Do you run crash bars on your airhead?

With the crash bars that come on the R80G/S, R80 ST, and R100 GS, if you remove the left crash bar you remove the side stand too. When I low sided my R80 ST without the crash bars at about 45 mph, the valve cover did a great job protecting the bike and did not even grind a hole in it! I am all for the idea that crash bars cause more damage than they prevent, unfortunately some of the bikes need them for the side stand.

but what would i mount my oil cooler to?

Linky, amongst others

I did a 35mph lowside on gravel with a r100gs, the factory crash bar came loose from the frame and actually wound up shoving itself through the valve cover! I think it helped a little, but the thing then had to be removed and chunked in the ditch along with the worthless side stand before I could start repairing up the valve cover.
I think they are usefull only to put your feet on once you move the oil cooler.
I do like the idea of some thick aluminum comming from the valve cover down to the motor mount. I wish I could weld (or spell) aluminim better.

Yes, on the R80g/s (came with them stock with sidestand attached, not much weight).

No on the R90/6. Just more weight and expense.

I run the stock guards on the ST and the GS and the R80 is naked.

I've not crashed the gs yet (mostly as I've not been able to take it off road yet)

But the ST guards have held up decently in the few off road tip overs

To paraphrase somebody else...
It's a $200 guard protecting a $50 part...

Alrighty then. I was wondering if some guru was going to pipe in with some scientific study showing that crash guards have been shown to keep cylinders from peeling off the case but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Intuitively, they mostly looked like bling to me but I had niggling doubts that haven't been affirmed so far in this thread.

I keep them on the ST because it came that way; the left one mounts the side stand; and when getting the valve cover gasket surface on the head spotlessly clean of oil, nothing beats laying the bike over with the crash bar resting on a chunk of 4X6 so oil doesn't keep dripping out on the bottom of the flange you just cleaned so thoroughly with solvent.

In fact, after just figuring that trick out recently, there are several other maintenance chores that may see the crash bar(s) resting on the 4X6 wood block just to give easier access to stuff down low on the bike.

Heres a scientific study that addresses the benefits of crash bars: http://images.cyclegarden.com/cgi-b...uzzi_Girls/Stella&image=_bss1776.jpg&img=&tt=

Mine came with the krauser engine guards that have a hoop that runs under the cylinder and another that ties up to the frame. I don't worry about it folding back, but I do worry about it bending the frame. I think what concerns me the most is the thought that it reduces my cornering clearance some. There are times I wonder how close it is getting. Right now it is where I put my parking pass sticker without worrying about messing up paint anywhere. I use the stock side stand a lot and figure it will help out if the bike ever fell over. So far the side stand has worked fine.

Hit car on LHS, crash bar and pannier bag saved my leg from being crushed:eek1 , small bend too crash bar, zero damage to bike 'cept one bent fork (so I need crash bars on them too! ).
Will allways fit crash bars.

Was this on an airhead? It would seem like the cylinder would have been equally protective of your leg as a crash bar.

No too ugly and valve covers are cheaper to replace.

I put the same on mine and promptly laid it over while taking pictures.. So + 1 for me!
as for the merits. Why not. The extra weight is peanuts really. It aint no Ninja so Ill put em on and hope they work when needed.
Also good place to rest tired legs on long runs

A possible solution for those people that have issues with the flexi stock stand & the fact this runs off crashbars. Linky. This one can be fitted w/o using the crashbars, ie directly to the frame. Spendy though.

G/S and GS still have them to hold stand / oil cooler, R75/7 doesnt.

OEM round covers and square pattern covers have a bit of meat in them and will take a drop or two.
The current crop of aftermarket round covers are as thick as a cheap chocolate easter egg, and not a lot stronger - DAMHIK

With them you would really want a wrap around bar - Moto Bins and Wemoto have them at a reasonable price.

Ehmm....rather run without, and take my chances thanks

got five airheads, no crash bars. they are ugly and i don't plan on crashing

My R100 had them when I bought it but I took them off for looks. Later when I began scraping sidestands on the left and the valve cover on the right I appreciated the extra ground clearance.

I took 'em off, but I think I'll put 'em back on