Topic Approved.

@nexgen : Some readings for you...
All Things Motorcycle - 023: Crash Bars

Edit : Depending on nature of accident/handling/impact/etc etc, the crash bar may or may not protect rider or his legs ....let me expand....there can be an accident case where crash bar really protects your legs....and there can be cases where it may hurt the rider badly.....in the worst case it can result in co-lateral damage (both bike and rider). So it all boils down to nature of accident/incident of fall.

Don't think about accidents and safety of your legs, R15 is awesome machine, using the machine in a correct manner is important...and more than owning, you should be fit to ride a bike responsibly.

The side fairing acts as the leg guard, since the leg is tucked into the tank recess, it does not contact the ground first.
Now FYI the side fairing panel costs Rs.575.

I will go with Sarvajit's comment - The side fairing acts as the leg guard
Handling is the other name given to R15, its just not the looks
Its a Mini Rocket packed with Power, looks and handling. Believe me its worth every penny.

dude just go in for the R15.. its got great styling with fantastic handling.. as for the crash bar...sarvajit is right... even in bikes with crash bars in place the rider hurts his legs.. it all depends mostly on the nature of accident/incident of fall. JUST GET YOUR RIDE AND ENJOY

Wear knee guards while you ride the bike. That'll solve your problem.

can frame sliders be attached to the R15..???

Dude go get a pair of knee guards from some reputed brand and buy the R15 rather than worrying about your leg

good you are thinking for your safety .

@ sarvajit dada

Is the side fairing so strong ? , even in bad crashes ? .

A steel leg guard really saved my leg when i skid in hollywood style .

Need people experienced in accidents owning R15 to comments here .

R15 is one of the safest bikes to ride in Indian traffic and road conditions. Leg guard might give a psychologically safe feeling, however, in most or many cases it is useless.

Let's consider the cases where there's a possibility of bike/person falling while riding --

1. Hard braking in emergency situations where the bike could lose it's stability, it skids badly and falls.

2. A rider is hit by another vehicle OR the rider hits something (In this case, a person is likely to fall irrespective whether his bike is having a leg guard or what he is riding).

The more important thing is to have a two wheeler that maintains its stability in most conditions, especially point 1 (where only the rider is involved), and avoid the falling off part in the first place.

The bike's behavior OR how often it could fell in different conditions like emergency braking on unfriendly road conditions or even normal conditions is a bigger concern. Now, due to R15s state of the art chassis and suspension combination, this bike is among the most stable bikes to ride at any speed and in different conditions. And it is more likely to keep you from meeting the ground when you hard brake in different conditions than any other Indian bike with basic chassis and suspension. It maintains it's stability very well under hard braking than many bikes we have here, and also the good tyres are very important that play an important role in these situations.

As I already said, the leg guard could only be useful in very minor crashes where the rider would end up staying with the bike after falling off. However, you should be aware of the fact that in most cases, the rider is thrown off and is lying quite away from the bike, hence, ruling out the safety from the leg guard if any.

I think it's with this point of view we should look at the safety while on the bike - to avoid falling in the first place. And R15 is a safer choice over most bikes in this regard So go for it! However, there are few other Indian bikes too that are very good in this regard.

I hope what I have written is helpful.

Cheers

Some read could help ? .

Motorcycle Safety Site

Motorcyclists & Crash Barriers Project

Okay, since I've had a fall on my R15 let me add my views here.

I hit a guy who stopped suddenly from behind, I tried to avoid him but ended up hitting the edge of his tire and lost balance. I wasn't speeding, this was around 40kmph. That guy didnt even fall. I fell to the right side, along with the bike. The first thing that took the damage from the fall was the right side RVM, followed by the right side of the front cowl, the side panel, and the right footpeg. RVM broke off, footpeg broke in two. The right side indicator was pressed against the side panel which itself got a sizeable scratch. Front cowl got abrasions all along its edge. BUT, NOTHING happened to me, other than banging my head on the road when I fell to the side, I heard a big 'bang' and thought helmet is gone, and my head actually bounced after impact. The only injury I had was on my elbow.

After coming to my senses and being helped up (by the guy I rammed into) I put the bike right and saw that the indicator sprang back to its own position without hesitation. The damages were the scratch on the side panel, abrasion on the edge of front cowl side, broken RVM and footpeg. My right clipon handlebar got bent a couple of degrees towards the tank. (Got the mirror and footpeg replaced the next day for 251/- + 65/- ,didnt get the peg feeler). Checked my helmet expecting the worst but saw a small pin prick on the right side and nothing else (God bless AGV). Apologized to the guy because it was my mistake, (I was looking at the time and couldn't get my left hand on the handle quick enough, goes to show we need a clock in the R15 console ) shook hands with him and rode the 25kms home.

Am yet to get the clipon replaced. Front cowl was repaired (albeit visually) with a length of yellow insulation tape along the edge (ppl can't make out till they see the edges of the tape up close ). Side panel still has the scratch. Figured it wasn't really worth replacing, I'd like to think of it as a war wound, lol.

With the R15, so many things became possible, things I never thought I could do in traffic, (not dangerous stuff) it just fills me with joy whenever I take her to higher revs once she's warmed up. Crisp throttle response, amazing handling which seems to have a direct connection to your mind, brilliant stability at high speeds as well as hard braking, awesome tire grip on tar, peak engine performance always, acceleration that you can feel in the pit of your stomach, semi sporty stance, all in a cute n sexy package. Go for it.

You can fully armoured your bike, it still won't protect you during accidents. You need to wear protective gears on YOU.

As far as the bike is concern. Leg guards will protect the bike from MINOR tumbles, thats about it.

I guess TnT answered it. Its made of very hard material. At 40kmph, it only got scratched. Even at higher speeds if it hits&cracks, that will take the impact first. The bike is designed to have the rider's legs tucked into the tank, so even if the bike is sliding on the ground, his legs will still be inside. I can't say the same about his elbows though!