What's that crankcase hole for?

[Glyn]

Apologies for this weak post, but everytime I work on the bike I see that big empty bolt hole at the bottom front of the crankcase. Should this have a big bolt in it? Just sourced the 1983 Cycle magazine with the Vision test. Lots of good pic's of the faired bike, also showing the bolt hole with no bolt. Any ideas?

[Night Vision]

do you mean underneath in the front where the two halfs come together? I think that's for mounting crash bars...

I use it for the balancing point to lift the front end on blocks

[Sable]

Night Vision is right, this is where the factory crash bars mount.

[Lucky]

you don't mean the drain hole from the spark plugs do you?

[Sable]

Glyn,

     You were talking about the hole right below the starter motor right?

~Sable

[Glyn]

Yep, the large hole between the crankcase halves. I've never seen the factory crashbars. Are they worth searching out? are they really of much use in a spill?

Just managed to take the bike out for a mid winter quick spin before the rains come back. She's running well after a couple of months inactivity. No oil leak from the oil cooler pipe, looks like the flexible silicone sealer did the trick there. Still got to take my nose fairing off to get at the tach lights which blew last summer, probably take most of a day. Still that's a minor.

Ride safe wherever you are.

Glyn

[Tiger]

Yep, the large hole between the crankcase halves. I've never seen the factory crashbars. Are they worth searching out? are they really of much use in a spill?
Glyn

:) Glyn, I think that they are worth getting.......if you can find a set... ::) They do come up on e-bay now-'n-again..Keep an eye open for them. Once installed they do give the motor some level of protection.However, you can't install on a "V" with fairing "Lower's"....Unless you do some fabricating to the lowers....I sold mine when I installed the full fairing and I also found a set for Lothepou a wee while back... 8)

                              ;D       TIGER        8)

[YellowJacket!]

I just got the set that seanclearwater had listed.  They are in absolutely perfect condition and gotem for less than $30.
I think the main thing they will protect are the coolant tubes on the right side, but they seem to offer protection for the whole front of the motor.
It looks like the previous owner of my bike left the bolt for the engine guards in place.
David

[Sable]

Glyn,

     I had two different types of crash bars on mine, the first set was more of a "highway bar" set that was more vertical than the factory set. Kiawrench has them now (sweet trade for the shark fairing), not sure how they would fit with the fairing.
     The factory set come up and back and connect just above the center of the case. I like the looks of the factory set better.

~Sable

[kiawrench]

 That peculiar hole down there is called a "chin bolt anchor".
it is designed in for shipping and crating purposes.
the bikes were shipped in steel platform "pallets" tied down to each corner and again by a clevis through that hole.
   then the designers made another use for it, attaching several different oem items-- ie , crash bars, the sidecar feature we all hear of and never see, and at one time, a fairing set up was available that bolted there for the bottom of lowers. .

i use mine in two ways, actually three. i bolt my crash bars lower bolt there, because it is there, i remove that bolt and insert a govt spec high securiy lock through the hole and secure the bike when i am away for more than 2 days . and when needed, it is a handy jack reference point when doing maintenance.

[Tdub]

It can even be used as a motor mount with a full frame ;)