Honda GL1800 Goldwing Tip-over / crash bar installation tips & tricks

[Dave Pitman]

Guys, I've got a set of Goldwing bars and just holding them up to where they would mount, without mounting plates, it looks questionable whether they extend enough to the side to actually protect the pannier in a slide. Are they actually long enough to make a difference in anything beyond just an "easy" tip over?

I've got some MCL bars too (from a forum member) and they are longer. But they look like they would definitely interfear with passenger footing without using the lowering brackets (which I also have). But it looks like they would put the passenger's feet pretty close to the driver's. So I haven't decided which way to go.

Thanks1
Dave

 

[Sidekick]

Are they actually long enough to make a difference in anything beyond just an "easy" tip over?
Thanks1
Dave

On a basic tip over these would probably do the job.
But with only 2 mounting points which are easy to bend, they dont feel sturdy enough to protect the paniers if the bike slide on the pavement and this even at low speed.
Better than nothing maybe?!

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Yes they extend far enough to protect the bags in a tip-over. No they won't protect anything in a high speed slide. I doubt that the MCL would either. The only ones that will have a good chance are those that have a three point attachment like the police bars, but then you loose the passenger foot pegs.

 

[dduelin]

Guys, I've got a set of Goldwing bars and just holding them up to where they would mount, without mounting plates, it looks questionable whether they extend enough to the side to actually protect the pannier in a slide. Are they actually long enough to make a difference in anything beyond just an "easy" tip over?

I've got some MCL bars too (from a forum member) and they are longer. But they look like they would definitely interfear with passenger footing without using the lowering brackets (which I also have). But it looks like they would put the passenger's feet pretty close to the driver's. So I haven't decided which way to go.

Thanks1
Dave

They do extend far enough to protect the pannier in a typical low speed drop and Honda Motor Company expects them to be substantial enough to protect the 170 lb heavier 900 lb Goldwing from drop damage or a low speed slide. Keep in mind the chaotic and unpredictable forces imposed on a faster slide [crash] are beyond what these and MCL bars are designed to do.

 

[Dave Pitman]

Okay, thanks guys. I wasn't expecting them to do much in a high speed incident. Just visually, it doesn't look like they would contact the ground much before the case does. But apparently they do.

 

[cruzer1800]

Thanks again for everyone on this thread... did this mod today and couldnt be happier with the GW crash bars. Info provided was spot on. Got my fab skills on and knocked it out. First side took about 90 min... second side, about 15. Looks great, got bars of fleabay for $50, frikin hardware (bolts, washers, hose clamps) cost me $32 at Ace but I did get stainless... so...