experienced riders: u recommend putting radiator mesh guard & headlight plastic film or waste of $?

[Phalanx]

Forum Sponsor

which one do you guys recommend?
the above one with the larger holes or the bottom one with tighter x style holes

 

[Scuba Steve]

Both will cut air flow significantly depends how much extra cooling capacity your bike has.

Sent from my moto g(8) plus using Tapatalk

 

[Iceman]

which one do you guys recommend?
the above one with the larger holes or the bottom one with tighter x style holes

The upper one with the larger holes will stop most (all) rocks and will allow more airflow than the lower design.

Sent from my SM-A530W using Tapatalk

 

[robertv19]

Anything from EvoTech Engineering in the UK is quality kit. They design and manufacturer everything themselves. Avoid cheap knock offs. I’ve put one of their rad guards on several bikes and have never had an issue with overheating.


Sent from my iPad using GTAMotorcycle.com

 

[GreyGhost]

ok. why are all the above ppl saying a mesh over radiator is gonna restrict airflow

and what about abs plastic cover on the headlights?

I don't understand? Headlights reject very little heat through the front. Even less now with LED's becoming more popular. The second layer of clear plastic probably does cost you ~5% of your light but again, that is less of a problem with modern headlights being vastly brighter.

It's amazing how much airflow can be obstructed by something seemingly innocuous. Since most screens are constructed of woven cylinders, they just crush the airflow. If you want protection and airflow, you are probably better with a dirt bike style grille with a few large louvres that slow down projectiles before they hit the rad.

 

[ScorpionT16]

I wonder if the Op has an adventure bike, cause I would add Bark busters to that list, broken levers ain't getting you home. Then a skid plate.

Depends on the plastic film, Acrylic headlights are very strong to start with, how often do you see cars with broken headlights vs windshields? We had a Dodge caravan driven over by a school bus, bumper and all crushed, Acrylic headlights intact, same when i rear ended a SUV with my Golf, her frame was done, my bumper came off, headlights just scuffed. If you have LEDs, a broken headlight isn't end of the world, as the LEDs will still work vs bulbs which break. Even Enduro bikes don't have headlight protectors and are seldom if ever broken, and they get roosted a lot.

Old dirt bikes had Glass lights, even some bikes now, when in water crossings the glass would break due to temp change.

Depending what film you put, they can be very effective, I have 3M protection wrap on mine, clearplex is military grade and very effective

 

[JFD]

For the cost of the protector vs the likelihood of replacement damage, you could buy a new rad for as little as 125 dollars.

I've never seen a rad get destroyed (or a headlight for that matter) in my lifetime, from regular street riding.

 

[nobbie48]

I hit a prairie chicken once and had to pick feathers out of the radiator but it didn't leak. The rad didn't leak that is. The prairie chicken didn't get off so lucky.

 

[rc0372]

I installed the evotech rad guards earlier in the summer. I haven't noticed my bike running hotter, but that's just by feel.
The guards are great quality and look pretty slick as well

 

[timtune]

I've put a lot of gravel kms on my KLR and I'm not leading the group. Never had any problems.

 

[Evoex]

$90 for OEM rad and oil cooler guards, easy decision

 

[Phalanx]

wow, so a new oem rad is only like $100

why the hell are ppl on the internet saying its so expensive , this waste of my time

 

[ScorpionT16]

wow, so a new oem rad is only like $100

why the hell are ppl on the internet saying its so expensive , this waste of my time

Because it depends where and when that rad gets the puncture. In the middle of a trail, or the James bay Hwy at dusk, it won't be a $100 fix, and all of a sudden, all you will have is no time to waste

 

[Phalanx]

Because it depends where and when that rad gets the puncture. In the middle of a trail, or the James bay Hwy at dusk, it won't be a $100 fix, and all of a sudden, all you will have is no time to waste

yeah i see ur point but even then the cost would be probably amount to $200-300 and thats not enough to get me to buy a rad protector.

anyways, we already purchased the rad protector and headllight abs plastic film. so yeah

 

[ScorpionT16]

yeah i see ur point but even then the cost would be probably amount to $200-300 and thats not enough to get me to buy a rad protector.

anyways, we already purchased the rad protector and headllight abs plastic film. so yeah

Don't forget the cost of time, and then labour, and even with CAA, where ever your tow range is, and the hours waiting for a truck, and then hoping a shop has it in stock, or wait weeks for it. It also helps when cleaning the bike, I've had massive dragonflies stuck in the protector, on a radiator, those bugs tend to turn into hard glue and stick, and some big ones wedge in tight.

What bike do you have?

 

[Deleted member 50930]

SV650 and mine is bare ...

I will look into this

 

[Evoex]

wow, so a new oem rad is only like $100

why the hell are ppl on the internet saying its so expensive , this waste of my time

*Guards*

Forum Sponsor