Tested My Crash Bars (on Purpose!)

[SarahP]

Hello, Forumites --

I finally was able to get the Renntec crash bars (ordered from New Bonneville) installed with the help of my experienced riding buddy and a 10" breaker bar to get the engine mount bolt removed. After we passed that hurdle, it was smooth sailing. It was much easier having two people to install these bars, but not impossible to do solo.

Lately I've been stressing a lot about dropping the bike when I'm out by myself. I know *what* I'm supposed to do, in theory, but have never actually done it with Barney. So today I decided to lay Barney down and make sure I could get him up again.

Although I've actually raised a dropped Honda VTX1300 by myself (part of my checkered past!), I just didn't have any self-confidence about the Bonnie.

Sooooo - today was the day. The hardest part was actually laying him over. I must have stood there for 5 minutes trying to gather my nerve and just DO IT.

I finally remembered that I had the crash bars on, and that was the literal and figurative tipping point.

Over he went, gently though, and on top of 4 UHaul moving blankets. Heyy, no need to be stupid about this, right?

I'm happy to say that the bars did their job in keeping the fairings and other pieces from getting cracked or bent. The crash bars also made it much easier to lift the bike back up.

I don't think these Renntecs are meant for a high speed crash (is anything?). But for a parking lot tip-over, they fit the bill just fine.

I'm a little concerned about the exhaust pipe in this photo:

--- I think it would have gotten scraped up a bit. I didn't think to see if there were clearance or not between the metal and the ground. And I'm not *that* motivated to go back out and torture poor Barney again.

Happy and safe riding, everyone! Thanks for all the support. You folks ROCK!

 

[hemibee]

Good for you on installing the bars. And a great idea to practice the recovery from a drop.

 

[Qship]

What Hemi said.
Good job.

 

[triumph david]

Very good, i still like that purple!

 

[Baldeagle]

Nancy,so glad you didn't damage your lovely bike and a good test of the crash bars.
I owned four Goldwings over the years and never dropped one.I DID do the same as you to ensure I could pick one up as I often rode the remote mountain roads in Spain solo!!
However I did loose a BMW R1100 RT on a section of loose gravel and down she went nose first into a ditch,40 deg,no one around so had to try and get it out:
Result torn ligaments and tendons in right bicep that have never repaired,so a good and worthwhile post!!
Ride safe..

 

[Rocky]

Good for you! Well done
Doing this test inspires confidence.

 

[SarahP]

However I did loose a BMW R1100 RT on a section of loose gravel and down she went nose first into a ditch,40 deg,no one around so had to try and get it out:
Result torn ligaments and tendons in right bicep that have never repaired,so a good and worthwhile post!!
Ride safe..

**************************************************
BaldEagle,

I can't imagine how bad that must have felt, tearing ligaments & tendons in your arm. And getting it out of a ditch solo at that steep an angle --- did you just wrestle it out by yourself or did someone finally come along and help you?

 

[Baldeagle]

Nancy,to be honest it was life changing! I tried on my own without success and then another guy came along and we managed between us but I knew immediately I had done damage.
Rode until I could ride no more.
Got back to France and started treatment which was totally inappropriate,this was kinesitetherapy,electronic shock treatment and manipulation of my arm,I told my doc that this was making it worse and it was nearly a year before he sent me to a surgeon who after a scan could only remove bone from my shoulder as the tendons and ligaments were withered.
I now have lost about 30% use of my right arm and of course cannot manage the weight of a grand cruiser.
However on the bright side I am still riding and enjoying doing what I can,I currently have a Guzzi 750 and a monkey bike 125 for fun as well as soon meeting my Bonnie for a regular pilgrimage to the Isle of Man for the TT.
Ride safe.

 

[SarahP]

Nancy,to be honest it was life changing! I tried on my own without success and then another guy came along and we managed between us but I knew immediately I had done damage.
Rode until I could ride no more.
Got back to France and started treatment which was totally inappropriate,this was kinesitetherapy,electronic shock treatment and manipulation of my arm,I told my doc that this was making it worse and it was nearly a year before he sent me to a surgeon who after a scan could only remove bone from my shoulder as the tendons and ligaments were withered.
I now have lost about 30% use of my right arm and of course cannot manage the weight of a grand cruiser.
However on the bright side I am still riding and enjoying doing what I can,I currently have a Guzzi 750 and a monkey bike 125 for fun as well as soon meeting my Bonnie for a regular pilgrimage to the Isle of Man for the TT.
Ride safe.

**********************************************************************
My arms hurt just reading what you wrote. I broke my right wrist at work a few years ago in a fall; the personal injury lawyer told me that broken bones return minimal money on a claim. The money shot is the tendon and ligament damage because those things don't heal very well at all. So I feel for you.

However, reading about what you're still doing, I believe you do more despite a 30% disability than many people with no restrictions. I'd love to see the Isle of Man race. Standing by for photos from this year's race, if you get some!

 

[Baldeagle]

Will do my best,it's a beautiful but unpredictable Isle weatherwise,stuck slap bang in the middle of the Irish Sea it is reported that you can see many kingdoms from the top of Snaefell,the summit of the island,England,Ireland,Scotland,Wales,plus the kingdom of God,
I have at best only ever seen 3 of them,it occasionally snows during the TT fortnight,is often foggy on the mountain but sunny in Douglas(the capital) beach.
Anyway I try to keep busy,can't wait to get to UK next month to see my Bonnie for real,she will be taxed and battery charged when I arrive so a few days familiarization and then off for 10 days.
Thanks for your reply and good on you also hope the RH pipe is fine!!

 

[triumph david]

Brian, i am hurting all over after reading all of that, good for you for keeping on riding, i know about a bunch of people told you they would never ride after that and you are crazy for riding again, typical cage drivers.

 

[turtleman]

smart move, good for you. my bike crash bars are only for looks, not for protecting me or bike, go figger, triumph bright way of thinking. here in the USA we only want crash bars for protection not looks only, but never know with Brits.

 

[SarahP]

smart move, good for you. my bike crash bars are only for looks, not for protecting me or bike, go figger, triumph bright way of thinking. here in the USA we only want crash bars for protection not looks only, but never know with Brits.

**********************************************************************
I'm amazed that your crash bars wouldn;t help protect the bike in a drop. I'd love to see a photo of the, if you'd care to post a photo showing them? And I'm new to Triumph, were these stock bars?

 

[DaveM]

It looks like it does give good protection on most of the sticking out parts. This will really help for those day to day fall overs when your foot slips or slow speed turns.

Here is a nice video on lifting the bike.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhUj7EJhZiE

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

Nancy you've got some balls to lay down your bike like that and practise picking it up. I've never done that. I did wonder one day how the hell I was going to get my DR350 out of the mini lake that I'd just rode into, and the bike was showing two wheels and not much else.
Brian as Td's said good for you for carrying on riding. Will be watching the TT on ITV 4 this coming June, if you have a Humax machine in France, don't for get to look at the channels from Northern Ireland as they show the Northwest 200 as well.

 

[Baldeagle]

Garry,
Thanks for reminding me,I do have a Humax here in France,been to the North West,Dundrod many years ago but sadly the old grey matter forgets to record them in the euphoria of getting ready for the TT doh!!
Coverage on ITV 4 is superb in my opinion and I think partly responsible for the. recent upsurge in visitors to the TT.
Fancy a trip to the Manx festival,went years ago before it was reinvented and was a lovely relaxed affair,be interested to see it now.
Thanks again,
Brian.

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

Channel 957 BBC1 NI, or 969 BBC2 NI. Hope that you'll remember this year, if I remember I'll remind you.

 

[turtleman]

protects tank, not floor boards or shiftier, brake levers up front, not mirrors end of handle bars. in back bags will hit first. go buy all these stock parts you will spend a lot of money. LOOKS GREAT! It should protect your body if you stay tucked in when you go down. my daddy always told me you should ride motorcycles on 2 wheels and NO OTHER WAY.