trick, so I ordered and installed them.

About two years after installing them, I was cut off on a roadway and ended up in a low speed get off. Residential area and the bike went into a granite curb about 10 inches high and smacked it pretty hard. The crash bars did their their thing, and even though I went down, there was literally zero damage. The guards were scuffed where they hit, but no damage to the bike and especially the DCT cover which is very vulnerable to getting wacked.

These are more like a stunt cage than engine guards and the looks aren't for everyone: That almost vertical bar in front of the DCT filter cover prevented the cover from getting damaged

IMG_6256-XL.jpg

IMG_2530-XL.jpg
 
Thanks for the input. I appreciate all the views. I might have been on bikes for 55yrs but I still don't know it all.

My experience was in Switzerland on a BMW R80RT. The car in front dumped a load of diesel and I did an non olympic style slide down the road. The bike hit a wall and cracked the fairing but the bars did a good job and I still finished the tour. Saved the holiday.

However, some bars do more harm than good i.e. K series rubber mounted badge bars.

The Ukraine bars look like muscle but if they do the job I'm sure a coat of camouflage (grey in my case) will diguise any comment. Anyway, whose going to see them at 90mph - officer!

Have you the website address?

Anymore views please.

Cheers.
 
. . .

These are more like a stunt cage than engine guards and the looks aren't for everyone: That almost vertical bar in front of the DCT filter cover prevented the cover from getting damaged

. . .
IMG_2530-XL.jpg
Probably the only crash bar I've seen the is an actual crash bar . . . possibly the exception to my opinion on crash bars.
 
Thanks for the input. I appreciate all the views. I might have been on bikes for 55yrs but I still don't know it all.

My experience was in Switzerland on a BMW R80RT. The car in front dumped a load of diesel and I did an non olympic style slide down the road. The bike hit a wall and cracked the fairing but the bars did a good job and I still finished the tour. Saved the holiday.

However, some bars do more harm than good i.e. K series rubber mounted badge bars.

The Ukraine bars look like muscle but if they do the job I'm sure a coat of camouflage (grey in my case) will diguise any comment. Anyway, whose going to see them at 90mph - officer!

Have you the website address?

Anymore views please.

Cheers.

I have ordered the ones from Ukraine as well, Unfortunate it is taking over 2+ months due to Covid-19. They have yet to find an Airplane to come to USA... However the seller has been very responsive. I am not in a hurry but, my Denali LED lights, depend on when the crash bars arrive as well as the Denali Sound bomb air Horn.

Here is the link:

Again, I agree with everyone, at this point, I only want the best crash bar possible, otherwise I don't think they are worth it. However I do a bit of light trails, and It is is nice to tip over the bike in the dirt without fear.
 
Again, I agree with everyone, at this point, I only want the best crash bar possible, otherwise I don't think they are worth it. However I do a bit of light trails, and It is is nice to tip over the bike in the dirt without fear.
I favor the R-Gaza for bump-overs, tip-overs, and lower-speed crashes/slides. I don't fool myself about high-speed wrecks ; }

But they weren't available when I got some open-box Mutazu from California for $92 shipped. those also are just fine for drops and slower stuff and provide a good mount for wide-profile highway peggin'.
 
I have the R-Gaza bars. Worked great when I went down (low speed turn front wheel slipped out on gravel). Bike did not pinch my leg or boot at all. Only scratches were on the bar, hand guards, and exhaust.

JT
 
Me
Most bars are simply "light bars" and not really protective.

I don't think any bars will help a bike survive a real slide. Slide a bike at most speeds and the bike is almost always totaled by the insurance company. Consequently I personally believe there is no actual reason for a 'crash bar' for bike protection in a slide unless you want it to mount highway pegs, lights, etc. The evidence that bikes survive slides with crash bars is very thin.

The Gaza bars (and other brands of similar design) stick out pretty wide and will protect the bike's plastic pretty well in a simple tip over/drop. However wide crash bar designs tend to flip bikes in a slide so I believe these bars actually will cause more damage in a slide and will virtually guarantee the bike will be totaled in a slide. Pick your poison? Gaza style to help in a tip over, but probably makes slide damage even worse.

If you have hard cases/panniers on your bike and drop it in a parking lot its likely the side case and the handlebar end will take the impact and neither will be damaged more than a minor scuff (I know this because my wife has dropped hers 3 or 4 times in tight parking lot & low speed gravel turn situations), consequently I personally believe there is no actual reason for a 'crash bar' if you hard cases unless you want it to mount highway pegs, lights, etc.

My opinion is worth what you paid for it. But to my mind, most crash bars simply add a couple pounds to a bike and serve minimal utility while draining your wallet of cash. MANY others will disagree with me. I want my bike as light as possible while still fulfilling all my actual needs. Your needs may be different and you should outfit your bike accordingly.
Melonsdad I researched crash bars and support your opinion that they are not really necessary on the NC. The cylinder heads are well protected in the frame and as for most other protruding parts they will not be substantially protected with crash bars. Save your money keep your bike lite.
 
I call them engine guards............crash.......no.
My Givi units are strong, do not distract the original look. W/ bar end guards work quite well.

(After hitting a patch in WV of DOT KY contractor paint stripe reflective material in a 12 degree slope R/H turn the bike wet down hard, straddling a guard rail post opposite the turn. (2015).
The 'sand' winds up in the tire track in a sharp R/H turn. Put a light on the stripe @ night. White coming into the turn; gray in the turn. A 1/2 page writeup in M/C consumer News was made on my 'crash'.)
 
Last edited:
At some point crash bars can cost as much as what they're supposed to protect. Then I consider the odds. Most of my riding days are behind me (63) & I've had 2 road crashes but my bike wasn't sliding down the road on its side. I was looking for something cheap that might prevent or minimize damage to body panels & engine case covers which seems to grind away in crashes like plastic. I spent $80 on these. They haven't been in stock in awhile, not sure when they're coming back but I've seen some on eBay that looked the same. I like that they stick out pretty far so they would hit pavement before the bike hits pavement. If they don't stick out some then the bike is going to protect the crash bars. I don't want that. Easy to install & they feel rigid.
 
Most bars are simply "light bars" and not really protective.

I don't think any bars will help a bike survive a real slide. Slide a bike at most speeds and the bike is almost always totaled by the insurance company. Consequently I personally believe there is no actual reason for a 'crash bar' for bike protection in a slide unless you want it to mount highway pegs, lights, etc. The evidence that bikes survive slides with crash bars is very thin.

The Gaza bars (and other brands of similar design) stick out pretty wide and will protect the bike's plastic pretty well in a simple tip over/drop. However wide crash bar designs tend to flip bikes in a slide so I believe these bars actually will cause more damage in a slide and will virtually guarantee the bike will be totaled in a slide. Pick your poison? Gaza style to help in a tip over, but probably makes slide damage even worse.

If you have hard cases/panniers on your bike and drop it in a parking lot its likely the side case and the handlebar end will take the impact and neither will be damaged more than a minor scuff (I know this because my wife has dropped hers 3 or 4 times in tight parking lot & low speed gravel turn situations), consequently I personally believe there is no actual reason for a 'crash bar' if you hard cases unless you want it to mount highway pegs, lights, etc.

My opinion is worth what you paid for it. But to my mind, most crash bars simply add a couple pounds to a bike and serve minimal utility while draining your wallet of cash. MANY others will disagree with me. I want my bike as light as possible while still fulfilling all my actual needs. Your needs may be different and you should outfit your bike accordingly.
In your opinion having seen slow speed drops. Would you pick the Soundbomb horn or the engine guards as the superior safety feature? I know they do very different things, but it looks like I can only have 1 of these and am trying to decide which to pick.
 
In your opinion having seen slow speed drops. Would you pick the Soundbomb horn or the engine guards as the superior safety feature? I know they do very different things, but it looks like I can only have 1 of these and am trying to decide which to pick.
Just MY OPINION and worth exactly what you paid for it ...

I'd pick the Soundbomb.

If I scratch a piece of plastic, I can live with that.

If I crack a piece of plastic, I can replace that.

If I get hit by a car it is possible that I may not survive. At very least I'll probably be banged up pretty good. I know several who have survived but ended up in the hospital and all had their bikes totaled. Crash bar did nothing. A louder horn might have helped.


Again, just my opinion ... Despite feeling nimble and lighter than its actual weight, the NC700/750 is already heavy for its size, I personally see no need to add extra weight that is, for most purposes, not very practical. That said, I keep side cases on my bike, on the rare drop/skid the side case and the handlebar end have taken the fall, my plastic body panels remain unscratched, I do have a scratch on one of the handlebar ends. Fit some panniers. Toss some stuff in the Frunk. Maybe tools under the seat. A pound here, a couple more there, next thing you know and you have a 550# bike. Or more. I'm all for functionality, but weigh my choices in multiple ways.
 
Just MY OPINION and worth exactly what you paid for it ...

I'd pick the Soundbomb.

If I scratch a piece of plastic, I can live with that.

If I crack a piece of plastic, I can replace that.

If I get hit by a car it is possible that I may not survive. At very least I'll probably be banged up pretty good. I know several who have survived but ended up in the hospital and all had their bikes totaled. Crash bar did nothing. A louder horn might have helped.


Again, just my opinion ... Despite feeling nimble and lighter than its actual weight, the NC700/750 is already heavy for its size, I personally see no need to add extra weight that is, for most purposes, not very practical. That said, I keep side cases on my bike, on the rare drop/skid the side case and the handlebar end have taken the fall, my plastic body panels remain unscratched, I do have a scratch on one of the handlebar ends. Fit some panniers. Toss some stuff in the Frunk. Maybe tools under the seat. A pound here, a couple more there, next thing you know and you have a 550# bike. Or more. I'm all for functionality, but weigh my choices in multiple ways.
That’s fair, and a good explanation. Thank you for the opinion however free it might be.
 
Back
Top