Crash bars

May 3, 2021:  

While I really don't like the name, crash bars are the generic term for hardware that protects the bike in case it gets dropped or otherwise finds itself off it's wheels.  They say that it's not really a question of "if" you'll drop the bike, but "when," and the bars will save having to replace damaged engine casings, mirrors, handgrips, saddle bags, and anything else that isn't supposed to support the bike when on its side.  

I decided to order a set from T-Rex Racing but their website listed them only from 2013 through 2020.  On the owner's forum I was told that the 2020 and the 2021 are pretty much the same bike but I emailed T-Rex and asked.  The response was that they didn't list the 2021 because they didn't have one to try them out on.  They said that if I ordered and installed them without a problem, send them photos and they'd give me a 10% refund.  Done!!!

The bars arrived and the installation of the engine and bag protectors when easy.  The kit came with front axle sliders and that's where things got weird.  The instructions didn't say anything about there being a hard rubber plug on the right side of that hollow axle.  I found a video on YouTube that showed one solution on how to remove it and I thought it looked easy enough so I gave it a try.  It has to be knocked out by driving it from the left side.  As in the video, I inserted a steel punch and then placed a metal rod behind it and gave it a few whacks with a hammer.  However, by the time the plug popped out, the rod had wedged itself under the end of the punch and didn't want to come back out of the axle.  I messed around with that for a while before clamping a set of vise grips on the rod and turning it back and forth until it and the punch both came free.  

The installation on the axle sliders was easy after that.  The whole set up is pretty nice and even looks good on the bike.