Who else rides naked?

[MojoToot]

I just don't want to add more weight to my S10. I don't want to hassle with skid plates or crash bars. I also change bikes so often that my previous history of farklization seems to be a waste...by the time I get all the accessories sorted, I am ready for something new...Yes, I ride dirt but don't get too extreme, although I often seem to end up finding more "challenge" than I bargained for.

So tell me your experiences, such as; "I dropped my bike and it was still fine without protection" OR "If I didn't have the protection, I'd have been stuck in the woods" OR "I had protection and still f'ed up my bike" OR ??? "(your anser here)".

I don't really care about scratches, dings or even broken plastic as long as it can still get up and go. I know ever incident is unique but who else is in the naked bike frame of mind or am I alone in this line of thought?

 

[shrekonwheels]

Crash bars are a must on anything IMO, I slipped backing the tenere up and it fell over on the left side, I am sure had I Not had the crash bars it would have been an expensive mistake.

I seriously doubt a skidplate is necessary unless you are riding off road fairly often, the dirt road now and then should not be a problem.

 

[Bushyar15]

I would say crashbars as well. A guy dropped his bike this weekend and it moved the fan bracket enough his fan wouldn't turn... Looks like thats a vulnerability..

My altriders were easy to install. So when you decide to sell your S10, should be no more than 1/2 hour of work...

 

[TheHelios]

Crashbars have saved my ass numerous times. And with the weight and height of the bike, dropping it isn't a very foreign concept. They're super helpful as well on the S10 since the battery and radiator are on the sides of the bike.

 

[frez]

I don't ride off road, I don't have crash bars. If I rode off road I would have them.

If I drop it, then the bike has some built in sliders to take the worst of it, that wouldn't work off road as they would simply dig into the earth.

I've dropped half the bikes I've owned, but have learned lessons along the way so hopefully I won't make the same mistakes again (parking downhill on the side stand, not making sure the side stand was down properly, riding off without removing manual lock on rear wheel all on other bikes), one of which crash bars saved the day, the other two caused minor cosmetic damage I never bothered to fix.

 

[klunsford]

On a normal stop and drop, the OEM protectors work pretty good. Anything more than that and you get into the cowling. If you do any type of off road riding, a minimal rock or skid plate is needed to keep rocks and debris from hitting the oil filter. I actually picked something up when I had the OEM (plastic) protector at the front of the motor and put a very big and deep dent into the oil filter. Those two things are pretty much a must in my books. I have quite a bit more than that, but I tend to thrash around in the dirt a bit... ::025::

 

[Kwatters]

Great thread MOJO as I was wondering the same thing.

 

[MojoToot]

Great thread MOJO as I was wondering the same thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VLwA2pxpDI

Maybe I'll stick some foam in a beer can and put it on my oil filter. :

 

[imcja]

I had an almost at a stop (1-2mph) and drop on an muddy ice rutted dirt road (shaded canyon) about this time last year. Bike was a week or two old...no protection yet. The plastic protector on the right side most likely saved me from any serious cowling damage, less some scratches...but it was not going to do it again as it was laying on the ground when I lifted the bike. I would not put to much faith in those plastic protectors.

This past Sunday morning (early and in a hurry) I moved the ST out of the shed to get to the DRZ...ground felt solid...not so much. I went to retrieve the other bike...backed it out of the shed..and found the ST taking a nap. Scuffed up the Alt bars a fair bit...but saved the fan/radiator from any potential injury. Lesson learned...use the GD brick you have in the ground for the very reason you put it there...side stand dummy! ::010::

 

[Mark R.]

If you are going off road, you gotta have crash bars and a skid plate. I have already destroyed a full set of Rumbux crash bars and skid plate in 2 years, and am going to start destroying my new set real soon.

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=9221.msg153380#msg153380

 

[DubbleJay]

Mine has been over on both sides and was saved by the OEM Slider in each instance... they will not do that again. They are a one-trick pony and those cowlings are $100+ each... The crashbars will pay for themselves, and they usually sell used pretty fast.

 

[Mikeybikey57]

Only when the temperature is above 20c. O

 

[whisperquiet]

I owned and rode a 2012 S10 with no skid plate or crash bars. My 2013 S10 has a set of Givi crash bars (via a good deal from Karson) and no skid plate as I use my S10 strictly as a standard, roomy street bike for my long legs and 6'4" height. I have been fortunate to have never dropped either bike.

 

[toadady]

slowly laid mine over on its left side and it rested on the boxes and the little plastic bars on the engine. after that i put on puig bars and it's been on it's side at least 3 times since with no damage

 

[Mtbjay]

+1 Naked

I knew when i replaced the stock Metzler Tourance's with the exact same tire I was conceding…. If I were to gear-up for tip-overs in the dirt & mud, i'd surely put some genuine knobbies on first. Since I have not, I have effectively limited myself and what the bike can do. And I accept that for now.

My dream of off-roading involves remote forests and deep valleys on a well thought-out trip. This type of riding that involves a significant amount of planning, coordination (not to mention all the additional tech gear) and is wisely done with a group for safety. Someday, I can see myself trying that… But, I think I'd start with a smaller, lighter bike first.

For the 90/10 road-trip-to-anywhere, under a week, and not-to-far-from-society type riding I do, I've taken my chances. So far, so good.

…and so it is that I ride mostly naked.

 

[DubbleJay]

reminds me of a story that I heard from SoCal Flaming Knights MC whose members can earn a rare "Buck" patch for riding a few miles of interstate buck naked.

Was a great honor as I recall to earn such a distinction.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[MojoToot]

I rode from the motel in North Creek, NY to a restaurant about 10 miles away with a kilt on. Stupid Triumph thing...

The ride there was ok, daylight, still warm...the return trip, after the party, in the dark...very drafty...

Shivered my timbers.

 

[SingleTrackMind]

Most of my riding will be on the road (bike fits me the best) so alt crash bars for the fan, maybe a clear head light cover a wolfman bag and that's it for now. I'm with you on the weight thing. Fine if you need it but I probably won't.

 

[limey]

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.

 

[limey]

This is a pic of the inside of my Altrider skid plate after the CBCDR , as you can see the plate was pushed up against the silly lug so the lug will be coming off.