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Recommendations for good basic skid plate.

10K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  Schoen 
#1 ·
Any recommendations for a good basic skid plate? I don’t plan on traveling to Paraguay or bombing recklessly through rock gardens but I would like to have the normal vulnerable parts protected. I also don’t plan on crash bars. Thanks.
 
#4 ·
Thank you. I usually buy from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC and saw a nicer looking Enduro Engineering brand on there for the same price but based on your recommendations I think I should stick with the Ricochet. Besides, the design will be more based on the engine shape and the EE example might be for a smaller more modern mx’er.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I think Ricochet was close to the first skid plate for the KLR; it's sorta the 'Brand-X' version. Probably more of them on KLRs than any other brand. It's tough and it's ugly and it works.

I really don't know what the difference is between the Gen 1 @$115 and the Gen 2 @$125 They should be the same as the only difference that I can think of in that area is the stock skid plate mounting scheme. I don't even remember if, when I bought mine, there was a differentiation.
 
#6 ·
The Gen 2 skid plate will come with replacement triangular engine mounts to get rid of the silly Gen 2 wings for the tall oem skid plate.

Or one can use a cold chisel to separate the wings from the Gen 2 triangles.
 
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#10 · (Edited)
Before I took the newly acquired KLR650 for its first (offroad) run I wanted a decent (NOT plastic) bash plate and fortunately I found just the thing in the shed, a brand new aluminum one off my son's Honda Africa Twin. I simply laid the plastic one on top of the AT's and drilled two 6 mm holes through where the rear mounting holes were in the (broken) original. Approximately 10 mm spacers were needed to allow the new plate to clear the horizontal frame tubes. I also made a couple of 8 mm holes in the fold at the front to accept a U bolt which wraps around the front downtube. Don't seem to be able to provide a picture but it works beautifully and cost (me) nothing.

Later: Ok I've created an album with four pictures, best to look at them in reverse order to how they appear (right to left in other words). The oil drain plug opening is an optional extra for future convenience. Hope this helps someone else one day.

 
#11 · (Edited)
I was thinking about cutting off those sticking out "ears" since they're pretty flimsy and aren't doing anything anymore. But then I had a look around and found a plate of galvanised steel about a foot wide. It fits perfectly in the gap above the AT bash plate and provides some protection for the vulnerable coolant pump. Once trimmed to size it only took the drilling of two small holes to mount it. If nothing else it prevents further peppering of the front downtube and engine cases with sh*t thrown off the front wheel.

 
#12 · (Edited)
Just to update, I decided several weeks ago on the Enduro Engineering plate. My goal was more protection than stock while keeping weight and cost down and not being too hideous. I don’t frequent horribly rocky areas and when I do I’m extra cautious more in fear of breaking me than the bike. This EE plate bolts straight on a 2nd gen with no extra hardware, comes with 4 new bolts to replace the stock ones and noise insulating adhesive padding to stick to the frame. There is a large hole for the oil drain and it is already set up to accommodate their optional shock linkage skid plate that I did not buy.

Installation was as simple as unbolting the old and bolting on the new. It weighed in at a scale verified about 3 pounds heavier than the stock composite guard. Initially I did not install the padded foam and it made a tinny rattley vibration kind of noise that I hated within the first mile. I immediately went back, cleaned the frame and stuck on the padding. Noise cured and it’s virtually silent except for the hollow whack sound of substantial rocks that get thrown up from the front tire occasionally when off road. It’s unnerving to hear at first but comforting once you consider it would have been hitting plastic before. Fortunately I haven’t cased any big rocks or fallen over so I can’t comment to that.

Price wise it was a few dollars cheaper and a couple pounds lighter than a Riccohet from Rocky Mountain ATV. It appears the Riccochet wraps around more and theoretically may offer more protection. That’s up to you to decide. Aesthetics wise the EE plate is about as nice looking as a skid plate can be. Work of art welds that I could only dream of replicating and a very nice ball burnished almost polished finish. I actually wanted a dark anodized and almost went with the Riccochet for that reason but once it was on I’m happy with the appearance. Thanks for your input and advise. If I ended up buying something different it was only because my priorities were different.
 

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#16 ·
I'll urge you to place a straight edge under that H-T skid plate and check the oil drain plug clearance. There is not as much bow in the newer H-T skid plate as the Ricochette type plates, unless they improved it.

You may wish to lay the bike down on RH side, remove the drain plug and shorten its head or replace with an EM shallow head magnetic plug.
And then install some 1/4" rubber donuts between frame rails & skid plate.

I wish they would all use a smaller drain hole!!

A customer recently skinned a rock with his drain plug thru the large H-T drain hole and the plate had been mounted by me with rubber donuts 2 years ago. Way too close of encounter, whew!
 
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