I'm with bikergirl40. Having wrecked a bike due to my own stupidity this summer, I can safely say the engine guards were not my problem. They probably were my knees' salvation. They kept me from hurting myself worse than I did. Just an observation: the pick tangeloglide posted has the wheels on the ground...but then the rider is too! I don't see where the engine guards are causing the problem. And just because no one else has said it, they're called touring bikes for a reason.
*Dang. dhincc beat me to it while I was responding....
*Dang. dhincc beat me to it while I was responding....