Crash protection

[DaytonAndy]

Just wondering what protection everyone uses and for those of us that like to test it (St Marks I'm looking at you here ) what bits do you reckon are most important? I've ordered some gb racing engine case protectors and some carbon tank protectors and just wondering what else to get?

[Cav]

I dropped my bike in a car park once, crash bungs on the side prevented any damage at all!

Fortunately I've not had any crashes on big bikes **knocks on wood** to give any feedback beyond that

[Cav]

I just had a look at the Smiths Triumph race bikes and they seem to only have GB Racing covers..

I know R&G do tail and tank carbon protectors for the ZX6R, if they do them for your bike it might be worthwhile getting those to protect fairings.

I've also been told to get an M4 bolt and bobbin and to have that go through the swingarm bobbin points as the bolt will brake without damaging the swingarm in the event of a crash. Apparently swingarms are so thin they're nearly impossible to fix once bent

[Monty]

I'm just putting front wheel and swingarm bobbins on mine as replacement panels are very cheap for the ZX6. The swingarm bobbins are only really for the paddock stand, can't see them doing much in a crash. Might consider get some for the tank though at some point.

[D6]

I have the fork slider bobbin thingies. But that's it. I've not found any nice looking crash bungs for speed triple. If I dropped it I am sure I can get some cheap replacements from somewhere.

[StMarks]

Just wondering what protection everyone uses and for those of us that like to test it (St Marks I'm looking at you here ) what bits do you reckon are most important? I've ordered some gb racing engine case protectors and some carbon tank protectors and just wondering what else to get?

LOL, you forgot that the venerable Deegee is on here mate, & I'll wager that he's forgotten more than I'll ever learn about all things track & performance.!!
However, I will advise (based on my more extensive crashing experience). IMHO the spindle bobbins are a wise addition to your choice DA.
They avoid damage to the vulnerable swing arm, fork legs & brake calipers (all high value items that do suffer). They also avoid the dreaded "broken spindle stud" effect that Cav warns about.
Clip on handle bars are sensible, if you plan on wiping out regularly. I have a good selection of bent OEM 675 ones. Not only is it awkward to change them, but they are held in the correct place by a small allen bolt up into top yolk, so when they touch down they cannot fold back & bend instead. If you don't want to replace with clipons, then perhaps remove that bolt for a track biased bike.?
Lockstop plates should also be high on your list, and for your own protection a sharks fin.
If you go for frame sliders, go for ones that mount on a bracket between two frame points, and with short bobbins (unless you will be wearing road fairings that you hope to protect).?
I could go on & on (I keep adapting my approach, depending on the outcome of each spill) but I'll leave you with that to consider atm.

Hth.

[Blade]

GB Racing covers are choice no1 imo so good move. Additional to that I have evotech crash bungs plus fork and swingarm protectors and would rate the evotech kit highly and personally I don't like the R&G aero crash bungs but that's just personal choice.

[Monty]

I've just ordered the Evotech front and rear bobbins and the Evotech tail tidy and the Evotech exhaust hanger, and the Evotech blanking plate!

[Blade]

Good kit Monty. I have the same items and can throughly recommend them.

Let the modding commence

[kiwikrasher]

Bungs on the Triumph saved a lot for first off (LH low side). End over end second crash so nothing would help.

No crash protection on the ZX10r (LH low side, but high speed) and if I had crash bungs I would've been laughing. Ground my case a bit so I'm definitely planning to go bungs and case protectors on it.

Had to replace the rear axle from the first Triumph crash so I'm planning on axle bobbins too.

[D6]

I had the GB racing covers they were good. I ordered them from the Kawasaki racing team so it had MSS Kawasaki on instead

[Blade]

From what I understand crash bungs are good in low speed spills but in high speed spills can bend the frame slightly where they attach (this happened to a mate) if they are impacted hard as the high tensile bolts don't shear but bend which puts force on the frame spar they bolt through.

This makes sense as if you look at bsb bikes with crash bungs they are much shorter than the R&G offerings for road bikes. I assume this is because race teams know they are likely to have large crashes and would rather replace some race plastics than have an issue with the frame at a race meeting.

[Kwacky]

It depends how they're housed. The ones on the SX are housed in a plate which is bolted to the bike so the bike isn't damaged.

[StMarks]

Totally agree with Kwacky on that Blade.: Fwiw that's why I specifically said any fame sliders must be the type their own mounting plate supported at two frame points. All the decent ones for the 675 (GB, R&G, Puig etc..) do.
The Cheapo' ones that mount straight from one frame point have been reported to cause issues as Blade warned.

[Blade]

To be honest all the R&G and evotech ones I have owned over the years have mounted straight on the frame spar.

The ones you describe that are bolted to a plate which is then secured to the frame at the other end are marketed as NOT requiring the fairing panels to be cut. As fair as I'm aware and more than happy to be corrected they are not marketed as a superior design that won't damage the frame in a high impact accident.

Thinking about it logically unless the plate is designed to break which total defeats it's purposes than the frame could just as easily be damaged as a convenionally mounted crash bung as the high tensile bolt holding the plate will have a similar shock load as a conventionally mounted crash bung and thus damage the frame at the mounting point.

There is good and bad with crash bungs and that's all I'm trying to point out. As I say professional race teams use a shorter bung to reduce the likelyhood of frame damage. They don't use the no fairing panel cut type that has an extension plate moving the actual bung away from the frame securing point which im sure they would if there was an advantage to this design regards crash protection. The only benefit they offer as far as I'm aware is not having to cut fairing panels but please tell me if I'm wrong. Every day is a school day and I'm always happy to learn something or be corrected if I have understood it wrong.

[StMarks]

The ones you describe that are bolted to a plate which is then secured to the frame at the other end are marketed as NOT requiring the fairing panels to be cut. As fair as I'm aware and more than happy to be corrected they are not marketed as a superior design that won't damage the frame in a high impact accident.......

Yep, I agree that is how they are marketed.
However from my own experience I can assure you that (given a hard/fast enough impact) the support plates twist & bend, whilst their mounting points remain undamaged.
I don't think I have ever crashed on a bike with the single mount type, but have heard a number of people saying that they can cause damage. (Not sure if Kwacky allows hearsay evidence.??)

R&G do both types for the 675.

[Kwacky]

Crash bungs were invented to help protect the engine if the bike goes down on it's side and slides. That was the reason for them coming about.

Saving the plastics is secondary, seeing as they cost racers about £200 a set and most look battle worn anyway apart from the top race teams.

Let's be honest, there's a certainty element of stupidity in having to cut the fairing to put something in place to protect it. However, street riders saw them and wanted them for their bikes for that racer look. That's when people started saying they protect your fairings. But the makers don't care about fairings, which is why the bungs bolt on to a strong part of the bike without worrying about the position of the plastics.

Mine mount on a plate, the plate is mounted by 3 bolts. Basic physics says if there's a direct impact to the end of the crash bung, there is a loss of energy along the bung, then as it travels through the plate, then it's shared between the 3 bolts.

But as first mentioned, they are for sliding crashings, not a direct drop.

It's usually at this point someone will tell you about their mate's bike flipping because it had crash bungs. As posted, you can't cater for every event.

[DaytonAndy]

OK gbracing engine casings and fork protectors, R+G tank protectors ordered and the bike already has triumph frame protectors on it.

100062718-0-2.jpg (3.03 KiB) Viewed 2489 times

Any opinions on the frame sliders? Would have got gbracing but seeing as the Triumph ones are already on it...

[Kwacky]

They look good and hopefully you'll never have to test them.

[StMarks]

....Any opinions on the frame sliders? Would have got gbracing but seeing as the Triumph ones are already on it...

I have a horrible feeling that the Triumph ones were "field tested" not long after the Mk2 was released, and "failed to impress"

I'll see if I can find the relevant thread for you mate. (Please don't hold your breath)..