In my brain I see something like this (with the puck somewhere in the triangle area)...
Hmmm, that's a very interesting concept based on our initial design it looks like where the horizontal bar meets the vertical bar more towards the middle. I'll talk to Armando tomorrow and see if we can try that on the bike and see what it looks like. It doesn't take us very long to get things bent and tacked into place.
Ryan, I said this before, but I will say it again and in more detail:
1) We *really* appreciate your company listening to us. I think you will end up with a fantastic design this way that is very desirable.
2) We LOVE all these photos and details as you go. It really helps to see what you are talking about and get a feel for the design process, which is both informative and fun.
3) I have a feeling I *must* have these things ASAP 
More feedback:
* I agree that having built-in highway pegs are probably not the best idea from a market and pricing perspective. I do understand the need for them, though... I am one of those people that will want them. I am not sure I need something as dramatic as way out and up there on those bars, though... so I am still looking at Ronnie Agostini's design for just an alternative foot placement.
* I still like the idea of a slider knob. But I will stress again that I think it needs to be NEARLY FLUSH, or it is going to look strange!
* I think the quick release is especially important in this design. Having to remove a complex THREE POINT crash bar will be a pain when just trying to change a turn signal bulb (which is already a pain with all the fairings). I don't think you have elaborated on just how your proposed quick release will work...
* I still wish there were an option for the no-rear arm bar. I know you said it might not be strong enough, but I am not looking for protection at 25, 35, or 75 MPH, just dead stop or < 5MPH tip over protection. Isn't that what most of us are looking for? The GSG and other sliders are just one point. The Top Block are two point. Are you sure the two point mount is off the table/impractical? Could there be two versions?
* If it must have a rear arm I tend to think the center tie-in looks cooler, for some reason that I cannot say, compared to the lower tie-in. Again, I know that strength is important, but hey- we are trying to get something much nicer looking, afterall! If it works either way, a poll on the forum of what people think might be useful for that design element.
Thank you very much! I really appreciate that and you guys are all very welcome! I honestly don't know why we haven't done things this way in the past. Like you, I truly believe the collaboration of all our minds together is going to yield an awesome product that functions well and looks great doing it without any unnecessary crap.
Yea, I saw that solution for a slightly higher place to put your feet above the stock pegs and that looked great! I just have a feeling highway pegs farther forward on the bike (like where they'd need to be mounted on our bar) would create a funky and unintended riding position.
Yea, we're still toying with the idea of the slider knob. At the most it'd stick out only 2". Honestly, right now it's a matter of supply. I'm having a hard time finding a vendor that sells the proper size we'd need. I found some great ones from McMaster-Carr that are polyethylene but they're just too damn small (
http://www.mcmaster.com/#recessed-bumpers/=gyrf3l). I was talking to Armando about boring out the hole for the 10mm mount bolt but the bumpers' funky shape may be an issue. If anyone can find a supplier of delrin or polyethylene "recessed bumpers" please let me know. They have to be roughly 2-2.5" in diameter, ~1.5" tall, and be able to accommodate a 10mm round bolt. The only other idea I could come up with would be to incorporate a different type of bumper but I'll have to look into them more tomorrow at work.
The current design we have now isn't necessarily quick-release per se but it really doesn't take long to remove each side. When I hear quick-release I generally think of cotter pin style designs. I'll elaborate more on our design tomorrow for you when I can take some pictures to go along with my explanation but as it is, you only have to remove 3 easily-accessible bolts for each side. Taking off one side is literally a 2-3 minute job with the right socket wrench handy.
Unfortunately the rear horizontal bar is necessary not only because of the added strength but also because of how the bike goes over. If the current design didn't have that horizontal bar extending back, the lower part of the fairing closer to the foot would be smashed before the bar hit the ground merely due to how the bike falls over. If you notice where the GSGs mount, it's much further back on the bike than where the vertical bar on our cage is. The rear part of the GSGs almost mount to where the rear part of our bar mounts, just slightly lower on the bike.
Yea, I'm still debating on the center tie-in or the lower tie-in. I'm honestly preferable to both. I really like RBX QB's variation on our earlier bar which was the center tie-in design. What do you think of that style he posted, maxtog? I'll have RBX's design worked up tomorrow so we can see what it looks like on the bike. I dig how it looks in the photo, though.
What does everyone else think? Do you guys prefer the lower tie-in or the center tie-in?
