V-strom DL650 crash bars/skid plate

[TexasShadow]

I'd like some feedback here on Givi crash bars vs. SW Motech for the DL650.

My Whee currently has the SW Motech and, in my experience, offers little protection for the fairings. I realize nothing will completely protect them in a fall, BUT....
.....from looking at the Givi crash bars on the DL1000, they seem to offer better protection for the fairings: they protrude further up and away from the bike's body.

I'm considering changing out to the Givi's and selling the SWM on ebay before I install a skid plate (from Adventure Motostuff). But I'd like feedback from riders that have the Givi on their DL650's before I do so. If they don't offer any more protection than the SWM, then I'll stay with them and get the skid plate for that set of crash bars.

TIA,
TS

[kurt]

The extra fairing protection of the Givi's is obvious. I had them on my DL1000 and swapped them for Pat Walsh's setup. I ended up wishing I hadn't and just added a skid plate. It may be different for the Wee, but I doubt it.

[DFW_Warrior]

Just from looking at them I'd say that the Givi's, Hepco, Touratech's, and the Fehling's all offer better body protection than the Motec's. But in a hard enough fall any of those will bend in somewhat and may make contact with the body panels.

My personal pick is for the Givi's (since that's what I own), and not to mention that the A-moto skid plate mounted up flawlessly to them helped out a bunch as well.

I'm sure that you could talk to the people at A-Motostuff and they could sell you the adapters for both the Givi's and the Motec bars in case you wanted to change them out at a later date. The plates are the same, it's just the little clamps at the front which are different.

[TexasShadow]

The extra fairing protection of the Givi's is obvious. I had them on my DL1000 and swapped them for Pat Walsh's setup. I ended up wishing I hadn't and just added a skid plate. It may be different for the Wee, but I doubt it. I agree the extra coverage by the Givi's is obvious; I noticed that a few months ago with Squeaky's. But I haven't seen any of them on a Wee yet. Hence the query.

I'm sure that you could talk to the people at A-Motostuff and they could sell you the adapters for both the Givi's and the Motec bars in case you wanted to change them out at a later date. The plates are the same, it's just the little clamps at the front which are different. Hmm... that's all that is different?
I was considering asking them if they would give me a discount if I ordered the Givi crashbars and their skid plate together :)

For what it's worth, the SWM crash bars haven't bent in a bit in any of the, um, falls the bike has taken. They're solid as a 'rock'. The coverage could be a bit higher, though.

Add a pair of highway pegs and I'll be all set :mrgreen:

[Squeaky]

It was on dirt, but not a scratch. These are the Givis.

http://delusionalone.smugmug.com/photos/62152494-M.jpg

[DFW_Warrior]

Hmm... that's all that is different?
I was considering asking them if they would give me a discount if I ordered the Givi crashbars and their skid plate together :)

Yep, all that is different are the front little clamps that hold them to the crash bars. And good luck with the discount, I bought both from them and they didn't give me squat. I was even hoping for free shipping but that didn't happen either.

I think the reason that the SW Motec bars haven't bent is because they don't actually take much, if any, of the fall. They are sunk into the bike so much that the fairing will take almost all of an impact before the bars even touch down.

[TexasShadow]

It was on dirt, but not a scratch. These are the Givis.

http://delusionalone.smugmug.com/photos/62152494-M.jpg
:clap:
Great shot! ;)

[TexasShadow]

I think the reason that the SW Motec bars haven't bent is because they don't actually take much, if any, of the fall. They are sunk into the bike so much that the fairing will take almost all of an impact before the bars even touch down. Good point. You may be right on that.
I'll see if I can squeeze something out of A-Moto. Like maybe buying the givi's from a competitor :trust:

[Calgary-Yogi]

I have both on the wee and would not swap them out period. The Givi also gives you a real nice place for highway pegs also. Can send pictures if you want.

[TexasShadow]

I have both on the wee and would not swap them out period. The Givi also gives you a real nice place for highway pegs also. Can send pictures if you want. Yes, I'd like! I'll pm you with email addy.
Thanks!

[prhaussies]

:rider: Since it sounds like the Givi's are the way to go I think I will order some for my wee. A zero mph side stand error scratched my fairing:doh: and a chunk of cement dented my exhaust, I had better do it before it's too late. Keep us posted if there are mounting problems. rh

[TexasShadow]

:rider: Since it sounds like the Givi's are the way to go I think I will order some for my wee. A zero mph side stand error scratched my fairing:doh: and a chunk of cement dented my exhaust, I had better do it before it's too late. Keep us posted if there are mounting problems. rhDFW_Warrior put both his Givi and A-Moto crashguard/skid plate on in a flash. He said they went on easily.

My priority right now is a skid plate; if I can get the funds together to exchange out the SW Motech guards and get the Givi guards, I'll do both. But gotta have the skid plate on by March.

[DFW_Warrior]

:rider: Since it sounds like the Givi's are the way to go I think I will order some for my wee. A zero mph side stand error scratched my fairing:doh: and a chunk of cement dented my exhaust, I had better do it before it's too late. Keep us posted if there are mounting problems. rh

And once I get my panniers mounted those mounting brackets will work out as rear crash bars as well.;-)

Don't worry, the Givi's go on without a hitch. I think it took maybe 15 minutes.

[Calgary-Yogi]

TexasShadow,

Here are some pics of the Givi engine guards and SW skid plate you asked for. 1+ on the side GIVI rack as another guard.
Did not realize how clean the bike looked until I looked at these pictures, guess I will need to dirty it up this weekend.

Later

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1191.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1190.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1189.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1188.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1187.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1186.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1185.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/Calgary-Yogi/IMG_1184.jpg

[Calgary-Yogi]

The SW plate requires you to take off the side stand. Getting the side stand blot loose is a 20 minute fight and scraped knuckles are a certainity. After that it is easy if you have a centerstand.

[DFW_Warrior]

The SW plate requires you to take off the side stand. Getting the side stand blot loose is a 20 minute fight and scraped knuckles are a certainity. After that it is easy if you have a centerstand.

Actually the A-moto plate works the same way. But with a wrench and a dead blow mallet the bolts come free kinda easy. The key word being "kinda".;-)

[Calgary-Yogi]

A couple of hundred pounds of Scotsman jumping on the wrench eventually worked for me

[Squeaky]

Wait, so if I put on the bash plate I will only have a centerstand and no sidestand? Uh oh...

+1 on getting the bikes dirty this weekend! I'll bring you the bracket to see if it's what you need, then we'll see about penny-tech-ing something to hold mine on.

A couple of hundred pounds of Scotsman jumping on the wrench eventually worked for me
Poor wrench!

[Calgary-Yogi]

You have to take the side stand off as the mounting bracket goes between the bike and the side stand. then obviously you put the side stand back on (This is way easier than taking it off) The SW kit actually comes with longer bolts to fit both the side stand and mounting bracket.

Let me check on the mounting bracket, for some reason I think that it should the 1K it is the front that is will be your problem

Why don't you throw a ride thread up for this weekend. Nobody in there right mind should be willing to follow a guy from Calgary on a ride in Texas.

[Squeaky]

Well, the first thing I did was look at the weather reports - Sunday has a high of 45F and 30% chance of showers. I was hoping that might change as we get farther into the week.

I should know something by Thursday. Do we want DS or street?

[Chirpy]

http://delusionalone.smugmug.com/photos/62152494-M.jpg

Subtitles?

"Park it like a Starboy!"

"Yeah, I meant to do that"

[Calgary-Yogi]

Doesn't matter DS, street or both is fine by me

[Squeaky]

"Yeah, I meant to do that"

Actually, the bike was just sitting there on the sidestand. I went and put the key into the left Givi case to get something, and as soon as I pushed down to unlock it, BAM! Seems I conveniently parked the bike in such a way that there was a sinkhole just waiting for me. :doh:

It was a lot more hilarious when it went over in the hotel parking lot in the Hill Country. I stood over my bike laughing, and RocketBunny freaked out when she turned back and saw me. When we got the bike back up, she looked at the side that hit the ground and said "that's it?" :mrgreen:

[Calgary-Yogi]

Squeaky,

FYI - I have to fly out to OKC on Sunday night so if we ride I need to be back in downtown Houston by 4PM

[Squeaky]

Sunday is still looking like a 30% chance of rain, low of 40 in the morning and moving up towards 53 in the afternoon.

If it's not a frog-drowning downpour, I'll ride. The DS stuff is out of the question with all this rain - I'm not fond of mud puddles. They are soft to land in, but REALLY messy!

When I get home later and can work on a route I'll post up a new thread with details.