Need help with mounting HB crashbars.

I ordered set of Hepco Becker crash bars for my Christmas present to me for my '10 Adventure. I'll try to keep this short but I just spent over an hour trying to mount just one side(left side) to the motorcycle. Between the bolt, spacer, washer, lining up the holes for the upper engine guard(i think that is what it is called), then trying to screw the bolt into the hole without stripping the bolt or bolt hole it is not working. I don't know if the crash bars are slightly off alignment wise or what but I had to stop before I started throwing tools. Does anyone have any suggestions or pictures that would possibly make this easier? Any help would certainly be appreciated

Don't worry you will get good at putting them on and taking them off.

Mine were a pain to at first.

http://www.touratech-usa.com/media/YNtunG/09-370-0310-1.pdf

Hope this helps. Mounting the bars can be a PITA but you'll get it.
I start with the lower bolt first and just thread the bolt in a few turns, then do the same for the bolt over the battery compartment and then move to the bolt that clamps the CB to the frame. Once all three bolts are loosely threaded in, then you can tighten them all a little at a time.

I faced the same ordeal recently. I found it much easier to do one side first while keeping the other side intact. This held the guard pretty much in place. Do the lower bolt (engine guard) first and then one going into the tank. That last one - that attaches to the frame - aaaargh!

I'm not looking forward to that next oil change. But practice makes perfect, eh.

+1 on this routine. Just rebuilt my water pump and changed oil, put crash bars back together as described above, perfect.

Thanks for the replies. I had to step away from it for the evening as I was thinking some evil thoughts. I'll try again tomorrow.

+2 this is exactly how I do mine and it works perfect.

I am getting ready to deal with the same issue for my new 2010 990 Adventure - I hope you don't mind if I ask a question that kind of relates to this situation, and maybe not? What made you decide to go with the H&B crash guards and not the SW or Touratech? I'm trying to decide on the 2 companies (H&B or SW's) and even thou they are very similair - I guess there is a decent weight and/or build difference. So I'm not sure which ones to go with. I guess SW have much thicker tubing, and weigh a little more, H&B use thinner tubing, weigh less and cost a little more. Sorry if this is a little off track/thread. Thanks & good luck, I'll be there in a couple weeks myself if I ever decide - they will be my Christmas present also from my Christmas farkle money.

Someone a few weeks ago posted about using studs inplace of the 2 bolts holding the battery cover. This makes a lot of since and is on my list of stuff to do. This will really help with installing the bars

What are you crying about, I removed the chain guard, or whatsamacallit, well the plastic thing between the swingarm and the rear wheel on the chain side. Two screws on top, one under. The screw on the underside did not strip, THE FUCKER CAME OUT WITH THE THREAD! Great, brand new '10 bike. Guess did it line up when I put it back together? ..and trying to make the screw seat on the thread what was left in there was great. Prolly have to glue it on with thread locker or something.

I've got SW Motech bars coming, let's see if they are such an ordeal as yours.

Having the studs in the area under the radiator is ideal. You first hook that hole up, rotate the bars, get the lower hole over the side tank, and then line up the frame clamp. Put the lower bolt in a few turns, and push the frame clamp up the frame to get the correct alignment. Clamp the frame down, then tighten the lower bolt, then put the nut on the studs.

Takes me about 5 minutes to install both sides now and saves the threads in that cast part.

You definately get better with practice. One problem i was having was the bottom bolt on the tank. I use a allen or screwdriver inserted behind the threaded clip(prying it outward and holding it steady) when starting the bolt it's helped me alot. Just a thought.

Crash-bar stud mounts. This will help you prevent the inevitable stripped threads above the battery box.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=626041

Thanks for all the help. I haven't got around to working on 'em again but will this week. The stud mounts are a good idea.

AdvRat - The only real reason I chose the HB bars over SW was I liked the look of the HB's better, for what that is worth. I cannot comment on the design or sturdiness of one vs the other.

Advrat: can't really compare the other brands, but I have the SW's. They are very solid, and I like the cross-brace by the radiator.

About the mounting studs: trust me, those bolts on the battery box are the ones that are the trickiest to get in (imo) and the threads will strip in a heartbeat. There were a few thrown tools when I stripped my first one.

The studs are a MUST if you want to maintain sanity and avoid having to dig tools out of the garage wall. I made my studs from countersunk allen bolts, heads ground down, so that I had a way of driving them in, as my local fastener supplier doesn't speaky-da-metric too well and didn't have setscrews that size. I am looking into reversing the rear frame clamps as well and mounting some "studs" (actually bolts with a spacer and nut) as well, as I find getting a wrench on the nut at the back, particularly on the right side, almost as big a PITA as the front bolts were. Reason suggests this set up won't be quite as strong as the right way around but...I will let you know how that goes if I get a chance to do it soon.
Hmm...could this be done with the lower tank bolts too...?

Dangnit...I wish I had read this before galling the threads getting the $#(%*^ HB bars back on my bike today. It was my first shot at reinstalling them and I failed the class. I even tried gently lining up the hole with the smooth end of a tool that fit perfectly in the hole. The tanks not fitting particularly well didn't help matters.

It looks like I will be tapping and installing some studs.

CBC

If you will remove your glove box and loosen the top bolt that secures the tank to the frame it makes it a breeze to get your bottom bolt in. Otherwise, good luck!

You need to instal the studs on the battery box
I also use a nylock nut at the bottom on each side side in place of the KTM metal tab washer nut thingy
Also dont forget to make sure the back bracket round the frame tube is on solidly

Take one of the screws that goes into the battery box plate with you to an auto parts place (Kragen/Oreilly's, or Grand auto or whatever) and buy a set of studs there (I think I paid $4 for four) makes it easy to do. and Be sure you put the plate on first because it wont slip over the studs. Studs have to be installed through it. Using that and doing an oil drain hose makes it easy and you dont have to pull the tanks to do an oil change.