[matttfang]

A set of crash bars is just about the last thing on my list to have the bike ready for spring. I have been eyeing up both the new dirt racks and happy trails sets. Thing is....both sets seem to have a concerning looking mounting point underneath the Lower Fairing Outer Cover. Both have mounting brackets that seem to butt up in direct contact with the Fairing Plastic? I don't have much experience with crash bars, but this configuration looks like it would be prone to cracking the fairing under pressure,(specifically because the mounting brackets make direct contact with the plastic, or at least they appear to from all available photos), which is obviously the exact thing we're looking to avoid with crash bars. The plastic on these fairings is super brittle ( i already cracked one by accident ). Anyway....anyone have any experience with either brand of bars? Or any input one way or the other as to whether my concerns are valid or bullshit? I personally like the look of the happy trails pre-order a bit better, although the dirt racks set is available now.

DIRT RACKS

HAPPY TRAILS

 

[Tom Schmitz]

Like Sergeant Schultz, "I know noooothing!", but borrowing a photo from @Ex_Crawl, isn't that the frame hardpoint for the fog light bracket? It looks to me like what is sticking out of the Tupperware is just the end of an unsupported fitting coming off the cowling subframe. That doesn't seem strong enough to support bars from moving inward. See the drawing below.

It seems a bit light duty, but perhaps it has been crash tested. Perhaps the manufacturers could shed some light on that.

 

[OCL]

It's not the frame hardpoint that's the issue. It's that those crash bar mounting brackets are less than 1/4" away from the plastic.

Big Rock Moto recently did a video about dropping bikes. Specifically, he gently dropped a KLR ADV model on concrete. See this video below and go to 4:24. Note where the bike is resting against while on its side: it's the lower OEM crash bars and handlebar ends. In most crashes, that handlebar will rotate left or right, which means the next thing that's going to touch the ground is handguards, and to a lesser extend, the plastic pads between the tank and the side panels. On the ADV models, the Auxiliary light and bar will also touch the ground when the handlebar rotates.

Someone in this forum has already dropped their KLR ADV and took pictures. The brunt of the damage went to the lower crash guards, and the handlebar wind deflectors.

Granted these are relatively gentle drops on flat terrain. On rocky terrain, or soft terrain, I'm quite sure part of the plastic panels will rub the ground. However, due to the bike's lower CoG, the lower engine crash bars will always take the majority of the impact.

Has anybody hard crashed their KLR ADV off road? Would be nice to get some real world information. Personally for me, I'm going with the OEM lower engine guards and upper Auxiliary light bar. For now. I believe the SRC Moto bars are the only other crash bars that puts a brunt of the protection down low, where the bike will typically lay on. The rest of them, Dirt Racks, T-Rex racing, all place the protection up top. The SRC crash bars are out of stock and very expensive at $428.

 

[matttfang]

Like Sergeant Schultz, "I know noooothing!", but borrowing a photo from @Ex_Crawl, isn't that the frame hardpoint for mounting bars and such?

Haha. Aye Sarge. Yeah, for sure. I mean I get that the main mounting contact is the hardpoint, but that dirt racks bracket extends to the right of the hardpoint & looks like it makes direct contact with the plastic along its length...which sketches me out for some reason. I just saw your edit about the unsupported fitting coming off the cowling subframe...yeah that lack of support seems sketchy too for sure. I appreciate you putting some notes on that exploded diagram.

Like I say, maybe my bracket concern is just bullshit, but I feel like if dropped hard enough that bracket could bend at the hardpoint, which would then push the far end of the bracket into the plastic. Maybe it's an optical illusion, and the bracket actually hovers slightly over the plastic. Or maybe that's one hell of a hardened bracket. Or maybe...maybe I should just trust that the product designers are good at their job....trust noone Kamerad Schmitz!

 

[Tom Schmitz]

Yeah, sorry for the slow edit. I was having some trouble piecing together what was behind that hardpoint, I guess there's nothing! For a while, I was thinking that the hardpoint was somehow joined to the loop bracket that is on either side, and that'd be better than nothing, but it wasn't so. If there was an aftermarket piece attached to the backside of that cowling support rod that could tie into the frame, that would be good. I think there is too much tank in the way, though. Or perhaps the aftermarket guys decided it wasn't necessary. I twoul be nice to have a '22 to look at and see if fabbing up such a support would be possible.

You're right, though; if those crash bars have their limit exceeded then the fairing is going to get cracked. The unknown is how high that limit is.

You pays yer money and you takes yer chances.

 

[ZZnoTop]

That was my concern as well! That bracket seems too close. That's why I bought the old tried & tested tusk style that ride low and made them work. Even though they are generic & $117 they work PERFECTLY! I actually dropped mine while doing the thermobob yesterday💪😂 not a scratch or bend or NOTHING! Not even the panniers were scratched & there was plenty of room to crawl out from under the top heavy PIG TOO! Glad I bought those cheap tusk Dflex handguards when I did 👍

 

[matttfang]

It's not the frame hardpoint that's the issue. It's that those crash bar mounting brackets are less than 1/4" away from the plastic.

Exactly! Them brackets looks close man. real close. thanks for including that video. valuable spill data there. As far as anyone dropping it off road yet, @onthebackwheel spilled his on some gnarly offroad at very slow speed on his youtube channel. I'm pretty sure he just got a set of the SRC Bars & will be posting a video on those soon. I didnt realize they're that expensive. damn....

 

[OCL]

I saw another video of a guy on a '22 ADV model. He low sided it on a muddy trail at around 10-15 mph. His video showed the lower OEM crash bars took the brunt of the fall, with the handlebar hitting next. No damage. His rear bag came off though.

 

[OCL]

Exactly! Them brackets looks close man. real close. thanks for including that video. valuable spill data there. As far as anyone dropping it off road yet, @onthebackwheel spilled his on some gnarly offroad at very slow speed on his youtube channel. I'm pretty sure he just got a set of the SRC Bars & will be posting a video on those soon. I didnt realize they're that expensive. damn....

I did see Curtis of OTBW low side his ABS model on a very rough trail. He's dropped the bike many times since then prior to his installation of the SRCMoto bars! The guy is hardcore. Those are the best looking, most protective, bars, and they mount on the lower frame and does not touch the upper frame mount at all. Yeah they're $428 and unobtanium right now. Made in Oregon, USA.

I ordered the OEM lower bars for now. Found one on Ebay like-new condition. Meahwhile, I'll put aside some $$ for two side plastics (just in case), and keep saving $$ for when the SRCMoto bars become available again.

 

[Motogeezer]

I just installed DirtRacks bars on my 2022 KLR. The bracket clears the plastic (barely), but the real problem for me is vibration. The bars transmit and amplify the engine vibration from the motor mount to the fairing. Now my fairing rattles at certain RPMs. I'm sure that's why the Adventure model OEM bars are separate between the "frame slider" lower that the "light bracket" on the top. I may opt for OEM lowers from Ebay like OCL did. Anyone want to buy some almost new DirtRacks bars?

I also noticed SRC has this on their website so they have some vibration issues as well:
This part has been redesigned due to an issue related to resonant vibration inherent in the KLR. The new design is undergoing durability testing with a mid-December ETA. If you have a set, we will contact you as soon as the new design is available for warranty replacement.

 

[OCL]

I just installed DirtRacks bars on my 2022 KLR. The bracket clears the plastic (barely), but the real problem for me is vibration. The bars transmit and amplify the engine vibration from the motor mount to the fairing. Now my fairing rattles at certain RPMs. I'm sure that's why the Adventure model OEM bars are separate between the "frame slider" lower that the "light bracket" on the top. I may opt for OEM lowers from Ebay like OCL did. Anyone want to buy some almost new DirtRacks bars?

The SRC bars is also unable to withstand those mighty strong vibrations coming from the lower down tubes that mount to the engine. The mounts break and that's why they had to re-design.

The OEM lower crash bars are indeed hell for strong. Crash tested them more times that I'd like to admit. I lost track already. They are also extremely effective at saving the lower extremities of your bike (cases and brake/shifter).

The upper OEM crash bars, mounted to the upper fairing stay subframe, are relatively weak in comparison to the lowers. They will withstand some hits but will bend easily at their mounting tabs if you hit them on the ground hard enough. And when you bend them far enough they will contact the plastic. Having said that, they do help in minor drops. Denali sells an upper crash bars similar to the OEM (separate from a lower), which mount to the same mounting points as the OEM. The Denali bars also act as auxiliary light posts. The difference is the Denali unit is much thicker with significantly stronger mounting tabs.

The main crash points on the G3 KLR is the lower bars and the handlebars. SRC had the concept right but they needed more testing. SW Motech sells a similar lower crash bars to the SRC. I have no information on their crash worthiness or their ability to withstand the vibrations from the main down tubes. I believe that keeping the lowers separate from the uppers is the way to go. Because my OEM lowers and separate uppers transmit zero vibrations on any plastic parts or the handlebars, nor foot pegs. Bike is smooth.

 

[Motogeezer]

Just a quick update. I removed the crash bars and still had rattle in fairing area. Problem seems to be the plastic rivet things (AKA "plablivets" from this post: Buzzes and Rattles from Cowlings) that hold the fairing together, and I guess they got loose about the same time I installed the crash bars. Anyway, I'm trying to solve that problem with well nuts and will post to that discussion once I've tried everything out. Leaving crash bars out of the equation until I fix the rattles.

Meanwhile, I want to make sure people don't pass on DirtRacks crash bars based on my comment. I do agree with Tom Schmitz above that the fog light bracket is really kind of lightweight to be supporting crash bars, but having multiple attachment points should add to the overall strength. I really hope I never "field test" these things.

 

[jumpn]

I have the Denali upper crash bar (light bar) ordered, should be here in 2 weeks. I'll report back when it gets here and post on my youtube. DirtRoadKLR