F800GS crash bars

[Dviking99]

I've searched the forum and the last discussion on crash bars I found was from 2011. I'm picking up a 2013 F800 in March and would like to get any feedback I can on the variety of crash bars current F800 riders have. Pros/cons would be great. I'm leaning in in one direction but I don't want to influence any feedback by sharing. Thanks in advance for any opinions shared!

[Millard99]

I just picked-up my 2013 F800 GS with a BMW stainless steel skid plate and lower crash bar. I have a Touratech stainless steel upper crash bar on back order and it should be installed in a couple of weeks. I looked at the Hepco-Becker black-colored crash bars and they also looked good, but I decided on the SS look instead.

[Dviking99]

What color bike did you get? I'm gravitating towards Altrider crash bars and skid plate in black to go with the
Kalamata color. I've read good feedback in the forum on the crash bars but nothing on the altrider skid plate.

[johnbyrdgates]

Black Dog skidplate, Happy-Trail bars. Tough, made in Idaho, fits 2013 model.

[Bechmanns]

I looked at Wunderlich, Touratech, SW Motec, BMW, but ended up withe AdventureSpec. My bike is black and white, so i wanted black skidplate and crashbars, and AdventureSpec had both, in a really nice design, looks really strong and has great finish. The skidplate does not protect the cat, but that is the only flaw i have found for now, and i dont think it's going to be a problem for me.. The price was reasonable, a little cheaper than Touratech. Easy to mount, great instructions. Pretty fast shipping, and nice packaging, no scratches or marks on the parts.









Also bought the RearRack, works fine...






Take a look at http://www.adventure-spec.com , I am 100% satisfied

[BUDGIE]

I've got a 2009 F650 and put on the SW MOTECH crash bars and love them because they are very inconspicuous.
The happy trails bars seem so large on John's bike.

[Shooby]

Viking,
In case your still looking: I installed the Altrider Crash bars and skidplate last week. The black matches the black frame on my Kalamata very well. Still waiting for the Rad. guard as it's not yet in full production for the '13. FWIW - I've noticed while in an agressive seated riding position, my shins occasionally bump up against the crash bar connection point at the upper mount elbow. Not really an issue so far, but haven't done much off road yet.

[Millard99]

Sorry for the delay in getting these 4 photos to you. Touratech backordered my upper crash bars for 6 weeks and they were finally installed last week. Since I have the Kalamata color also, I hope they are helpful in your decision making process.

[Shooby]

Nice coverage, I like the upper mount. Could of used that last week when my bike decided to nap on a downhill service road. The Altrider guards served the purpose but are bent. I need to do some gentle "coaxing" with a breaker bar in order to get them re-centered. Did I mention they were new 2 weeks ago? DOH!

[Dviking99]

So I just picked up my 800 (Kalamata) last week and the list of accessories I want/need keeps growing on a daily basis. Regarding the crash bars; after looking at the pics everyone shared, reading about legs banging into some bars (on more than one thread), and wanting to keep the stylish look of the bike i'm most likely going to look at smaller less conspicuous bars like SW MOTECH. I need to see if they will work with the Altrider skid plate.

No wrong answer, just personal preference!

I don't know about the rest of you but my backside prefers a different seat! My first purchase will be some form of comfort seat. I've been studying the forums and have seen lots of good input but always open to more.

This bike is absolutely amazing! Not too many where I am at and it really gets the looks.

[desertraider]

I looked at Wunderlich, Touratech, SW Motec, BMW, but ended up withe AdventureSpec. My bike is black and white, so i wanted black skidplate and crashbars, and AdventureSpec had both, in a really nice design, looks really strong and has great finish. The skidplate does not protect the cat, but that is the only flaw i have found for now, and i dont think it's going to be a problem for me.. The price was reasonable, a little cheaper than Touratech. Easy to mount, great instructions. Pretty fast shipping, and nice packaging, no scratches or marks on the parts.









Also bought the RearRack, works fine...






Take a look at http://www.adventure-spec.com , I am 100% satisfied

I put all the adventure spec crash bars, sump guard and rear rack , I am also 100% satisfied

[tn/mtn/ox]

I started with the SWMotech, I didn't think it give enough upper protection, especially around the every so costly radiator and side panels. I wound up with the Metal Mule, I feel much better about the protection the could provide. I have not had to test the full ability of the the bars, but they are quite sturdy. IMHO.

[nlecc]

I can't say enough about the Black Dog bash plate. Watch some YT videos on riders impressions.

[JMaav]

For starters, which F800 are you riding?
I have an F800R and found some nice - small - light - Givi crash bars I am using.

[Jessierat]

Hi Everybody!

I just bought an F700 GS and I am shopping for crash bars. My big questions are: What bars were you using when you fell over? Was any part of your bike damaged? Can you post pictures?

I am trying to decide between the SW-Motech bars and the Wild@Heart bars. I've only heard good things about SW-Motech, but Wild@Heart seems to protect more, like the radiator and the upper plastics. Has anyone used the Motech bars and had damage to their radiator or upper plastics?

Thank you!

~Jessie

[Dviking99]

Paul, now that you have had your crash bars for awhile, do you have an issue with your shins hitting them?

[Shooby]

Hey Dv,
I've done a fair share of gravel/dirt road riding on weekends, bouncing around on some rutty stuff but no serious knee/shin impacts as I was expecting so all's well so far.
Now I just need to take that OBDR/UBDR/COBDR trek to be sure..

[Irondogj]

I recently had the SW-Motech crash bars on a 13 F700GS that I crashed and it held up very well and protected the bike. Only had a minor scratch where a rock got through. I now have a 13 F80GS and I'm not sure the SW-Motech bars will do as well IF I crash it too. Hope not but... I am stuck trying to decide between the Motech or AdventureSpec bars. The AdventureSpec bars look like they provide great protection but also look like they would bend if I repeated my crash. The SW-Motech bars bolt to the front of the engine and give extra support to the side bars when the bike goes down. Any thoughts from the experts???

[wakedaze]

Dviking99-
I just ordered a 2014 F800GS kalamata and have been going through many of the same choices of farkles as you. A couple of questions: How did the SW Motech bars and AltRider plate fitment work out? Do you have any pictures? Thanks!
Wakedaze/John
(tried this as a PM, but not sure it was sent)

[moto74]

Installed the new design '13 Givi bars today - good radiator and upper bodywork protection.

[FLrider]

Moto74 , is that bar running across your radiator part of the engine guard ?

[moto74]

Yes, it has upper and lower lateral bracing - I was a bit worried about that too initially... but it's not as close as it looks in the pic, and it's built in such a way that you'd have to get something coming from the front in between the forks to push it back towards the rad grille. I'm hoping not to do that

[kirkf800gs]

anyone have the "wild at heart" bars on F800depot? Looks like enough coverage for upper and lower along with a skidplate. All i'm worried about is dropping it low speed offroad.

[David6801]

Thats my with Touratech Bars. Love them. I think is a great design, because it will not get caught on dirk or branches if you are falling, since there is no open hook area around, as most other bars.
Cheers

[michelsmith]

I have bought this one and I'm completely satisfied: http://www.motorcycleparts-hornig.co...ashbars-1.html

[davss]

@David6801: Do they make Touratech in black colour or you painted yourself? My concern is that the first thing that would go would be auxiliary light when on the ground, wouldn't it?

[davss]

Sorry for the delay in getting these 4 photos to you. Touratech backordered my upper crash bars for 6 weeks and they were finally installed last week. Since I have the Kalamata color also, I hope they are helpful in your decision making process.

Do you think the top body part could slide to a side where the screws are connected to bottom engine guard bars if the machine hits the ground with force? or is there any mechanism preventing it?

[David6801]

I have dropped my bike a couple of times and fog lights are fine. They are not close to touch the ground since the bars are wider by the "tank".... I though about painting, but since I don't have the skills. .I paid $130 to have bottom,top &mounts powder coated. Very happy with results..easy to touch up when I dropped it.

[Mars13]

I put the Wunderlich bars on my f800 ST. They look nice, give good protection (yes I dropped my bike at a stop sign...no damage!!) They were pretty easy to put on and fit the lines of the bike. They were around 150 Euros. With the change to GT you would need to contact them to see if they still carry items for the STs.

Rob

[Yeravener]

anyone have the "wild at heart" bars on F800depot? Looks like enough coverage for upper and lower along with a skidplate. All i'm worried about is dropping it low speed offroad.

I just purchased the Wild at Heart bars for my 2014 F800GS. They arrived with some scratches and even a bit of rust. I tried to put them on the bike and found out that the right lower engine tab is not welded vertically and is about 8 mm farther from the engine than expected per the bolt length. Additionally, the right bar touches the right plastic (without the lower right mount even bolted). I can't just use an additional spacer and tighten the right mount, because the bolt will force the non-vertical tab to go vertical and exert a boatload of rotational force on the bars AND on the engine block. That doesn't seem like a good idea. Further, using a spacer to take up the additional space on the lower mount isn't necessarily going to pull the right bar off the plastic it sits against. See the pictures. I emailed F800Depot with the attached pics to request a new right bar and am awaiting a response. Will post back when I have a response from them.

I absolutely love the design, look, and coverage provided by these bars.....I just hope that F800Depot works with me to provide a new bar so that I have proper spacing from the plastic and a mount that is welded correctly (i.e. vertically).

Cheers, James

[tsingi]

What color bike did you get? I'm gravitating towards Altrider crash bars and skid plate in black to go with the
Kalamata color. I've read good feedback in the forum on the crash bars but nothing on the altrider skid plate.

I have an Altrider skid plate on my F800GSA, perfectly happy with it. fits snugly, covers the filters and will be easy to remove for changing filters etc...

I was under the bike today fitting a socket to it, assembling a tool kit; Impressed by the number of dings and scratches on it after a month. Love it!

[davss]

I have an Altrider skid plate on my F800GSA, perfectly happy with it. fits snugly, covers the filters and will be easy to remove for changing filters etc...

I was under the bike today fitting a socket to it, assembling a tool kit; Impressed by the number of dings and scratches on it after a month. Love it!

I got the Adventure-Spec bars and skid plate. We did some hardcore trips to the Balkans and Ukraine. The plate has become slightly loose from rock hits but it protected engine really well + no signs or rust. The bars even though they are very good quality (I'm 170cm/5.6" and am ok, taller riders above 185cm are more likely to touch them with knees) shift sides a bit too much IMHO. I hit the ground a couple of times at higher speeds and managed to break plastics. Not sure how other products would behave at such impacts / speeds TBH so hard to say. More less what we got up in few pictures (beginning/first scratches->trip finish):









David
Adventura

[HEDLEY LE MARR]

Hi Guys and Gals,
just bought a set of BMW Factory crash bars for 2015 F800 GS. Stainless , a few problems fitting them. Fitted the right hand side first, finger tight, then the left. Things did not quite line up. e.g.. the brace to the engine ,right hand side, touched the starter motor housing before it pulled tight against the front of the engine. I marked the infringing area with texta pen and ground a little bit out for clearance.Also made a 3/16" alloy washer to pack it out. When the final tightening came , the two stainless Torx screws to join the left and right tubes together did not allign properly and one of the pressed in nuts came adrift. What a shit of an idea!! The flat section looks like my missus designed it. If they only flogged the holes a little , perhaps the cheese quality stainless screws may have lined up ?? Doubt it though , I have to take the bastards off again and conjure up some Hed magic to pretty up the pig!! Maybe sleeve a bit of stainless tube across the centre and a couple of decent quality grub screws to tie it together. Also matched my key up to the new Vario's, also had a few stubbies while doing the above. Anyone else had problems with fitting these genuine bars?? If so let me know how you fixed it.
Sorry about the big whinge but I will grin and bear it.
Regards,
Hedley

[HEDLEY LE MARR]

Sorry guys me again, going to make up my own bash plate. When done ,will post photos.
Hedley

[HEDLEY LE MARR]

Sorry guys me again, going to make up my own bash plate. When done ,will post photos.
Hedley

Gals /Guys,
may have been a little harsh on BMW's quality control. I did think the crash bars would come completely together but , they didn't. Just a small gap which would have taken the mis -allignment problem away but would still look shitty!! After I removed the crash bars , I drilled out the captive nuts and replaced them with a solid "D" shaped alloy extrusion with two M6 tapped holes in the correct positions. used Allen bolts to tighten the bars up. A 30 minute job turned into a two day odyssey!!
When all else fails read and re-read the destructions.
Regards,
Hedley Le Marr

[tsingi]

What color bike did you get? I'm gravitating towards Altrider crash bars and skid plate in black to go with the
Kalamata color. I've read good feedback in the forum on the crash bars but nothing on the altrider skid plate.

Sorry. Got a white one. No, it's not an official color. The bike with the options I wanted appeared on the show floor in white, so I bought it!

Wonder how that happened? Think they had my number?

[albesADV]

Here is a set of Heeds crash bars from poland. I like them
This is what I've done to my bike.......so far https://youtu.be/SwvkjqfJw_M