SW-Motech Skid Plate Install

markjenn

Active Member
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
2,427
Location
Bellingham, WA
Found this on another forum. Looks like a clever workaround to the fork spring compressor problem.



- Mark
 

kinny

use my tenere as a commuter about 110 m per day
Joined
Feb 21, 2012
Messages
2
Location
princeton, minnesota
grate article and has helped me decide on my skid plate . im taking delivry of my 2012 xt1200z in two weeks and am prepairing to equip it . any thoughts on the givi crash bars ?
 

BWC

Active Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
490
Location
Canada




SW Motech skid plate mod. For anyone thinking of this mod I've given it a go. Not really necessary but a little less hastle when it comes to oil change time. I'm pretty sure any warranty on the skid plate might just be voided by now. ::025::
With the doubler behind, the Yamaha filter has about 3/8 inch clearence left in front of it at the closest point.
Used 5mm SS flat head screws and nylock nuts epoxied to the back of the doubler. I would think it might weaken the plate a bit, although if it takes a hard enough hit to deform I'll be happy to buy a new one as its done its job.
I'll report if theres any issues after the next oil change and some field testing. ::001::
 

plugugly

I'd rather be pulling ceiling.
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
120
Location
Iowa
Nice mod, I'm planning on doing something to make it easier to change the filter, too. My mental drawing board had a larger panel than you made, either bolting onto the face or channeled to slide down from the top.

Yours looks like it will keep most of the integrity of the plate, barring a direct hit on the removable portion. Then I think it would only be a problem if it blew the bolts through the counter sinks on your plate and pushed it in, which seems unlikely. The reason I was going to bolt something onto the face, instead of behind it was to avoid that risk, but I'm sure yours looks nicer.

Did you use a piece of aluminum twice the thickness and mill it out to fit, or flange it somehow?
 

BWC

Active Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
490
Location
Canada


plugugly, took some 1/8 inch material the same thickness as the skidplate and bent it to match. The two pieces are riveted together with 1/8 flush rivets. Thought about the external cover idea as it would have been a bit stronger, just a little less sightly. I figure if something hits it up that high and damages the removeable cover, the skidplate will be the least of my worries. ???
Having put quite a few thousand km on the Vee on gravel and very rough gravel roads with the stock plastic guard without issue this skid plate should be more than enough for the riding I do. ::008::
 

plugugly

I'd rather be pulling ceiling.
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
120
Location
Iowa
Looks good, BWC. Like you, I think the chances of a direct impact that high up on the skid plate are pretty slim. I mostly thought of making a square plate cut-out because I thought it would be easier to manufacture.

It would be awesome if some of the real fabricators out there (or even sw-motetech) would offer a replacement panel that the owners could cut and fit with minimal tools.
 

markjenn

Active Member
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
2,427
Location
Bellingham, WA
Heads up to SW-Motech skid-plate/Fenda Extenda users. SW-Motech's warning about interference is no longer hypothetical. We've had our first documented instance where the FE got caught behind the skid plate after a hard suspension hit. The post is in Advrider in the main S10 thread (near the end at the time I'm posting this):

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18204043#post18204043

Sounds like there were some loss-of-steering control issues too. I'm sawing 3/4" or so off my FE.

- Mark
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
This can happen on other brands too. It happened to me with the Rumbux crashbar/skid plate. It's suspect with any skid plate, considering the minimal extension past the filter on both of these designs. Good news, those little screws and double face tape are STRONG. :D
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
Here is a pic of RedCat's deflector:
 

plugugly

I'd rather be pulling ceiling.
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
120
Location
Iowa
I finally got around to modifying my plate for easy oil filter changes. Traced around the filter while it was mounted with a pencil, then used a 3" hole saw to make the hole. Fabbed the other sheet with sawzall, 4" grinder, bent it in the vise with a hammer. Then I clamped it tight, drilled the fastening holes. Bolted it up tight and ground it to an exact contour match. I used a step bit to drill out the holes for the mounting bolts, so I don't have to remove them for an oil change, or I can take the whole plate off like before. The only thing I really need to do is change the inner hardware from nuts+locknuts to just a nylock. I may even glue them in place. It's a little awkward to fish the nut out when you drop one, but not bad with long zip tye or similar.




 

Twisties

Active Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
709
Location
Brookings, OR, USA
Nice! but I find that I pull the plate even for oil changes (without the filter change), because of the horrendous mess the oil makes with the plate on. Do you have a way to deal with that, or do you just let the oil pool in the skid plate?
 

plugugly

I'd rather be pulling ceiling.
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
120
Location
Iowa
Twisties said:
Nice! but I find that I pull the plate even for oil changes (without the filter change), because of the horrendous mess the oil makes with the plate on. Do you have a way to deal with that, or do you just let the oil pool in the skid plate?
I had drained the oil with the plate on this time, except for the filter and it wasn't bad. I imagine I'll just stuff some rags under the filter next time. I could try a tin foil diverter if I wanted to get fancy.
 

switch

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
56
Location
Knoxville, TN
Thanks for the thread. I used it this weekend and didn't have to reference the SW-Motech instructions at all.
 

Abercrombie tenere

Active Member
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Messages
304
Location
Abercrombie ND
Awesome instructions. I'm glad to have this Forum as great resource for equiping my new Tenere! I'm just afaid I won't get much else done reading the FJRForum and this Tenere Forum.
 

terrysig

Member
2012 Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 11, 2012
Messages
775
Location
Pittsburgh PA
One tip to make it easier to change the oil is to affix those four front nuts to their arm structure so they are not free to drop.

your choice of method. i have seen epoxy most recently but there are other methods.
 

F16Viper68

Member
2012 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
Messages
96
Location
Crawfordville, FL
Many thanks to Twisties for taking the time to put this thread together! Only took about 1.5 hours and that's with taking a ton of breaks to check on the Boston Butt I'm smoking.




Just before foiling. Can't wait till about 6:00pm. ::015::


Dave...
 

Mzee

Active Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
823
Location
Johannesburg
What bothers me about all skid plates is their point of mounting. Are these mounted on the frame or on the motor? I have seen some photo of one where there was a hole in an S10 motor as a result of the mounting on the motor. Any clarification on this matter?
 
Top