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Canyon cage install

Fixxer

Bicycle
Hi all,

I just wanted to share my experience installing Canyon cages on my 2013 C14. I have read just about all the threads here pertaining to Canyon cage installations, so in return, I decided to contribute my own experiences installing them.

I finally decided to purchase my cages after dropping my Connie for the *second* time. Stupid, I know, but better late than never, right? After replacing my damaged and cracked right lower and middle cowlings, I started on the cage install. Lesson learned: always make sure your kick stand is up. (That's another story altogether)

I'm happy to report that my install was 100% incident free and straight forward. The rears guards went on easy. I installed the rear foot pegs, even though I never ride with a passenger. No issues whatsoever with hardware or fit/finish.

The fronts guards also went on without issue. I used my long handled 3/8" ratchet with a 12" extension to remove the factory 10mm bolts. I used a baby bottle brush along with some Brakleen to clean up the threads. I ran the MCE bolts all the way in by hand before installing the cages. No issues with cross threading or galling. I installed all fasteners with Locktite Blue as per the instructions. The long middle bolt came out with little trouble. I didn't observe any shifting of the engine with any of the mounts.

Here are some tips that I'd like to pass on to others who are contemplating this install.

Read up on the forum as well as the MCE instructions to educate yourself prior to starting. Knowledge is power. Many here have shared tips and tricks that may help your install as well. Do yourself a favor and read all of them. I'm glad I did.

Place bike on center stand.

Take your time. Don't force anything. Make everything up loosely until all the pieces are installed.

A 16mm GearWrench or similar is a must for the front guards. Buy one prior to starting the install if you don't already have one. Makes your life MUCH easier when you reach that step in the install.

Have a 10mmx1.25 tap and die nut on standby in case the mount threads go south on you. The hardware MCE sent with the cages did NOT have plating on them as reported by some members here. Take your time on cleaning the threads spotless prior to installing the new fasteners. Run the new fasteners in by hand and make sure they go in smoothly. To me, this is one of the most critical steps in the install to prevent headaches later. If in doubt, chase the threads prior to assembly.

The long middle bolt installed like others that I've seen posted here. The nut on the left side WILL have unused threads. (Roughly three or four showing) Apparently this is normal, and you should not try to make it any better. It makes me wonder, though, why MCE didn't make the machined spacer a tad shorter to allow the nut to thread on further.

The torque specs for the 10mm bolts are 44 ft/lbs.

Props to MCE for making a well designed, good fitting product. The Canyon cages are beefy, and are well matched to the lines of the Connie. Thanks to members here who have shared their experiences so that others may learn from them. I hope that this post helps someone who is on the fence about purchasing these guards. Don't wait like I did and buy them after you have already damaged your ride. Canyon Cages are good protection for our plastic laden bikes.
 
Always good to see successful stuff going on.


I've had mine on since it had only a few miles on it.  And its going on 3 years.  I just now cut the side covers so that I can get them off now with the cages on.  I Had my local dealer install the cages.


I have a KN filter coming since I had it all disassembled for cleaning, I figured I might as well make the cuts now.  Maybe if I bring it to the dealer naked, they will give me a break on the cost of the valve check.


Also, I know they used RED loctite on mine as I can see a couple of drips.  I Told them to only install it with a thread lock they can get undone because they will be the ones doing the valve check.  If that requires removing the guards of course...
 
robertv said:
Nice! I would also suggest cutting the one section on the fairings now that you have it mounted. Makes air filter/coolant and other maintenance easier although I believe for valves you would need to remove the front cages completely.

Here's a thread and pic on what section to cut...
http://forum.cog-online.org/concours-14-zg1400-general-chat-and-tech/cutting-fairings-for-canyon-cages/msg497516/#msg497516


Thats the reference I used for my cuts.  The cut I made was an inch and theres a photo in my last thread here.
 
Where was this post a week ago when I installed my cages?

Seriously everything went pretty smooth except there seems to be confusion out there on the torque specs.  The 10 mm bolts are indeed 44 ft lbs, this I confirmed with somebody at MCE.  You see a lot of posts stating 18 ft lbs, but they are referring to the 8 mm bolts on the top part of the same bracket which has nothing to do with the install.  The toughest part of the job was wrenching on the 16mm nuts on the cross braces with a combo wrench.  Next time I WILL have a ratcheting wrench with a flex angle.  Haven't decided whether to cut the fairings or not, will probably leave them as is and just deal with removing the cages.
 
You'll cut them.  Its nearly impossible to do maintenance with the side covers in place or dangling.  The cuts are invisible when installed and dont affect the covers appearance or function. 
 
I forgot to mention that I *did* make the cut for the Cages, but only on the right side fairing.  ::)(I already had them off since I was replacing the middle and lower pieces) The cut is really easy to do, and is basically invisible once everything goes back together. I'll probably get to the left side next time I need to go in there. I used a Dremel with a cut off wheel to do mine.

I also forgot to mention that it's a good practice to tape up any painted areas anywhere near to where you'll be installing the cages. It's really easy to chip/ding the paint on the fairing while installing the cages even if you're careful. I used painters/masking tape. Cheap insurance.

I'm going to ride the rest of this week, and double check the torque on Friday. I may look into getting some highway pegs, we'll see.
Again, I hope this thread helps someone. Don't be like me and wait until after you dropped your bike to get the cages! I got mine from Amazon with free shipping to Hawaii!

 
Probably will cut them at some point, but I figured I would have to remove the cages anyway to check the valves. Or can you remove the valve cover with the cages still on?
 
I'm not sure.  But it does not look like they are in the way.  Im sure someone knows.
 
khager01 said:
Probably will cut them at some point, but I figured I would have to remove the cages anyway to check the valves. Or can you remove the valve cover with the cages still on?

The valve cover can easily be removed with the cages in place. No problem !
 
On the last of step #15, using tap to chase out threadlock gunk, I mistakenly used a 10x1.50 instead of a 10x1.25. I made it about 1/8” in before I realized something’s amiss. Not happy to realize this mistake! But happy I stopped when I did. I don’t think coming in now with the 1.25 makes sense since it will be confused about the threading. I feel I need to take out that metal brace (yellow) and chase in from the rear where the clean threads will set the course right. This will require the removal of the plastic boomerang-shaped piece (red) held in by three fasteners (marked). Yellow arrow marks the hole I’m talking about. Anyone foresee any problems with this strategy?
 

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So the damaged threads are in the piece that can be removed and not the head? Even if you put a tap in from the back material has been removed if I were you I would get a thread repair kit like Helicoil.
I cringe everytime I see someone use a tap to clean threads, Taps are designed to cut. Many tool companies make thread restore tools that are much like a tap but have rounded teeth that will clean out the threads, if they encounter a damaged stretched thread they will roll it and push it back into place not cut it out. When cleaning thread with a tap it's just too easy to remove metal and not even know.
 
No, the thread damage is in the metal brace that my cage will bolt into. The plastic boomerang piece is just in the way of removing the metal brace. Thanks for the advice. Looks like either way I’m taking both the boomerang and the brace out to work on the brace.
 
Installing the Canyon Cages was the last in a series of jobs I've been working on since mid-September.  It probably took me a little longer than most because my kind of experience is that everything winds up being a hassle, so I read everything I could on the forum and planned the install with some caution.  Having Fixxer's post really set me on the right path.

The rears went on in about 15 minutes on a weeknight, no big deal.  I saved the fronts for a Saturday though, knowing they would present a bigger challenge.  Overall, they were pretty easy, too.  I had no issues breaking loose the 10mm bolts using a 3/8 ratchet and an old piece of pipe I've been using as a breaker bar for years now.  Thank goodness for Harbor Freight opening a store here some months ago, as I did not have a set of hex sockets, nor a set of thread chasers.  I must admit though, that I rounded off the inside of the left-side hex bolt.  I was sure I had the socket seated fully into the bolt head, but something didn't feel right so I removed the ratchet assembly and sure enough, the bolt head was rounded off about 1/3 of the way in.  :-[  I tapped the socket in using a rubber mallet and had plenty of bite so out it came.  Yes, that was a real relief!  :great:

I made sure to dry-fit the hardware before applying thread locker and any tightening force.  A living room's worth of blue painter's tape kept the plastics damage-free.   

Against the Candy Neptune Blue of my 2010 I think the CC's look pretty decent.  Not as noticeable maybe as they would be against the silvers and lime greens (but boy how I do like that lime green...).  And they seem to be plenty sturdy, but here's hoping I don't need to test them.

The product arrived in some rather questionable packaging as others have mentioned.  But I had all the parts and no damage so I guess it worked out OK.  All the hardware was in 100% good shape.  The instruction sheet seemed to me to be a bit hit and miss, with one sentence ending in the middle, and the wrong reference number used for one of the cautions.  MCE needs to get that cleaned up.  And how about some decent photos?  But the bottom line is that the install took a couple hours and was easier than expected, so no real complaints. 

Thanks to all previous posters for their advice and tips.    :beerchug:       

 
 
Please HELP!!!!!!

I just bought a pair of MC Canyon Cages from a Kaw repair shop in Arizona... trouble is, they did not come with any hardware.  Now, I knew this going in but I could not have known MCE uses maybe two (2) specialty pieces to install.  the 7/16-14 Step Nut, 1X7/16X 1.56 Spacer and I guess maybe the Plastic finishing cap.

Does anyone know where I could purchase the hardware for the install?  I've already called MCE and since they closed the business at the end of 2018 they have nothing for me.  I can try to piece together the hardware from the instructions bolt by bolt, washer by washer but what a PITA.
I am in Colorado.  Maybe someone knows a store that would carry most of these items.  ???
-IronAltar
 
Fixxer said:
Hi all,

I just wanted to share my experience installing Canyon cages on my 2013 C14. I have read just about all the threads here pertaining to Canyon cage installations, so in return, I decided to contribute my own experiences installing them.

I finally decided to purchase my cages after dropping my Connie for the *second* time. Stupid, I know, but better late than never, right? After replacing my damaged and cracked right lower and middle cowlings, I started on the cage install. Lesson learned: always make sure your kick stand is up. (That's another story altogether)

I'm happy to report that my install was 100% incident free and straight forward. The rears guards went on easy. I installed the rear foot pegs, even though I never ride with a passenger. No issues whatsoever with hardware or fit/finish.

The fronts guards also went on without issue. I used my long handled 3/8" ratchet with a 12" extension to remove the factory 10mm bolts. I used a baby bottle brush along with some Brakleen to clean up the threads. I ran the MCE bolts all the way in by hand before installing the cages. No issues with cross threading or galling. I installed all fasteners with Locktite Blue as per the instructions. The long middle bolt came out with little trouble. I didn't observe any shifting of the engine with any of the mounts.

Here are some tips that I'd like to pass on to others who are contemplating this install.

Read up on the forum as well as the MCE instructions to educate yourself prior to starting. Knowledge is power. Many here have shared tips and tricks that may help your install as well. Do yourself a favor and read all of them. I'm glad I did.

Place bike on center stand.

Take your time. Don't force anything. Make everything up loosely until all the pieces are installed.

A 16mm GearWrench or similar is a must for the front guards. Buy one prior to starting the install if you don't already have one. Makes your life MUCH easier when you reach that step in the install.

Have a 10mmx1.25 tap and die nut on standby in case the mount threads go south on you. The hardware MCE sent with the cages did NOT have plating on them as reported by some members here. Take your time on cleaning the threads spotless prior to installing the new fasteners. Run the new fasteners in by hand and make sure they go in smoothly. To me, this is one of the most critical steps in the install to prevent headaches later. If in doubt, chase the threads prior to assembly.

The long middle bolt installed like others that I've seen posted here. The nut on the left side WILL have unused threads. (Roughly three or four showing) Apparently this is normal, and you should not try to make it any better. It makes me wonder, though, why MCE didn't make the machined spacer a tad shorter to allow the nut to thread on further.

The torque specs for the 10mm bolts are 44 ft/lbs.

Props to MCE for making a well designed, good fitting product. The Canyon cages are beefy, and are well matched to the lines of the Connie. Thanks to members here who have shared their experiences so that others may learn from them. I hope that this post helps someone who is on the fence about purchasing these guards. Don't wait like I did and buy them after you have already damaged your ride. Canyon Cages are good protection for our plastic laden bikes.



You know now that you have installed these, you will never drop that puppy again!
 
IronAlter,
Here are the install instructions for the rear luggage guards. The hardware list is included in the instructions. Maybe someone else has the install instructions for the fronts that they could share.
My source for bolts is boltdepot.com . Very fast shipping and I have been able to find almost everything I have needed over the years.
Good Luck!
Rob
 

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Hosspower said:
IronAlter,
Here are the install instructions for the rear luggage guards. The hardware list is included in the instructions. Maybe someone else has the install instructions for the fronts that they could share.
My source for bolts is boltdepot.com . Very fast shipping and I have been able to find almost everything I have needed over the years.
Good Luck!
Rob

Yes, I found instructions for the front canyon cages (attached, as 3 .png files). Hope this helps!
 

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The long middle bolt installed like others that I've seen posted here. The nut on the left side WILL have unused threads. (Roughly three or four showing) Apparently this is normal, and you should not try to make it any better. It makes me wonder, though, why MCE didn't make the machined spacer a tad shorter to allow the nut to thread on further.

Matt was so gracious enough to install mine at his tech day  He ground the spacer down a bit  :beerchug:
 
Pittsburgh_Clem said:
The long middle bolt installed like others that I've seen posted here. The nut on the left side WILL have unused threads. (Roughly three or four showing) Apparently this is normal, and you should not try to make it any better. It makes me wonder, though, why MCE didn't make the machined spacer a tad shorter to allow the nut to thread on further.

Matt was so gracious enough to install mine at his tech day  He ground the spacer down a bit  :beerchug:
Yes, this ("The nut on the left side WILL have unused threads. (Roughly three or four showing) Apparently this is normal...") is normal, but like you...I wonder why. Mine's the same.
 
Rubbers, what year C-14? I think they all don't require anything removed but the left trim panel and glove box. Not sure about 08/09. It can be a bit of a struggle to get in and remove the brackets bolts, but there is a great fix that has you cutting a slot in the one bracket so you only have to loosen the bolt that is hard to get at. I have changed/cleaned my 2013 4 times and it is not bad and requires no "fairing" removal, as the factory manual may have you believe.
 
Rubbers said:
Has anyone using canyon cages had any success in removing the fairing to change the air filter?

Before I discovered the tip to cut the fairings on my 08, I was still able to change the air filter. The left middle fairing would just slide down the cage and dangle to the towel below on the ground. So yes it's possible and easy if you don't feel comfortable cutting the fairings. Not sure what year C14 you have or generation of canyon cage but the cut made is hidden so no one can see it.
 
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