For those wanting engine/case guards

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

Have been poking around trying to see what is out there other than the OEM engine/case guards and found these:

Hepco & Becker Guards

They look really nice and like they would be very effective but man are they pricey!! Anyone seen anything similar for less $$ ?

Adios,

[Pkaaso]

Am I reading that right... ?  $183 for one?  One side?  That has to be for the pair.  Somebody shoot me!  :guns:

Paul

[acoustimate]

Check out some earlier threads about these.  

Basically, you can get a pair from Suzuki for $50 that fit the 2001-2002, but can be modified slightly to fit the 96-2000.

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

I was hoping to find something similar to the Hepco's in that the come back to the rear of the engine and provide a little more coverage than the OEM guards. I just didn't want to spend over three times as much for them!    I have access to a few machine shops that could make them for me, but they would not be anywhere near as pretty as the Hepco's. Looks like we'll be getting the OEM guards  

Adios,

[acoustimate]

Yeah, I noticed that difference...

I don't know if I could justify the extra $$ for the difference.  I just installed some OEM guards myself, hopefully they'll be enough--they'll certainly be worth the money, anyway.  Good luck!

[Toecutter]

The amusing thing is that they're charging $180 for a few pieces of bent steel tubing that probably cost them $10 at the most.  Hell, you could get all the tools you'd require to make a set for about $200.  If I can get some time in the shop, I'm going to see if I can make something better.

[70 Cam Guy]

Howdy,

I was hoping to find something similar to the Hepco's in that the come back to the rear of the engine and provide a little more coverage than the OEM guards. I just didn't want to spend over three times as much for them!    I have access to a few machine shops that could make them for me, but they would not be anywhere near as pretty as the Hepco's. Looks like we'll be getting the OEM guards  

Adios,

I bet if you buy the OEM guards, you can have someone make that extra tube piece and weld it on.  Print out that pic to have a visual aid.  They can weld it on pretty easily I'm sure.  Then you can go glass bead blast it and paint it.  If you wanted to be fancy you could get it chromed.

I don't know whether that idea still comes in cheaper than those pricey ones but its an idea

[Pam G]

From the Suzuki Gstwin email list:

Rich Graver now has GS Case covers , right side only made from 6061
alum for
$70 plus S & H. Contact at wera90ex@aol.com

His costs were higher then expected so they are higher then we talked
about.
Still I feel a great value for a needed item. (I know someone that
ground
through a stock cover at Gratten's hairpin last weekend)

Bob

[Argon5W]

Bending your own guards would be very easy.  You could break even on the cost of the bender after your third set.  You could also make your own handle bars.

The following is a link for a suitable tubing bender that could be used.  You would also need a vice and drill.  The tubing will be a few dollars a set and powder coating will be about $10 a set.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44094

[Black Snowman]

I was thinking about adding that 3rd support somehow to my stock guards. I have a welder but I haven't sprung for the tubing bender yet.

The reason I'm interested in it is that after hitting a curb and taking the brunt of the impact my left guard is bent back a few degrees. I have a feeling it hit the case in the crash but sprung back. The rear member would fix that.

[2Twin]

I ordered a set of Renntec bars from www.Mandp.co.uk They go from the top front engine mount to the rear mount and then a bar goes from the middle down to the bottom. Go to tubular then engine bars and select renntec and then chose the GS. Price listed is 57 pounds but I am not sure what that is US wether it is a good deal or not.

Fitted easily enough. Very tight though. I had ones like the suzuki ones on it when I bought the bike and as soon as the missus dropped it they bent in onto the engine cases anyway and damage was still done. I dont think that will happen with these.

If anyone wants pics of them on pm me and I can email them out.

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

I am lazy... this means I'll pay a few extra bucks to avoid making them myself, but only a few  :lol: I tried the link for the renntecs and got some weird e-solutions website   We went ahead with the OEM bars. We are really just looking for something to help with parking lot tipovers while she practices with the bike.

I would ike to see the renntecs. Please email them to me at

tourmeister@twtex.com

Thanks,

[john]

With that guard you could buy some highway pegs from a HD shop and clamp them on.  It might actually be something to think about if you do lots of highway riding.

As far as the price    wayyyyy too much IMHO.  $100 maybe but almost $200.  

[glenn9171]

$183?  

You could almost buy a used replacement engine for that.

[Kerry]

FiveStars makes a "three-prong" engine guard.  You can see mine on my Riderhaus luggage solutions page.

Riderhaus is currently not accepting orders, so take a look at Adventure Motorcycle Gear.  (Click on the "CrashBars" link.)  They claim to have FiveStars guards that fit the GS500E for $99.95.

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

[shep_bannister]

[Rema1000]

I posted the picture [Renntec] sent to my webspace as well:
http://home.comcast.net/~cannedham/motobikes/GS500E_ENG.BMP

That one attaches underneath the engine somehow (?!), and not to the lower-front mount screw.  It looks really beefy.  It looks like the vertical strut is back from the leading-edge of the engine cover.  It looks as-if it would be good for tip-overs; but I think it may leave the front of the case cover exposed, if you were to ride into the corner of something which is lower than the top strut (I know, not too likely).

I like the 5-stars design a little better.  Not as pretty as the chrome Hepco, but a nice design.

[2Twin]

The bottom of the guard on the renntec is like a square tube with one side missing that wraps around the frame. It uses a bolt that goes through the brace and clamps around the frame. That was the hardest part to fit as it was really a tight squeeze. I had to do it myself so when i figured out putting a G-clamp on the inside of it and squeezing it together it went on sweeeet.

The vertical part of the guard would surely protect the front of the case unless you went into the corner of a large kerb. If that happened I would be more worried about my body hitting it than the bike hitting the kerb.

PS- Is the price OK in US dollars for that one or is it expensive. I live in Aus so price conversions is different. I know here it was a tad expensive but only a fraction more than the suzuki guards. Genuine is an absolute rip off here.

[Rema1000]

Is the price OK in US dollars for [Renntec] or is it expensive.

I think the choices look-like:
$50 Suzuki "love-handles" engine gaurds: good for tip-overs, maybe not so good for harder crashes or those not-so-good track days
$100 5-Stars three-point engine guards, look nice, don't stick-out too far.
$160 Renntec beefy-mongo-engine guards, look a bit industrial/bulky to me, must be ordered from overseas for US.
$183 Hepco chrome Supa-bars, also look strong, flashy (great match for your chromed exhaust!), could take highway pegs; have a highway/cruiser crashbar look.
...and (just to be complete)...
$250 plus three afternoons' time for an arc welder, pipe bender and do-it-yourself, guaranteed to look like cr@p when it's done, but then...  it'll match all your other mods, right?



[shep_bannister]

2Twin sent me the pictures of his bike with the Renntec bars.  I posted them to my web space:

http://home.comcast.net/~cannedham/motobikes/ride.html