Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 4, 2021 Supporting Member Share Posted January 4, 2021 Happy new year everyone. Finally back from the holidays and ready to tackle my latest project, installing crash bars on my 2019 Niken GT. The crash bars took almost 4 weeks to get delivered from Germany's SW Motech because of back orders. Initial thoughts: SW Motech did a hell of a good job packaging it in bubble wrap up make sure they arrived with no dents or scratches A+. Right hand side crash bar appears to be few millimeters longer than the left. Only picked up on this because the four bolts that come with it have three different lengths. Didn't realize the crash bars were going to be asymmetrical. Bars are super beefy and welds look fantastic. Bars are 1 inch / 25.4mm in diameter. Now I finally know what diameter bracket is needed to mount my auxiliary lights. SW Motech badges on both bars make the crash bars look super nice. Nice little detail. 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 4, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 4, 2021 Close up of the badging and instructions. The instructions are very specific in that you must install the left before the right crash bar but didn't say exactly why. But there was an additional note indicating that one should support the engine with a suitable jack while installing the left crash bar. I'm assuming that because you're removing engine mounting bolts from the frame there's the possibility that you might bend the other side engine bolts if you don't support the engine properly during install, but that doesn't explain why left must be installed first. 1 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 4, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 4, 2021 Also instructions are very specific indicating that one must use threadlock on the engine mounting bolts (not provided). DO NOT SKIP THREAD LOCK STEP OR YOUR BOLTS MIGHT SEPARATE FROM THE ENGINE - VERY BAD! 😵😵😵☠️☠️☠️ Nice personal touch from the Germans who personally stamped their signature in the instructions as to who packaged the product. Special kudos to Emille Zacharova at SW Motech in Rauschenberg, Germany, who did a phenomenal job in packaging my crash bars. 👍👍👍 1 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switchglide12 Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Nice can't wait to see the finish product. Are you going to make video of the installation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 I have a photo of the swmotech bars installed, as well as a front axle slider. Maybe tomorrow I will post some more pics, when there is some daylight 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 11, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 11, 2021 On 1/9/2021 at 4:58 PM, Bruno said: I have a photo of the swmotech bars installed, as well as a front axle slider. Maybe tomorrow I will post some more pics, when there is some daylight Looks great Bruno. Thanks for posting. Looking forward to pictures of the axle sliders. 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Posting a link seems I can’t upload from my phone for some reason... here are the sliders https://www.dropbox.com/s/p02if7ad0n1cs1a/2021-01-10%2012.12.20.jpg?dl=0 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 12, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Bruno said: Posting a link seems I can’t upload from my phone for some reason... here are the sliders https://www.dropbox.com/s/p02if7ad0n1cs1a/2021-01-10 12.12.20.jpg?dl=0 They look great. Were they difficult to install? 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member Heli ATP Posted January 12, 2021 Supporting Member Share Posted January 12, 2021 Here you go... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 9 hours ago, maximNikenGT said: They look great. Were they difficult to install? I wasn’t the one doing it, but it was a really quick install Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 19, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) Just completed the install of my SW Motech crash bars on my 2019 Yamaha Niken GT. Install time was about 30 minutes. Tools needed for installation: rubber mallet hexagonal socket 8mm piece and ratchet wrench 12mm socket and ratchet wrench torque wrench Loctite threadlock KEY CAUTIONARY NOTES: a. SW Motech instructions clearly point out you MUST do the left hand side bars first BEFORE the right hand side. Even after installing them in this order, it's still not entirely clear as to why you must do left first. b. If you do not have a centerstand, you must find a way to prop up the engine before removing these bolts otherwise your engine may drop from one side of the frame enough to bend the mounting bolts off the other side. SW Motech recommends a jack of some sort to prop up the engine however it is unclear where a safe jacking point is on the underside of the bike. My bike happened to have the centerstand so I didn't actually have to prop up the engine because the centerstand happens to be attached to the bottom of the engine and provides enough support. Step 1: Starting with the left hand side, use your hexagonal 8mm socket and ratcheting wrench, and loosen one of the two engine bolts from the frame to the engine. I removed and replaced one bolt at a time just in case loosening and removing both bolts per side at the same time might result in an engine drop. Step 2: follow the SW Motech instructions of inserting the bolt with big washer through the left hand side crash bar. And then insert the really big spacer on the other side of the crash bar and place threadlock on the threads before tightening down the bolts to 15 newton meters with torque wrench. Repeat this step for the other crash bar bolt. Step 3: On the right hand side, use your 12mm socket and ratcheting wrench to loosen the right hand side bolts one at a time. Replace each bolt one at a time to minimize the chance of an engine drop. Don't forget to use threadlock when installing the replacement bolts. Only difference on the right hand side is that you're installing a bolt, big washer, and running this through the hole for the crash bar first. Followed by a big spacer and then a small washer on the other side of the crash bar bolt. When installing the SW Motech bolts, you'll use the hexagonal 8mm socket attachment and torque wrench to tighten down the right hand side bolts to 15 newton meters. Step 3: After tightening all bolts down to spec, take the hole covers and install them using a rubber mallet. Your palm can do it too but I suggest wearing some gloves of some kind so that you don't pinch yourself while ramming the hole covers into place. Link to Youtube video of install (total time to install approximately 30 minutes). Edited January 19, 2021 by maximNikenGT Added photos and video 2 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggo Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Are they going to protect engine cases if the bike goes over ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 19, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 19, 2021 7 hours ago, biggo said: Are they going to protect engine cases if the bike goes over ? I cannot say that they will protect engine covers like on a traditional motorcycle. What this will do however is protect your knees by having the crash guards make first contact with pavement. Assuming the crash guards don't deform on impact then at least your knees will be protected in the event of a fall. I am primarily installing these so I have a solid mounting point for my auxiliary lights. The additional knee protection is nice. 1 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switchglide12 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 maximNikenGT, those crash bars look real good. I am saving my allowance for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo miller Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 Wow, thank you MaxinNiken for an incredibly informative and helpful post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What kind of aux lights did you mount? Are you happy with them? Are you making them moduate? Happy riding, Pablo Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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