Installing Ztechnik engine protectors on a 2015 R1200RT

I am a pretty good mechanic I always do my own maintenance and accessory installing. I purchase a set of Ztechnik engine protectors and attempted to install them and followed the directions carefully. They flat out won't fit, the hole in the top bracket is about 5 to 8 mm's off. I took them off and on quite a few times always the same results. Didn't even try the right side. I had the same set on my 2009 RT and they fit perfectly. I wonder if quality is slipping at that company. For the price you pay for them they should go on easily. Has anyone else had that problem with the Ztechnik engine protectors. They said the set for the 2105 GS is the same.

I had Wunderlich bars on my 2015 RT. The were bent in a tip over, so they went out with the trash.

I then ordered Ilium's engine guards, which were highly recommended by RT riders. I am not a mechanic, but I had no trouble installing them.

http://www.iliumworks.com/BMW_Motorcycle_Accessories.cfm?pn=30-200&pID=104

I installed the Ztechniks also this morning and the top hole on the left side was way off on mine too. Took it off, put it in a vise, heated the zig zag bend piece with the hole in it up till it was red (used a cheap propane bottle torch) and beat it with a hammer up and then over so it was nice and even. Then remounted it on the bike, worked perfect and lined up great.......even a blind squirrel gets lucky now and then. The right side was a pain getting the top section past the radiator hose but once I did it fit right up perfectly, thank God because would have really been a pain removing it too. Including torch and hammer time it took roughly an hour for my install. Just got back from a 200 mile ride and they looked good and weren't needed at all....yay.

I don't have any engine bars on my RT... It's for sale.
If I end up keeping it, I might consider a set, for the front anyway.

If I do purchase a set, I would expect them to fit reasonably well.

I'm trying to be less critical these days but c'mon...
Maybe a little fidgeting, but it shouldn't require heat and a hammer to install them. They had to cost a few hundred bucks right? That was really obliging of you Mr. Flowers.

I believe I remember seeing that these were newly released.
2 reports here of NO-fit.
The manufacturer might want to 2bl check their measurements and/or QC.

d'milan

dmilan said:

I don't have any engine bars on my RT... It's for sale.
If I end up keeping it, I might consider a set, for the front anyway.

If I do purchase a set, I would expect them to fit reasonably well.

I'm trying to be less critical these days but c'mon...
Maybe a little fidgeting, but it shouldn't require heat and a hammer to install them. They had to cost a few hundred bucks right? That was really obliging of you Mr. Flowers.

I believe I remember seeing that these were newly released.
2 reports here of NO-fit.
The manufacturer might want to 2bl check their measurements and/or QC.

d'milan

Click to expand...

Yep, $499 for the pair. I agree and am going to call them Monday just to let them know their specs seem a bit off. I'm kind of a fix it if I can person and didn't want the hassle of shipping them back if I could fix them without too much trouble. Been watching a "Forged in fire" TV show lately and that's why I thought of heating it with the torch to move the bolt hole up. Any more effort than that and they were going back. The quality does seem very nice, glad they were stainless since I had to heat the one.......wouldn't have done that if they were coated.

Good grief! I cannot believe the difficulty you guys are having with Ztechnik bars. You are, in effect, re-manufacturing them?

Ztechnik makes bars that don't fit.

Wunderlich makes bars that cannot withstand a tip over.

So far I can report that Ilium's bars fit so well a ham-fisted owner (me) could install them without difficulty. I cannot yet testify if they survive a tip over. I hope I will never learn that.

I do not believe the problem is with ZTechnik -- I believe BMW made a change in the location of the frame tab hole between 2014 and 2015.

When I installed a set of the Ilium Works engine bars on my 2015 R12RTW, I had a devil of a time with the fitment until I realized the upper mount hole on the left was off from the frame tab hole. I ended up dremelling-out the engine guard's upper left hole until the bolt would pass through (i.e., ovaled the engine guard hole, not the bike frame hole).

Given Ilium Work's quality level, and now hearing ZTechnik's bars have the same problem, it appears the issue originated at the Mothership.

mneblett said:

I do not believe the problem is with ZTechnik -- I believe BMW made a change in the location of the frame tab hole between 2014 and 2015.

When I installed a set of the Ilium Works engine bars on my 2015 R12RTW, I had a devil of a time with the fitment until I realized the upper mount hole on the left was off from the frame tab hole. I ended up dremelling-out the engine guard's upper left hole until the bolt would pass through (i.e., ovaled the engine guard hole, not the bike frame hole).

Given Ilium Work's quality level, and now hearing ZTechnik's bars have the same problem, it appears the issue originated at the Mothership.

Click to expand...

As I recall the 2013 GSs were unique in the tab location.

There was a lot of talk about this over at ADVRider. Maybe here too, I'm not sure.

I shopped a little for crash bars for my GS. BMW as well as aftermarket manufacturers have different part #s for 2013 as opposed to 2014 and up.

I know this thread is about RTs. But I'd be surprised if the engine cases are any different on 2014 and up GS/RT. That would be costly for the manufacturer.

d'Milan

Contacted Ztechnik today. They seemed grateful for the information and will be looking in to it.

crash bars

Installed Touratech bars on my 2015. 30 minutes not 1 problem. Yes U have to remove them to service engine=valve check. 6 bolts per side. 12 bolts total. Hole cut in pan for oil drain. easy filter change.

I'll try the picture thing?

An interesting thread. I purchased a 2015 Rt and Illium Engine guards. The right side bar fit perfectly and was a quick install. The left side did not fit, the holes did not line up. They sent me a replacement left bar and it also did not fit. Past weekend I sent them measurements and detailed pictures of my left side problem. They modified a left side bar and it is in route to me now. Based upon my experience and the above I would guess that BMW changed something on the 2015 bikes on the left side.