640 Adventure tank bars

[Velocibiker]

Based on this thread here I started a quest of my own to get these or a similar bar.

Sadly, as I've found previously, this is about it. I e-mailed some sites that carry the H&B crash bars and it seems $225 is the going rate. Even for a group buy.

Luckily I ran into an old link where I've gotten some good deals in the past. Here is his response to my request for a group purchase of these bars:

"We can't do a group buy on H&B products (not much dealer discount), but if you get 20 people or more to commit to a group buy, I can have SW-MOTECH design and manufacture a crashbar for the bike to the group's specifications. Afterwards, it would be available to anyone who was interested in the product. I can almost guarantee that a crashbar from SW-MOTECH would be less expensive than a similar product from H&B (the H&B importer pays a ton of money to fly it to California from Germany, which increases H&B prices for the products throughout the U.S. We import to Philadelphia and pay for 3,500 miles less of air freight, lowering the U.S. cost of SW-MOTECH products).

Let me know if you'd like to pursue this.

Thanks,
-Erik
"

This is actually similar to a thread I have on KTMTalk. If anyone's interested, please drop a post in here so I can get an idea on number of people.

If we can get enough interest, we could get our own design from SW-Motech. I have the SW-Motech pannier racks on my Adventure and the build quality is very good. I'd expect the same for the tank guard.

Interested?? If so, please reply and include the year of your bike. This way, I can get a handle on the year range...

[PASSMORE]

I am interested pending a review on the design. Count me in.

Michael

[vrago]

I'm interested, am willing to provide input into a design as well.

[dezracer]

SAME......depending on design.

[AFekete]

Erik is right in the fact that the primary importer for Hepco Becker is located in California but Adventurers Workshop Inc imports Hepco Becker directly into New York City.

Erik, I can provide customer discounts on large orders but no "dealer" discounts. You know this...be nice.

I can offer the Hepco Becker Tank bars at $190 plus $15 shipping to your door. This offer is for 20 prepaid units and would take about 2 weeks to receive after the order is placed.

let me know if you guys are interested.

thanks,
Andrew

[DJMARLEY]

I'd be interested,

2003 640 Adventure R

[hammerbone]

I would be in for the HB group buy

[Mack]

How much does the Hepco Becker tank bar installation weigh? Thanks, Mack

[AFekete]

About 5-10 pounds. Perhaps a little more with the all the nuts and bolts.

But not much more. I can get an accurate measurement tomorrow.

thanks,
Andrew

[Cat0020]

Personally, I feel that crashbars are not such good ideas.

They are usually stronger than the mounting points where they are attached, crash hard enough on them and you bend your mounting points or even worse your frame.

They are added weight where you don't really want more weight.

They get in the way of getting the fuel tank off.. for LC4 Adv, the fuel tank is meant to be taken off easily so you can access what's underneath rather easily in the field.

IMO, wider bashplate/toolbox is probably better alternative for added protection when laying the LC4 Adv sideways.

This is not aimed to sabotage the group purchase for the crashbars, just one person's opinion.

[Tim]

But on the other hand when you've watched your pride and joy silde down the road in a shower of sparks at 50mph and then picked it up to find that, thanks to your crash bars, the only damage is to the bars, foot peg and the hand guards, you'll be glad you fitted them. I know I was when this happened to my Africa Twin - tank and fairing totally un-marked.

Also, I can't see how the H&B bars would restrict tank removal - the tank moves up and back to be removed, therfore away from the bars - can't see how they get in the way.

[Velocibiker]

Originally Posted by AFekete

Erik is right in the fact that the primary importer for Hepco Becker is located in California but Adventurers Workshop Inc imports Hepco Becker directly into New York City.

Erik, I can provide customer discounts on large orders but no "dealer" discounts. You know this...be nice.

I can offer the Hepco Becker Tank bars at $190 plus $15 shipping to your door. This offer is for 20 prepaid units and would take about 2 weeks to receive after the order is placed.

let me know if you guys are interested.

thanks,
Andrew

Allright!! This sounds great. I am going to cross-post this to KTMTalk and I think between the two we should get the minimum number.

See this thread/post from KTMTalk.com

I've wanted crash bars ever since I got my Adv. I've had them on just about all my other street bikes and as was mentioned above, they DO save a lot of expense if you go down on the pavement. Been there. Done that

[meat popsicle]

Andrew,

Nice offer, will you be able to offer the hardware for dropping the fender to fit the HB bars? It would be easier for us grunts if ya spoon fed us the necessities. That was the aluminum spacers and bolts that Scoot Jockey mentioned on his thread (but never elaborated upon...). Supposedly KTM parts.

Thanks,
Meaty

[AFekete]

I will follow up with Scoot Jockey and get more information on that kit. I have a local dealer that I know very well and and if I can get the part numbers I can get 20 of those kits ordered and the group can pay me for what I paid for them. It would be nice to have a complete kit.

I'll get on it!!

thanks,
Andrew

Originally Posted by meat popsicle

Andrew,

Nice offer, will you be able to offer the hardware for dropping the fender to fit the HB bars? It would be easier for us grunts if ya spoon fed us the necessities. That was the aluminum spacers and bolts that Scoot Jockey mentioned on his thread (but never elaborated upon...). Supposedly KTM parts.

Thanks,
Meaty

[BlitzBike]

I already bought the Hepco and Becker crash bars but, have yet to get around to mounting them. If there are any additional mounting goodies that I will need to fit them onto my 2003 LC4 Adventure, you can count me in for them!!