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[hubert]

I'm wondering about the the utility of crashbars. My S isn't fitted with it, but the "police" versions of the DS are. And it is possible to fit the bars aftersales.

The questions is, in case of a crash, do the bars merely prevent the fairings from being scratched or do they also save the rider's legs?

Reason for this question: uhh, I had a crash last week! Was riding near a school with lot of car traffic when parents drop their children in the morning, and a car engaged from a parking slot without "seeing" me arriving at low speed. Reflex braking, probably blocking front wheel on wet tarmac and I was down on my left side, before the zero slipped against the car.

My left leg has been hurt at the knee and the thigh, despite wearing a riding trouser. X-rays confirmed no bone broken, but the leg has become almost completely darkblue after 2 days, like a sunburnt smurf. It is unclear for me if this was caused only by my own weight hitting the road, or if furthermore the Zero also pressed against my hip.

The Zero has minor damage. Windscreen burst, mirror and blinker damaged, handlebar bent and a few scratches at lower fairing. And the fork parallelism to be readjusted.

Will replace the stock "IRC" slippy front tire by a Michelin Pilot Street Radial, same as rear tire.

Could a crashbar have helped reducing the impact on the leg?

[clay.leihy]

I think they would be some protection, but not all that much, especially if the S drop bars are no better quality than the FX ones. My 2015 FX tipped over (standing still) in the grass and the bar bent. I did manage to straighten it out, but I wouldn't bet my life on it in a crash.

[ESokoloff]

I'm wondering about the the utility of crashbars. My S isn't fitted with it, but the "police" versions of the DS are. And it is possible to fit the bars aftersales.

The questions is, in case of a crash, do the bars merely prevent the fairings from being scratched or do they also save the rider's legs?

................

Could a crashbar have helped reducing the impact on the leg?

Sorry for your situation.
Hope you heal quick & proper.

I can't say If the bars would have prevented or lessened your injuries.
What I can share with you is the spill that happened to me about 2.5 weeks ago on my 2016 DSR fitted with crash bars.
I was in a dedicated right hand turn transition lane (radiused/sweeper not a squared hard intersection right) when I suddenly went down.
It all happened so fast I'm not sure what caused the spill.
I could have hit a patch of oil or perhaps a section of road (marking) paint.
Not sure I was or wasn't using the front brake.
I have dualsport tires so that may have contributed to the instant loss of traction.

I estimate that I hit the tarmac at 20 mph or so.
At first glance the only damage on the bike was a scratched right crash bar & a small but deep scratch on the lower rear corner of my right side pannier.
As to my gear, I wear a Aerostich Roadcrafter one piece suit
https://www.google.com/search?q=Aerostich+Roadcrafter+one+piece&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvlbTyw-nYAhUO9GMKHauXAGQQ_AUIEigC&biw=1024&bih=672
It had a few small road rash bites on the right hip/pant access flap.
(I've since ordered a kevlar riding suit made by Motoport that should hold up to road rash MUCH better) http://www.motoport.com/product/ultra-trek-stretch-suit/
My Held gloves have what they call Super Fabric https://goo.gl/images/AsgFkz on the palms & my right glove now has some slightly lower/flatter beads in the palm.
That was the extent of the damage.
Just two points of contact for both bike & body.
I can't say with certainty that the bars made a difference in outcome in my situation, but I'm  extremely grateful they were available & I decided to purchase/install them.   
I don't like the looks of them, but their not too ugly on a DS.

On second/in depth inspection of the bike, I found that the right side main bolt that holds the crash bars to the top frame mount had bent/stretched & its bottom mount had rocked at the aluminum skid plate that it attaches too (the mount footprint had bent in at the back/pushed out at the front).
I had to do a bit of old-school body work to sort it all out.
I did not fill in (weld) the missing grind wound as I didn't want to deal with refinishing the powder coating.
I just masked off the bar & hit it with some rattle can primer/paint.
I was surprised by how much metal was ground out of the top section of the slanted (/) section of the bar.

(Note: I'm not 100% sure that the right frame mount did not get bent &/or frame receive damage. Will assess next time I remove the plastic (Electronic signal relay up-grade).




I suggest to all that you should consider increasing your conspicuousness to help get you be noticed by others. 
I wear a (once/when newer) hi-vis suit & helmet.
I put amber LED lights on the forks down low for a triangular light pattern (Note: I replaced the incandescent headlight with an LED so as to not tax the somewhat anemic electrical system).
Ultimitly I will add more LED's for even grater conspicuousness.

Also cars KILL!!!!
Stay as far away from them as you can.
Expect that they will not see you & ride accordingly. 

[TheGap]

Also cars KILL!!!!
Stay as far away from them as you can.
Expect that they will not see you & ride accordingly.

I can't remember anymore where I've heard or read this but I've remembered this (slightly exaggerated) one-liner ever since:

Treat cars like they're driven by maniacal serial killers who think you slept with their wife.

[BertTrack]

Absolutely,

I've tumbled and crashed my FX multiple times,

Most saving rescue by my crash bar was when my foot was stuck underneath the bike. And the bikes wait was supported by the crash bar and not on me. The only way i could get out on my own was by removing the batteries first.

And last weekend i lost traction on a rocky climb and below it a steep 0.5 meter deep section that i had just crossed. Unfortunatly i wasn't able to regain any grip even after going all over the place with a soft spinning rear wheel. So i tumbled over and wedged myself between the bike and the embankment, the bike rested on the rear wheel, blinker light, and crash bar, as i tried to find a way to regain traction of any sort the bike and me below it slid down the 0.5 meter drop. I was in principle below it and trapped between the bike and the embankment, not being able to escape up because of the handle bar. (it was steep)

Surpricingly. Not at anytime was i crushed/mangled by the bike as it kept space enough for me underneath. And the crash bar held, Even the blinker stood up to the mangled atmosphere.

I'd get one on the next Zero as well.

[Doug S]

I was kind of thinking along the same lines as ESokoloff. I've considered adding crash bars to my bike, not so much to protect the bike in the event of a lay-down (who ever plans to crash??), but I would definitely like to have some hard mounting points for additional lighting, and maybe even some highway pegs. But the cost benefit just doesn't seem worth it...there are lots of other options for mounting accessory lighting, and the seating position is too upright to enjoy forward-mounted footpegs.