Crash Bar For Rapide B?

[Buzz Kanter]

Sorry if I am using the wrong term for the bar I have seen mounted on various Vincents as a "crash bar" but I am curious if there is an application for my Rapide B?

The last thing I want to worry about is what if my bike tips over. I'd prefer to scratch the end of the bar than any other parts of the motorcycle.

 

[bmetcalf]

Have you looked here ? http://www.vincentspares.co.uk/index.html or here? http://www.shop.vintech.co.uk/acatalog/CATALOGUE_Specials_32.html#a1751

 

[b'knighted]

Hi,
Although my Comet sports a beautiful solid stainless three piece bar made by Mac Read, I am concerned that any crash loading on its end will transmit the full impact to the sidecar fitting. For my Shadow I have made a more collapsible crashbar using a long piece of 16mm studding with a nylock one side of the sidecar fitting and a plain nut on the other. Each side of the stud is then hidden by a thin stainless steel tube secured by a stainless domed nut. The lengths are setup so that as the domed nuts pinch the tubes they also bind on the ends of the stud preventing them from easily loosening. I feel that this bar will offer adequate protection to the bike without transmitting so much impact to the sidecar lug. These bars are untested although I can attest to the value of the series D type D shaped bar fitted to propstand plates and top plates bolted to the sidecar lug. There were some made for the Indian badged Vincent which used four identical brackets to hold a D shaped bar which, while rare, would seem very desirable.

As an extra, I use my straight crashbars as additional workshop stands by using 4"x2" timber beams with a suitable hole at the appropriate height. You lean the bike and hang one timber on the crashbar. Then standing the bike up it is easy to lean it on that timber and push until the other timber can be fitted. The bike will then stand on these legs. If you strip the bike the whole front end, which is normally hard to store, can be stood on its front tyre and these timber legs.

Happy new year!
Cheers,

 

[Albervin]

Some years ago Neal Videan made some of those nice D shaped bars with cast lugs. A friend had his bike taken down the road recently by a mutual friend(?) and the bars did their job perfectly. Maybe Neal can be persuaded to make another batch if enough people put up a deposit?

 

[bmetcalf]

any crash loading on its end will transmit the full impact to the sidecar fitting. ,

Unfortunately, I have tested my straight type crashbar twice, bent the connecting stud, but no damage to my UFM lug. The last time was 20+ years ago and I have put in some effort to not test it again.

 

[christulin]

The crash bar was very handy when I was learning how to get the bike on the rear wheel stand. It is also handy for mounting accessories, like lights.

 

[bmetcalf]

Carl Hungness has milled slots in his and epoxied LEDs in for turn signals.

 

[van drenth]

Carl Hungness has milled slots in his and epoxied LEDs in for turn signals.

Any picture available ?
van Drenth JC

 

[bmetcalf]

I will e-mail Carl and ask. Writeup here https://www.voc.uk.com/net/hungnessmods.pdf

Edit: Carl says he doesn't have any photos. His bike was at the 2009 North American Rally and featured in a number of photos during the "Provincial Field Repairs" on the transmission bearing by the likes of Mike White and Dan Smith (I supervised a bit).
http://www.vincentownersclub.co.uk/photos/showphoto.php?photo=6108&title=mn-18&cat=699
http://www.vincentownersclub.co.uk/photos/showphoto.php?photo=6109&title=mn-19&cat=699

 

[Hugo Myatt]

Unfortunately, I have tested my straight type crashbar twice, bent the connecting stud, but no damage to my UFM lug. The last time was 20+ years ago and I have put in some effort to not test it again.

Me too. Twice in forty years. Both times bent the stud but saved my right leg from serious injury.