Outback Motortek crash bars Install

Viking

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Hi

I have 2019 super Tenere ES. Ordered outback motortek complete armor, however putting this is becoming a difficult task. The holes does not align, try to squeeze, I am afraid with the engine mounts.

Anyone here have OMtek crash bars, please share your inputs. I really like the build quality.

Cheers
Vikram


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EricV

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Welcome to the forum Viking. Please take a moment to add your location to your profile. It gives context to your posts and helps others give you better answers to your questions, as well as giving your answers to other's questions more weight.

I was not familiar with the Outback Motortek products, so googled them. LINK Designed in Canada and manufactured in Hungary. Looks like a well designed and fabricated product. Have you contacted the OM people?

Worth mentioning is that many people using crash bars that mount to the motor mounts replace the bolts with studs and nuts. That helps avoid damaging the aluminum threads of the engine block and makes it much safer when removing the crash bars, if needed for future service, etc.

Are you using the front or rear OEM drop pad hole? And do the directions suggest removing the OEM drop pads or keeping them in place? Be aware that the left drop pad has the lower radiator mount as part of it, and it does not appear that the OM kit has a mount for the bottom of the radiator. You probably need to have the OEM drop pad on the top, the OM bracket on the bottom, but naturally follow the fitment instructions.
 

Johnwesley

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I have them on mine, it was tuff for the radiator side. I put the motor mount bolt in about 4 turns and then lightly put in the others. I did have to push and pull to get it all lined up and started. I believe I did motor mount, rear mount, slide bolt in on lower front and then the front mount. If I was doing it over I would stud the motor mount.
one thing of not he doesn’t have a radiator mount built in, you will have to come up with a solutio.
 

EricV

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Thanks for the pics.

I notice a couple of issues that make me less confident in that product. From your picture above it appears that the mounting point is the tab on the engine case. That tab is hollow at the base and if snapped off will result in an oil leak. It's not intended for a structural mounting point. The other issue is the lack of a radiator lower mounting point.

Did the instructions call for leaving the OEM drop guards in place? Normally this would be done to maintain the lower radiator mount on a system like this.

I know a few things about crash bar design, having previously been an importer and seller of motorcycle crash bars with integrated skid plates for close to a decade.
 

Johnwesley

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My little write up is here https://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?threads/outback-motortek-protection-combo-instal-and-thoughts.29642/

no way that kit would bolt up with those stock bumpers and there are no written instruction but there is an online install video.

Normally it would concern me with that mount but it’s really a redundant mount, it is mounted with two bars on the factory mount and another on the engine mount. then that engine boss mount. It’s very strong set up of course anything can happen.
 

EricV

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It would have been a little better if he gave the torque spec for the motor mounts, and used a torque wrench. Nit picking, he should have used the M8 allen socket he showed earlier to tighten the nyloc nut too. ;)

He also didn't tell you what he removed prior to starting the installation. I don't think he understands that there is a lower radiator mount or that he's using the motor mounts in front, and shouldn't loosen both at the same time to do the install. The engine nearly always shifts when you do that. This product doesn't require you to have both loose at the same time, so it would have been a good tip to do one side, fully tighten the M19 motor mount bolt to the torque spec, then start on the other side.
 

Viking

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Welcome to the forum Viking. Please take a moment to add your location to your profile. It gives context to your posts and helps others give you better answers to your questions, as well as giving your answers to other's questions more weight.

I was not familiar with the Outback Motortek products, so googled them. LINK Designed in Canada and manufactured in Hungary. Looks like a well designed and fabricated product. Have you contacted the OM people?

Worth mentioning is that many people using crash bars that mount to the motor mounts replace the bolts with studs and nuts. That helps avoid damaging the aluminum threads of the engine block and makes it much safer when removing the crash bars, if needed for future service, etc.

Are you using the front or rear OEM drop pad hole? And do the directions suggest removing the OEM drop pads or keeping them in place? Be aware that the left drop pad has the lower radiator mount as part of it, and it does not appear that the OM kit has a mount for the bottom of the radiator. You probably need to have the OEM drop pad on the top, the OM bracket on the bottom, but naturally follow the fitment instructions.
Thank you Eric. I am from bay area, California. I have emailed them. I already stripped the left side 10mm bolt, when trying to align. I tapped it this morning back to specs. It’s simply not worth of my time. It’s going to be hard, in future if I want to remove them for maintenance.

I will return this and go with altrider crashbars, skid plate not sure may be t-Rex.


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Viking

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My little write up is here https://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?threads/outback-motortek-protection-combo-instal-and-thoughts.29642/

no way that kit would bolt up with those stock bumpers and there are no written instruction but there is an online install video.

Normally it would concern me with that mount but it’s really a redundant mount, it is mounted with two bars on the factory mount and another on the engine mount. then that engine boss mount. It’s very strong set up of course anything can happen.
Nice write up John.


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Johnwesley

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I’ve done a lot of motorcycle builds and custom work and it was tuff for me as well. It would be easier if he would have just slotted the two mounts that the factory bumper uses. I did the right side first and fully tq’ed everything and then went to the left side. Even if that from factory mount hole would have been slotted it would have fit easier. I think he must have the left side jig a touch off.
 

Viking

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I’ve done a lot of motorcycle builds and custom work and it was tuff for me as well. It would be easier if he would have just slotted the two mounts that the factory bumper uses. I did the right side first and fully tq’ed everything and then went to the left side. Even if that from factory mount hole would have been slotted it would have fit easier. I think he must have the left side jig a touch off.
Make sense. Thank you John.


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Kurgan

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Always a headache when things don't line up. Not unheard of for multiple pieces, especially tubing, to pull out of alignment during the welding process even with jigs in place but they could have checked and made adjustments prior to powdercoating.

I've admired their testing regimen that they readily share with the public but that one mounting point on the engine case why I've not ordered them.
 

Viking

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I kind of overlooked with the engine case mounting point. their crash test was the one sold it!!. I wonder there must be feedback for them, they could have revised or released a new version without engine case mount points and with lower radiator support. if it would align, I would have installed just leaving the engine case mount. But too much time spent on this, will just get over it.
Thank you Jim.
 
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