MC Enterprises Concours Canyon Cage Discussion

[RyanMCEnterprises]

Absolutely Ryan.  I'll PM ya my addy and email addy.

Sounds good!

I hope that I am not creating controversy with this project.  I am mainly trying to throw out some possibilities to improve the appearance.  I am not the expert on the protection and fall down characteristics other than knowing where the Connie hit the ground with the current MC Enterprises crash bars.  I had my doubts over moving the contact point up when the bars where rotated to align with the vane angle.  The lower front attachment point creates alot of the problems. 

Here is another approach which lowers the contact back down again although it is not a horizontal bar to contact the ground and it complicates the lower front attachment point and I am not sure about all of the welding involved and the strength of this joint.  But it does smooth out the look where the bars interesect the attachment boss.  Photoshop allows you to try alot of ideas before building the parts.

I probably could have lived with the bar design when it had the single horizontal bar intersecting the angled front mount bar, but when the second horizontal bar was added it  was just too many horizontal lines conflicting with the angled vanes of the fairing.

Gordon

You're definitely correct in saying the lower-front mounting point creates a lot of the issues. That's part of the problem we're having over here when actually creating the bar. I have to say, though, I definitely like your second version better than the first from a manufacturing stand point. Your first bar was just too dang high on the fairing to protect it the way we want to protect it. If your first version were to be installed, the lower part of the fairing would definitely take a hit if the bike went over which is unacceptable. Of course, this is very hard for you to foresee when you're using photoshop to mock up a bar and not doing it in person. I think your second version would do a much better job protecting the lower part of the fairings.

We're currently working on a slightly different design that I think looks great and should still function very well. If this next design we're working on doesn't work out I'll start working on getting a bar tacked and bent that resembles your second version because I really do like that style. I'll keep you guys posted!

[RyanMCEnterprises]

The evolution of the Canyon Cages
I had to put all of these pictures on one page to put them into perspective.

I like both 9 & 10, but I am for the one that offers the most protection in a drop. Priority number #1 me and my bike, #2 looks.

Gordon has some MAD Photoshop skills.

Those photoshopped images Gordon did are pretty intense, I must say! I also like #10, Gordons second version. That bar has the great aesthetics of the first bar he made up but it would definitely do a better job of protecting more of the fairings. If this current design we're working on doesn't work out we'll get cranking on a set of Gordons. Thanks for the progression shots, though! That's pretty cool!

[danl]

#10 is much better with the lower bar moved down some. #8 is good too, I'm still sorta partial to that one but 10 is right there now.

[RyanMCEnterprises]

#10 is much better with the lower bar moved down some. #8 is good too, I'm still sorta partial to that one but 10 is right there now.

Yea, right now it seems as though the competition is between #8 and #10...

[maxtog]

I hope that I am not creating controversy with this project.

Not at all!  In fact, I wish you were here earlier in the project   You have some great ideas!

Here is another approach which lowers the contact back down again although it is not a horizontal bar to contact the ground and it complicates the lower front attachment point and I am not sure about all of the welding involved and the strength of this joint.  But it does smooth out the look where the bars interesect the attachment boss.

Yet ANOTHER interesting idea.

I probably could have lived with the bar design when it had the single horizontal bar intersecting the angled front mount bar, but when the second horizontal bar was added it  was just too many horizontal lines conflicting with the angled vanes of the fairing

I know what you mean.

[wally_games]

Been following this thread since it started. I've enjoyed the evolution, but I'm beginning to think that it's getting to be "too much". I actually liked #1 with at thin slider like the swingarm protection from ProjectD.
http://projektd.com/popup_add_image.php?imagesID=591&products_id=167

Or #10 with only the one "horizontal" bar. Maybe even #8 with only the one "horizontal" bar.

Of course, paint them black and remove the green tape and maybe they won't look so huge.

[mikeboileau]

I thought it looked better before they added the third bar.

Less is more?

Can someone photoshop those mounting points on an 08?

[SANDPSYCHO]

I like #4 simple clean and minimal.

#10 doesn't quite do it for me. Don't care for the front lower bend up. Might look cool to miter it. A miter welded up with a bulkhead is stronger then a bend but more expensive to make as it is much more labor intensive but look really cool.

[ZG]

The evolution of the Canyon Cages
I had to put all of these pictures on one page to put them into perspective.

Thanks for doing that Gumbi, much easier seeing them all together! 
 
 
I have no dog in this race, but if I did I would vote for #1. Simple and clean. 

[maxtog]

Thanks for posting all the pictures in one place!  (Note: #3, #4, and #5 are all identical design; same with #6 and #7)

If I had to rank what I like so far, in order, it would be:

# 10 (best looking so far, perhaps after a few tweaks, matches angles, interesting design)
# 9 (matches the fairing the best, might not be enough protection)
# 2  (yep, I actually like it meeting at the center that way, it is more interesting and "fast" looking)
# 3/4/5 but with the horizontal meeting the vertical at a single point (simple, functional)

I hate to say it, but I think I would be least happy with 6/7/8.  It is a nice looking bar, when taken alone.  But on the bike, it just conflicts too much with the lines of the vents and bike.  I could

I don't think we can count #1, because it has been said it will not offer any reasonable protection.

If this does go to poll, I think it needs to be crafted carefully so people can, for each design, express what they like, by how much, in what order, and what they don't like at all.  Something that rates each design on a like and action scale might make sense- something like:

5=will definitely buy, perfect
4=would buy, great but not perfect
3=probably buy, but not great
2=reluctantly might buy it, but not happy with it
1=would never buy, hate it

The forum software can't handle it, but we could do it manually through postings or private messages.  It is not a democracy, just feedback

[C14PAINKILLER]

I like #10, looks like it would be stronger at the point of impact near the rear of the fairing. Following the bikes lines adds to the asthetics. Maybe the bottom bar of #10 and the top bar of #9. Powder coat it black and it'll blend in nicely. Now how far are they gonna stick out? Can't wait to see the final design! Great work!

[Son of Pappy]

8 for my '08

[astros50]

I prefer the earlier designs. Less is definitely more.  Pic 1 definitely looks the best but I doubt it will offer any real protection. I think it was just a photo to show the progress of the project. Pics 3- 5 are outstanding. I assume that the third bar that is added in the next pics are for added strength. So I don't know if those pics show a viable product. If Ryan and MCE think that would work, thats the best looking. Pics 6-8 are pretty good. I suspect that the extra metal is for strength.  I don't care for 9 or 10. They look boxy and out of place. Maybe it's the photoshop. It may look better mocked up, but I don't care for either.

[Necron99]

for me I prefer then in

1)  #8
2)  #9
3)  #10

[RyanMCEnterprises]

We're currently working on getting a variation of #10 bent and tacked right now and so far it's looking really good. It won't come out looking exactly like the photoshopped version because there are some lines on the bike that have to be accommodated for that are hard to see in the photo. #9 is out of the race because the lower horizontal bar doesn't extend low enough to offer the type of protection we're gunning for. If you like that style, though, we'll have to go with our variation on #10. Once we get this current design mocked up we'll see what you guys think.

The only other version we're still seriously considering is #8 or, if all else fails, a modified version of #8 where we remove the top horizontal bar and it ends up like #3/#4 where that lower horizontal bar meets the vertical one at the lowest point possible. I believe these are the two most popular designs, though.

Keep in mind, though: When these bars are finished and powdercoated, they'll all disappear into the fairings quite well and look sleek because of the low-profile type of design. I know some of these versions don't seem "low-profile" because there's quite a bit of material but they really do look relatively minimal on the bike in person. Anyhow, I'll get this #10 version finished up and take some photos for you guys to see. I have a feeling a few opinions might change once you can see it on the bike.

EDIT: I wanted to add the photos of the bars we're still considering to this post so you guys don't have to keep going back to the other pages to reference what I'm talking about!

#10



#8

[RyanMCEnterprises]

Well, here's the latest design we came up with based off that #10 design Gordon mocked up for us! It looks like Armando tweaked a few small things since I laid the design out for them yesterday afternoon but I dig how it came out. The lower-front mounting point will still be in the same location as the other bars but we've come up with another way to tie-in to that spot so the bar can remain complete instead of having to be welded around a joint. This design should be just as strong and offer the same amount of protection as our previous #8 design. What do you guys think? Oh, and keep in mind that although the bar is segmented in the photo, the final bar will be solid.







I think I'm going to have them lengthen the top horizontal bar a bit and move the bend back so it more closely resembles the #10 design Gordon came up with. I originally envisioned something like this:



We're slowly running out of time with this bike so we'll have to settle on a design within the next day or so. This will probably be the last major revamp we do. Once the verdict is in on this latest design, hopefully we can conduct a poll between the few finalists we have so we can choose which bar we're going to go with. We'd really like to have time to get the bar finished up and powdercoated so we can get photos of it for our website and do a bit of drop-over testing for you guys. OH! I forgot to mention: The owner said we COULD do drop testing with this bike! Hopefully once the design is settled upon and finished we'll have some drop video for you guys to gush over! 

[Conrad]

I like #8 better myself. I think that some of the guys with 10's/11's/12's might like #10 better because the top bar matches the angles of the fairing vents. I think that the angle of those vents on 08's/09's are a bit different aren't they?

Edit,

I like the new bar too.

[Smokeyzx]

Great job so far!

Can you make a tighter bend (closer to a right angle) in the clouded area?

[ZZG1400RIDER]

The canyon cage in the photoshopped picture would be outstanding. I had a VFR800 tip over due to wind while at work and I wish I had a set of bars to protect it from the 5 grand of damage.  So I am waiting until these are ready and my vote is for protection at any design.  But #9 is the way to go now we need a attachment for highway foot pegs and I ready to ride for days.

[RyanMCEnterprises]

Great job so far!

Can you make a tighter bend (closer to a right angle) in the clouded area?

It's currently a right angle radius as is so I'm not sure what you're attempting to accomplish with tightening the bend because it currently flows with the fairings pretty well I thought. Also, it'd be difficult to tighten the bend any more because, although you can't see it, there's a mounting point that the bar ties in to directly behind that corner. 

EDIT: I just realized you meant change that radius bend to a perfect right angle with a sharp bend which is definitely doable. I apologize if my initial response came off snarky, I didn't mean for it to sound that way!