Side Case Protectors or...

[Guest Kakugo]

... here we go again.

I have fitted the Touratech engine bars, Great bit of kit and pretty easy to fit except for that damn oil line tab (took me 45 minutes to properly align it and keep it in place ) and the fact the included hardware lacked an M10 washer.

Now I have the Wunderlich side case bars downstairs, ready to fit.

There are a few problems with them, problems I wish to share with anybody considering the purchase.

First of all the included instructions are abysmal. You'd be better off hitting at random. The Touratech instructions read like Shakespeare compared to these.

Second: the included hardware lacks ALL the required M8 washers. Wunderlich will surely hear from me about this.

Third: I noticed a very annoying detail. Once in place you cannot undo the silencer bolt (required to remove the rear wheel). You have to remove the protector and to do this you literally have to dismantle the tail section of the bike.

Since I will be replacing my tyres in a thousand miles or so (more on that at a later date) I am putting off this job for the moment and considering my options.

I am sure they do what's written on the label and they are very sturdy and perhaps a bit on the overbuilt side.

But I literally eat through tyres and having to dismantle the bike at regular intervals is sure to be more than a minor inconvenience.

With the Touratech engine bar I already have a decent level of protection: may be I should cut my losses by selling the bars and buy those silly (and overpriced) BMW case protectors just in case?

Opinions are welcome!

[JimD]

Once you get the bars mounted you do not have to remove the left one to remove the rear wheel. After you remove the lower bolt that also holds the muffler mount you can pivot the bar around as needed. Remove the Muffler & the wheel comes right out. At least this works on my 07 RT & I have a trailer hitch in place.

[Guest Kakugo]

Cheers Jim. Yesterday evening I had an hour to spare so I run a "mock installation" (during the course of which I discovered one small problem with the luggage rack which I was able to fix).

Due to the way the Wunderlich bars are mounted it's simply not possible to pivot them around the way you described without also undoing the two other mounting points.

If you could provide a couple of pictures I would be grateful.

[billhouser]

THERE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION , REMOVE THE TORX BOLT ON MUFFLER HANGER AND REPLACE WITH A REGULAR BOLT. THEN THE BOLT CAN BE UNTHREADED WITH A WRENCH. IT WORKS FINE ON MY 2011 RT.

[Guest Kakugo]

THERE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION , REMOVE THE TORX BOLT ON MUFFLER HANGER AND REPLACE WITH A REGULAR BOLT. THEN THE BOLT CAN BE UNTHREADED WITH A WRENCH. IT WORKS FINE ON MY 2011 RT.

 

You sir are a genius... why didn't I think of that before?

 

Thank you VERY much.