Who else rides naked?

[MojoToot]

From limey's posts, I conclude that;

1. bash plates do not really prevent problems
2. it is possible that bash plates can create problems (that would not have occurred without it's use)

I venture to guess that small dings and dangs are routinely "protected" but a big hit is likely to have a consequence.

I like riding dirt roads not off road but when I explore...things get rutty and muddy. It's easy to get more than I bargained for.

Still, I can't justify carrying around 25 or more lbs that I may never need.

I like light as possible 100% of the time....maybe cause I'm old and have put about 100,000 miles between two Rocket IIIs that I've owned and I'm ready for light.

And I never want to pick up my bike, so that limits me mentally (more than the normal amount )

And up until now, tires limited me,

unfortunately, I just bought a pair of TKC80s..............

and maybe that was my inspiration for starting this thread. :lamp: :-X

 

[Mtbjay]

better get the protection then…

 

[limey]

Sooner or later those TKC80s will spit up a rock and you'll be walking home.

 

[AVGeek]

I was one of the first to drop my bike on the left side, before I had engine guards, and the fan bracket pushed into the radiator enough to burn out the motor before the fuse tripped. I now have the GIVI bars, and and AltRider bash plate. Since you are mounting up TKC-80s, riding naked isn't really an option anymore, IMHO!

 

[jdk2man]

I use the Yamaha skid plate. Don't hate me. But it did what it was supposed to do. I Hi-Centered the bike going up engineer pass. Dented the whole bottom of the skid plate. Not sure what it would have done if I was not on there. Not a place I would want to be stranded with no oil.
It is interesting that my "Cheap" Yamaha skid plate protected a huge hit. (I think it hit hard enough that the kick stand came down some and killed the engine.) and that the oil pan pic above was caused by the tire kicking up a rock hitting the skid plate and pushing it through the pan at the mount spot. (From what I was told at the Ouray meet.

As for the crash bars. My Altriders have saved me at least two times. All on pavement.
One finally coming in after a long haul to the Campground. Exhausted, I put the kickstand down but not all the way and over it went.
Another was just pulling into a gas station in a little town, tried to put it on the center stand with 4 days luggage and it fell over on the right side.

Both times I had to unload everything to pick it up. Thats one heavy bike.

Plus, the Alt Riders are a great place to mount additional lights which I would never be without. I want to be seen.

I would say get them.

 

[MojoToot]

OK...I am leaning towards purchase of Alt Riders Crash bars & skid plate.

Any disadvantages I should know about (other than access to left side panel and oil filter)???

What about clearance for mounting a layer of foam inside the skid plate? (in case of being pushed into sump bottom) Good idea or not?

Oh crap...If I get this stuff I will be going more offroad places and end up needing to pick it up... ::019::

 

[limey]

If you have a fender extender make sure you cut about 2 inches off it because it will catch the skid plate.

 

[snakebitten]

Without a skid plate, your Tenere is light?

So that's why mine is such a Pig!
Just messin.

But seriously, there is no possible way for me to perceive I added the weight of a skid plate. No way.

 

[MojoToot]

Without a skid plate, your Tenere is light?

So that's why mine is such a Pig!
Just messin.

But seriously, there is no possible way for me to perceive I added the weight of a skid plate. No way.

No, Snake... This bike is the Pig;

I had to park it next to the redwoods to make it look small.

 

[MojoToot]

Fitted Altrider skid plate today. Pretty straightforward but tricky access in spots. PIA.

Now I have less clearance than stock. I didn't grind off that stud as yet, I can see how it could be a problem if plate crushes it. May try and surround it with some extra padding. It also has very little clearance relative to the oil filter. All in all, I am still wondering if it was a good thing to do. Everything is a compromise.

 

[Kwatters]

My ACD skid plate arrives tomorrow. Looking forward to that.

 

[MojoToot]

This happend to a fellow Ténéré rider in Ouray Colorado , as you can see the oil pan is verry vulnerable and this was with a bash plate on the bike . I'm going to go ahead and cut the silly lug off and re weld the pan on mine. So going off road with no protection is a no go me.

So now that I have this on and actually can see what this is referring too...What do you think of, instead of grinding down the lug on the bottom of the bike, cut another hole in the skid plate bottom, around the now unused lug?

So if the plate gets pushed up, it will not hit the lug.

Good idea? Bad idea? Opinions?

As I see it, a direct hit on the lug could still break it but it would have to push the plate up before contact could be made, thus making it pretty safe.

And if the contact was not directly on the lug position, the skid plate would push up around it and not touch it because of the new cut-out.

 

[limey]

Cut the thing off and have it welded ?
http://www.acdracing.us/blog-acd-racing-parts/do-you-really-need-a-skid-plate-for-your-dirt-bike/

 

[jimmy z]

I believe that gentleman with the broken oil pan had the skid plate that also bolted to the pan.Jim

 

[shrekonwheels]

I use the Yamaha skid plate. Don't hate me. But it did what it was supposed to do. I Hi-Centered the bike going up engineer pass. Dented the whole bottom of the skid plate. Not sure what it would have done if I was not on there. Not a place I would want to be stranded with no oil.
It is interesting that my "Cheap" Yamaha skid plate protected a huge hit. (I think it hit hard enough that the kick stand came down some and killed the engine.) and that the oil pan pic above was caused by the tire kicking up a rock hitting the skid plate and pushing it through the pan at the mount spot. (From what I was told at the Ouray meet.

As for the crash bars. My Altriders have saved me at least two times. All on pavement.
One finally coming in after a long haul to the Campground. Exhausted, I put the kickstand down but not all the way and over it went.
Another was just pulling into a gas station in a little town, tried to put it on the center stand with 4 days luggage and it fell over on the right side.

Both times I had to unload everything to pick it up. Thats one heavy bike.

Plus, the Alt Riders are a great place to mount additional lights which I would never be without. I want to be seen.

I would say get them.

I have the Yami Skid plate as well, while not as robust as some, it is about the same thickness as most. The main downfall of the skidplate is simply its mounting bracket to your sump, which is a pretty big deal.
I simply plan on changing the mount to the engine tabs, it should be plenty for my dirt or gravel road riding.

I have mountain bikes for riding stupid

 

[GrahamD]

I've riden it naked a few times, but I do get it dressed up for the occasion if required.