Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > Crash Protectors

[uncledunnie]

I've had a trawl through the archives and popular opinion seems to be that the through the frame/engine mount type is most applicable to Ducati's.

However, opinion seems to mixed as to whether or not they are a good idea on the race track, they could turn a simple slide into something a bit more harfull if they catch on something when sliding. I can understand the pro's and con's but since I have never used them I would like to know what you chaps think, are you going to be using them?

I am considering fitting some to my bike (which will remain unfaired this year). I assume that they will need to be the nylon type not solid metal?

So my questions are, since February seems to be the month for questions,

Fit them or don't fit them (frame/engine types)?

Fit them or don't fit them (fork bottom/swing arm types)?

Naturally, if fitted they would have nice sharp ends

[dickieducati]

i was going to get them fitted but was told by someone who knows alot more than me (who doesnt!) in no uncertain terms not to use them, so im not.

[chicken]

oh good. I was going to fit some but hadn't got round to it - so I'm not now.

If I change my mind, I'm sure this would slide down the road rather well

[Guido]

UncleD.

I had an off at Croft on my 748R with the thru-the-frame style bungs. Whilst they are good for sliding if you don't hit anything, that is rather unlikely in most 'off' environments (unless of course, Bruntingthorpe is your favourite "ditching it" location).

See the below pics for the reason they're not that good. The images show what happens when you hit something with the bike on it's side. That something is normally a ramped kerb on the trackside before your pride and joy is launched onto the grass or into the gravel.

Main thing to consider is NOT "Oh that bolt is only a few quid to replace".....it's more like what part of the bike is immediately before the part where the bolt failed. If you think like that then you'll realise it's the main frame lug for the engine mount. In both my off and Felix's (who also had this design of bung) fairly severe damage was done to the frame lug by the bar being forced in a sideways direction by the initial impact with the trackside kerb. In Felix's case this required complete removal and replacement of the frame lug.

Just my two-penneth

[Guido]

Nxxt one - The replacement engine bolt you need together with the bung in place

[Guido]

Now the bar on it's own with failure point

[Guido]

What couod potentially happen to your prized rearsets (it happened to mine)

[NBs996]

I've never been too convinced that these are little more than cosmetic.

Never wanted to spend the money on them for a couple of reasons...
I'm not sure they would hold much of the bike off the deck in a spill - most pics i've seen have still resulted in fairing damage, less damage but it still needs repairing so where's the saving?
Also seen what happened to an engine mount on a gsxr6 when the mushroom dug in and carried the impact force through the bolt to the engine case! Freak occurance? Maybe, maybe not.

I just take my chances without them. They might save you some repair bills or they might cause a few more... make your choice!

[uncledunnie]

thanks for that chaps,

conclusion - save my money and buy some spare pegs, bars and levers instead.

The left hand side of the bike is quite clean and well tucked in, but potential damage to the clutch engine casing on the left is still bugging me. I will probably see if I can get a kevlar case protector to fit over the clutch - just in case.

[Monty]

"but potential damage to the clutch engine casing on the left is still bugging me"

Errr-Uncle Dunnie-the clutch is on the right mate-if yours is on the left I think you may have your handlebars fitted to the wrong end of the bike..............

By the way, most track crashes are on the right hand side since virtually all tracks are right handed. I have had to replace the right hand clipon and front brake lever 4 times-never the left hand one. This was confirmed by Dennis Trollope who I get my TZ bits from-he sell loads of right hand bars and very few left hand.

John

[Edited on 2-2-2005 by Monty]