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Another Crash Bar Thread

14044 Views 60 Replies 24 Participants Last post by  akitatwin, 
T-Rex
Hi guys, just got a 22 ATAS ES DCT and working on outfitting it. Right now I'm on crash bars. I know there are alot of threads on bars and I think I have read most of them plus what's on Facebook, etc. It seems the 'perfect' (style, protection, install/fit, etc) does not exist :-( I was kind of torn between Heed and Givi but it seems now I'm at a stalemate again. Here is a summary of everything I've come across, then I'll discuss where I'm at...

Heed
Pros
  • Best looking. Subjective but I think they have the cleanest lines to leave bike looking best
  • Price/Shipping is good
  • Protection seems mostly very good
  • Install - don't have to drop exhaust but also see cons below
Cons
  • Durability of black. Killswitch on another thread indicated black scratched very easily. It sounds like a think coat of paint and not powder coated (can others confirm)?
  • Install - While exhaust doesn't need to be dropped it sounds like a tough install still plus it sounds like several ENGINE connections rather than FRAME
  • Appears to be a vibration issue on many of them - possibly due to engine connections
  • Right side bar is close to brake pedal, possibly necessitating pedal extension

Givi
Pros
  • Price/Shipping is pretty good, 2nd to Heed
  • Protection seems mostly very good
  • Install - don't have to drop exhaust
  • Seems to use frame mounts, not engine
Cons
  • I think my biggest issue is looks. There is just ALOT of metal and cross pieces and really takes away from looks of bike
  • I've read the steel is not as good quality as others but seems like its same 2mm thickness as most others
  • Horrible install instructions, just Ikea like pictures and no good videos found
Alt Rider
Pros
  • Made and sold in USA
  • Supposedly solid performance but I've seen mixed results in practice
Cons
  • Price - more expensive than others but not by much unless adding skid plate
  • Install difficulty - most drop exhaust but appears to be frame mounted, not engine
SW Motech
Not considered if for no other reason than the bolt by riders ankle - very poor

Outback Motortek
Pros
  • Made and sold in USA
  • Supposedly excellent protection and only one actually crash (really drop) tested
Cons
  • Most expensive
  • Install difficulty - most drop exhaust but appears to be frame mounted, not engine
  • Ugly like the Givi - there is just alot of bar and other metal taking away from aesthetics

Ok, so I hope that is a pretty accurate summary. For me, I will probably be doing 80/20 paved with some non demanding off road like dirt/gravel etc. I won't be doing any sophisticated trails etc. So I'm most concerned about protection from simple drops and low/medium speed falls. A high speed or serious crash and the bars are least of my concern. I think ANY of the bars would meet my protection criteria.

The next things are ease of install / maintenance and looks. I'd rather not drop the exhaust and take half the bike apart but I do prefer frame attachment points instead of engine. As for looks, I know these are crash bars and many would argue it doesn't matter as long as it protects well but hey, these are great looking bikes that we spent alot of $ on so I don't really want to cover it all up with a bunch of steel bar. I think the Heed wins this one hands down. And last is maintenance - I would really rather not have to remove and re-install the bars each time I want to do maintenance on bike, remove tupperware, etc.

So - thoughts on above?
Heed - is the paint on them really that bad - they are not powder coated??? Is there really vibration die to engine mounting?

Givi - do they really look as bad as thought? Does anyone have good pictures of them in black on your bike?

Thanks for following along and providing your thoughts (of course based on your actual experience)!
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T-Rex
killswitch said:
I have emailed Heed asking about their coating method as I'll need to know for sure when it comes to applying more paint. I'm 90% certain it's painted but then it could be a poor powder coat application. Who knows, I'm not an expert.
Click to expand...
I emailed Heed also yesterday but did not get a reply.

Cuchulainn said:
Heed claims on their website "everything is powder painted in black (most of the range)
Assuming "most of the range) includes their crash bars, maybe a poor process that they use?
Click to expand...
Cool, I did not see that but it sounds like from others it's just paint - could be a very thin/cheap powdercoat.
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T-Rex
I'm 99% between Givi and Heed... Let me ask one more thing please to those of you in that camp...

I plan to eat alot of highway in order to get anywhere off-road at all so therefore I will be installing highway pegs. My legs are pretty long ~32".

In my somewhat final analysis:

On the Givi, the lower crash bars look like they go more forward and lower by the factory skid plate which I believe will give me better options for hwy peg placement.
Also looking at Givi again, one of my cons was more metal/bars detracting from the looks/lines. Looking more in fact it looks like while there is more bar. it follows the lines of the bike better, like where they curve around the plate where Honda logo is vs the Heed cuts across that and the logo.

Anyone with experience with hwy pegs on the bars?

Anyone with the Givis (most of comments I saw came from Facebook)

Right now I think Givi is just slightly in lead, plus I can source them in USA.

Thanks ...
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mega33
I was thiking to purchage the highway pegs one day... And yes i will put them in the lower bars...
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11x
Just buy a set and enjoy. No need to overthink it. The sooner you order the sooner they will be here. Have fun. Good luck
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T
I'm sure either will server you well. I bought the Heed and even paying the high dollar UPS shipping they were under $400. Ordered on Saturday night received them the following Thursday.
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bobbenn27
DoubleThumper said:
I like my stainless steel AltRider lowers.
Click to expand...
Same here ^^. They look great in matching red [to my bike] and they have protected my AT from several "offs" while off the road. Yes they are heavy -big factor- but they look like they are part of the stock bike and many of the full "cages" are even heavier.
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mega33
Just came for the anual revision... They didn"t put new air filters... I suppose in the second revision, with the AT only 2500k the air filters are still in good condition. The lower bars from Givi don"t interfere on putting a new DCT filter and don"t have to come off...
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Dado
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T-Rex said:
Hi guys, just got a 22 ATAS ES DCT and working on outfitting it. Right now I'm on crash bars.
Click to expand...
That's funny T-Rex, I am in the same boat, except I'll be getting the same 22 ATAS ES DCT tomorrow, if everything goes well (excited :))... have the same questions and dilemmas RE guards etc. You did some good and useful research already (thx).

Not sure if black bars would look good on the tricolor bike 🤔, would like to see some pictures?

Wondering if gold would work better, to match the rims :) ... for that extra "bling factor"

I like the white bars as well "Are these Outback Motortech ?:
Wheel Tire Fuel tank Automotive lighting Vehicle

Wheel Tire Fuel tank Automotive lighting Automotive tire
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Cuchulainn
Dado said:
That's funny T-Rex, I am in the same boat, except I'll be getting the same 22 ATAS ES DCT tomorrow, if everything goes well (excited :))... have the same questions and dilemmas RE guards etc. You did some good and useful research already (thx).

Not sure if black bars would look good on the tricolor bike , would like to see some pictures?

Wondering if gold would work better, to match the rims :) ... for that extra "bling factor"

I like the white bars as well "Are these Outback Motortech ?:
View attachment 73854
View attachment 73853
Click to expand...
Those white bars are definitely Outback Motorteck. You can see the OM logo on the brand plates. Let alone the big OM decal :)

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk
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T-Rex
Dado said:
That's funny T-Rex, I am in the same boat, except I'll be getting the same 22 ATAS ES DCT tomorrow, if everything goes well (excited :))... have the same questions and dilemmas RE guards etc. You did some good and useful research already (thx).

Not sure if black bars would look good on the tricolor bike 🤔, would like to see some pictures?

Wondering if gold would work better, to match the rims :) ... for that extra "bling factor"

I like the white bars as well "Are these Outback Motortech ?:
Click to expand...
Color is a personal preference. I happen to like black the best. Here is a picture with Givis in black with black side cases and a black seat (which is going to be my color scheme). On the 22 the boomerang shaped plate with the Honda logo is also black so it will blend even more.
Tire Wheel Fuel tank Motorcycle Vehicle
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Cuchulainn
T-Rex said:
Color is a personal preference. I happen to like black the best. Here is a picture with Givis in black with black side cases and a black seat (which is going to be my color scheme). On the 22 the boomerang shaped plate with the Honda logo is also black so it will blend even more.
View attachment 73856
Click to expand...
I like black as well. The only downside to black though is that the metal below is silver so scratches tend to show much more than on white or silver. On the flip side, black is easier to color match.

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GR8ESC
AIC_Rooster said:
I believe Outback Motortek is Dutch and my set came from Australia! They are great bars. You only have to loosen the exhaust if you do it wrong (which I did initially). Install was not difficult once I figured that out. No arguing with the price. But they are super solid.
Click to expand...
From Outback Motortrek:

"Our products are designed in Canada and manufactured in the European Union (Hungary/*Czech Republic) to utilize a unique opportunity between father and son separated by the Atlantic Ocean. It doesn’t stop us to combine our ideas, experiences and put them into reality with nearly 40 years experience in metal manufacturing in a well-established fabrication facility.

*Recently we expanded our production in the Czech Republic and we’re looking into the possibility of producing parts in Canada as well."

I do remember seeing something a couple years ago about Australia though.
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Bcmyers
I know these weren’t mentioned but here’s what the touratech look like in case you were wondering
Tire Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle Car
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Cuchulainn
Bcmyers said:
I know these weren’t mentioned but here’s what the touratech look like in case you were wondering View attachment 73971
Click to expand...
I had the Touratech bars on my original 2016 AT DCT, they help up better than I expected to a few off-road drops.
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Trent
Outback's are made in Hungary. Heed in Poland, I'm almost certain. I have Touratech (Germany) uppers on my '22 standard, didn't get the lowers cuz of money and extra weight, and in 20,000 miles I've only crashed once, in sand! I did get the Outback symmetrical rear pannier rack cuz they allow you to attach a Rotopax bracket and carry an extra gallon of gas.
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Bcmyers
I crashed about 2 weeks ago in sand on the bdr X loop on the Wyoming bdr.
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Trent
Bcmyers said:
I crashed about 2 weeks ago in sand on the bdr X loop on the Wyoming bdr.
Click to expand...
I was gonna do Colorado and Wyoming early August but didn't quite make it for a few reasons. Next year likely though and plan on doing the x loop WY. At least crashing in sand is a soft landing...kinda! Actually my crash was on the WABDR last summer on my KLR.
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Dado
Bcmyers said:
I know these weren’t mentioned but here’s what the touratech look like in case you were wondering View attachment 73976
Click to expand...
they look nice, how was the install, did you have to remove anything from the bike i.e. exhaust etc?
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Bcmyers
Dado said:
they look nice, how was the install, did you have to remove anything from the bike i.e. exhaust etc?
Click to expand...
I only had to remove the skid plate,but I had some trouble getting everything lined up, especially around the front of the frame where they bolt on behind the headers.
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Mastercore
I got Altrider full bars (and skid plate) on my 2017 AT and the only thing that is bad is access to the coolant reservoir.
Apart from that they have saved my bike too many times to count.
No need to remove exhaust to take them off.

Thank the gods for that because for anything to do with electrical work behind the farings, changing air filters, oil filter, etc one needs to remove the upper and connecting bars.
Had to remove the lower bars once only, to replace a broken footpeg mount on the exhaust side.
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