We get a lot of folks calling and asking for SOLO I bars despite not competing in SOLO I. Here is some general advice on rollbars and on the SOLO I bars in particular. We sell the good bars made by Autopower, Harddog, and Bossfrog….some are SOLO I rated, some are not. SOLO I bars are NOT always your best choice.
MYTH #1: You want a SOLO I Bar. Very often the first thing somebody says to me when they call about a Miata Rollbar is that they want a SOLO I bar. I usually ask them some questions and usually they quickly come to the conclusion that they thought they wanted a SOLO I bar but they really do NOT because they do not want the compromises that come with it. What do I mean by compromises? Stand next to your Miata with the top UP. Look at the curve of the rear roof line. Regardless of brand, all the Miata rollbar makers are stuck with that same curve if they want to make a bar that fits under the factory softtop. Therefore, the TALLER the bar, the more FORWARD the bar must be in the Miata if it is still going to fit under the Miata softtop! If you are tall, this means the taller SOLO I bars are going to be CLOSER to your head and limit the room for your head to move around in an accident. On the race track your head would have a helmet…but driving around town it would have, at most, the optional padding available with these bars. That’s something to think about. Thus, in a rear end accident in town with no helmet the SOLO I bar may actually be LESS safe because your head is more likely to hit it. Had plenty of friends with really good lumps on their heads and lucky to be alive.
Myth #2: You need a Solo I bar to autocross or attend track days. This is the companion myth to the one above. You do NOT need a rollbar for most Autocross classes….and very few tracks and track day hosts demand a solo I bar. Obviously, check with whatever organization you track with for local rules but I have yet to hear of any Miata owner getting turned away from standard lapping weekends with any of our four point Miata Rollbars. Most are looking to see a four point bar in your car and that is it. I did over 25,000 miles of track and autocross time in my 99 Miata with a basic Autopower “Street” Bar.
So, if you want a SOLO I bar, certainly we are happy to sell you one from each of the brands we carry but just be aware of the compromises and understand that it is not automatically your best choice because it meets the SOLO I regs…
The Harddog M2 Sport is our best selling NA/NB Miata Rollbar.
M2 Sport with Double Diagonals:
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- m2.jpg (40.81 KiB) Viewed 5735 times
- harddog-M2-Sport.jpg (67.08 KiB) Viewed 5735 times
- HD harness tab.jpg (56.33 KiB) Viewed 5735 times