Hi guys, this is Jeremy here. We should have updated you earlier about the shipping for the AltRider crash bars for the TR650. It’s been just as frustrating for us as it has been for you. Due to several challenges with the design at production, it caused the production to keep stopping while the tooling was being redesigned a few times. This has been one of the causes of the many delays. In addition, we’re also working hard on the BMW R 1200 GS WC crash bar design -- as much as you guys don’t want to hear that, this is the truth. BMW gave us a unique opportunity to display at the BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch, DE for their 90th anniversary. As an up and coming manufacturer, this was a big deal and we needed those R12 bars done – and this caused a little more delay as well. We apologize for not updating you all earlier. We wanted to get the production on the TR 650 bars completed on time but we were not able to deliver. At this time, we had an emergency meeting and will have a solid ship date tomorrow. As for those who have pre-ordered the bars – no one has been charged yet for their pre-orders. It is standard AltRider procedure to take your payment information during the pre-order to keep your place in line but we do not authorize the card until the product has left our warehouse. Just to let you know – nobody has been charged for the bars yet. I understand if you can no longer wait for our bars. For those who do wait, it’s promised that the design is significantly better than the current offerings in the market and will be worth the short wait that remains. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us directly at info@altrider.com or call us at 922-3629.
No the design has not changed. The challenges come from building a one-off prototype versus production models. One-off requires no tooling and mass production requires tooling which is a very precise process and has it's own set of unique challenges.
Do you feel like the skid plate is on schedule or is it experiencing issues as well? I really want your product but have already done too much off road without protection. Thank you, BTW, for the update. It is worth much to those of us trying to decide what to do.
Lets just stick with the topic of crash bars... one thing at a time. I sense the ALTrider company is hard at work working on a lot of different things and I'd rather not get into too many other topics which would dilute the time spent discussion the crash bars.
I'd be curious to know how are you liking these bars? Any chance we could see a full side shot of the bike? Cheers! Nice n' stout lookin'! I had to trim the Ricochet skid plate to clear the crash bar. [/quote]
Uh Oh! Looks like I'll have the same issue when my SW Motech crash bars arrive next week. Thanks for the heads up, Thumpa! I guess I'll use that opportunity to install sound deadening material inside the skid plate.
SW-Motech bars and crash plate ordered Wednesday, arrived today. I just got home about 4am this morning, and was planning on sleeping in, but when the doorbell rang at 8am, I knew goodies were arriving. I will be installing them this afternoon.
I really want to know your opinion of them, and please contrast them to what we have seen of the bars and plate from Altrider. Thanks Donkey!
Have fun. I thought they both went on easy. SW-Motech documentation is first rate. The left footpeg bracket bolts had red locktite on my Strada so that took a bit of effort. I put the skidplate on then the bars, but I think either way works, with their skidplate you don't use a couple of spacers, there is a note in the directions. Finally, the biggest gotcha for me was I ran the clutch cable under crashbar, but it has to go over. It's obvious if you are looking for it.
Slight delay on the install. I've got some lights en route that are going to require a little fabrication. They should be here tomorrow. In the meantime, I got a call from a very happy nephew and niece that are insisting I come see them this weekend and let them ride on the Ural. I'm a complete sucker, so I've dropped the tools, loaded up the dog, and am about to pull out for a two hour trip to see the kids. In the meantime, now that I'm back stateside, does CafeHusky work with a mobile app like Tapatalk or Motorcycle.com? I can't seem to find it on either of those two.
Tapatalk would be extremely cool. I've been happy with the app thus far, and use it for several forums I frequent. OK, sorry for the sidebar. Back to our regularly scheduled programming.
FWIW, it works fairly well as is on my LG Optimus G android beast phone. It's what I use 90% of the time I'm on here.
Thank you Jeremy, it does sound like you definitely made the correct decision to focus on the BMW product to have it ready for Motorrad Days. I'm reasonably certain that many are interested in the new solid ship date (though you could leave it vague as opposed to an exact date). Think knowing that timeframe is important to appease the masses who are trying to decide what to do. In general people have schedules/trips/vacation dates for the year which will not change (like the Motorrad Days dates), so it would be really good for someone to let us know how that meeting went to decide the dates.
As promised, we do have the solid ship date for the TR 650 bars. Silver crash bars will be ready by July 1st (about one week and a day away) and the black crash bars will be no later than July 9th (keep in mind that there's a national holiday involved -- but we are going to try to beat that date). Let us know if you have any other questions!
R-D any chance you could snap a couple of 'full' side view of the Terra once the goodies are installed? cheers!
Thank you. I think that level of information should be more than adequate. Though hopefully the general population will not be upset and cancel orders if those dates slip a tiny bit. (Personally I think saying 'mid-july' would be as detailed as I would have specified, but you know your companies capabilities)
Received my SW Motech crash bars today. I had been a little concerned about how they would work with my Motosportz skid plate. No problem at all. (Finally, I get to use the dancing banana) The bars come with a spacer that is used if there is nothing attached to the top front bolt. Leave out the spacer, which is the same width as the Motosportz bracket, and it is a perfect fit. My only issue was trimming my home made splash guard to clear the crossbar.
