How necessary are UPPER crash bars?

[Shuter]

I plant to install AltRider lower crash bars on my '17 ST...I realize the uppers are supposed to stiffen the lowers, but do they much? Also, do the upper bars provide any real protection over and above the lowers in a tip over?

Thanks!

 

[barkingllizard]

I haven't seen any upper crash bars that would justify their cost,
if you slowly tip over your ride and lay it down, uppers are just extra scaffolding with no real purpose except to maybe uglify a bike.
If it ever did come to the point where they might do something, the rest of the ride could well be written off...
On the other side, if you never ride and museum the motorcycle, you will never ever need them.....

 

[Cycledude]

In general I don’t think the aftermarket crash-bars and skid plates help anywhere near as much as folks think they do.
But yes I took them off my 2013 and will probably be installing them on the new 2018. In 50,000 miles my 13 only fell over once and it was parked when it happened, I really don’t think the crash bars did anything better than the stock Yamaha protectors would have done.
In my case the crash bars do make it a little more difficult to remove-replace the side covers.

 

[loftybob]

I got them mainly as a place to hang a 10" LED light bar from. If they give me crash protection from a certain type fall, then even better

 

[FM Rider]

I have Alt Rider upper and lower. Last year in the mountains of Colorado I skidded off a dirt road and struck a tree. $2,500 damage that I don't think I would have happened if I had an upper bar at the time, so when I was fixing the damage I installed an upper.

This May I high-sided on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the asphalt ground the heads of the bolts almost off on one of the connections between the upper and lower. No other damage other than the 4 inch long hole on the corner of my pannier where it also slid on the asphalt.

 

[loftybob]

I have Alt Rider upper and lower. Last year in the mountains of Colorado I skidded off a dirt road and struck a tree. $2,500 damage that I don't think I would have happened if I had an upper bar at the time, so when I was fixing the damage I installed an upper.

This May I high-sided on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the asphalt ground the heads of the bolts almost off on one of the connections between the upper and lower. No other damage other than the 4 inch long hole on the corner of my pannier where it also slid on the asphalt.

Bad luck on the accidents, good testimony for the upper and lower bars. They are a well made piece of kit, one of the best welded and made crash bars I have used.

 

[Shuter]

Good info guys; thanks. Do the AltRider upper bars need to be removed to remove side covers?

 

[Shuter]

I got them mainly as a place to hang a 10" LED light bar from. If they give me crash protection from a certain type fall, then even better
View attachment 49805

What brand headlight protector and light bar is that?

 

[FM Rider]

Good info guys; thanks. Do the AltRider upper bars need to be removed to remove side covers?

No to remove right side covers and yes for left side.

 

[loftybob]

What brand headlight protector and light bar is that?

Genuine Yamaha light guard, the light bar is a 10" Aurora LED light bar bought from EBay.

Regards Lofty

 

[Jlq1969]

 

[EricV]

Sometimes pictures help determine what kind of crash protection you feel you may need. I put my bike over on it's side to show people how the Rumbux crash bars touched down. Not trying to sell anything here, just though it might help others.

Link Scroll down to see the pics.

 

[airmed]

Having any bars installed is obviously good for falling on it's side. However, after seeing how a deer was deflected off a friends Tenere with Rumbux crash protection, I'm now a firm believer in having something....anything that resembles crash bars in place. In this case, the stock ones are useless. By the way, the deer hit the front/side of the bike and the bars protected his leg from taking a direct hit. The deer bent the bars, but he was able to keep the bike upright. If you're reading this Jim...good job!