I wondered if anyone had any costly/ painful experience they could share ! I have put a full set of GB Racing covers on my 848 which I am planning to use in the main for track work next season. I'm wondering if I should also fit some crash protectors to the frame or if it would be better to let the fairings, then the GB Racing protectors do their job, I know there is always thought that the frame protectors can do more damage than good sometimes. I will also be getting crash protectors for the front forks and rear axle.
Personally, I have under panel crash bungs. I know the fairing will be toast anyway if I come off but I don't want to damage the motor. There's a lot of talk about crash bungs digging into the ground and then flipping the bike over from what might have been a simple slide. But TBH, there's lots of things that stick out (pegs, levers, bars etc.) that would do that anyway. If you get the short, stubby ones, they stay under the fairing with no need to cut holes, so no problem with them catching on anything. As you say, axle sliders aren't a bad idea (unless you're changing your wheels a lot). Think about folding levers and foot pegs, most can be fitted to existing master cylinders and rearsets. Best advice of all though.... don't come off
All true above, i have crash bungs, frame sliders etc what ever you want to call them for my 749, have not put them on yet for the same reasons explained above, i had an off at Snetterton over 100mph, the bike slide beautifuly down the road and stayed on its side all the way, however i smashed the clutch to a million pieces, Fairings were the cheap plastic china specials, which i must say are still on the bike, I constantly think what would have happened with the bungs?? would it have saved my clutch, that was Oct 2012, and they are still in the box in my shed??
Under fairing one much better, protect frame and motor without bending and digging in as fairing in the way. Well thats my theory anyway
They were from Speedymoto. I can't find any on 'tinterweb right now. However, these R&G ones are very similar R&G Underbody Crash Protectors for Ducati 848, 1098 and 1198: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike
Well I use big sticky out GSG Moko ones on my 996. Really just to keep damage to a minimum in a lowside, might even mean the fairing could be taped and tied back together instead of binned. But I did have a 90mph off on my R1 with R&G protectors all over it. The bike was sliding for a while but was still ridable when it stopped. Feel sure the plastics would've gone and cases/frame would've been taking a pounding if I'd not had them. I'm not sure about the 848, but on the 996 there's a lot of important stuff just behind the fairing and I want to give it the best chance of surviving should it all go a bit pear shaped.
I dont know about the flipping thing but have seem first hand, oftem enough, the frame splayed by the bobbins from the impact as they stick out.
I've plumped for the R&G ones that go under the fairings, but they also have a bar that goes right through the frame. I suppose the thought here is the bar stops the frame from absorbing the impact. I think with these, replacement fairings, all the casings covered and front and rear spindle bobbins I can't do much more really. Well maybe tank sliders and bar end protectors............. Blimey it's never ending, wonder if it might be cheaper to just keep it all oem and take the risk !
Don't forget frame protectors for when the lock stops go and the forks hit the frame. TAMPONE PROTEZIONE TELAIO DUCATI
you'd have to be really unlucky for the bike to flip. i know, my SRAD flipped at Rockingham - only damage was both sides of the seat unit! was sliding nicely on the crash bungs, but i think it was the foot peg that dug in
I'm bringing this thread back to life as I want to get more track days under my belt for 2014. I've got under fairing sliders on my 848 and am looking at the fork and rear spindle sliders from R&G. Is this going to be enough to protect the engine/clutch covers? I'm working on the basis of a slide rather than and end over end tumble here. I've got track fairings and the footpegs are folding ones. I can write off clutch and brake levers and take spares but just want it to be ridable if I have an off on day 1 off a 2 day trackday. Any thoughts/experience with this? Ali
I went for a set that stick out from the fairing but don't require you to a cut a hole. They have bars running straight through the frame and have braces that also support. I haven't crashed with them yet but the year is still young!
