Guard rail protectors

[Knapdog]

I didn't know such things existed but after watching one of the "Ride like a Pro" videos I noticed you could buy these to protect the guard rails. Yes, I agree that it's crazy that I want to protect the "protection".



With my current U-turn level of skill on the Valkyrie I reckon these will be very handy for a while.
Since I've never seen a toppled over Valkyrie (I've only ever seen one anyway previously), I have no idea where they land and which part of the guard rails get scratched. So, I thought I'd ask the question....
Where shall I best place one or more of these protectors?
On the pic would it be A, B, C, D or E? Additionally, X or Y on the engine guard?
I would hope, of course, never to need them but a bit of rubber damaged is better than the chrome.





So where does the bike land, please?

[Knapdog]

No probs.  I'll go for C and X. Pretty obvious now I'm looking at it.

[sandy]

No, go with Y and the rail below D. Those are the first touch points. After installation, gradually lower the bike onto scrap rug pieces.

[CoreyP]

Y or even a little higher but not X. Not sure about the back.

I tipped my bike over on the lawn to see what would hit first.

[Valker]

I just zip tie some slit old garden hose over mine when I practice.

[RonW]

The front crash bars won't get severe road rash at parking lot speeds (left pic). But any scuff marks at such a visible spot will make you weep, so it's worth wrapping up the X and Y section with something protective practicing u-turns, etc. They're very expensive to replace. Second hand crashbars are usually damaged at the same spot.

If you drop the bike and the crashbars just happens to land on a protrusion, you'd likely get a dimple (right pic). You probably couldn't do that if you tried on purpose. Crashbars are thin walled for some reason. You actually could dimple the tubing easily with a ball point hammer. Perhaps, it's designed to give rather than flip a crashing bike.

[Knapdog]

Your replies are much appreciated.
Thank you.

[RonW]

I've never scuffed the saddlebag's crashbars despite dropping a standing bike or after an abbreviated u-turn. But really, any damage to the sacrificial crashbars is worth the damage it spared the expensive saddlebags. What happens though is the crashbars get bent out of their overall original shape. This isn't even noticeable until you have to wrestle them on after taking the crashbars off, getting the bolts to line up, so on.

[Knapdog]

I've never scuffed the saddlebag's crashbars despite dropping a standing bike or after an abbreviated u-turn. But really, any damage to the sacrificial crashbars is worth the damage it spared the expensive saddlebags. What happens though is the crashbars get bent out of their overall original shape. This isn't even noticeable until you have to wrestle them on after taking the crashbars off, getting the bolts to line up, so on.

Thanks, but I still assume that it is the lower bar that touches the tarmac with the panniers remaining scuff free. Obviously it's the panniers I want to protect. If I damaged them I wouldn't be optimistic of any appearing for sale in the uk.

[Jess from VA]

You should let the bike down on level pavement (at least) once; to see what hits (only the guards), and to see what it takes to lift it back up alone.  Setting (letting) it down will not scratch things up (but use carpet or rags or split hose if you are worried).  The fore/aft guards hold the bike at about 40 degrees, but it still takes some real power to muscle it up.

The bag rails will not hit in a drop or even a drop and slide; the only way you hit the bag rails is riding past something too closely (car bumper or garage entry doorway), or you tumble the bike badly.

Even the fore and aft guards only touch underneath and rubbed chrome can't be seen unless laying down under looking up.  (hit it with clear nail polish against corrosion)

The valk will easily Uturn inside two standard parking spots, if the rider knows how.

The one thing that can happen is if you shift down going into or during a hard turn, and you hit neutral instead of 1st by accident, you discover you have no power to ride through the turn and back up to level; you are leaned way over, and the bike will go over unless you have enough strength to hold it up.  The usual clunk when shifting can sound exactly the same going down to neutral and going down to 1st.  The green neutral light is your friend.

Square cut gears need very positive shifting; strong but not brutal.  Not gentle.

I did this very thing when exiting the driveway of my first Valk seller, and managed to hold it up with human power.  I'm sure my seller was not impressed, but I bought it and rode it home.

[RonW]

I can only relate from my own experience where the guard rails did get distorted out of whack after a drop (not scuffed). True, the bump out should make contact with the ground (pics, below) instead of the guard rails unless the bike is resting totally on it's side.

[RonW]

You should let the bike down on level pavement (at least) once; to see what hits (only the guards), and to see what it takes to lift it back up alone.

Jess brings up an important point. I never even practiced in a parking lot until I knew how to pickup the valk, er you just don't want to have bystanders *assist* you in uprighting your Valk.

[Knapdog]

Thanks RonW.
This is something I've wondered about. So the bike lands on that sort of hidden curvy bit below the panniers then?

[RonW]

it seems that way.

[Jess from VA]

So the bike lands on that sort of hidden curvy bit below the panniers then?

Yes.  

The bike (a Tourer or Interstate with the rear guards) mostly cannot get totally on it's side..... flat on level or mostly level ground.

If you dropped the bike sideways, on a downhill incline, it might get flat, or even beyond flat.

You really should let it down at least once.  Get some friends to help get it back up (after you try alone).

Unless you have a very robust powerlifter type wife, she will not be much help (besides moral support).  

Although in truth, just like lifting spotters, sometimes you only need another 40lbs of power to to get a heavy object up.

Good Lord.

[0leman]

Year ago last spring I laid my Valk down on ice.  The highway peg on the right side crash bar took the blunt of the crash.  No damage other than it turn a bit.  The back bars kept the ice from touching the bag rails. Neither of the bars were scratched.  But then I was on ice.

So if your are worried about scrapping your crash bars, put on highway pegs.  Maybe.

As a side note, there were 3 other young men who came to my aid lifting up Valk on the ice and sliding/rolling it back to dry road.   

[Knapdog]

So if your are worried about scrapping your crash bars, put on highway pegs.  Maybe.

  

Ooooo. That's an idea.

[Savage]

So if your are worried about scrapping your crash bars, put on highway pegs.  Maybe.

DITTO on the crash bars.

[Jess from VA]

So if your are worried about scrapping your crash bars, put on highway pegs.  Maybe.

  

Ooooo. That's an idea.

Highway pegs, mounted exterior to the guards (folded up or deployed), will snap off in a fall (fall and slide). They are no substitute for guards

What usually snaps is the offset arms. 

If folded up they are inboard of the guards, and you go over, they will be untouched.  If deployed outboard of the guards, they may fold back up, get twisted, or snap off.  Depending on the fall.

The good news is, you will only ever break one side.  The bad news is they only sell in pairs.   

[Avanti]

Any size person standing on the back wheel holding on to the bike and leaning backwards will make it quite easy to pick up any size motorcycle. They call it the buddy or monkey lift.

[Mooskee]

Trick I learned many years ago.

https://youtu.be/Ql2LU1SRtIY

[RonW]

true, when the bike falls on the left side.

[Bagger John - #3785]

So the bike lands on that sort of hidden curvy bit below the panniers then?

Yes.  

The bike (a Tourer or Interstate with the rear guards) mostly cannot get totally on it's side..... flat on level or mostly level ground.

If you dropped the bike sideways, on a downhill incline, it might get flat, or even beyond flat.

You really should let it down at least once.  Get some friends to help get it back up (after you try alone).

Unless you have a very robust powerlifter type wife, she will not be much help (besides moral support).  

Although in truth, just like lifting spotters, sometimes you only need another 40lbs of power to to get a heavy object up.

Good Lord.

Blondie wasn't as ripped as that girl but she could almost deadlift the weight of a Standard - for reps.

Her first task upon learning to ride was to pick her Gold Wing up after I laid it on carpet. She could lift it either via technique or brute force.

Some azzwhole cut me off at a gas pump when I was on my first I/S, forcing me to lay it on its side. When I grab the bike by one grip, force it back upright then come after you, you'd better beat feet the heck out of the county before I reach you. Which is exactly what happened. 

[Led]

No, go with Y and the rail below D. Those are the first touch points. After installation, gradually lower the bike onto scrap rug pieces.

AND have some help getting the bike back upright!  In my younger days, I could right the ship by myself, but NO longer!    Lol!!!

[Jess from VA]

I just lifted mine up at 68 two weeks ago (and hadn't had to do that in many years).

It was harder than I remembered (and it was never easy).

I have to get mean with it.   


I can't believe I only got one comment on a girl picture (that actually made it past the moderators).  At least I think it's a girl (who knows anymore?).

[Bagger John - #3785]

I can't believe I only got one comment on a girl picture (that actually made it past the moderators).  At least I think it's a girl (who knows anymore?).

Joanie Laurer was a girl too. Roids wrecked a lot of things with her, both mentally and physically.