Dropped my 01 with saddlebag crash bars several times, once at about 20mph, got one scratch on the tank from my shoe dragging across it when I bailed. Gaurds and floorboards protected it from damage. Putting rear gaurds on my 08 for sure before riding season starts back up....

 

I dont want to hijack this thread, but I was thinking about the exact same thing as many of you guys. I want to add a set of chrome bag guards, like on the Road King. I was on a group ride with one of the local HOG chapters, and I was right next to a guy who dropped a brand new UC (with anniversary paint to boot) the bike was amazing looking, and all I could think was I will hate to see the scratches on his paint once we lift it up. It was a good thing we were pulling into a parking lot to have a coffee brake, and he just misplaced his right foot, as we were almost stopped. The bike basically fell over, but I was amazed at how much protection the engine guard and saddle bag guard provided. There was virtually no paint damage at all to anything including the bat-wing!
So where is the hot spot for scoring a pair of saddlebag guards?

 

gee that question is like asking when your going to move your bowels..... Its going to happen......just when....... I dont have a RG but I dropped mine trying to back out ofa shed I guy let me store it in while down at the Dover race last year..... Good thing it was in the grass the bad thing is it was fully loaded.... What a biatch that was...

 

Good explanation,never had crash bars on my previous bikes and in looking at my Road Glide it seemed that the fairing would surely be vulnerable,good to know it'll probably be ok during a low or no speed screwup.

Don't want to put on rear saddlebag guards but I guess it looks like a good idea....

 

I like the look without the guard but from reading this post...I may be adding that part.

 

If you haven't dropped it you will... that's what I've heard 'em say.

I reading around here and heard about a guy who teaches this Ride Like A Pro motorcop class and puts out a DVD. So I look him up on the web and his DVD looks good so I buy it.

I'm sitting at my puter watching the thing and the guy is talking about slow speed manuevers on heavy cruiser type bikes, i.e. Road Glides, Ultra Classics, etc. He's looking at me from the screen and he says, "...avoid using the front brake at speeds under 15 mph, if your front wheel is turned even slightly and you grab the front brake it will pull your bike to the ground just like a magnet..."

So I look back at him and say, "NOW you tell me..."

That happened to me the first week I had my bike. I'd just filled up with gas and was pulling away from the pumps to a parking area to reset my trip meters. BAM! In the blink of an eye she went down. I could feel her start to go and there was simply nothing I could do. It was embarassing as hell but there was absolutely no damage to the bike. The engine guard was not even scratched. I was just barely moving. I was glad I'd seen instructions on how to big the big girl up!

Unless you are in tight confines I think you are safe from damage to the faring if you only drop the bike. A crash at speed is another matter. The faring is more subject to damage from bugs and road debris than anything but when it is incurring this kind of damage it is also protecting you.

 

I almost dropped mine on the wet lawn last spring when I was going around the truck in my driveway to get to the garage. Rear wheel slipped first then the front tire starting scooting out to the right. Left foot down, kept hold of the handlebars, pulled it back up. Little bit of grass and mud on the highway peg.

 

The saddlebag guards also give you another spot to attach accessory pouches or tie anything down to your seat. The only drop with my RG was a slide when my boot was on top of paint in the rain. Immediately added the extender rod on the jiffy stand after. The bike came to rest on the engine guard and floorboard

 

Dropping one just might spoil my day.

 

Lol...dropped my '08 EGlide VARIOUS times...there, I said it, wow!, feels good "confessing"!!

everytime the guards did their job (stopped to barely moving), only slight scuffs that I buffed out.

Worst one...dropped it at the hotel entrance at Biketoberfest Daytona...[X(]