[HSL]

I will know this afternoon and post back.

Fantastic, please do. I have a set on hold at a local dealer, so I'd appreciate the information. (I'm surprised non of the current Givi owners could tell...)

 

[bumper]

Givi

I dropped my bike on the right side and on the left side. The bars did the job and the plastic is OK.

I removed all the plastic this spring and did not have any kind of problem with any of the fasteners.

I used regular Allen keys.

 

[viper522]

I just installed mine in about an hour, including moving the bike onto the rear stand and getting out the necessary tools. Access to that particular bolt isn't bad at all.

I can get my shortest 4mm in there long-ways. Turns 360 degrees w/o contact.


I can almost get my 4mm on a driver in there straight; a ball-style allen would be more than OK.


My longest 4mm allen fits short-ways with plenty of room for large hands. I believe it turns 360 degrees as well.

 

[HSL]

I just installed mine in about an hour, including moving the bike onto the rear stand and getting out the necessary tools. Access to that particular bolt isn't bad at all.

Thanks a lot for the detailed feedback. :thumbup: So it's doable, even though I can understand the poster who wrote that he didn't like it -- one wonders why Givi wouldn't have chosen a curvature to allow straight access with a long key.

Did you have a chance to look at the bolt at the bottom of the side cowling (that attached the side cowling to the radiator) -- is that accessible as well?

 

[Strider1520]

Yes, the radiator connector is accessible. As posted earlier, it does obscure the side plastic screw somewhat but you can get a 90 degree in there and turn it 360 without hitting the fairing. A little bit of nuisance, but what the heck.

I also installed mine in about an hour (and a big chunk of that was getting the holes to line back up on the engine hanger on the left side - my fault).

Bars went on GREAT and look awesome. Well built. No rattle. It poured down rain right after I got them on, so will take them out tomorrow just to see...but I feel it was MONEY WELL SPENT.

Don't think the skid plate that I am going to try and put on tomorrow is going to be so easy.....

 

[HSL]

Thanks for all the great reports.

I wasn't quite as lucky. Got the Givi crash bars and was all excited, but upon unpacking it turned out that they were all scuffed inside the packaging. Dealer said: "Yeah, they all come like that, that's just normal with Givi because it's all shipped from Italy." Whatever...

Also, a preliminary fitting showed that one side's mounting holes were misaligned with the frame bolts by about 1/4", which would have provided a nice upper body workout when trying to mount them.

After discussion with Givi USA and dealer, and plenty of buck-passing, the dealer eventually refunded the purchase price.

I still like the looks of the Givi guards best but I think I'll go for the Suzuki OEM engine guards instead (the "old" SW-Motech" design). They are compact, less top heavy, allow comfortable fairing access, and protect the radiator which is the only really critical component in that area.

 

[viper522]

Thanks for all the great reports.

I wasn't quite as lucky. Got the Givi crash bars and was all excited, but upon unpacking it turned out that they were all scuffed inside the packaging. Dealer said: "Yeah, they all come like that, that's just normal with Givi because it's all shipped from Italy." Whatever...

Also, a preliminary fitting showed that one side's mounting holes were misaligned with the frame bolts by about 1/4", which would have provided a nice upper body workout when trying to mount them.

After discussion with Givi USA and dealer, and plenty of buck-passing, the dealer eventually refunded the purchase price.

I still like the looks of the Givi guards best but I think I'll go for the Suzuki OEM engine guards instead (the "old" SW-Motech" design). They are compact, less top heavy, allow comfortable fairing access, and protect the radiator which is the only really critical component in that area.

Mine came a little nicked up as well. It appears that Givi wraps their bars in a tough shrunken plastic and bundles a number of those on a pallet or some other shipping crate for export. My shipper then put my order into a large box with lots of paper stuffing. The box arrived undamaged, but the Givi stuff already had its nicks from overseas. I didn't care much at all, for these 1" steel tubes are going to take the impact of my Wee falling on its side (someday). As far as fitment, mine too were a little wonky on one side, but a tug here and a floor jack bar levered there was all it took to get everything lined up. It actually went quicker than I thought when I first saw what you saw. With all the bolts loose it was rather open to my persuasion. Not bad for $150.

 

[Strider1520]

Mine came in perfect condition, but were a bit "wonky" as well on the right side. It wasn't the actual bars, it was my nut up. Took me 45 mins to get the right side on and 10 to get the left side on after I caught my muck up. Originally, I took out all four bolts for the mount and could not get the holes to line back up again. I had to loosen the main (large) bolt in the bottom of the v shaped engine hanger to get them to line up again and then tightened it after I got them mounted.

What I did on the left side was loosen all four bolts (just loosened) and then took the two back ones out and mounted the bars and left the front mounting plate hanging down slightly. Then I removed the two front bolts, lifted the bar and mounting plate up into holes and mounted the front mounting plate on the bars and tightened everything down. That way the holes stayed aligned.

That was just my experience - but like the bars.

 

[tkitna]

Just installed the SW Motech Rally Bars and I like them. Total job took about 30 minuts and everything lined up perfectly. No vibrations while riding either. So far so good.

 

[kevdod]

I have Hepco Becker crash bars on mine and they have been rock solid. I have dropped the bike a few times while off roading (and once in the garage) and the bars have saved the bike. I also like the looks of them and they are pretty tight to the body of the bike.

Link to the bars: Hepco & Becker Tank Guard DL650 V-Strom 502.308 00 01

 

[HSL]

Suzuki/SW-Motech Crash Bars

After returning the Givi bars I decided to get the OEM Suzuki (= SW-Motech old design) crash bars. Rode up to Canada to pick one up from a dealer there and slapped them on right there in his parking lot.

Going by the pictures I was always more fond of the Givi optics, but in real life these compact crash bars look great. They blend in nicely (sort of matching the passenger footpeg brackets), they protect the radiator well, don't cause any additional hazard to your leg when dropping the bike -- and no hassle whatsoever with fairing access.

Now, on to the skid plate drama...

 

[JPK]

Thanks for all the great reports.

I wasn't quite as lucky. Got the Givi crash bars and was all excited, but upon unpacking it turned out that they were all scuffed inside the packaging. Dealer said: "Yeah, they all come like that, that's just normal with Givi because it's all shipped from Italy." Whatever....

I had this same issue with a set of Givi crash bars I bought from SW Motech for my KLR650. IMHO, spending that kind of money on something, and then getting some lame excuse about why it arrived in less than perfect condition is just poor. When it came time for bars for the Wee, I went with Altrider. They're superior in just about every way. They' arrived in perfect condition, they're made from thicker bar stock (1" vs 3/4"), they're made from stainless steel so if/when you do crash they won't start rusting instantly, they don't have that annoying Givi buzz, and they bolted up perfectly.

Also -- the Narcosis Junky skidplate fits great on the Altrider bars with SW Motech centerstand, but you need the "deluxe" mounting kit from Yann, as the u-bolts in the basic install hardware will not fit the fatter Altrider bars.

 

[Rudedawg]

Givi's

Used my Givi crash bar on the right side at 20mph on a long rocky uphill trail never touched the cowling lost the rear brake pedal front turn signal thou
Only issue I have is they won't sell you one side just pairs:furious:

I buy scratched panels when I get a dualsport bike put the new ones in the attic rattle can the used ones and ride baby ride:jawdrop:
The damage to the panel is the gas melting the rattle can paint
from being on it's side
gonna cost about 200 to fix
that crash without the bars would have been$$$$ to fix
Anyone got a right side Givi to sell or I'll sell you my left and get a new pair

 

[BassMan]

I like the looks of the Givis. Mine have been solid for years. If you have the big Givi plastic cases the front of the bike wont touch the ground in a fall anyway.

 

[concours]

Concours

I installed the SW Motec bars and skid plate they are very strong look great and easy to install

 

[MeefZah]

Kind of an old thread (2-11) but I have the Motech and they have served their purpose well, several times.

One thing which no one has mentioned and is a benefit of the SW Motech ones is that they are 7/8", same as handlebars. Thus, handlebar sized clamps work on them for all manner of accessories installation - driving lights, camera mounts, etc.

 

[ShadowMerc]

Another vote for the AltRider bars

I did all of this research as well after recently purchasing a left over 2009 Orange Wee. I ended up going with the black powder coated stainless bars from AltRider. The bars fit and finish were excellent and installation was simple. They even included threadlocker (locktite blue) in the kit.

What I like:
Stainless, and thus no rust issues over time.
Powder coated black - looks great on the Orange bike.
Compact.

What I don't like:
Cost and that these bars are not factory.

While they are expensive, I remind myself that the quality remains long after the cost is forgotten (kind of the same reason I bought a Givi trunk)

 

[Ozzy Strom]

Hi Guys , I have Hepco Becker bars , I looked a both the others before buying them and liked the design better , heavier tubing and solid crossbar , the givi ones have a problem that they can vibrate where the crossbar bolts together, the only problem i had with fitting the HBs was the bolt holes on the crossbar on one side didn't line up , had to twist it a little to get them to line up with the threaded holes in the bar.

Myself I don't see the point of the low crashbars , their not going to protect all that $$$$$ plastic in a crash , I too havn't comeoff a bike in years but its the other bloke (car driver Mostly :furious who causes the accident.

 

[BigMan73]

I did all of this research as well after recently purchasing a left over 2009 Orange Wee. I ended up going with the black powder coated stainless bars from AltRider. The bars fit and finish were excellent and installation was simple. They even included threadlocker (locktite blue) in the kit.

What I like:
Stainless, and thus no rust issues over time.
Powder coated black - looks great on the Orange bike.
Compact.

What I don't like:
Cost and that these bars are not factory.

While they are expensive, I remind myself that the quality remains long after the cost is forgotten (kind of the same reason I bought a Givi trunk)

+1 on what everything you said.

Why can't Suzuki make some partnership with AltRider and make these OEM?
They should offer a DL650A Adventure Package, just like BMW R1200 GS vs. R1200 GS Adventure:
AltRider crash bars + Engine Guards, Better hand guards, better seat (Corbin, etc.) - If this gets mass produced it is a win-win-win to all parties (Suzuki, After Market manufacturers and the end customers).

I'm going to get AltRider crash bars soon.