I am slowly starting to outfit my Tigger and next on my list is some engine protection. When it comes to engine bars, it seems that Thunderbike and H&B are the only real options. The Thunderbike bars are about $200 more expensive than the H&B ones. That said, it seems that most people on here have the Thunderbike bars. Are they worth the extra money?
I've been on Tiger lists since I bought my steamer in 2000; here, Yahoo, Advrider. Lots of threads on this topic. Virtually everyone who has the TB bars loves them. Many reports of lay downs with no damage to the plastic or the rider. I bought the HB bars though. I don't know if mine are defective or its intentional but as I sit on the bike and look down, they stick out farther on the left side than the right. I had always planned to cut and reweld them to fix the gap but haven't done it yet. I do think the HB bars look better. But I think the TB bars would do a better job protecting the bike and probably my legs. Anyway that's my 0.02. There are some TB owners here so maybe they ill weigh in.
Here are my 2 cents also... I also have the HB bars on my Girly and am happy with them. I think they look nicer and have protected well in a couple of laydowns. :roll: Perhaps the TB's protect better, but I'm happy with my HB.
Are the H&B bars any easier to install. There seems to be quite a bit of disassembly involved in installing the Thunderbike bars.
Quote from: "D-Fuzz"Are the H&B bars any easier to install. There seems to be quite a bit of disassembly involved in installing the Thunderbike bars.
I think the thunderbike bars are easier in my opinion YMMV
I've got my Thunderbike bars to fit over the winter... I was planning to drain and change the coolant anyway so will do it as per the instructions.. other than that it looks quite straightforward.. hope thats not 'famous last words'! :D
I have been given a delivery time of 6 weeks to 6 months for a set of H&B bars to come from Germany. I'd have to pay the entire amount up front with no option to cancel once the order has been placed. I could live with 6 weeks, but 6 months is a long time down the road. I could get hit by a bus or get abducted by aliens in that amount of time. I guess it will be TB bars going on my bike. They quoted me 4 weeks, with a deposit up front and the balance upon completion. I can live with that.
When I ordered my H&B's there was one US distributor, and it was not one of the M/C supply houses (would have to dig to find it again). My bad luck began when the shipping container that my package was in got held up in customs for a couple of months. By this I mean the 40' steel container at the port of entry. Maybe they found some contraband in it. Add that to the normal international lead time. Then I get them mounted and they are not symmetric. Several e-mails to the factory went un-answered. Still don't know if mine are defective or not.
Anyway I recall that Jack Lilly in the UK was also a distributor for them and he did ship international. You might check there.
Some day I will either reweld mine so they are even or put them on ebay and go with the TB bars. Yeah they want mint for them but I think no more than a new set of plastic. Orrrrrrr, for the price of TB bars one could probably have a welder make a set to your specs. Hmmmm.
might also be worth talking to the UK distributor Motobins, as they ship internationally... ?
http://www.motobins.co.uk/displayfinal. ... iger&go=GO (http://www.motobins.co.uk/displayfinal.php?q=tiger&go=GO)
Well this is a good one. Sorry I can't tell you about the protection capabilities... I bought the TB set after a get off in 1998. Still no scratches to date. Maybe they have good Karma.
They make a great place to mount accessories, though. Mine have highway pegs bolted onto the bottom plate
That's a great photo! I plan to use my Tiger for another run through the Yukon and Alaska in a couple summers. I did the Prudhoe Bay run last time on my DR650, the plan is to do the Sunshine Coast and Anchorage with my Tiger next time. That gives me a season to get it properly kitted out and get to know the bike before the trip.
As soon as Christmas shopping gets done, I'll be ordering up a set of TB bars. Hopefully have them by spring.
Quote from: "D-Fuzz"That's a great photo! I plan to use my Tiger for another run through the Yukon and Alaska in a couple summers. I did the Prudhoe Bay run last time on my DR650, the plan is to do the Sunshine Coast and Anchorage with my Tiger next time. That gives me a season to get it properly kitted out and get to know the bike before the trip.
As soon as Christmas shopping gets done, I'll be ordering up a set of TB bars. Hopefully have them by spring.
If you get that trip together, make sure you remember me, I live in Campbell River between the Sunshine coast ferry & the ferry to the north I did that this past summer (with wifey in a camper, though) so can also give insight into that area. I may even want to go back on 2 wheels. I usually take at least 2 weeks every year for camping & fishing with the Tiger, as well as shorter rides for 3~6 days. Another spectacular run is from the ferry to Bella Coola, up into the Cariboo region in central BC, then north. See BCFerries.com & Hellobc.com for info
Looking back, I see you are in Sask. I got Felix out nearby to the Cypress Hills in May & got tangled up in that late snowfall. Lovely country though.
I keep searching the 'net for crash bars and keep coming up with the same result...Thunderbike. The problem with them is cost, over $500US for a set. That's about 20% of what I paid for the bike.
I'm wondering if I am getting too hung up on this. I am mostly concerned with a low speed off or parking lot tip-over. Anything at speed will likely result in my insurance company owning the bike, so I am not overly concerned with that. I don't ride much in the city anyway, most of my riding is out-of-town, either pavement or gravel/dirt roads. Do I really need them? I won't be riding single track with the bike. I just don't want a parking lot tip-over to end up costing hundreds of $$$ to fix broken plastic and such.
I've had my steamer since new in 98 and don't have crash bars at all .......
it's been tossed down the road a few times at speed and other than a few scrapes on the tank and some new handlebars it's fine .
I attribute this to having metal panniers that is what the bike slid down the road on .
The thunderbikes are awesome though , you have a place to mount highway pegs and off road lights . and they are indestructible ....well almost .
Metal panniers....don't get me started. Finding pannier racks for this bike is harder than engine bars. I like my Andystrapz bags anyway, so no real worry there. I have also tought about using some tank panniers instead of a tankbag, maybe if I stuff those full of toilet paper and sofa cushions, they can protect the tank. :)
Looking through the Steamer gallery, it seems about a 50/50 split on bikes with & without bars, so maybe I can hold off for awhile. My bike budget only allows me to break these bits off in little pieces, and I've almost spent my winter bike budget on a centrestand, heated grips, a topcase, still have to buy some new rubber and some footpegs from you, Mustang. The last big pieces are engine bars & some suspension work from Sasquatch. Those might have to wait for next winter.
Quote from: "D-Fuzz"Metal panniers....don't get me started. Finding pannier racks for this bike is harder than engine bars...........
you have to make your own and if you do the options are endless
(http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee47/2uoykcuf/100_1368.jpg)
How much?
Mustang don't tell me you made those! :bowdown
Amazing! Did you use an existing set to start from or did you make them utterly from scratch?
The Hepco & Becker bars can bought. They are readily available, if you don't mind a wait.
I recently purchased what must have been the last new (still in the shrink wrap plastic) set of Givi luggage racks for the old steamer on eBay. They had been in storage at a dealer near me for the last 10 years or more and I couldn't believe my luck.
Quote from: "Colonel Nikolai"Mustang don't tell me you made those! :bowdown
Amazing! Did you use an existing set to start from or did you make them utterly from scratch?
:headbang from a pile of tubing
:bowdown Impressive.
I made a mounting system for a Wingrack II for my Sprint myself. Worked great but didn't look as good :oops:
(http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_bNWCp21GtiE/TU9dNDbWbjI/AAAAAAAAArk/eiYDJDAyQUU/IMG_20110206_204343-1.jpg)
The Givi cases and my homemade mount saved the Sprint when someone hit the bike while it was parked (really the cases: those things are TOUGH) and knocked it over. Hit and run. I found the bike resting on one of its cases when I returned to the parking lot. The mounting system was all bent up (you can see it in the picture) but the bike was fine: lost a turn signal and scratched a bar-end is all.
It's 12 gauge steel, prolly overkill. Lasted 5000 miles no trouble until the hit.
Here they are at the beginning:
(http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_bNWCp21GtiE/TU9g_ZeIDDI/AAAAAAAAAr4/_EE2-e4GbJQ/s912/IMG_4115.JPG)
Here they are at the end:
(http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_bNWCp21GtiE/TU9g_Ad1sKI/AAAAAAAAArw/r5nOQcesHus/s912/IMG_4246.JPG)