accessories » Engine crash bars vs head covers

I have just bought a R1200RS and I was thinking about putting some protection for the engine. I have never fallen ridding in my previous bike (just a couple of times stopped). I don't know.if it.is better protection the bars than the head covers. It seems it is that way, but I have also read that in a ridding fall, the bars can damage the main block of the engine as they are fitted to it. I think that head covers look better in tje RS (another discussion about plastic or aluminium). What's your opinion? What do you have in your bikes?

Well for what it's worth - my story of crashing my RS a few months ago: it was fitted with engine bars, but the bike still got written off. So the net result was:
1. Expense of buying engine bars
2. Riding a lovely bike around with not-very-attractive lumps of metal bolted to the sides
3. Benefit to the insurers/breakers who eventually acquired my wreck and who would have been able to salvage the engine in pristine condition.

So, all worked out really well for me....

The original owner of my '16 RS had Krauser bars on it when I purchased it. Ran those for a while, then switched to the MAM covers. Some of the feedback I've noticed (with bars) was more about cylinder head cover damage, than the actual block. The bars usually give you a nice spot to install lights, if you go that route. Personal preference, for sure.

MAMO head covers hands down. The crash bars are really for the GS bikes when you're going to be off road and bashing into rocks, critters, and laying it down in gravel. They look odd on a sport bike such as the RS.

I have a ride finish RS, so it has a spoiler that doesn't allow installing the original stylilish bars, and I was thinking in installing these 'sports' bars, which seem to be somehow more stetic:

https://www.wunderlich.de/shop/en/wunder...1740-202-1.html

I fitted the Machine Art head covers. Very smart, inconspicuous and if you search online including YouTube, very effective.

https://www.nippynormans.com/r1200rs-lc-...nrt-lcrs-lcr-lc

My worries with engine bars is that they can damage the mounts/frame if they hit the ground with force. I was told by my dealer of an S1000 written off as the R&G bungs distorted the frame in a prang.

BMW cylinder head covers for me.

Zitat von Keith R im Beitrag #8

---

I fitted the Machine Art head covers. Very smart, inconspicuous and if you search online including YouTube, very effective.

https://www.nippynormans.com/r1200rs-lc-...nrt-lcrs-lcr-lc

My worries with engine bars is that they can damage the mounts/frame if they hit the ground with force. I was told by my dealer of an S1000 written off as the R&G bungs distorted the frame in a prang.

---

I have to admit the covers look so much better than the "cage" around the cylinder heads. But in my case, I decided to go with the engine bars because I had a very bad and costly experience last year.
I was going for a morning ride on a nice sunny day and pulled my R100S BCR out of the garage and set it on the stand until engine warmed up. I went back into the garage to grab my helmet and gloves and by the time I came back a gust of wind picked it up and flip the bike on the opposite side of the side stand. The bike fell off on the right side and cracked the valve cover. I didn’t think at first it was enough to cause damage to the cover since the bike fell on the side case as well. I picked it up right away, while the engine was still running, so didn’t think anything of it, but when I took off then the pressure in the engine was such that it spewed oil all over my driveway.

I had to buy a new head cover from BMW at $296, good thing it’s an easy DIY fix.

Even though they make the bike look more "Industrial" I now don’t take any chances and just put bars to protect the cylinder heads, especially since the side stand on the RS appears to be "Short” and topple over very easily.

Zitat von BoxerFan im Beitrag #12

---

I have to admit the covers look so much better than the "cage" around the cylinder heads. But in my case, I decided to go with the engine bars because I had a very bad and costly experience last year.
I was going for a morning ride on a nice sunny day and pulled my R100S BCR out of the garage and set it on the stand until engine warmed up. I went back into the garage to grab my helmet and gloves and by the time I came back a gust of wind picked it up and flip the bike on the opposite side of the side stand. The bike fell off on the right side and cracked the valve cover. I didn’t think at first it was enough to cause damage to the cover since the bike fell on the side case as well. I picked it up right away, while the engine was still running, so didn’t think anything of it, but when I took off then the pressure in the engine was such that it spewed oil all over my driveway.

I had to buy a new head cover from BMW at $296, good thing it’s an easy DIY fix.

Even though they make the bike look more "Industrial" I now don’t take any chances and just put bars to protect the cylinder heads, especially since the side stand on the RS appears to be "Short” and topple over very easily.

---

The carbon fiber cover is just for show, it's bolted/secured over the mag ones. My BCR is a Factory Replica, so maybe the real ones have the valve cover made of carbon fiber.

By the way, thanks Johan for great service with the top plate. Cant want to get it, and put it on with my GIVI 47L case.

Flipped the bike on gravel and mud and BMW protectors worked great. (Got away with some scratches and 2 broken mirrors.) Grew up admiring the bars in the 70's, but if I'm not putting the bike down hard and regularly, no longer see them as necessary.