I bought some SW Motech engine bars for the GS from Nippy Normans. They were a good price compared with other makes and they arrived swiftly. Both left hand and right hand bars went on the bike easily enough although the lower bolts must have been made from putty as the hex key started to cam-out of the mushroom headed 8mm bolts as soon as any torque was applied (In fact it was at about 10NM torque -19NM being the amount specified in the BMW service manual for fitting BMW crash bars to the same mounting points) I replaced these bolts with decent socket head bolts.

Problems started when I tried to fit the cross piece between the side bars. Brackets welded to the cross piece and designed to bolt to the front of the engine were too close together with the result that the bolt holes in the brackets and the threaded holes in the engine did not align. I telephoned Nippy Normans to explain the problem but was taken aback by the tone of the response which suggested (a) it was my fault and that I had to use the correct spacers and (b) if I sent a photo they could diagnose the problem. I explained that it was not a problem of spacers and a photo would only demonstrate what I had said. NN then said if I returned the cross piece, they would check it against their stock and if it was faulty, they””””d send me another. I bit my tongue because it is obvious the thing is faulty and I don””””t expect that checking against their stock will alter the fact. I really don””””t believe my BMW engine is at fault!

This is what I am supposed to bolt together…

I posted the darn thing off to NNs with this photo and will have to wait and see what they say.