Motorcycles are fast, fun, and just plain cool to ride on. That said, bikes are not the safest things to ride on and even the most experienced motorcyclists can get into a serious accident. That’s why safety is paramount and that’s why your cruiser should have an engine bar.

What are engine bars?

Like its name implies, an engine bar is a bar that guards your bike’s engine. Technically speaking though, an engine bar actually protects more than just the engine. Every important part of your motorcycle can be protected by an engine bar.

Engine bars are designed to help protect those critical bits and pieces during a fall. This makes engine bars a necessity if you like to ride off-road bikes, as it’s very possible that you and your bike takes a fall. 

However, even on cruisers, engine bars can also be beneficial. You can lose balance on any terrain, so if you and your bike falls over on a paved road, an engine bar can still protect your motorcycle’s important parts. 

In terms of design, there are several types of engine bars and all have pros and cons. An aluminum engine bar is lighter than the other options, but aluminum is simply less strong than steel. Aluminum doesn’t rust however, but it’s also pretty expensive.

A stainless steel engine bar also won’t rust but it’s quite brittle according to Twisted Throttle. Mild steel, on the other hand, is cheap and strong, but unlike the other two options, mild steel will rust.

Why an engine bar necessary

If your bike is fighting gravity, it’ll lose and it’ll come back down to earth. When it does that, there’s a very high possibility that something sharp and jagged will damage your bike.

The best-case scenario is that your bike’s bodywork takes a scratch. The worst-case scenario is that your engine, gas tank, or something equally important gets damaged beyond repair and you’re left with a bike that can’t run. 

An engine bar will protect your bike from that. Instead of falling to the ground, the engine bar will act as a brace and it’ll take the brunt of the damage from the fall. In that way, an engine bar will protect your bike from fall damage and allow you to ride back home on it.

However, like Twisted Throttle said, engine bars aren’t magical. It can’t protect your bike in every situation and sometimes, a fall is just too extreme for your engine bar to handle. 

Engine bars can also protect the rider, too. In some crashes, the engine bar can stop the bike from crushing the rider’s leg. A broken leg is one of the most common injuries that a motorcycle rider can suffer. If more motorcycles had an engine bar, then fewer riders will injure their legs while riding.

Other safety accessories

There are other ways that a rider can improve the safety of their ride. Engine bars can protect your gas tank from any punctures, but you can also buy an actual gas tank protector that’ll ensure your tank stays safe. 

Other accessories that can protect your bike include skid plates and radiator guards. Skid plates do a similar job that engine bars do, except skid plates also protect against debris while you’re riding. A radiator guard is very similar to a gas tank protector, it’ll protect your radiator from serious damage.

Another must-have accessory is a toe or chain guard. Your toes are very near the bike chain and in a crash, that chain may cut your toes off. A toe or chain guard can help prevent that from happening.