Crash Bars?

Does anyone have any suggestions for crash bars for a silver wing? I haven't had any luck "shopping" for them, but I could be doing that wrong. I thought I may take it to our motorcycle shop (who, BTW, loves my scooter!) and see if they could rig something up. One of the guys there is pretty handy with metal.

My son will start walking again in 2 weeks, and he can't wait to jump on a bike again. The scooter is the only bike that has the capacity of riding 2-up, so I want to modify it for "us" to ride. I don't want to trike it out, but to protect him/us if we fall. It will probably be next year before we can ride, so I'm not in a big hurry, but if you know of something that is out there already, that would be a big help!!

Try http://www.fehling.de/

If you Google fehling.de you'll get the 'Translate this page' bit.

Their stuff is not cheap and has a tendancy to rust at the joints (smearing a little Vaseline on them helps) but it looks good and affords some protection to the plastic.

I had some on my X9 and Burger-friends use it, too.

I have thought about the rear bars simply to keep my saddlebags from resting on the paint.

When the site comes up, click on the picture of the cruiser.
Then click on Honda in the list on the right and scroll down until you come to the Silverwing. The bikes are arranged roughly in engine size, starting with the smallest.
Then click on the little icon at the extreme left of each item that looks like a lap-top screen to bring up a picture of the item.

Crash Bars? They would do littler good in crash. Maybe protect plastic a little if it falls off stand.

Best bet, try Fehling in Germany.

In Korea, my Daelim came with 360 degree wrap around bumpers and top box that mounted to strong rack built into bumpers--- they were handy in protecting plastic.

But remember any of the junk you put on has to come off first to usually work on bike.

John Grinsel

"They would do littler good in crash. Maybe protect plastic a little if it falls off stand.

Best bet, try Fehling in Germany."

Precisely what I said!

Why do I bother???????

MikeO wrote:

Why do I bother???????

Because some people are so 'busy' they never bother reading all the thread - just the last message in the line LOL

Anyway,

Mike I've seen these both on Ebay UK and I looked on the website in Germany. Pricey they are, I can't really figure out how they mount up - do they connect to points on the chassis/bracketry or is it a simple case of drilling the plastics and putting a large washer on the inside to spread the load?

Peach, I've got to say that fitting crash bars on your scoot isn't going to protect anyone, least of all a rider and pillion. Most if not all modern fittings are designed to minimise the impact of a vehicle on a road from a drop etc. You say you don't want to trike the Swing - why not have a look at something like an MTC Voyager?? Take my word for it, it takes less than one minute to convert it from a solo machine to a stablised trike look-a-like and vice-versa once the fitting kit is attached to you bike!

You are far more likely to be safe and keep you son safe fitting an MTC or equivalent than trying to fit crash bars & impact protection to a two wheeled machine - the amount you would need to fit to afford the safety you seem to imply would probably compromise the handling of the machine in the first place - making it more dangerous than ever!

Some years ago now, the 'European know-it-alls' - an unelected, unwanted, legislatory body, who can't even balance their expense accounts, tried to make every motorcyclist in Europe have set of crash bars fitted to their motorcycles - regardless of cc etc. The design they came up with - in the intrests of economy was a pair of unsupport semi-circular hoops that bolted to the frame forward of the engine. As you can imagine, nobody was in favour of this idea and even less so when the first of many, many foretold casualties started being brought into hospital emergency rooms with severe leg injuries, from relatively low speed accidents etc. It took nearly a year of lobbying and the combined power of various motorcycle groups around Europe to have this clearly dangerous piced of legislation thrown out!

The guy that initially proposed it, later went on to become the representative for vehicle transport in Europe and has now been shouting about banning motorcycles completely because they are dangerous............. People like this we can all do without!

Skippy, thanks!
As far as I know, and speaking from my limited personal experience, they are attached to mounts/bolts already on the bike - no drilling required. I had just the front mudguard/fender guard, though.

Where necessary, longer bolts are supplied with the bars.

One thing to be aware of: where the side bars attach at the rear of the foot-boards.

If no-one has the definitive answer about drilling, I'll give my X9 friend, Barry Bling, a ring this evening and ask him. He's got the lot with even a chrome GB plate on the back of his Burger.

Peach wrote:

Does anyone have any suggestions for crash bars for a silver wing? I haven't had any luck "shopping" for them, but I could be doing that wrong. I thought I may take it to our motorcycle shop (who, BTW, loves my scooter!) and see if they could rig something up. One of the guys there is pretty handy with metal.

Another option besides crash bars would be to weld a strong solid straight bar to the frame which you can then add foot pegs. There have been some people who have done this already.

The straight bar may provide some protection for your son's feet.

Peach wrote:

My son will start walking again in 2 weeks, and he can't wait to jump on a bike again.

I was wondering how your family was doing. Let us know when he is walking.

Does anyone else get a picture in their mind of a goldwing crashing thru
the window of a local tavern and stopping at the bar after knocking 4-5 stools out of the way?

Erm, no.......... You guys must live in some very salubrious places to have 'Taverns', we just have plain old pubs where I live (in the glorious county of Devon, SW UK)

Totally off topic but 'taverns' for me conjures up medieval 'mead' houses and Robin Hood!!!

Sorry, back on topic, crash bars on a maxi scoot, non starter for me with all the protection around me. To start protecting the protective plastic is over kill for me.

I can understand crash bungs on rice rockets, I can see the attraction of the cosmetic bars on the old Lambretta's, but on todays big maxi scooters - Nope, not for me.

Right - I phoned Barry and this is what he said:

He's on his second lot of Burger Bling from Fehling's having left the first set on his previous Burger.
The quality of the second lot was very inferior to the first.
He had to re-tap some of the holes.
The chrome is poor round the joints.
A few bits were missing (bolts and spacers, I think).
He contacted Fehling's by e-mail in German and received no reply.
He hesitates to recommend it now and decided either to bin it or have it rechromed.
He chose the latter course - it cost £400.00 and is excellent and the man who did it said it will last for ever. (It should do at that price!)
He suggests that anyone buying the Fehling's stuff should think seriously of lacquering it.
Apparently, too, there is chrome paint available for touching up chips and rust. It's not brilliant but stands cursory inspection. (Halfords sell it in the UK)

There is no drilling involved and the kit should come with all the necessary longer bolts and spacers.

He said he was very happy for me to pass this on.

I did run by the shop yesterday to talk to them about making something custom. Since I'm not in a "big hurry", we discussed it being a winter project for them. I wasn't on my scooter, so he said he'd have to look at the frame and see if it could be done, but it wasn't "outside the realm of possible".
I'll be sure and keep you up to date on it.

BTW, the trike kits are wayyyyy outside my budget. Even the cheapest of the cheap ones. This modification will cost a couple of hundred.

Peach,

Here in the UK we have the National Association for Bikers with Disability or NABD for short. Years ago when I Rep'd for them I'm sure I came across something simiar in the US?? Perhaps it might be worth approaching them with a view to getting a grant towards safety bars/adaptions for you son?? Just a thought and might be worth a try?

Peach wrote:

My son will start walking again in 2 weeks, and he can't wait to jump on a bike again.

I was wondering how your family was doing. Let us know when he is walking.[/quote]

If x-rays look good, he'll get to start walking with his walker on Sept. 7th. He's recovered so quickly and ahead of schedule on everything else, I expect he'll be running and skipping by Sept. 12th!!

Skippy wrote:

Peach,

Here in the UK we have the National Association for Bikers with Disability or NABD for short. Years ago when I Rep'd for them I'm sure I came across something simiar in the US?? Perhaps it might be worth approaching them with a view to getting a grant towards safety bars/adaptions for you son?? Just a thought and might be worth a try?

I appreciate the idea, but he's not really disabled at all. Well, technically, he is at this point, but won't be on a bike until he is 100% back in shape.

Peach,

God Bless you both always

May the Angel of the Highway protect you both always.

Never Ride Faster Than Your Angel Can Fly

If I can help in anyway (even from the UK) then please ask!

Skippy wrote:

Peach,

God Bless you both always

May the Angel of the Highway protect you both always.

Never Ride Faster Than Your Angel Can Fly

If I can help in anyway (even from the UK) then please ask!

Thank you so very much! You are (all) too kind and I appreciate all the kind words and advice

If your just looking for something to protect an little when falling over, not nessary crashing. I would look into hard bags, here is a link of paul's

http://paulscooter.webs.com/apps/photos/album.jsp?albumID=1642301

you can try this.

Tnx Redwing09, theres some good images and ideas there! I suspect the cases etc. came off one of those 'chinese' 125's or something similar.

As you point out, useful in the event of a drop etc, but probably not a huge amount of use carrying stuff