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Anyone Crash Tested the PD Nerf Bars from Happy Trails

20K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  steferf 
#1 · (Edited)
A little background. Over at Hotfoot's KLR Page, this guy has water bottle holders mounted near the headlight faring thusly:



(Look for the red Fire Extinguisher thing if you can't find it) Of course, this instantly got me jealous, so I set out to do the same thing. He has the waterbottle holder mounted on his nerf bars, which appear to have a striking similarity to the ones found here at happy trails.



Now I want to buy crash bars, but these nerf bars look a little bit flimsy for the weight of the KLR. Does anyone have experience with these? Any field testing/crash testing?

I think it'd be cool to get the skid plate, highway footpegs/engine guard, nerf/crash bars, and a cupholder for around 300 bucks. I just worry about a crash. My radiator is already bent, and dropping 300 on a new radiator is less fun than crash bars. What I really don't want to do is put down 300 on nerf bars that arn't sufficient, only to drop it and find that the nerf bars were inadequate and my radiator busts.

Thoughts? Thanks!


Also, what is that thing on his front fender?



EDIT: fwiw, I emailed him, and it bounced back. He probably doesn't have the email listed on his webpage anymore.
 
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#2 ·
Now I want to buy crash bars, but these nerf bars look a little bit flimsy for the weight of the KLR. Does anyone have experience with these? Any field testing/crash testing?

I think it'd be cool to get the skid plate, highway footpegs/engine guard, nerf/crash bars, and a cupholder for around 300 bucks. I just worry about a crash. My radiator is already bent, and dropping 300 on a new radiator is less fun than crash bars. What I really don't want to do is put down 300 on nerf bars that arn't sufficient, only to drop it and find that the nerf bars were inadequate and my radiator busts.

Thoughts? Thanks!
I've HT PD nerfs, engine guard, highway pegs, bash plate on my '07.

YES, I've crash-tested 'em. The assemblage has protected my radiator, tank, and plastics, the purpose of the augmentation.

The PRIMARY purpose is trail survival, in my case--you can limp home with cracked plastic, but . . . NOT a broken radiator or crankcase.

Now, "flimsy?" If you're after unbendable/unbreakable, go somewhere else. The nerfs, etc., are in a way SACRIFICIAL parts in my view, offered up in lieu of a radiator, lets say. Most usually, the parts can be bent back into neo-decent shape, or . . . Happy Trails offers price consideration for purchase of replacement/repair parts.

A bent nerf beats a broken radiator, in my book. Highway pegs? Seldom use 'em; don't like to give up vigilance and control; YMMV.

Excellent customer service from Happy Trails; instruction sheet competence? Not so much! But, you can figure it out.

One installation tip: On Generation 1 nerfs, insert the left upper nerf bolt through the frame on the RIGHT side; that way, you have only one 10 mm nut to remove to free the left nerf for folding it away to reach the radiator cap.
 
#3 ·
I love my set on my 08. Saved the farings and gas tank more than once. The bars can get tweaked in a good off but can be bent back. I've found it to be a great product.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I use the HT "combo setup." I can't quantitatively compare it to any other guard packages because I've never installed or ever seen anything else so, I guess what follows is purely opinion and not based on comparison testing.

I've tipped my KLR over several times since installing them and would say it's highly likely it kept my larger plastic pieces intact.

That being said, I really don't like the way the flat support bar passes close to components above the engine like the radiator, the voltage regulator and other wiring.

The last time mine tipped over, that bar wound up smashed up against my voltage regulator and I'm probably lucky it didn't crack it.

I was able to bend/pound everything back to where it should have been, but I think if I hadn't noticed the shift in the bars, another drop to the right would have damaged the VR.

I use my highway pegs all the time and the engine guard/highway peg setup is the perfect base on which to install a PVC tool tube and I've got my auxiliary headlight mounted on them.

My opinion is that the HT bars are a pretty good product (especially for the price) and are certainly better than nothing, but it seems like the critical part of any setup is going to be how it mounts/secures to the bike's frame and other guard packages seem to have better designs/provisions for attaching to the bike.

That being said, I'm still using mine and have no plans to replace them, but if replacement was ever necessary, I would switch to another setup, mostly likely the SW-Motech guards.

Another consideration for the HT skid plate is that it makes it difficult to access the engine balancer adjustment bolt. Good news is that the metal is really soft and you can easily grind away some of the material with just an electric drill and grinding wheel so you can get a straight-on shot with a socket to that bolt.

Some skid plates have a cutout here just for that purpose, but the HT plate doesn't.

If you don't do that, you have to try to loosen/torque that bolt with your socket extension at an angle and rubbing against the skid plate so you're not really sure you're torquing it properly.

If you go with the HT plate, I would highly recommend grinding a "notch" in it for unimpeded access to that bolt.

Also, if you choose this brand (or probably any other) skidplate, before you remove your oil drain plug, take paper towels and stuff/wedge them up inside the skid plate access hole between the skid plate and the bottom of the engine.

That way, when the flow of oil slows down, it won't cling to the bottom of the engine and flow over somewhere else and drip down and fill your skid plate up with oil that's then impossible to get out unless you take the thing off.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the experience everyone, I'll keep it in mind.
 
#6 ·
A few things:

1) Thanks to everyone again.
2) Those red "water bottles" are actually gas cans. I saw them on amazon while looking for a cheaper Kolpin C.A.R.B. Fuel Pack. I think they are for a stove or something. Still, I'd put a water bottle there.
3) I'm now interested in luggage to mount on the happy trails nerf bars. I am currently pricing out some tank pannier and tank bag luggage. I've found alternative to the wolfman stuff I was looking at for literally less than half price. You can see pictures here and here if you are interested. Now I just need to find a bag to stick on the side. The happy trails ones cost too much for the size of the bag. Any ideas on good search terms? I'd like something that covers most of the exterior of the crash bars, but is only 2-4 inches deep. Any ideas?
 
#8 · (Edited)


I don't think mine are the HT ones, but they are similar. No issues from the few nap times.

Actually I think my tool tube has taken the brunt of the impact a few times.
 
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#9 ·
Crash Tested Bars.

Good Afternoon Sterferf,

I have the SW Motech Crash Bars, I can tell you from multiple lay overs and a "Spiderman" dismount that they are strong. At no time has the bike been damaged. They are easy to install and take a beating. I have never found them to be in the way of regular or irregular maintenance. I suggest that you take a look. Many brands for many uses and personalities.

Snakeboy66
 
#10 ·
I like the design and value of the happy trails bars more, but the strength of the motec ones.


I think I will go with the happy trails ones because I feel like the probability of me laying my bike down on concrete or asphalt is very low. It is much more likely that I'll dump her over in the dirt (ideally far away from large boulders and highly compacted dirt).

Thanks again everyone. And the pictures are great Cabrito. What is that red thing you've got dangling out of the air vent?
 
#12 ·
Blah.

About to place an order with the HT Nerfs. Shipping was kinda ridiculous.

Over to the Motecs. Found em with free shipping at sport tour (saves like 40 bucks).

I look up some reviews on em. Vibration and stress failures. Then there is the subframe thing.


Maybe I'll just get a RadGuard and a skidplate.:46:
 
#18 ·
Blah.

About to place an order with the HT Nerfs. Shipping was kinda ridiculous.

Over to the Motecs. Found em with free shipping at **** (saves like 40 bucks).

I look up some reviews on em. Vibration and stress failures. Then there is the subframe thing.


Maybe I'll just get a RadGuard and a skidplate.:46:

Hehe, you ought to try get decent-priced shipping to Australia from the States...it varies so wildly! I have strongly suspected on a few occasions, some places try to "milk" a bit extra on the side. By questioning the costs and with enough scouring on the net, you can always find someone prepared to be be honest do a fair deal.

I just ordered a Happy Trails PD bar/guard set as a package (normally $376.95AUD), plus their Rallye screen kit, which came to a total of $498.95AUD for the both. Given the size and weight of the packages (and the distance they're travelling to my door!!), the $$159.38AUD delivery is pretty awesome value. :)

If you plan to purchase a few items in the near future, it's usually cheaper to buy them at the same time and save on the postage. ;)
 
#13 ·
Just put on my Motechs and I had the same concerns. Their subframe upgrade bolt is a 10.9, EM I think is a 12.9 but I don't know for sure. I have heard Kawi upgraded the subframe bolts in Gen 2s, motech says their bolts upgrade the OEM, my look was that they were same. I haven't had any problems and was trying to make the same decision you were. My on holdback and the deciding factor on the Motechs was that they did not cross near the radiator or reserve tank. The Motechs do not vibrate that much, of at all if they are the vibe dampens ones. My footpegs, which are snugged tight as they are cheap aftermarket ebays, actually vibrated more befor I got the Motechs. Just my humble opinion for your information and educated decision.


Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app
 
#14 ·
I crash tested SWmotech bars@~65 mph. They completely protected the engine--could have ridden the bike home had I not needed a trip to the local trauma center.....:). If you are interested in H.T. Tetons let me know..... The thing a prefer about H.T. Nerfbars is you can put a bit more weight up front.

M:desismiley1:
 
#15 ·
Ordered the motechs today from sporttour.com

209 shipped. About 45 cheaper than twisted throttle.

Comes with anti-vibration system.

Comes with 2 year manufacturer's warranty. Send a picture of damage and they send a replacement part free. I figure if there is a stress fracture, it will rear its ugly head in a year or two. Hopefully after that, I'll have welding equipment.

Add in a black ricochet skid plate from happy trails for 74.99+~12 shipping, and I am ahead of the 299+~30 dollar HT nerf combo.

klr650.com has a cheaper option, but that is such a blatant rip off of HT's stuff, I decided against it early in the process.

Only problem: Ricochet skid and Motech Crash bars are uncompatable on the KLR.

You can see the issue in this first picture:


And here is the solution:


I got a digital copy of the the template from the kind folks (don) from Ricochet. I've enhanced the quality of what he sent me and need to scale it to proportion, so if anyone wants it, just pm me.

Heck, I'll probably post it up here once I finish it.
 
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