OK, I'll bite. Apologies if you don't like the answers, Gavin. Bear in mind that I'm down for a set for my race bike, so I'm obv a fan.

marty400 wrote:Q1) What's the point the point of them, besides looking cool?

They are to protect your engine cases in the event of a crash. Should stop the cases wearing all the way through and allowing oil to escape (which is fscking annoying at a race meeting). Looking cool is a secondary consideration for those of us who are able to apply the throttle before the apex of the corner

marty400 wrote:Q2) Dosen't it hold in heat, like a thermal blanket?! Not desirable surely?

I've not noticed any temp difference between when I had them and when I didn't. There is a lot of engine under the tank, these wrap around a small part of it

marty400 wrote:Q3) Also, If one as a slide, it's a expensive replacement job?

Yep. The ones I had only managed one crash each. One was a low side into Honda at Phillip Island, 80 - 90km/h, the other was a "major slide, smash the fairings up, hope I stop before we hit the wall" kind of crash at Winton. There was about half the material left after the PI crash, and I lost a lot more than a case cover at Winton

marty400 wrote:Q4) Does it protect as well as r&g case protectors?

I looked at their site, and didn't see any NC29 case protectors. So that would be a yes, these are a lot better than the nothing R&G have for the NC29

I think a lot of racers here in Aus (where it's a sunny 30+ degrees right now, BTW) use them because there is not much else available other than some bent 3mm ally, which is what was on mine before it went bang. If GB Racing, R&G, etc, made composite or ally/steel bolt on covers, I'd fork out. But they don't.

Hi Pleiades

Many thanks for the info!

Racing 400s in aus? 30 degrees? You chaps are lucky so and so's! 8)

Sorry to hear about the 2 crashes. Glad you are still in one piece. I take it nc29s crash well then?!

Re: alternatives to the covers - Sorry, I mean't the r&g crash bungs. Is it worth having both of these on, just for riding on the road?

Cheers
Martin

Hey Marty. 29.5 here at midnight - alright if you have aircon, which I don't. Melbourne summers can be ugly

Should have realised you were talking the crash bungs, and resisted the smart arse option. I've never used them, greggo does (or did, on both the NC29 and Triumph 675 he has sold). I have considered using them, but the budget is normally well blown by the time I get to something like that. My understanding is that in a slide, the bungs will indeed protect parts of the bike that would normally be in contact with the road. The downside, I have been told, is that if they catch something (edge of road, stormwater drain, etc), it could do damage to the frame or engine mounts, etc, or even cause a bit of a tumble. I have seen relatively undamaged road bikes with well worn crash bungs, so they do protect.

In my humble <cough> opinion, if you know how to ride, but have chicken strips wider than 3 or 4mm, then you're unlikely to be regularly in need of this sort of protection. We use them because we are racing, where it's not a case of if you crash, but when. If you aren't pushing hard, then rather than buy wank factor parts you don't need, invest in a California Superbike School day, or something like that.

I had 4 crashes in 2010, those two were the ones that involved a slide on the cases. And, all bikes crash well :)

Hi Pleiades,

No air con?! Bummer.

Many thanks for the input, I really it.

You can probably guess I'm not a racer or anything at all 8) Just a bloke who has picked up a nice nc29, my teenage dream bike, will be Sunday riding the bike mostly now.

Is this web site for hardcore racers? If it is forgive the newbie questions 8). Always to ask those that know what they are talking about.

The engine cases are marked on one side, sonthought it might be good to cover up with some flash bling.

Best of luck with this years racing, hope you have a great year, heat notwithstanding 8)

Cheers
Martin

marty400 wrote:No air con?! Bummer.

Yep, bummer. And hot again this week.

marty400 wrote:You can probably guess I'm not a racer or anything at all 8) Just a bloke who has picked up a nice nc29, my teenage dream bike, will be Sunday riding the bike mostly now.

Do a couple of track days, then we'll see how long you'll remain "not a racer or anything" I started racing at 41, so it's never too late.

marty400 wrote:Is this web site for hardcore racers?

I was tired when I replied, wasn't clear about what I meant. The "we" is those of us who race - I wasn't presuming to speak for everyone on this forum. We racers often use these carbon/kevlar covers because they are the only thing available to us. I would prefer something like the GB Racing case covers, but no-one does one for the 29.

marty400 wrote:If it is forgive the newbie questions 8). Always to ask those that know what they are talking about.

It's how you learn, mate, no need to beg my forgiveness. Bribes accepted, though :)

marty400 wrote:The engine cases are marked on one side, sonthought it might be good to cover up with some flash bling.

It's your call, doesn't sound like you'll need to call on them, but on the other hand it'll cover up the damage nicely. I've never been a "bling" fan, I have always preferred to spend my hard earned on making the thing handle better or go faster. I also enjoy the taste of Vegemite - this does not mean I think you should enjoy it as well.