SW Motech Skid plate damage. Is it finished?

[imsteveiv]

While testing my, and the bikes, limits yesterday I ran over a rock that flipped and pushed up into my SW-Motech skid plate. It felt like the center stand had been pulled down and the entire bike was lifting. After descending the hill to a safe spot I checked out the damage and was very relieved to see that the skid plate had done its job and saved my bike but not without suffering its own damage. The skid plate was hit hard on the left side. I'm wondering if I can straighten it out then have someone tig weld on a plate behind to reinforce it. Thankfully in the spot that was hit there is some room between the skid plate and the engine so it had space to move without contacting the engine and this should mean there is room to weld on the reinforcing plate. Should I replace it, run it as is, or try and repair it?

 

[RCinNC]

I wouldn't try to reinforce it. The skid plate (more properly, a debris guard, that thing isn't much good for hucking over rocks and such) did its job by bending and absorbing the impact. If you reinforce it, you're going to transfer that energy that would normally be absorbed by the skid plate to someplace else, like the mounting points to the engine. I'd rather have the plate bend than to put extra stress on the mounting points.

If it doesn't interfere with the operation of the bike, and it still fits the bike, I'd leave it alone rather than trying to whack it back into shape. You may end up making it worse by banging on it and bending the rest of the plate so it doesn't fit at all. By the time you paid a body and fender guy with the right tools to reshape it, you'd be well on your way to buying a new one.

 

[PG Cruiser]

Take a hammer to it and pound it back into shape.

 

[ace50]

Take a hammer to it and pound it back into shape.

THAT!

 

[yoyo]

Don't pound it back into shape, use gentle, skillful metal dressing techniques, I find a lump of wood and a 14lb sledge hammer works well ;-)

 

[Sierra1]

THAT!

::026::

 

[Checkswrecks]

Being creased across the bend, it won't be the easiest to straighten, but I'd also try. It will work best with a hydraulic jack or press. If none available, lay it on a piece of wood, put another piece across the top, and work it by hitting the wood rather than directly hitting the skid plate.

 

[magic]

2 cans of beer and a hammer should take care of it. It's a skid plate not a Ferrari body panel. Looks like it did it's job and protected your bike. Think of it as a battle scar.

 

[snakebitten]

Regardless of what you do with it, that is a legitimate badge of honor.

That doesn't happen on a Starbucks bike! Well done.

 

[Sierra1]

Unless you get between Starbucks and a soccer mom on the cell phone. ::025::

 

[imsteveiv]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I'll try to work out the dent little bit but I like RCinNC's thoughts about not reinforcing it which would transfer energy from a future hit to the mounting locations. Thanks for the props snakebitten it is kind of like having a scar I can show off to my friends. I'll add a few of the pics from that ride.

 

[snakebitten]

Nice Pics. A Tenere in its element!