I have decided against crash bars.

[Cruizin]

The radiators are a decent distance in from the fairings. A new right or left fairing costs less than crash bars. And, I just dont like the looks of crash bars. 

 

 

i have owned over 30 motorcycles since 1978.  Absolutely none of them had crash bars. I took many of my streetbikes offroad. Slid many around the flat track.  13 of those 30 were dirtbikes. None of them had crash bars. 

 

I watch motocross. Those guys don't have crash bars. 

 

I watch Enduro cross. no crash bars on those bikes either. 

 

I watch Redbull Erzberg. Jarvis Hodge doesn't have any crash bars on. 

 

Steve Mcqueen (and his stunt rider) didn't have any crash bars. 

 

 

 

I'm not gonna run crash bars. I'm gonna maybe install simple small round frame sliders, one per side. But, maybe not even that. 

 

I have some plastic molded engine covers and a water pump cover to install one of these days. 

 

While I think they can be worth while, I also suspect some get crash bars because they "hear" that they are needed and may also look cool at Starbucks.  Some get em to mount led lights to.  That kinda makes sense, but wouldn't they for sure break if you crash? 

[UtahJack]

Well I can't fault you in your reasoning. Although I was told the plastic parts on the Tenere where many times more expensive than most dirtbike plastic the tail piece I was told was more than $600.

I opted for the Yamaha crash bars even though I don't care for how they look, my thought was I have owned more bikes than I can number in the past fifty years, only three of them where dirt bikes and the last one was over thirty years ago. I am not fooling myself I may have dragged a knee at well over 150mph. and ran a bike through the traps at Willow Springs at 207mph. back when that kind of speed wasn't as common place, but that's not dirt and this Tenere is the heaviest dirt bike I have ever ridden the odds a good I will drop it, and probably more than once. Anything I can do to reduce the cost of keeping it looking nice I am all for. 

First couple of days riding the Tenere my brain was freaking out, every time I got the front loose my brain was going front sliding bad real bad. It is amazing what you forget after not riding dirt bikes for so long, and it never was my forte.

[PNWTEN]

I’m waiting to see what AltRider has in mind for a design....

[Cruizin]

13 minutes ago, UtahJack said:

Well I can't fault you in your reasoning. Although I was told the plastic parts on the Tenere where many times more expensive than most dirtbike plastic the tail piece I was told was more than $600.

I opted for the Yamaha crash bars even though I don't care for how they look, my thought was I have owned more bikes than I can number in the past fifty years, only three of them where dirt bikes and the last one was over thirty years ago. I am not fooling myself I may have dragged a knee at well over 150mph. and ran a bike through the traps at Willow Springs at 207mph. back when that kind of speed wasn't as common place, but that's not dirt and this Tenere is the heaviest dirt bike I have ever ridden the odds a good I will drop it, and probably more than once. Anything I can do to reduce the cost of keeping it looking nice I am all for. 

First couple of days riding the Tenere my brain was freaking out, every time I got the front loose my brain was going front sliding bad real bad. It is amazing what you forget after not riding dirt bikes for so long, and it never was my forte.

Acerbis will have their T7 plastics out within a year.  I usually replace my dirtbike's plastics for Acerbis every couple seasons just to keep the fresh look. Their kits are cheap and, plastic.  Nobody buys factory plastics for dirtbikes.  T7 will be the same. 

[UtahJack]

@Cruizin

The difference with the T7 plastics is one of the things I like and the reason for the extra cost, they are painted.

[Cruizin]

5 minutes ago, UtahJack said:

@Cruizin

The difference with the T7 plastics is one of the things I like and the reason for the extra cost, they are painted.

Acerbis and Polisport will have more colors available than Yamaha even makes.  Other companies will too. And for a fraction of the Yamaha price. My oldest Grand daughter is getting pink plastics for her 125.  Grandson got black and blue for his 250.  ETC, etc. 

[UtahJack]

1 minute ago, Cruizin said:

Acerbis will have more colors available than Yamaha makes.  Other companies will too. And for a fraction of the Yamaha price. My oldest Grand daughter is getting pink plastics for her 125.  Grandson got black and blue for his 250.  ETC, etc. 

Yes, lots of colors but all the ones I see are colored injected plastic, rather than a painted with a clear coat completely different in appearance.

[Cruizin]

8 minutes ago, UtahJack said:

Yes, lots of colors but all the ones I see are colored injected plastic, rather than a painted with a clear coat completely different in appearance.

True. Mine's matte black so makes no difference for me. But im sure Acerbis and others will make the same ones or very close to stock.  

[REDHORSECA]

I've taco'd  one side of my WR radiator.

 

I've been hit twice and gone down on the SOCAL fwy at speed & city street. Crashbar saved and limited the damages to the bike. On the fwy crash, I basically just lost a turn signal and part of the left side wing section (it's made from 3 screwed together sections). I skidded through 3 lanes of traffic. Side pannier, engine guard slider, barkbuster took the brunt of the road rash.

 

Going minimal for the T7. Aluminum AS engine guard. Gives me mounting spot for aditional lighting and maybe mounting spots for soft side bags.

 

 

[Allen Kelly]

We all have our own ideas when it comes to what we want on our bikes and why not. I look at your reasoning and can agree with everything you are saying and good on you for sticking with it. For me I went with the alloy bar because I ride a lot alone and it has already saved me major damage with one of my off’s. It was also very useful as a grab point when having to lift the bloody thing back up alone.  

[al700]

Tenere 700 is not an Enduro or motocross bike. It's not equipped with such plastics. It's an adventure bike of 204 kgs fully wet. Good luck to those who opt to go on adventures without crashbars and other kind of protection...

Edited July 4, 2020 by al700

[johnnygolucky]

1 hour ago, REDHORSECA said:

I've taco'd  one side of my WR radiator.

 

I've been hit twice and gone down on the SOCAL fwy at speed & city street. Crashbar saved and limited the damages to the bike. On the fwy crash, I basically just lost a turn signal and part of the left side wing section (it's made from 3 screwed together sections). I skidded through 3 lanes of traffic. Side pannier, engine guard slider, barkbuster took the brunt of the road rash.

 

Going minimal for the T7. Aluminum AS engine guard. Gives me mounting spot for aditional lighting and maybe mounting spots for soft side bags.

 

Well, that's reason 694 to never move to California. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by johnnygolucky

[Cruizin]

40 minutes ago, al700 said:

Tenere 700 is not an Enduro or motocross bike. It's not equipped with such plastics. It's an adventure bike of 204 kgs fully wet. Good luck to those who opt to go on adventures without crashbars and other kind of protection...

I certainly agree that some plastics can get broken in a wreck. Just for me, I don't mind replacing em.  My engine covers will protect the cases and water pump.  Plastics are easy and soon, cheap to replace. 

[Dipstick]

What I like at my crashbars is that my knees are in line and behind them.  So they are not only to avoid broken plastic.....

[Cruizin]

And I should add, I'm certainly  not faulting any of you for getting crash bars. 

 

Just for me, I'm hell bent on just using molded  engine/water pump covers and  frame slider pucks on the T7. If I trash my bike, I'll be sure to post pics and admit that I'm wrong. 

[Dipstick]

It's good that most of us live in a free country and  free to decide to mount accessories 

[Southcoastbiker]

You can use cheap alternatives to help protect your bike if it goes over, rubber doorstops are a great alternative. I have them on the end of my handlebars, I’m using steel wall hangers bent that are bolted and hold my water bottles on both sides of the bike. I have a aluminium tube bolted with a rubber bumper to protect the exhaust.

[Takata]

I dropped my bike on right hand side 3 times since 2019 August and OEM crash bars performed great each time. They flex a bit and absorb the hit but doesn't bend towards inside. Takes some stress off from exhaust and its hanger also. I am pretty sure I'd have broke the plastic fairing 3 times and very likely damange the radiator without crash bars.

 

I agree bike looks great without it and crash bars weigh 5 kilos but then again, they work! I mean really work.. For me crash bars and Barkbusters are essentials. 

 

Let's just do not forget this bike is still over 200kg and not a cross bike. Even tough we ride it like that.. 

[SKIPNOMAD]

10 hours ago, UtahJack said:

Well I can't fault you in your reasoning. Although I was told the plastic parts on the Tenere where many times more expensive than most dirtbike plastic the tail piece I was told was more than $600.

I opted for the Yamaha crash bars even though I don't care for how they look, my thought was I have owned more bikes than I can number in the past fifty years, only three of them where dirt bikes and the last one was over thirty years ago. I am not fooling myself I may have dragged a knee at well over 150mph. and ran a bike through the traps at Willow Springs at 207mph. back when that kind of speed wasn't as common place, but that's not dirt and this Tenere is the heaviest dirt bike I have ever ridden the odds a good I will drop it, and probably more than once. Anything I can do to reduce the cost of keeping it looking nice I am all for. 

First couple of days riding the Tenere my brain was freaking out, every time I got the front loose my brain was going front sliding bad real bad. It is amazing what you forget after not riding dirt bikes for so long, and it never was my forte.

The rear tail piece is about $200

[Fibbs]

I'd prefer to go without too, but my life has been cursed, if there's some randomly impossible way to break something you can count on me to find it.  
They do make great camera mounts though.
A no brainer upgrade is the handguards. Riding 6 odd hours in tough conditions with a 1 inch clutch lever is one of my motorcycle memories i'd like to forget.

[close range]

It was a close decision for me, but I've also opted to not have crash bars primarily due to the weight they add.

Handguards, skid plate, and triple clamp engine covers will have to do.

I also opted out of a centre stand for the same reason, too much weight. Though at times it sure would be a welcome convenience. 

[Louis]

I am looking forward to the posting of photos of  crash failures without crashbar protection.

R&G engine covers and lightweight aluminium crash bars and side racks Adventurespec for me. Good attachment points for Kriega bags.

[minkyhead]

   i can bust a radiator     by looking  at a bike    ...  ive burst three    ...   i had me tricked up drz braced  up and grilled upoand still shoved a tree brancjh through the left one   ....  ..bike is too heavy to take a risk  of showstopping   a  nice trip     for nowt more than a  120 quid      ..cheap insurance   ...its a big fat pig anyway  so another 3kgms isnt gonna break the weight bank   

Edited July 4, 2020 by minkyhead

[roy826]

Sign me up for the no crash bar crowd. I don’t put them on any of my ADV bikes. My Africa Twin does not have them. I still use the oem skid plate on it as well. I spent my money on the Suspension not heavy stuff that really does nothing but make the bike heavier. If you don’t crash they’re not needed and in most cases don’t help in a crash. Never ran frame sliders or the like on my road race bikes. Seem to many go down with them and flip from the sliders digging into gravel traps or grass. 
 

I’m into not adding any weight to my T7 and most importantly removing unnecessary weight added by Yamaha. 

[T7lee]

23 hours ago, Cruizin said:

The radiators are a decent distance in from the fairings. A new right or left fairing costs less than crash bars. And, I just dont like the looks of crash bars. 

 

 

i have owned over 30 motorcycles since 1978.  Absolutely none of them had crash bars. I took many of my streetbikes offroad. Slid many around the flat track.  13 of those 30 were dirtbikes. None of them had crash bars. 

 

I watch motocross. Those guys don't have crash bars. 

 

I watch Enduro cross. no crash bars on those bikes either. 

 

I watch Redbull Erzberg. Jarvis Hodge doesn't have any crash bars on. 

 

Steve Mcqueen (and his stunt rider) didn't have any crash bars. 

 

 

 

I'm not gonna run crash bars. I'm gonna maybe install simple small round frame sliders, one per side. But, maybe not even that. 

 

I have some plastic molded engine covers and a water pump cover to install one of these days. 

 

While I think they can be worth while, I also suspect some get crash bars because they "hear" that they are needed and may also look cool at Starbucks.  Some get em to mount led lights to.  That kinda makes sense, but wouldn't they for sure break if you crash? 

Same here, weight v function for me. 

So you might end up with smashed plastics.. Most who fit them will never ride off road anyway, waste of money in mho