[tonybrasco]

My newly purchased 2006 Wee has crash protectors installed. Do I need to buy engine guards or not? Thanks guys!

 

[BobA]

You seem to have frame sliders. Whether you need crash bars depends on what you're going to do with the bike. They offer more protection for the tank and fairings than frame sliders do. They also provide a mounting point for most skid plates.

 

[Strider1520]

The engine guard, I think, would protect the tank and fairing, etc., as well in case of a dirt nap, not just the engine.

 

[Twill1356]

Frame sliders are not the best choice on a bike like this. If you stand on the pegs and perform typical offroad movements you can easily hit them with your knees. Probably a non issue if you never do off pavement.

 

[garvinzoom]

Mine have already saved my bike from damage on the street during a duh moment, so my vote it yes.

 

[DougInKY]

My newly purchased 2006 Wee has crash protectors installed. Do I need to buy engine guards or not? Thanks guys!

Had a lowside in June at about 25mph. I had sliders (like you have) on the bike. They never touched the ground (I expect because I had my Givi E41's on the bike). In any event, I did over $3,000 damage to the bike. I now have taken them off and put on SW-Motech engine guards (crash bars). I also put a skid plate on bike among other farkles.

 

[ozart]

I just recently put sliders like this on mine after 50k miles because of the unobtrusiveness (is that a word?) of them.

Bars for me = never.

 

[Speedo66]

My tip over while parked/idling scratched the spill bars and broke the LF turn signal.

I'm sure the damage would have been significantly worse without the bars.

To quote Harry, "do you feel lucky?" If so, I guess you don't need the bars, but if you dirt road, probably not a bad idea.

 

[Chuck_U_Farley]

The engine guard, I think, would protect the tank and fairing, etc., as well in case of a dirt nap, not just the engine.

I like the skid plate on your bike. Who makes it?

 

[notacop]

I have motech on mine and in the recent crash, I think they saved a lot of the bike. Cheap insurance. And they look very manly!

 

[tmcgee]

Yeah, all the old farts who work on their own bikes need crash bars. They make great grab rails when you're trying to get off the ground. :biggrinjester:

 

[Strider1520]

Skid plate is Adventure Motostuff from Happy Trails with the highway pegs/bar from the same place. Easy to mount. Only downside so far is you have to loosen the front bolts and remove the rear ones to do an oil change.

 

[Reyno]

I recommend them. even if you don't hit the dirt, they will protect all the little plastic bits that brake so easily. when they get scratched, there is nothing a black Nikko pen can't cover up.

Reyno.

 

[Philip Kuntz]

You want the bike to look cool, right? Of course you need them!:biggrinjester:

I have yet to test out how the work in a real crash or tip-over, but I have to say they look good enough to justify the cost.

 

[johnnail]

Yeah, all the old farts who work on their own bikes need crash bars. They make great grab rails when you're trying to get off the ground. :biggrinjester:

....and we have bad knees, so need road pegs. (mounted to the crash bars):thumbup:

 

[EchoFiveNovember]

I'm thankful to have both. I hardly ever ride off road, but i've bashed the bottom of the skid plate more than a few times, and I've laid the bike down once... plus I just don't think the bike looks right without them.
I waited about a year and a half of incident free miles before ordering them, but two days after mounting the bars on, I gently laid Big Blue down in a parking lot. Two months later, I put her down on a dirt road in SoCal... definitely worth the few hundred bucks. Much cheaper and easier to touch up scratches on those bars than the plastics.
Also, Skid plate saved my ass big time last summer. While driving cross country, I was cruising at about 75 when I felt a stutter and saw my oil light pop on. I immediately hit the engine cut off and coasted off to the side of an empty-ish highway in Colorado. My drain plug had miraculously unthreaded itself and fell out... oil was everywhere, but when I looked in the belly pan, there it was, the drain plug just waiting to be put back in. Although the damage was done to the engine, at least I had a plug to limp the bike along. without that skid plate my trip would have ended much worse.

I have Givi bars, Adventure Motostuff skit plate with Happy Trails Highway pegs and they're worth every penny just do it, you won't regret your decision... especially if you get the highway pegs.

 

[Tollster]

Skid plate is Adventure Motostuff from Happy Trails with the highway pegs/bar from the same place. Easy to mount. Only downside so far is you have to loosen the front bolts and remove the rear ones to do an oil change.

Not if ya drill a hole big enough for the 14mm deep well under the drain plug and don't mind a few drips when your done....10 minute oil and filter...Quick lube?

 

[khager]

Another thing they will protect is your radiator. About $500

 

[Bzar]

There was a Vstrom for sale a couple of months back that had the oil cooler line torn off of the crankcase by a rock, so I do think that the engine protection is a great idea.

 

[BillZ]

I have the bars, the skid plate, and the bark buster hand guards. I have managed to drop my bike on both sides in the first month. No problems of any kind and I really like the utility look from my gear.