Engine crash bars

[Mark65]

Hi All,
I'm wanting to some bars on my V, choices it seems are

Givi £146

SW Motech £195

Heed £136+vat I believe
alternative
Frame Sliders Evotec £119

any recommendations, I don't rag my bikes but want the best protection.
Thanks
Mark

[nigel s]

Hi Mark,
I have the Givi's on my 650 and like them...not crash tested  yet.
The main reason I got them was not protection so much as a place to add..sh*t..
I have some cheap fwd pegs to help with my dodgy right knee and some small bags for waterproofs/ locks.
A good place to mount  auxiliary lights ( if I ever get round to fitting them ) too.

Ho Hum

[Upt North]

I've got the Givi with a couple of extra protectors on. I'll post a piccie if I can find one which shows them. They can and do cause vibration issues but it's easily fixed by modifying the central connector. My pictures and fix are on here somewhere. Don't fit them without the mod or you'll probably end up doing the job twice.
Be careful on the torque settings etc.
Upt.

[Upt North]

The pictures show the stronger rubber washers etc and the extra protectors in place.
Good luck.
Upt.

[Mark65]

Thanks,
Upt North I see what you did, I also read about filling the bars with expanding foam.
The Heed ones look strong but I don't know what charges I would have as it seems to depend who delivers it RM is 20% plus £8 handling if I read it right others can be much more.
there's also some Kappas that look like Givi without the middle bit, oooh choices.

[nigel s]

I never had any vibe problems with the Givi,s 
Even before I fitted the bags , which may now help to damp any out.
One thing I did find is when riding in the wet the bags do a good job of keeping your legs dry, I have a wet mark half way up my boots where the road spray goes, but the rest is pretty dry.
You can just see the foldup fwd peg under the bag, I pop the calf of my boot on there every now and again on a long run , just to straighten the knee. works for me 

[The Doctor 46]

I fitted OEM Suzuki bars to my DL650 and did lay the bike down while almost stationary causing no damage at all. I fitted Givi bars to a BMW 650GS and tested them off road at about 25mph and again, the bars worked perfectly. What ever brand you go for I am sure they will meet the challenge if it comes but I'm not so sure about those frame sliders, to me they look as if they would spin the bike on the ground if dropped but I don't know that.

If you fit crash bars and use them then they will be the best accessory you ever fitted. Most important, make sure that they are compatible with any other accessories you may fit, bash plate for instance. 

[NeilM]

I have HEED bars on my VStrom 650 that came with the bike, and I like them for style, fit and robustness.

I confess I have 'drop tested' them a few times now, always at a standstill and also always with LOMO crash bar bags attached. They have done their job perfectly.

As I liked them on my 650, I ordered a set shortly after I acquired my 1200GS and I don't remember any import duties. Also, looking at the invoices, there's nothing shown. I think maybe they came in below the level at which the EU / HMRC can be bothered to get into all the peperwork required. Anyway, they were pretty straightforward to fit.

On GIVI. I have not used their crash bars, but recently fitted a set of Monokey pannier racks to the Beemer, as the Vario panniers are complete PANTS.

The install was ...er, traumatic to say the least, with emails and phone calls swapped between the supplier (who was brilliant) and myself. I the end I bought some longer M6 fixing screws and turned up a couple of spacers to finally get a reasonable fit.

I was told that this was not uncommon, so would be a little wary of Givi bars of any sort in the future.... although I love the panniers and tank bag I have.

[Upt North]

There were no fit issues with the Givi on the 17> 650, although I think the same bars fit earlier models too. The only issues were the poor central fittings supplied and the probable lack of testing on the bike. The Givi rack and top box were also an easy fix with everything supplied. Although the advice on the rubber dampers was incorrect.
Upt.

[Rixington43]

My Vee came with Heed bars from the factory and I've not suffered any ill effects other than the paint finish beginning to flake a bit at the welds, not bad after 18 years and easily resolved with a dab of Hammerite, although I might eventually get them powder coated.
I like that they don't involve messing with the main engine mounts which have thrust adjusters etc to potentially cause issues afterwards. Mine have been off and on a few times for valve checks and other jobs as they make panel removal all but impossible.
Might be worth a message to them to see if they expect import charges or VAT to be added on arrival. Mine have been drop tested on concrete and off road, both times they needed, at most, a tweak back to straight. I'd rather they bent very slightly than transferred every single Newton to the frame mounts. Aux light mounting is easy as well if you so wish and they do matching bar bags which I don't have (yet).
SW Motech stuff is all insanely good quality and they do have a UK arm so no charges, but you do pay for it.

[Mark65]

Hi yes I read it would add vat and others, close to £200 Motech were £188, Givi I've got for £114, I don't ride off road so just precautionary.
Thanks

[B-Strom]

I've got the Givi with a couple of extra protectors on. I'll post a piccie if I can find one which shows them. They can and do cause vibration issues but it's easily fixed by modifying the central connector. My pictures and fix are on here somewhere. Don't fit them without the mod or you'll probably end up doing the job twice.
Be careful on the torque settings etc.
Upt.

I just fitted my Givi bars yesterday and found I have some resonant vibration issues at around 5100 rpm (vibration increases from 4000 until I can hear it quite loudly at 5200 rpm).
Upt, what did you do to yours exactly? Rubber washers on either side of the connector or something else?

[Mark65]

I've got the Givi with a couple of extra protectors on. I'll post a piccie if I can find one which shows them. They can and do cause vibration issues but it's easily fixed by modifying the central connector. My pictures and fix are on here somewhere. Don't fit them without the mod or you'll probably end up doing the job twice.
Be careful on the torque settings etc.
Upt.

Which torque settings please, I've not seen any for the 4 frame mounts?
Thanks

[Mojo-Jojo]

Hi Mark65,
Does this help?

[Mark65]

Thanks, I missed that

[Mark65]

I just fitted my Givi bars yesterday and found I have some resonant vibration issues at around 5100 rpm (vibration increases from 4000 until I can hear it quite loudly at 5200 rpm).
Upt, what did you do to yours exactly? Rubber washers on either side of the connector or something else?

It looks like a rubber tap washer and tape around the joint piece, not sure what the little one is,
Upt will hopefully clear it up.

[nigel s]

Might help  Gerts post has a good drawing..when I fitted mine I kept everything loose , fitted it together then tightened all down maybe try that 

https://www.stromtrooper.com/threads/vibration-on-givi-bars-2018-vstrom-650-due-to-loose-o-ring.444853/?post_id=5724585&nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#post-5724585

[Upt North]

Just checked back in....
The rubber washers supplied by Givi were replaced by Mira shower head washers. They're tough little buggers and are on either side of the connector tube. The large rubber washer is a tap washer, probably 19mm, this is used to prevent the bars being pulled too close together and the nyloc is only tightened so things just touch. The blue insulation tape is just that and the rubber around the connecting bolt is shrink wrap.
Hope that helps.
Upt.

[Upt North]

Looks like I added a large metal washer too to prevent the rubber washer being crushed.

[B-Strom]

Thanks for the responses all - I'll take it apart, put it all on loosely then tighten up a bit at a time, including the 3 rubber washers Upt suggests.

I've done some wider reading and there seems to be a belief across some other forums that improperly torqued engine mounts (thrust adjuster specifically) can lead to excess engine vibration in the frame, and thus the bars. Has anyone else had any experience like that?

I'll report back with progress in a fortnight or so as I'm going away.

Cheers all.