I have a set of Race Railz I picked up from another member and the more I look at them I'm not sure if I want to install them. Having them on will require me to remove engine mount bolt any time I remove the fairings. So anyone who has them or has had them chime in and let me know your thoughts and experiences with them.

Privateer had them or something very similar. I'd PM him if he doesn't see this.

All you have to do is determine the size and length of the engine bolts involved, and buy super-grade versions.

Fastenal (if you have one near) can provide you with the highest grade bolt possible, and it can be removed and reinstalled many times.

The reason the service manual says replace the engine bolts when you remove them is when torqued to spec, it stretches the bolt slightly and so its not a good idea to re-use stock bolts.

I am putting MCE Canyon Cages on my C14, and MCE provides super-grade replacement bolts for that very reason.

Once you get a long handled non-ratchet (breaker bar) that will take the correct thick-wall socket, its easy to free the bolt in the future. Only takes 5 minutes to take them off, if that.

So the bolts are the issue? I was worried about the threads on the tab on the block.

What is the deal with the bolt you have to remove in the back? I saw some where that there is spacers that can't be used with the railz installed that made me a little leary also.

Since I never took them out of the box, I never saw the instructions. I'm sure it works, too many people run them for them not to run.

You might have to mess with it. I mean, I just put MCE small saddlebag guard bars on, and that part was easy, but I wanted to put Motorcycle Larry's dropped passenger pegs on and they wouldn't tighten down enough due to the space between the MCE lower bracket (goes "around" the peg mount) and the peg mount.

I had to mess with it. (tm) Heh. Found a bag of .032 stainless washers, and sandwiched in enough on each side that with upgraded bolts and nuts (to allow more torque) I could tighten them down good and the pegs are now rock solid.

Now to your question about the threads in the frame that the bolt(s) screw into. Not much chance given the depth and pitch of the threads that you can hurt them if you don't exceed service manual spec torque. I would recommend whatever locktite product you use, you don't use orange permanent, but rather, a red surface-insensitive threadlocker. And even then, a lower strength red because the surface-insensitive designation means it holds better.

Frankly, I think you could just put anti-seize on the bolt, washer (add if none) and in the hole, and torque it to spec. But then if something happened KHI could tell you no warranty coverage.

So yes, the bolt is the issue. Torqued to spec the oem bolt will stretch. Do that twice, and it will get close to breaking point. Again, and it will either crack, snap, or strip. You can buy bolts that won't do that after a dozen remove and reinstall operations.

Yeah there are no instructions and from what I've found that is the norm. I checked the included bolts and they are stamped as grade 12.9. The thing I was leary about is the rear mounting point is the upper rear motor mount and some where (can't find it right now) someone who had them installed had said they had to leave the spacers out when mounting the railz. That doesn't seem like the best idea to me.

Those 12.9 bolts are top of the line. There aren't even any nuts made with that good of a grade. At least, last time I looked at Strengths of Materials.

When you torque those to spec, you torque them to only 90% so they are good to go over and over as long as you never over-tighten them.

The only way to lock 12.9 bolts is a) locktite, and b) drill and wire. Stainless steel lock washers would be unable to bite into the face of the bolt head.

Conneaut I have them on my bike. You do not leave out the spacers, but you need to make sure you don't back off the torque on them.

So the bolts are the issue? I was worried about the threads on the tab on the block.

The bolts are not an issue. The rear mounting point is more questionable, but with some knowledge of how the spacer system works it is quite sufficient. The lack of directions is truly the problem.

Care to elaborate on how I remove the bolt without taking torque off the spacers?

Why not ask Militant Moto for assistance? It is their product. Too bad Race Railz went out of business, for all intents and purposes. Or did someone ressurect them?

Here is the link to Militant Moto :

Barrier Bars

Rook, as a rule, in the situation we are talking about, bolt torque stretch does not significantly affect the threads in the frame. Most of the stretch occurs near the heat of the bolt, where there aren't any frame threads to take some of the torque. Thats why many times the bolt snaps near the heat, or even right under it, that is where the stress fractures are from repeated torqueing.

* Last updated by: privateer on 5/11/2012 @ 7:14 AM *

Conneaut

The cross bolt you need to remove at the rear mounting point needs to stay stationary while removing the nut from the other side. It keys into the spacer to adjust the outward pressure then the bolt torques to lock it all together. If you only turn the nut then knock out the through bolt you should maintain the correct torque once you re-torque the threaded rod that replaces it. I modified the RacerRailz system and think it looks good, but as Scottjkyl can attest kind of made it a puzzle to take off.

Thanks that is the info I was looking for.

Your welcome. I learned the hard way

Conneaut

Give me your number and I will tell you more about it. I see on Bikeland you still have questions. PM or Email matmatcadillac at msn dot com

sent you a PM

I currently have these on my 2008 zx14..Very easy to install and take off... Takes me roughly about 10 mins to take them off or put them on..If you would like photo's let me know..I take them off and on depending on what I am doing with the bike. They look great on the bike and very solid.