Has anyone seen an airhead crash bar design that didn't suck?

[GodOmelet]

A buddy of mine had a pair of heavy gauge crash bars for his R80, and when I bought the bike he kept them because they were too #%&ing cool. I don't remember exactly how they were made, but I have been looking for something like it ever since. The closest thing I've seen to them was the kind that sweep back in one loop from the down tube and bend back around the cylinder, then have one support connecting underneath. This is kinda similar but not it exactly. I remember his were more minimalistic than that, and just...awesome! I wish I could remember the design exactly so I could just commision a welder to make me some. I thought he said they were from a small producer and no longer available. In any case, that was 10 years ago, so they are probably still as rare as ever ...if they even existed at all and the whole story wasn't a figment of my then drug-addled mind. (Hey the 90's stretched a bit for some people ok?) The design was definitely more reminiscent of the crash bars the new GS bikes have, but obviously not identical, or I'd just buy those.

So.... any custom or otherwise awesome crash bar pics out there I can plunder for ideas?

[Jon-Lars]

Nope.

[Wirespokes]

The stock BMW crash bars are a two piece design that clamp to the frame, with a short piece underneath angling to the front engine bolt. They were designed to crumple back in an accident so the frame doesn't get bent, yet ride against the cylinder so the bar gets ground down instead of the aluminum. With the one piece design (one bar protecting both cylinders) there's a risk the frame can be bent in an accident.

The G/S and GS crash bars are essentially the same design except for the oil cooler and side stand mount.

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Wirespokes

The G/S and GS crash bars are essentially the same design except for the oil cooler and side stand mount.

As far as I'm aware the side stand mounts are the same, aren't they? I used a GS sidestand on my ST (same as G/S) crash bar with no problem.

[Bill Harris]

Hans Lowe has that sort of protection bar on one of his bikes:


http://bmwhucky.com/007500.html

[SOLO LOBO]

Overland Solutions:
http://www.overland-solutions.com/

[Box'a'bits]

Or these spendy ones from Boxer Supplies or Boxxerparts

[supershaft]

Well, after seeing the above photos I am going to have to stick with my original hunch. All of those suck!

[oldroadie]

[GodOmelet]

Thanks for the pics guys. I'm still searching for that elusive design....

[igormortis]