Triumphrat

DennisRa1

:???: if one is not mechanically talented, can he install the touratech bars? My dealer wants $60 hour. Is this a two hour install?
I am ordering the bars, and wondering how much skill and tools are needed?
Thanks in advance.

TNmtnCat

I installed the Touratech crashbars on my '05. Probably took about 2 hours. But I was in no hurry, didn't keep track of the time and wanted to make sure I got it right. Plus the instructions are not a totally easily understandable German to English translation. I also replaced the bolts and nuts on the cross over bar and used a stainless steel washer as a spacer to keep the bar further away from the exhaust pipes. Had to make a run to the hardware store for those.

I'm also in E. TN, in Maryville. Ping me off list if you want more info.

See you somewhere down a twisty road...

Richard C.
'05 Big Orange

Timtiger

$60 is probably 1 hour.
Skills required - almost none.
Tools - normal spanners and the large Torx spanner for the top engine bolts (the large grey bolts with a star shaped indentation). I don't know the exact size, but they are probably 24mm. Take you bike to a tool shop and just buy one that fits.

Some people have reported that the Touratech bars fit straight on while others (including me) have had to fiddle a bit.

I would advise that you should fit the bars with all bolts loose untill everything is attached and then tighten it all up. Search the site for detailed fitting instructions.

tigertales

I timed myself at just over 1 1/2 hour for both. This did not include stare time at the funky instructions and bar orientation.

$60.00 per hour is not a bad rate if the time spent is focused on the job. Consider the cost of stuff damaged if the bike falls over without the bars installed. $100 - $120.00 labor cost on the install will pale in comparison.

IMHO

tigertales

I timed myself at just over 1 1/2 hour for both. This did not include stare time at the funky instructions and bar orientation.

$60.00 per hour is not a bad rate if the time spent is focused on the job. Consider the cost of stuff damaged if the bike falls over without the bars installed. $100 - $120.00 labor cost on the install will pale in comparison.

IMHO

bigD

The job is easy enough & you dont need to be an ace mechanic to do it. As Timtiger pointed out the only odd tool required is the Torxs bit for the top bolts, it is sized at T55, just one up from the ones in most standard kits, there is a surprise. As Tim said I think some are easier to fit than others & the instructions are far from plain but it is an OK job for an amateur. I would say that a good quality torque wrench is necessary as well. I work with two, a big one & a wee one because the range of toque settings on the bike is too broad for one size. but if you can only afford one I would say get the one that does the lighter end (high torque bolts are more forgiving)

Tool time, I think it took me about an hour & a half (despite the assistance of an eight year old nephew) but I did spend a bit of time sat indoors working out what went where and making up the bobbins & brackets into loose assemblies. I was lucky & everything fitted a treat. Hardest part is getting access to the nuts on the inside of the frame at the top, standard open ended spanner gets in a treat, just got to be careful putting them back in, small hands and a bit of patience is a good combination. I have big hands & lots of patience & that works too. BigStripey has done a wonderful job of illustrating this job in pictures the Tiger album, have a look see.

The secret is to take your time, be methodical & only work on one side at a time. be very careful when tightening up the nuts on the rubber bobbins cos they shear easy (lesson learned here, don't let your nephew tighten up things when you ain't lookin' "> )

Give it a go & have fun.

D

__________________
Big D

If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

BigStripey

Don't forget there are some 'close-up' pictures of the assemblies of the Touratech Bars in the Tiger Forum album (Button at the top of the page) in the 'crash bars' sub-album

Might help ?

__________________
Big Stripey

I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw

tango

Took me about half an hour to fit mine using Big Stripeys method.

__________________
davie.

I,ve got a mountain of dreams to climb.

Do unto others as they are doing unto you.

andy-D

I have just received the TT bars and apologize for the unceasing diatribe on this topic....

The directions do not specifically highlight the difference in the two angle brackets. One bracket has a nice 90 degree bend while the other has a slight curvature to it along with a small notch. The pictures in the album appear to have the curved bracket assembled to the left side of the bike so I guess I will go along with this unless otherwise noted.

Additionally, it appears that the directions show the Rubber Metal Element (aka r-m-e) attached to the angle brackets with a 6mm hex screw and washer. Once the angle bracket is attached to the bike, the fixed 6mm bolt on the r-m-e sticks away from the bike and is what the bars mount to. Some of the pictures I have been looking at here show the r-m-e's attached to the angle brackets with the fixed 6mm bolt, and the crash bars attached using the 6mm hex bolt??? Am I seeing things? Personally I think the assembly would look better with the stainless hex bolts to the outside, and the lock nut on the back side of the angle. I'm just concerned that this is not the way the directions are outlined.

Thanks in advance for your help.

p.s. Dennis - I will let you know on our Saturday ride to the Breaks how I make out.

wtrlogd

Just installed my Touratech bars. Spent about an hour and a half doing so.
Right side went smoothly. Left side is more interesting.
The aft left hand engine bolt is too short, needs about another ¼ inch for the locking nut to work. According to Touratech “…left side rear attachment is still supported with the two enclosed M12 washers…” See BigStripey’s close-up photo:

Touratech engine mount bracket labels

The photo shows the stock washer only. When mounting the bar, as shown in this photo, the bar hits the aluminum engine support bracket. Installing the two supplied washers between the frame and the Touratech bar corrects this, but the bolt is too short with this amount of stack-up. I compromised, adding just one washer, but the bolt still comes just short of connecting with the locking portion of the lock nut. Will buy a longer bolt one of these days and put both supplied washers between the frame and engine bar.

Andy-D,
Yes, the notched bracket goes on the left, with the r-m-e down. The simple 90 is on the right with the r-m-e up.
I installed these just as they are shown in BigStripey’s photos, not as shown in Touratech’s directions. Much cleaner look. The kit included an extra self locking M6 nut, I put the extra nut on the left r-m-e stud which should prevents the threads from ever coming into contact with the coolant hose.

Wtrlogd