Moss Miata

Racing Beat Style Bars

Racing Beat Style II Bar

[9/21/2006] Reviewed by: Bud Larsen - bud@coldreams.com

Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter

Style II Wave Bar

Great looking bar but ... kind of hollow sounding when you rap on it. I wanted something more solid short of paying a lot of cash for one of those hardened true roll bars. So, I drilled a 1/4" hole at the base on both sides and filled the bar with insulating foam sealant. You won't believe how much more solid the bar is. I'm willing to bet it will withstand higher impact also.

Under 30 minutes to remove completely


Racing Beat, Type II Chrome Style Bar

[6/5/2006] Reviewed by: Bill Latsha - wjlatsha@ptd.net

Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter

Racing Beat, Type II Chrome Style Bar.

I recently installed a Racing Beat, Type II Chrome Style Bar in my 2002 Miata. The instructions were fairly clear, and the "nuts and bolts" part of the installation went fairly easily. This went a lot easier than I was prepared for. A plesant surprise! The instructions on how to cut the plastic panels were clear, but it was a job I hated to do. The end result came out OK, but I wish "I" was a little better at doing things like this.

The finish on the style bar was nicely done, the welding looked good to. The only small difficulty I had was related to slight warpage at the end weldments. The tip ends of the bar were slightly bowed down, as a result of the welding heat. It was less that 1/16", but it made putting in the one "back" bolt a little difficult. The solution was easy, as all I had to do was snug the main mounting bolts that go down into the seat belt towers, and this then aligned the other holes perfectly. I dreaded the installation and cutting of the body panels, but over all the entire installation went a LOT easier than I thought it would be, and it really looks SUPER! The drilling templates to reinstall the factory wind blocker were perfect, I drilled the holes, and it fit right back in place. It can easliy be removed in about 30 minutes or so, but you would need to install uncut interior panels to restore the car to original condition.

Over 30 minutes to remove completely


Racing Beat Type II Style Bar

[10/25/2002] Reviewed by: Warren Harrison - warrenharrison@earthlink.net

Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter

Racing Beat Type II Style Bar

Very happy with Style Bar now that it's in. I just installed the bar last night with a buddy who has every tool and plenty of experience with cars. After 3 1/2 hours, the bar is in, it looks fantastic and it made a noticable improvement to the stiffness of the chassis.

Now the bad news. Although the installation was a bitch, it wouldn't have been as bad if they paid any attention at all to the quality of the installation instructions. There isn't a single picture of the actual bar where it attaches to any of the 3 bolts. Although there are templates to make cuts in certain plastic panels, we had to make additional cuts after re-installing these panels, as things didn't quite fit. The template to re-position the wind blocker was at least 1/2 inch off, although we were able to successfully re-position it. The bolts from the seat-belt tower had tremendous difficulty catching the threads due to the small size of the hole it fits through that we could barely thread them. All they had to do was make the whole in the end of the Style Bar a tad bigger and this wouldn't have been a problem. We were shocked how narrow the margin for error was. Now that it's over, I'm very happy, but the installation was a real pain.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Twin Hoop

[8/30/2002] Reviewed by: Luis Castanon - benz55amg@hotmail.com

Applicable to: '99 +

Twin hoop chrome bar fits behind the sites where the windstop rests

Looks fantastic, turns alot of heads and makes other miata owners next to you envious. Chrome is shiny and flawless, I loved it. Installation I did not love its pretty easy untill you get to the cutting up of the trim. Cutting my miata I definately did not love.

The product itself is very well constructed, the chrome is very shiny and the lines are pleasant. The cutting of the trim is the one thing that I would say is the biggest drawback of the bar. Seems easy from the template but theres alot of customization needed to get it to fit just right for your car I recommend under cutting and having your dremel ready to go. I havent seen other manufacturers' style bars but if theirs are the same quality and dont require you to cut up the trim I would easily pay more for it. Overall I am pleased with the bar itself.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Twin Hoop Style bar


[6/11/2002] Reviewed by: George Benedek - george@mx5.com.au

Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter

Chrome plated, alloy, twin hoop style bars which lean back to allow the seats to fully recline

The item is very well made. Installation went very well until it came time for cutting the interior plastic trims. The instructions and diagrams only give you a rough idea of how much to cut. I would advise that you make the cuts about 1/4" smaller all around than they say to start, and cut more if required. The bar fitted perfectly, and I have no rattles from it. I wish I could say the same for the factory windblocker. It is impossible to fit unless you remove the 2 front plastic caps (the rectangular ones), or cut off the tops of them. Even if you re-drill the mounting holes as they suggest, the windblocker won't fit without some major mods. I've left it off for now, but I will re-fit it when I have a couple of spare hours to muck around with it. Any help on this from the readers? I spent around 6 hours fitting it with a friend, who is an experienced, amateur mechanic. Getting the cut plastic pieces to look good after cutting will take some time also.

The item is absolutely gorgeous. The shape of the hoops matches perfectly with the tops of the seats and really does add a lot style. I have had MANY more admiring glances and comments since I've fitted the bar. The perfect chrome finish really sets off my chrome wheels and other chrome trim. The bar has noticebly improved the rigidity of the rear end too. Even my wife noticed it the first time she went for a ride in it. I have found much fewer rattles from the rear of the car when going over bumps too. If you don't want people admiring your MX-5 (Miata), then don't get one. But if you do get one, you'll be smitten.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Style Bar Type 1

[5/31/2002] Reviewed by: Anonymous

Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter

Beatifull thick bar covered in black vinal that looks like leather. Has Racing Beat emblen that faces the rear. Bar is slightly inclined to the rear which makes greatly inhances the look of your Miata.

Have never had any bar but this one. Bought it because of looks but also because of posibility of stiffening up my Miata. This was the cheapest bar I could get, even though I wanted the hoop style bars. They were too over priced however. Nontheless after having finally got it and installed it, there was no way I would trade it for the hoop style bars. Instructions were somewhat easy to follow yet, it could be clearer. You also have to cut away some of the plastic panel so the bar will fit, instruction specified an unnecessary large cut that you should check out for your self, I think it was the rear part of the cut that was to much.

Under 30 minutes to remove completely


[3/1/2002] Reviewed by: MaddMaxx - Pat.fultz@basell.com

Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter

Racing Beat Style II Full Recline Bar. Craftmanship of the bar was exceptional and I am very detailed oriented. All attaching hardware was present, spacers, bolts, nuts, washers. Instructions were fair at best, drawing to trim plastic panels were marginal and really a rough guide.

Installation took me 4 hours, and I have a garage full of tools. I did not like cutting the panels, but after installation and a couple road trips no noise or sequeks. The bar is part of the car due to the attaching points, seat belt bolt, stud incorporated into the bar and nut and bolt on back of bar.

I love the bar, installation was a pain. Looks great and compliments my silver car beautifully. The downsides are: you always see a reflection of the bar in the rearview mirror when driving. Installation was too difficult, overkill for a style bar, the chrome is almost too shiny, it focus all the attention on it instead of the car, windblock relocation is difficult to prevent the top glass from hitting it when raising and lowering the top. I would recommend investigating the IL bar, yes it is more expensive but the time for installation and the plasitic pieces you will save are worth it in my opinion, email me with questions. Overall I rate the bar a 10 if you do not mind cutting you panels and spending a day on the install or an 7.0 if you are looking for an easy installation.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Type II Full Recline Style Bar

[2/2/2002] Reviewed by: Bill Camperguy - camperguy@hotmail.com

Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter

Polished Stainless Steel, Double Hoop, Full Recline,Style Bar

Beautifully made piece,Shipped in plastic bubble wrap from the Crazy Red Italian...Nice people and a great deal.

My friend and I installed it in my driveway in about 1.5 hrs.Tools we used were a cheezy socket set and a dremel ,for cutting the plastic around the seat belt attachment area.Piece of cake went in without a hitch.Used some door edge molding to clean up the area where I cut.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Full Recline Twin Hoops

[10/8/2001] Reviewed by: Michael Merckel - mykl001@yahoo.com

Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter

Of all the roll-over hoops I've seen the Racing Beat has got to be the schmickest appearance-wise. The thickness and finish of the steel is first rate. I just had to have these especially since my imported car sports has chrome side mirrors so the hoops are the final chrome touch. On the downside as a by-product of being so sturdy the hoops are surprisingly heavy. I hope as Boris the blade says in Snatch weight is "a sign of quality!"

This thing is tougher to install than expected, it took a 2.5 hours with a friend, - however, for experienced motorheads with access to the right tools you could do it in half the time takes a rookie like me. Some bolts just barely matched up, so it took much man-handling and cursing, but in the end we got it in. I generously applied silicon filler as recommended and as a result there is no vibration or squeaking present. You will need to cut bodywork but a heavy duty utility knife and file will do nicely.

In the end I'm very happy, my car being a '91 without rear cross-brace actually benefited from some chassis stiffening as some vibrations experienced over rough potholes have been reduced and overall the car feels tighter. Unfortunately there are negatives to mention: 1) Although these bars are claimed to be full recline, they do obstruct a small amount of recline - this however is marginal. 2) You can not erect the hood from driver's seat. This, for me, is a bit of a drag. I liked to be able to erect the hood at low driving speeds while driving. 3) *Expen$ive These points aside the hoop bars really look awesome and compliment the old-skool roadster look perfectly - for a mirror like finish give a quick polish then stand and admire. Nice one Racing Beat!

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat V Style Bar 1999

[7/29/2001] Reviewed by: Raul Ramirez - roadstermx5@hotmail.com

Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter

The tan color of the bar match perfectly with the interior of my Miata, looks very strong, wide and gives more of an expensive look to the car!

Every were I go people look more at the car now than before, at every red light everyone including S2000 and Z3 wants to race just because the bar gives the look that my car has 200hp!!! It took about 3 hours for the installation and it wasn't easy but the final results are great!

Here in the Miata Club in Puerto Rico I am the only one with the V stlyle bar and everyone want's to change their twin hoops when they see mine! Hasta Luego Amigos!

Not an installed item


Racing Beat Full Recline Twin Hoop Style Bar

[7/14/2001] Reviewed by: Pete from Florida - DOFmech@aol.com

Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter

Racing Beat Full Recline Twin Hoop Style Bar

The product took 5 working days to arrive in Florida from California, not bad. The style bar looked to be manufactured of high quality, and the welds "weren't" sloppy. The complete installation went without a hitch. Holes matched perfectly on my 2001 Miata. It actually looks like the installation was done by a pro, "but I ain't no pro". I'm extremely satisfied with Racing Beat's Style Bar.

I'm glad I read the posts on the Miata net forum, real glad!

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Type II Full Recline Chrome Style Bar

[5/12/2001] Reviewed by: Kevin Fein - kefin@excite.com

Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter

Chrome twin-hoop style bar for M@ Miata.

Racing Beat was able to ship about four days after order, so when ordered on Monday I received the bar the following Friday. The Bar looks good and appears to be nicely made. The tolerances were fine for my car. I have never installed a roll bar or style bar on any car, so for me the instructions were only fair, and there were periods of frustration on my part. Getting the interior paneling to re-attach too was a monstrous amount of patience and trial and error. Also, it was necessary for me to partially lift the top at times, so help from another person strong enough to hold the top up about 2 feet was required. To date I have not re-attached the windblocker, which will require repositioning so again I have more fabrication/drilling to do.

The recommendations for cutting the interior paneling was off. I made other cuts that seem to work. You can email me if you want a more detailed description. I ended up using a strong box knife for the cuts and this worked out better than a hand saw. Overall, it looks great and the full recline feature allows the seats to drop back to the bulkhead.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Style V Bar

[2/19/2001] Reviewed by: Ken Vermeulen - sunluverrr@hotmail.com

Applicable to: '90 - '97

Racing Beat Style V Bar.

The Bar came well packed with no damage. It looks good just sitting in the box. The installation took about 4 hours. It was necessary to put washers between the seat and the frame rails in order to get the seat back to clear the bar, when put all the way back. Tall drivers will need to do this.

The bar looks great on the car. I really like the oblong euro look. It gives the car a more expensive look and the back bar looks good too. The vinyl cover adds a touch of class. Much better than just a steel paint coated round bar. I would definitely buy it again. 

Over 30 minutes to remove completely


Racing Beat Type III single hoop style bar

[10/16/2000] Reviewed by Yannick Lambert - topgun@endirect.qc.ca

Applicable to '90 - '97 1.6 liter 1.8 liter

Its a superb single hoop style bar in the style of a Shelby Cobra. And I want it to give some vintage look for my 1994 M edition miata.

I receive the style bar 13 working day after the command, wich is in my point normal cause I live in canada. It was complet with all the piece needed but have a little scrath on it, nothing to worry about cause it was under the bar when install. I found it easy to install,even for a french canadian with english instruction, the only hip is to trim some plastic.

The final result worth all the work and my 675 canadian dollars give me the exclusivite on the Quebec street. Thanks

Over 30 minutes to remove completely


Racing Beat Type II "Twin Hoop" Style Bar

[7/29/2000] Reviewed by ron Camacho - quasimacho@aol.com

Applicable to '90 - '97 '99 +

I got a good deal from Racing Beat on a black Type II "Twin Hoop" Style Bar. It has a small paint bubble which one of these days I will repair. The bar lists for $269.00; I got it out of their bargain bin for $264.03 delivered to my door! Installation was easy; read all of the directions first. It is necessary to cut out some of the plastic trim pieces to get them to fit around the new installation. Use a high speed Dremel or Craftsman tool and you'll be fine. If you have a factory windblocker, it can be reattached but you'll have to drill new mounting holes in it. I decided against putting it back in. I love the way the style bar looks in my M2 and would recommend this bar to anyone. Removal is quite simple although you are left with the plastic enclosures around the seat belt attachments that looks out of place.

Under 5 minutes to remove


Racing Beat Style Bar (Type V)

[8/19/2000] Reviewed by Majdi El-Ahwal - MiataDRM@aol.com

Applicable to '90 - '97 1.8 liter

Style bar w/ cross brace, covered w/ (black or tan) vinyl upholstery.

John from PBC helped me install the bar. Installation was going well until one of the holes didn't perfectly line up seat belt tower. We had to file down one of the holes (on the bar) so it would line up. All cars (of the same model) will have slight variation to how the chassis sits; it would be much easier if RB put oval shaped holes on the bar. Over all things went well. Again, the bar looks fantastic. The first thing I did was to check for how it fit w/ my soft top & hard top...PERFECT FIT. The bar is NOT rubbing on my hard top. I've read a review where that was a problem & that was my main concern. FYI...it will not fit a soft top w/ glass window (the cross brace will get in the way). The bar does interfere w/ seat travel; I'm 5'9" so it was not a big deal for me. As mentioned in other reviews, the bar does get in the way of your rear view mirror, but I got used to it w/in a few days.

I highly recommend the RB style bar. Great fit & fantastic look. I just wish RB would put in oval shaped holes oP As last note, PBC has a great team working together. Very helpful & knowledgeable with competitive prices.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Type IV style bar

[6/5/2000] Reviewed by Andy Thompson - a.s.thompson@qub.ac.uk

Applicable to '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter

Chromed style bar with just a single hoop behind the driver.

I got this really cheap; it was one of a batch made for the Japanese market (so made for a RHD car, so ok for us Brits), that had a minor chroming glitch. Got it home, instructions fairly clear, a bolt was missing (but for the price I paid, I ain't complaining). Everything seemed to fit fine except for the left hand side seat belt tower bolt. RB should have made the holes at least slightly oval, because the fit is tight, and the passenger side seatbelt ended up way over-torqued. The roof frame keeps catching on one side, and no amount of adjustment would get it to clear. RB supplied good instructions for trimming the side trims. With a bit more work, they'll be ok. Looks really good with the roof down; very reminiscent of the old Cobras and C-type jags.

I combined this improvement with a bunch of other chassis changes, so can't really tell if its made a noticeable difference to bodyshell stiffness.

 

I combined this improvement with a bunch of other chassis changes, so can't really tell if its made a noticeable difference to bodyshell stiffness.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Style Bar II

[4/9/2000] Reviewed by Kent Lanning - Vox289@hotmail.com

Applicable to '90 - '97 1.8 liter

Racing Beat Type II Chrome Double Hoop Style Bar

The bar was of excellent quality. The initial fit was pretty good and the installation took about 4 hours. The pictures on the instructions are a little grainy, but you can make do without them. Some minor cutting of the plastic covers on the seat belt towers is required. A pair of small hands will greatly speed installation and a Dremel will make the cutting go easier.

Looks sharp. Fits well, even with the top up. Really worth the money. Would reccomend.

Over 30 minutes to remove completely


[9/22/99] Reviewed by Steven Han - stv_han@hotmail.com

Applicable to '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter

Double-hoop chrome plated style bar

As mentioned by another reviewer, Racing Beat either needs better quality control on assembly, or needs to loosen the tolerances on their fittings. For instance, one of the bolts that attach the back flange of the bar to the tower wouldn't fit (the holes didn't line up). I had to resort to pounding the bar edge with a mallet to get the bolt to fit. Also, when I tried to reinstall one of the seatbelt post bolts, it wouldn't go in either -- the hole in the base plate of the style bar didn't quite line up with the threads in the seatbelt tower underneath. I had to use a crowbar to force the bar into alignment and get the bolt to bite. And while this could have been a result of manufacturing variations with the Miatas, I think Racing Beat was too optimistic with their tolerances and should have made the holes bigger.

 Overall, despite all the installation headaches this is a nice looking addition to the Miata. I'd highly recommend professional installation if possible, though, as it may save you a great deal of aggravation.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


RACING BEAT #57222 : Type II Style Bar (Camel Back) for 99 Miata

[8/21/99] Reviewed by: Mike Feeser - mikefeeser@netrax.net

Applicable to: '99 +

RACING BEAT #57222 : Type II Style Bar (Camel Back) for 99 Miata - $289.00The style bar looked BEAUTIFUL, and very well made. The instructions sucked!

Good, loved it. Placed the order 14 Jun 99 and it was on my door step on 17 Jun 99. So delivery was good.

The 1st problem I encountered was which way does it go in? Well the part with a downward facing flange goes toward the back!

Next, place the style bar in place, and get the metal spacers in there too. You want enough spacers in place where the seat belt bolt fastens, to lift the style bar about 1/16 of an inch above the tower. REASON, so when you are finished, and you tighten that bolt it makes the unit tight and the Spacers do not rattle cause they will if not correct. If you have too many spacers, and it raises the bar too high. The bolt that must be placed there is not too long to start with, and now you are adding about 3/8 of an inch additional (the metal base of the Style Bar) so the portion of that bolt being screwed in is a little less to work with. Be very careful that you do not cross thread this bolt.

email me for a lot of additional info on this and OEM Windblocker.

Difficult to remove without leaving damage


Racing Beat Type II Style Bar

Reviewed by: Yanitz Rubin - yrubin@earthlink.net

Twin hoop chrome style bar

Overall, I am very happy with the comments I get from the style bar. BUT, the installation was a big pain in the butt. Luckily I live near Racing Beat and picked up the bar. But the problem was the bar was not made properly and was too small to fit down in place. It was impossible for me to install it. i had to drive back down to Racing Beat and have thier shop grind down one of the internal brackets so it would fit. Also, I was concerned about the fit when I bought it. ANd the guy assured me that it would fir perfectly. What a load of crap!

They build these things with the toloerances to tight and they may not fir your Miata. Imagine if you had to use mail order, and then the damn thing doesn't fit!

I must admit, I like the style bar a lot and get a lot of very positve comments and looks from it. It totally makes the car. Unfortunately I cannot reccommend Racing Beat as the manufacturer. They need better quality control and better fit.

So decide for yourself itf you want to take the risk of the bar not fitting your car properly.

Over 30 minutes to remove completely


Reviewed by: Ted Nguyen - phat@bayou.uh.edu

Racing Beat Type II Style Bar (Chrome)

When I recieved RB Type II Style Bar (Chrome) I admired the excellent chrome finish on it. The  bar is large in diameter which gives it a very tough look. The bar didn't exactly fit perfectly on my 1999 Mazda Miata, I had to bend a couple of sections on the car where the bar mounts to get it to fit. Once fitted the installation is very tight and sturdy. The bar gives the car a new character, a very agressive looking character. The next day four comments were welcomed due to the bar alone.

The downside is that I had to wait almost two months to recieve this bar. Good price for such a  nice looking product.


Reviewed by: Ryan Scott - ryan_mx5@yahoo.com

Racing Beat Style Bar featuring twin chrome hoops that outline the headrests of the Miata.

I examined the instructions carefully before I became this operation. The instructions were excellent and reasonably simple to understand. Overall Installation took about 4 hours. This involved 1 bottle of beer and 2 litres of Dr. Pepper. One hint: Don't skip the step that involves filing down the mounting section of the frame. My bar made a bit of a dinging sound over bumps before i jammed some rubber strips in there. Problem solved! As far as the cutting goes, cut small parts out of the panel and continue until it fits. Even a sloppy cut like mine hardly shows.

The final product is worth the money and the effort. I have had people compliment me about the look of the bar at stop lights. When people say "Hey man, cool ROLL BAR!" just smile and say "Thanks!" Otherwise you spend the next ten minutes explaining why it is a style bar and not a roll bar. In the end it is the best modification I have done to my car. In my opinion, Chrome is the only way to go!


Racing Beat Style Bar V

Reviewed by: Steve Spera - steve_spera@fmi.com

Padded style roll bar, Model V.

Very high quality of materials and workmenship. Fit is like a glove, perfect. The black padded bar looks extremely sharp on my '91 silver MX-5, aero and clean. A beautiful design that accents the car's clean lines. Very satisified with the product, manufacture and service from RB & Performance Buyers. Good instructions, fairly well illistrated. One tip, don't cut as much of the plastic trim as they recommend at first. Cut a little, then test-fit and cut a little more, etc. This way the finish will look factory perfect.

The bar fit very tight, as though they had the VIN number from my car as a template. A perfect fit that completely changes the look of the car. Highly recommended, in fact it should be a Mazda OEM option.


Racing Beat Style Bar II

Reviewed by: Keali'i Llantos - xaloha@juno.com

Chrome Double Hoop Style Bar

This style bar which hints the appearance of vintage Cobra roll bars is one of the most, if not, the most eye-catching add-on one can buy for the Miata. I bought the bar from PBC because they have it in stock, they are friendly and courteous, they can install it (for a nominal fee), plus they are just minutes away from my house!

It took PBC's resident mechanic/accessories installer, Brandon, less than one hour to complete the installation. He certainly knew what he was doing. No fiddling with the instructions, or finding the right tools, or analyzing which parts go where and how. He also knew precisely how much plastic trim needed to be removed from the seatbelt towers.  The result was a very clean, factory-look installation.

Needless to say, I am pleased with this accessory. It looks absolutely terrific.  Got a lot of stares and thumbs up on the way home.

Kudos to Racing Beat for a quality product and to PBC for topnotch service.

For pictures and additional information, please visit my site at http://www.keohi.com/kuulei .

Over 30 minutes to remove completely


Racing Beat Style V Bar

Reviewed by: Tony Cooper - tonyc07@ibm.net

Euro Style Padded Bar

The bar is made exceptionally well. Fit and finish were exactly as expected. Installation was relatively easy requiring 3 hours. Anyone with light mechanical skills has the ability to install the bar. The bar is designed to accomodate both soft and hardtops. The ragtop is a close fit. Two drawbacks to this bar. First, rearview mirror vision is impeded - top 20% of mirror is useless (IMO the most important 20%). The kit came with 10 washers to lower the mirror. I have not attempted this but others tell me it doesn't completely correct the problem. Second, the outer seat rails must be raised between 1/2" and 1" to allow for moderate seat travel. A compromise I hadn't counted on. Without raising the outside rails, seat travel is severely limited. I'm 5'8" and I needed the seats tilted in 3/4". Cutting of back side trim panels is required.

Update from Tony Cooper:

I have added the washers to the rearview mirror and find no improvement at all. IMO it's not worth the effort to lower the mirror - vision is still impeded.

With the approach of winter weather, I attempted to install my hardtop. It did go on but both corners of the bar rubbed solidly against the rear glass. Once the top was on, I went for a test drive and experienced a great deal of noise (rattles) generating from the bar rubbing the top. So much so that I worried that the bar would damage the top, perhaps popping out the rear window. I have made the decision to remove the bar permenantly. The use of the top and tonneau cover are more important to me than the looks of the bar.


Racing Beat TYPE II Style Bar

Reviewed by: Jim Creer - ojcreer@groupz.net

This is type with the hoops that outline the rear of the seats. The flat bar connecting the towers has finished holes suitable for attaching a racing harness.

The kit was complete, the instructions were clear, all parts fit, and installation took about 2 hours. Initially installed on my 89\90 Miata, it took about 45 minutes to transfer to a 92 Miata. Experience helped, but I also swapped the plastic tower covers. Having a good set of sockets and extensions (including deep wells) will save a lot of knuckle damage, time, and bad language.

Fit and finish were excellent except for the areas where the hoops are welded to the lower bar. Over time these areas tend to discolor from rust stains. The stains will wax out fairly easy, but wouldn't want to neglect for too long. Rear view is not obstructed, but occasional reflected light from the polished bar was initially distracting. The unit does not interfere with the Racing Beat hard boot cover. Vibrations, including those at about 62 MPH were nearly eliminated. I receive more compliments and questions about this modification, and is one of the cheapest and easiest changes made. The chrome does not contrast badly since it matches the door handles, antenna, hard top points, and rear LOGOs.

There are two downsides:

1. The chrome attracts fingerprints. People (even other Miata owners) like to probe and fondle the bar. Carry a small rag whenever you park.

2. Every red light bandit wants to race. If your Miata is normally aspirated, practice your smile and wave technique. You will be challenged.

Responses to questions...

The unit does not interfere with the hard top or the soft top. The rear plastic window will unzip and lay flat. It is also still possible to reach back and raise the the soft top with one hand. This action requires a more severe twist from the drivers seat and a louder grunt. I find it easier to get out of the car to raise the soft top.


Racing Beat TYPE II Style Bar

Reviewed by: Bryan Carper - BCarper@AOL.com

Twin chromed hoop stylebar

Installed by my dealer, it took them two hours to bolt on, and required minor trimming of plastic around the seatbelt anchor posts. this is a STYLE bar. I"m sure that it afford absolutely no rollover protection. It does offer additional side bracing, and all '94 and later Miatas now have a bar in the same location.

By far the best bang for the buck if your goal is to look different than the other roadsters out there. The twin hoops are reminiscent of the rollbar on the old AC Cobras. Especially dramatic on my 93 Black and Tan. The style bar seems to define the personality of the car more so than the car itself. I have received so many stares and questions (what kind of car is it?) because the Miata's personality is very different now. And, unlike other bars, this one dips in the center (think of it like a curvy "M" shape) and as such does not block rearward vision. Nor does it interfere with top operation.. the best way to set your dream roadster apart from the daily driven miatas.


Racing Beat Padded Roll Bar

Reviewed by: Chandra Dickey - ma.cid@forsythe.stanford.edu

It is a roll bar that just attaches at the seat belt areas. It does not have the center bar that comes into the center console.

I like the fact that it adds safety, but I don't like how it limits my view out the back window. When the top is up, it takes away about 3 inches of view that was previously there, and when the top is down, the bar sits right in the middle of where my view needs to be. I can never see the faces of the people in the cars behind me, just the fron ends and roofs of their cars. It is kind of frustrating.


Racing Beat Padded Roll Bar

Reviewed by: Adam Groth - adam@jagunet.com

A Great looking *style* bar. I have and '94 Balck & Tan and the bar gives it a very unique look with the top down.

Installation is straight forward and took about an hour. The bar I bought had a black cover, but then I found out that Racing Beat offers the bar with a tan cover. I called RB and told them that I would have bought the tan version if I had known it was offerd. They sent me (and charger me $32.00) a tan cover and told me to try it and if I liked it to send back the black cover for a $32.00 refund even though I didn't buy the bar directly from them! I was a little dissapointed with the shade of tan when I first took it out of the box, and was going to send it back without even trying it first. But, the weather just got real nice around here and I had the chance to play with my car, so I swapped the covers. Even though the tan pad is not exactly the same color, it still looks great on the car. From a distance there is no way to tell the colors appart (I'm a graphic designer and _very_ pickey about color matching). I'd say it's a keeper!

As far as the bar obstructing your rear view, this is very true. You do however, begin to rely on your side mirrors for distant vehicles (especially Police cruisers). Once a vehicle is close enough (prefferably not a Police cruiser), you can use your rear view mirror. It sounds like a pain, but you get used to it quickly. The other thing it obstructs is the zipper on the window. It's kinda tricky to get that little bugger open or closed because the zipper rests against the bar. In general, for the ammount of heads the bar turns, it was well worth $200.00 *and* the little quirks that come with it.


Back to Product Reviews 10 November, 2006


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