Stronger crash bars

[RandyM]

So, after a right side tip-over resulted in a bent crash bar: Are there stronger ones available?

[BratmanXj]

Not stronger, but there is an easy way to strengthen the bars as they are. I drilled and tapped the middle of the foot board bracket and extended a small metal arm to an extra bar clamp on the crash bar, giving it some triangulation support. I'm a big guy and I use to feel the highway pegs flex when riding, ever since they've been rock solid. I had a very soft tip over one time in the garage and the bars took the weight of the bike with no ill effects. I thought I had a photo, but I can post one later. I believe someone in the vendor forums still sells the kits for the brace.

[Freebird]

Larry Skeels, @Carbon_One here, used to make and sell some but I don't think he is any longer. I tagged him in this reply so maybe he'll see it. In the meantime, here is a thread that he posted with pictures.

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?8054-Crash-bar-supports

[cowpuc]

Something I noticed years ago and in the spirit of playing a little devil's advocate here (flaw in my charactor)... Having crash bars that wad up fairly easily might not always a bad thing.. Years ago a buddy and I took his Suzuki Titan (500cc twin 2 stroke = anybody else remember those) over a fairly decent jump while riding 2 up - dumb kids we were.. We landed it just fine only slightly tipped to the left side. The crash bar dug into the dirt and we ended up going back to his dad's garage to, again, straighten out the bar.. All went fine until we noticed that the frame had been severely "tweeked" where the crash bar we had mounted on it was attached to the frame. We had modded the bar after a previous crash had bent it in an effort to stiffen it up a bit.. Looking back, and knowing how much of a pain it is to swap out frames on these modern scoots,, I am not so sure that I would not rather have a bendable/flexible crash bar that would take the punishment of a lay over... I know I have had to straighten out the crash bars on my MK1's several times thru the years = even had a couple but the tradition "slice" into the water pump tube before restraightening. I still wonder if that isnt better than a tweeked frame caused by a stiffened crash bar... Something to about in this sub freezing weather if nothing else..

[vzuden]

@cowpuc one of the benefits of strengthening the 2nd gen front crash bars is the removal of flex in them when attaching highway pegs. Without bracing, the crash bars flex and crack the mounts for the lower fairings. Carbonone’s braces or similar beef them up.

[RandyM]

Something I noticed years ago and in the spirit of playing a little devil's advocate here (flaw in my charactor)... Having crash bars that wad up fairly easily might not always a bad thing.. Years ago a buddy and I took his Suzuki Titan (500cc twin 2 stroke = anybody else remember those) over a fairly decent jump while riding 2 up - dumb kids we were.. We landed it just fine only slightly tipped to the left side. The crash bar dug into the dirt and we ended up going back to his dad's garage to, again, straighten out the bar.. All went fine until we noticed that the frame had been severely "tweeked" where the crash bar we had mounted on it was attached to the frame. We had modded the bar after a previous crash had bent it in an effort to stiffen it up a bit.. Looking back, and knowing how much of a pain it is to swap out frames on these modern scoots,, I am not so sure that I would not rather have a bendable/flexible crash bar that would take the punishment of a lay over... I know I have had to straighten out the crash bars on my MK1's several times thru the years = even had a couple but the tradition "slice" into the water pump tube before restraightening. I still wonder if that isnt better than a tweeked frame caused by a stiffened crash bar... Something to about in this sub freezing weather if nothing else..

 

I agree. But I would like to have it hold up to a simple tip over or walking speed fall.

[cami]

So, after a right side tip-over resulted in a bent crash bar: Are there stronger ones available?

 

You can buy stainless steel 1" Bimini rail clamps on EBay for less than 10.00 USD for two. Clamps are hinged to fit around crash bar and are very strong. Will also accept flat bar stock for brace going to floorboard.