To Bung Or Not To Bung?

I'm considering crash bungs (I'm assuming this translates across the pond right?) but have seen quite a range of prices and options from straightforward fairing positioning in place of a fairing bolt to fancy engine bolt/new coolant bottle set ups.  I'm assuming some are much stronger than others.  Is it worth the extra money or is a simple set up all I need?  I just want something to take the brunt of a low speed drop.  I'm assuming a high speed drop would mean the bike would be toast anyway...

Any advice or recommendations welcome.

Kyojitsu,

Gsxr I once owned had a frame/engine mount as this was the strongest point on the bike when laid down. Personally I would love them on my 5th gen. Simple but effective way of saving cash repairing fairings and engine panels.

It isn't just about saving cash, either. It's pretty much impossible to find quality fairings for a fifth gen - especially in yellow like mine. ;)

I installed the R&G bungs - very nice fitment to existing motor mount that extends through the fairing plastic (drilling req'd, but simple) and includes a revised coolant overflow tank to clear the bung extension.  There are cheaper types, and types that don't require fairing drilling to install, but the R&G are what I went with after lots of research and I'd get them again.

What did you factor in with your research? Did the R&G bungs have something cheaper ones don't?


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I have crash bungs installed at the fairing mount bolt just at your knee,they just screw in where the original fairing bolt was,maybe you can see them in my avatar pic or album,I'd imagine they offer some protection in a tip over but in a higher speed drop I'd imagine they'd be pretty useless.

Top tip for ya if you go with a set that requires drilling:

Install the bolt that holds the bung in the proper place, then stick a dab of toothpaste or grease on the bolt head. Install the fairing as you would and press it onto the bolt to leave a mark from the grease/toothpaste. That gives you a center point for your hole saw.

I have the Radar frame sliders that you can't get anymore on my bike and have been happy with them. They haven't been tested and I hope they never are. Radar's required drilling, but with his instructions it was no big deal. Basically you put one side on, then use a centering cone and a long drill bit to go all the way through from the other side with 1/4" bit. After that is there, pull the fairing off and use that as the center hole for your bigger hole saw bit.

My GF just got the R&G set. We are waiting until she gets the bike repainted this summer to put them on though, so I haven't even looked at their instructions on how to drill the holes.

I say go for it as long as you pick a good one that will really protect your frame, engine and fairing. There are already a good number of established manufacturers that have proven crash protectors.
Stay away from those silly little crash mushrooms sold at eBay that mount on to where your side fairing bolts on to the fairing brackets connected to the frame near your knees and pretend to offer crash protection......as they are really chintzy, useless, poser add-ons.....

What did you factor in with your research? Did the R&G bungs have something cheaper ones don't?


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I wanted something that could actually take the hit of a 540 pound weight driving into the mounting point.  I looked into Radar's, and liked them (similar to R&G's design, I believe), but didn't want to modify the coolant bottle myself (if I recall), so went with a complete kit from R&G at somewhat greater cost.  It mounts to the engine mount bolt point where it goes through a substantial part of the frame.  The other types that didn't require drilling either used the fairing mount point (way too insubstantial, and too far back on the bike to do much good even if strong enough, imo) or a triangulated framing arrangement that moved the shock absorber away from the mount point to the fairing openings over the radiators to avoid drilling the fairing.  I was concerned about complexity, cost and whether they'd be able take a drop without pushing the shock absorber into the very expensive radiator.  I never heard anything good or bad about the way they work since arriving here in 2005, so am happy I went with the R&Gs.  I'd dropped mine once before getting them - of course, since mounting them, I've never dropped it again.