Honda VTX Forum banner

Engine Guards, Crash Bars, whatever you call them.

1K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  Guest 
#1 ·
Regardless of what you call them, which are the best? Has anyone out there dropped their bike that has crash bars? How good did the protect your bike? And how much damage was done to the crash bars? I just purchased a set of National Cycle bars and was wonder it I made the right choice.
 
#2 ·
I have the Cobra 1.5 inch diameter guard / bar. Have not dropped the bike, but I guess if I did, it should protect the tank and handle bars.

1.5 inch looks just right on this big muther.

JJ
 
#4 ·
i purchased the cobra fatty crash bars primarily for looks. i imagine they would help minimize bike damage since they are so beefy.
 
G
#5 ·
I dropped my bike on a slick exit ramp a few weeks ago. Had Cobra standard guards with guard chaps. Just picked up the bike, straightened out the right mirror and rode off. Absolutely no damage...not even scratches on the guard because of the chaps...Frankp
 
#7 ·
I love my Cobra Fatty's, but I haven't dropped the bike. On the other hand, my wife dropped her bike (Cobra's also) at less than 5 mph and did $2500 damage, so who knows...
 
#8 ·
Jimbob, I think you made the right choice as far as function. The NC Palladin do not come out as far as most of the other bars one could buy. We all know that our 1300 retros are low to the ground and for most of us we have scraped our floorboards at one time or another. I for one would not want to hit my bars going into tight turn and the national cycles wouldn't do this or at least not until after scrapping your floorboards which have a lot of give. I do like the looks of the fatties on a retro.
Just my 2 cents Further on up the road
 
G
#9 ·
I put the National Cycle bars on my bike last week and I don't think I like them. My big feet tend to hit the bars while I'm breaking or down shifting. I gonna use them for awhile, I guess I'll have to move my riding position, and see if I can adjust.

If I'm not comfortable, I'm going to get the fattys.
 
#10 ·
I just put the Cobra Fatties on my 1300R. I agree that they look good, however they are only fastened with 2 bolts. One on each side of the bike to the frame where the boards are fastened. Then there is one small bolt at the top, into the Radiator housing. With this said, I can't imagine that they will ofer much protection, other than if the bike rolls off the sidestand, or if you have a brain fa*t and get off the bike without deploying the sidestand. JMHO, BWTFDIK!
 
#11 ·
Cobra's and the 1800 bike went down trying to brake and miss a car only to hit some fine sand on the parking lot. She was sitting with her wheels at an angle like this \ wheels at top! Damage? scraped the cobra highway bar chaps, broke chaps strap, tiny scratch on the mirror and it was twisted. I was so surprised, was expecting the windshield to be hit sitting at that angle but nope the highway bars saved her! :shock:
 
#13 ·
I have the Cobra Fatty's on my X. I haven't dropped her but I did put a set of the regular Cobra's on the wifey's Aero because she was dropping it like hot butter and I was going broke replacing her mirrors. She has dropped it twice since I put them on and no damage to the bike(knocking on wood)
 
G
#16 ·
BadX said:
I have the Cobra Fatty's on my X. I haven't dropped her but I did put a set of the regular Cobra's on the wifey's Aero because she was dropping it like hot butter and I was going broke replacing her mirrors. She has dropped it twice since I put them on and no damage to the bike(knocking on wood)
Yeah...I hear that!!!! I put a set of Highway Hawks on my wife's VLX. About two hours later..... down it went.
 
G
#17 ·
Cobra/National Bars

We used to call them crash bars. Now they are called highway bars. Anyway I went with the Nationals cause I think they look better on my retro. The Cobras (in my opinion) stick out too far appearance-wise. However, they probably will work better if you go down.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top