R18 Transcontinental - Engine Bars - Protecting the bags?

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Dude_and_a_bike

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I tried to eye ball the geometry and I think the answer is no - but will the front crash bars protect the rear bags on the R18 TC on a tip over / drop? I'm going from my F800GS to an R18 and the different seat height and overall size has me convinced I'll drop it at least once at a gas station, in my garage or at the grocery store. I see Wunderlich sells rear bars, making me think even more the bike would rest on the engine bar and the sides of the bag when it goes over...

Any idea or thoughts? Thank you for taking the time to read this!
 
I can say that the answer is no. The reason is that the lower left edge of the left saddle bag on my R18TC has scuff marks on it. This means that a customer before me DROPPED THIS BIKE. I was disappointed to see this as I remember asking the salesman about drops to the bike.
So anyway, I just put rear protection bars on. For both looks and function.
bars.jpg
Keep it vertical at all times and you'll be fine. Vertical bikes aren't heavy.
 
R12C-R18TC said:
I can say that the answer is no. The reason is that the lower left edge of the left saddle bag on my R18TC has scuff marks on it. This means that a customer before me DROPPED THIS BIKE. I was disappointed to see this as I remember asking the salesman about drops to the bike.
So anyway, I just put rear protection bars on. For both looks and function.
View attachment 6293
Keep it vertical at all times and you'll be fine. Vertical bikes aren't heavy.
Click to expand...
Are those bars from Wunderlich?
 
Dude_and_a_bike said:
I tried to eye ball the geometry and I think the answer is no - but will the front crash bars protect the rear bags on the R18 TC on a tip over / drop? I'm going from my F800GS to an R18 and the different seat height and overall size has me convinced I'll drop it at least once at a gas station, in my garage or at the grocery store. I see Wunderlich sells rear bars, making me think even more the bike would rest on the engine bar and the sides of the bag when it goes over...

Any idea or thoughts? Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Click to expand...
I have decided to share my shame. Dropped my TC a couple months ago in a grocery store parking lot. Drop was 100% my fault. I noticed a good parking space and just blew the turn. I was wrongly in 2nd gear and when I slowed to make the sharp turn there was no power available to the rear. Needless to say I now practice slow speed maneuvers when I can. NOTE: check out Robert Simmons and Dan Palladino on YouTube, they are both former motor cops and very helpful.

BTW absolutely no damage to the bike at all with just the engine guard. I have recently received and installed the Wunderlic luggage guards for more peace of mind. My TC had no damage, but my ego is still healing! lol Almost 30 years on two wheels and still learning.
 

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Bwana said:
Ouch, glad to hear the bike and you were ok. How did you get the beast back up?
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Actually, picking it up was easy. I pulled out the kick stand, with my back to the bike I bent my knees, grabbed the luggage rack and frame near the seat and just walked it back. NOTE: My 1st instinct was to pull it up by the handlebars after the drop. I'm a bigger guy and still have a little arm strength left and that was a big no go. 946lbs and gravity don't get along very well. Adrenaline could also be why it seemed easy?
 
Lloydw1 said:
I have decided to share my shame. Dropped my TC a couple months ago in a grocery store parking lot. Drop was 100% my fault. I noticed a good parking space and just blew the turn. I was wrongly in 2nd gear and when I slowed to make the sharp turn there was no power available to the rear. Needless to say I now practice slow speed maneuvers when I can. NOTE: check out Robert Simmons and Dan Palladino on YouTube, they are both former motor cops and very helpful.

BTW absolutely no damage to the bike at all with just the engine guard. I have recently received and installed the Wunderlic luggage guards for more peace of mind. My TC had no damage, but my ego is still healing! lol Almost 30 years on two wheels and still learning.
Click to expand...
I am very curious to learn how difficult it is to pick up the TC. Can one man do it?

BTW…..I dropped a former HD RoadGlide in the driveway. Forgot to put bike in gear so it rolled when I tried to lift it causing more scratches. Total embarrassment.
 
R12C-R18TC said:
I can say that the answer is no. The reason is that the lower left edge of the left saddle bag on my R18TC has scuff marks on it. This means that a customer before me DROPPED THIS BIKE. I was disappointed to see this as I remember asking the salesman about drops to the bike.
So anyway, I just put rear protection bars on. For both looks and function.
View attachment 6293
Keep it vertical at all times and you'll be fine. Vertical bikes aren't heavy.
Click to expand...
Where did you get those bars. I need them. I have only had my TC for a couple months. I keep it in a very full garage. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Travelnjoe said:
Where did you get those bars. I need them. I have only had my TC for a couple months. I keep it in a very full garage. Thanks in advance for your help.
Click to expand...
I bought them from Wunderlich America. They aren’t cheap but look great. The install wasn’t difficult if you are the patient type.
 
Agree with Lloydw1, picking up the TC was not too difficult, it was a whups in neutral weight over, dabbed late, set it down gently on left side when it got over the limit of what I could hold up. This was turning around on a craggy backroad. I had it back upright within a minute. Hit the kill switch, powered off, backed up to the bike, grabbed handlebar and the passenger foot peg base and backed up, it came up without undue strain and wasn't too hard to hold while getting kickstand down with hand, then kicked it out all the way and set bike on the stand. There was a truck just coming to a stop to help, saw I had it, waved and took off. The bike was not damaged beyond a small barely visible mark on the front engine guard where it rested for a bit. This happened a while ago but after reading about Lloydw1's similar experience am even happier with the design of the TC. I did order a set of the Wunderlich rear guards though, as they look great and functional, seems to me they even visually balance the bike too. I'm 64 and 5'7", knowing I can pick it up alone really was good to confirm. :)
 
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Anybody here remember the LT. People were dropping them left and right. (Literally). It became a standing joke amongst LT owners. The drop club was a badge of honor. Yup the DA badge of honor was quite a thing. Maybe we need to get one for the TC. Could the r18 be the reincarnation!??

I also loved the sticker many put on the bottom of their rear bags “stop laughing and help me pick her up”.
 
Yes the LT was a top heavy bugger that would get sideways in gravel in a heartbeat. Once I witnessed a brand new owner drop one 3 feet out from the dealerships door. Everyone rushed to help pick it up but no one laughed, well maybe those who had also made the drop an item in their past chuckled a little.
 
I have the Wunderlich bag protection bars, the revised version. I dropped my bike without the Wunderlich bars installed when I failed to make sure the kickstand was fully out, and it snapped back without me noticing. I have the engine bars which protected the cylinders, but the bike came to rest both on the engine bars and the bottom of the exhaust. The bags, without the Wunderlich bars, were untouched. It looks to me like the Wunderlich bars are not needed for a drop but will help protect the bags from something running into the side of the bag, like a cart or something. They do look fantastic, though.
 
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