Hi,
Looking to get a set of crash bars for my 2008 GS500. All I can find are these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS-500-E-Bj-89-06-SW-Motech-Motorrad-Sturzbugel-Schutzbugel-Crash-Bars-/271792607093?hash=item3f481a0f75:g:2dwAAOSwLnlWo5Oc
Anyone know where I can find alternatives/ cheaper ones?
thanks!
I have these on my '07. If you still have the fairings, you'll need to drill a hole in each side, but they fit very securely through the engine mount.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/R-G-CLASSIC-STYLE-CRASH-PROTECTORS-FOR-SUZUKI-GS500-FULL-FAIRED-MODEL-/231342694134 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/R-G-CLASSIC-STYLE-CRASH-PROTECTORS-FOR-SUZUKI-GS500-FULL-FAIRED-MODEL-/231342694134)
Twisted Throttle (http://www.twistedthrottle.com) also carries these in the US, but they say call for availability right now. Even the R&G website out of the UK says low stock atm.
Thanks for pointing these out! might get these on account of them being half the cost of the others, but am still looking to see if I can find bars for cheaper than the sw-motech ones. My GS is an E model so no fairings to worry about.
SW Motech, Renntec, and Hepco Becker all make real crash bar for the GS but all are in the $200 - $300 range. You are paying for a bar that will take a hit at speed and protect the engine during a slide and still be usable afterwards. If you wait long enough, maybe a used set will turn up here or on eBay.
The Suzuki bars (no longer sold), RNG or T Rex sliders, or the no name chrome crash bars that show up on eBay sometimes will all break in anything but a parking lot drop. Still better than nothing. I have had to replace the threaded rod on my R&G sliders twice. The rod is designed to bend to dissipate energy (or so they say because no rod that fits through the engine bolt hole will ever be strong enough), but as a result will almost always crack the fairing and require replacement.