Do I need frame pucks?

[ruggerus]

Hey everybody,
I don't really care for the frame pucks. I think they make the bike look too wide. I understand the functional reasoning for them, but I don't know why everyone gets them? Is it because of the faulty stand? Can someone provide the year the stands were fixed. I have an 07 XB12S. I would rather buy the stand replacement kit than get the pucks if that is the main concern.
Any opinions?
Any other reasons to get them?
What do you guys think?
Thanks for the info.
Ken

 

[GatorBuell]

The pucks are for when you put it down, to minimize the damage. Like frame sliders.

 

[MickD]

They're like insurance, you won't want them until you need them. If you go down and dent your frame you'll be sorry. I wend down last month and the frame pucks did their job, saved me lots of $$ in damage.

 

[Buellysses]

Agreed. They are a lifesaver. If you even so much as knock your bike over, or drop it at a stoplight, or something else stupid your going to irreparably damage your frame. A new 15$ frame puck sounds a lot better then a 1000$ (?) frame.

 

[Stevenc150]

Hmm, I always thought they looked cool.

If it was just a frame, that'd be one thing, you might drop it with liitle to show. But it's a hollowed out fuel in the frame deal, doesn't take much of a bump to dent the frame real good if you don't have the pucks on.

 

[raz65man]

YES!! They are like your riding gear, you don't realize how much they help until the bike is on its side. Just lowsided mine on vacation last week in PA. They are worth every penny! Razman

Edit: Pic placement

 

[Evil Mechanic]

Im with you Ken. I know the function, but they look out of place so i will just take my chances. If the bike takes a dump and i have to repair or replace the tank, then i'll just use it as an excuse to powdercoat the tank black [up]

And to answer our question about the stand. take a look at where the kickstand mounts to the kickstand swivel point. if its a single nut and bolt holding it together then you need the updated stand. if its a pin and retainer clip then you have the better unit. Hope this helps!

Oh and fyi i have seen a few frame sliders that mount to the front motor mount and look better in my opinion. I will most likely be going that route if i get paranoid enough.

 

[mike_847]

I just pulled the pucks off of my '06 cityx. I think it looks much more clean.

I figure I'll deal with the dented frame one way or another when/if it actually happens.

Edit, don't mind my ghetto swing arm stand. I'll pick up a proper stand at some point...

 

[fahren]

mike, your bike does look clean. And would look cleaner if you were to peel off the swingarm (and other) warning stickers, and pull/twist off the front fork reflectors. Seein' as you are going for the clean look.

 

[TechMagic]

sorry but IMO "clean" is confused with "feature-less" way too often. As a designer, I'll tell you it's important to have nice forms, and complimentary details, in a balanced way. Having things like rear sets, aftermarket levers, etc are small mechanical details that compliment the rest of the form, badges and frame pucks are also the final touches that compliment form, and finish the piece of art that is your bike.

Anybody can say "I'm going to shave and de-badge my ride, then go all black, or CF". I'm sorry but that's completely un-inspired and screams that the owner can't be creative (whether that's true or not I don't know) There is a way to do it and then there's a cop-out and just taking all the details off is a cop-out IMO.

 

[1stxb9r]

buy the pucks they will save you money in the end. sometimes form doesn't out weigh function!

 

[Evil Mechanic]

Hey Techmagic, everyone has they're own opinion of what looks good. If we all thought like you then everybodies bike would look the same. Some people like to keep things clean, while others like flare, others like bling ect...

I guess to state an opposite opinion of what you are saying, one could say that people who add badges, or flare and wild colors are crying out for attention. But thats not always true, and neither is saying someone who wants to black they're bike out has no creativity.

I think reflectors are gay and so are badges so they come off every bike i own. it has nothing to do with creativity. IMO

 

[samiam901]

I believe there can be such a thing as too much. My plans for my bike is to black out as much as possible and give it a "clean" look. But hey to each his own right?

 

[Nuage420b]

tECH, i was almost guilty of wanting to black out and go all CF. Luckily I didn't buy it all at once and now that I can look and see how nice all the color tones can compliment each other i'm rethinking the color schemes. I want a little CF here and there but with the Trans airbox and then im using the stock red wind screen to make an extended hugger for the rear to maintain the red through more of the bike. It stands out so much better than just blacking everything out. to stay on topic though I love the wider stane the pucks give the bike. It's got more of a crude beast appeal than a sleek slithering snake IMO.

 

[TechMagic]

Evil Mechanic, you can have any opinion you want, but what I was saying is that I am a professional designer, and there are elements of good and bad design, whether you're graded by a professor or by how well something sells, there are still rules.

You and anyone else can do whatever they like, you can buy a bike and crash it on purpose the same day if you want, I'm not arguing about what is and isn't your prerogative. I'm telling you that from the standpoint of a professional looking at a novice design, there are not enough trimming details on a de-badged and shaved bike. If you take those elements off, you need to add other complimentary elements back to succeed and create a balanced piece of ride-able art. This is a basic fact, because taking things away in itself does not require nearly as much skill as adding back in a positive way.

Just in saying that you apply the same formula to "every bike you've owned" serves to illustrate the point I'm making, it's not creativity, period.

Your things are your things and I'm not saying what you should do, again, I'm appealing to your creative side and pushing you to think outside the box. I'm also agreeing with everyone else here that you should have pucks on the bike.

P.S. I teach design as well so this is the same approach I take with interested minds, please understand I'm trying to help, not badger ya.

 

[icepop77]

I've seen so many XBs on Ebay with dented frames that I'll never bid on. Personally, I think they look streetfighter tough. I'm not big on extra crap on my bike, but I'll be using them when I get my XB12s this winter.

 

[typeone]

Having things like rear sets, aftermarket levers, etc are small mechanical details that compliment the rest of the form, badges and frame pucks are also the final touches that compliment form, and finish the piece of art that is your bike.

IF the badges and pucks are good looking and in this case, they aren't. just my opinion, of course.

Anybody can say "I'm going to shave and de-badge my ride, then go all black, or CF". I'm sorry but that's completely un-inspired and screams that the owner can't be creative (whether that's true or not I don't know) There is a way to do it and then there's a cop-out and just taking all the details off is a cop-out IMO.

I'm telling you that from the standpoint of a professional looking at a novice design, there are not enough trimming details on a de-badged and shaved bike. If you take those elements off, you need to add other complimentary elements back to succeed and create a balanced piece of ride-able art. This is a basic fact, because taking things away in itself does not require nearly as much skill as adding back in a positive way.

totally disagree with these statements. i'm a rampant "de-badger"... all the extra crap gets ditched if it confuses the lines i'm looking to enhance. less is more, remember?