Looking for protection. Is there a serious need for radiator guards, considering I am not a hard core rider when offload?

~CW

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"Because it's there"

If you are riding close to someones rear, then possibly. On your own, or with a decent gap between riders then probably not.

However, in my view it's probably the weak point of any liquid cooled motor, if the rad goes you are stopped. It's always something I've considered but never done anything about - which probably answers you question... at least for the last 5 years anyway ! Who knows... in 6 months time I might change my answer to yes - you need rad protection.

The whole issue with 'protection' is you can make you bike heavy, less nimble and actually add some catch points for the scenery to grab hold of your bike. All depends on the sort of places you ride.

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>-------<

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Its a never say never kind of thing. Of course a protector will help if something hits it, but will something hit it. I seem to have done most of my off road on stoney long lanes.. as well as plenty of boggy areas getting roosted to death, on KTM Exc's, DRZs... all the guys Ive ridden wth have also had bikes with rads of much the same make. Have I ever been out and had a holed rad..... the answer is no.Ive had stones hit my body... jeez they hurt on the knee cap!!! If it does happen then it can ruin your day for sure, but so will bent handlebars, or snapped risers... Ive seen more of this than anything. I rekon sometimes we get overly paranoid about what we need to bolt onto the bike, to make it safe to go off the beaten track

This is all good stuff. Agree with the weight concern...already heavy enough IMO.

But what about a side fall? Seems weak behind the wimpy plastic doodad.

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"Because it's there"

Have a look at U tube a Aussie rider going end over end.Smashed the the rear grab rail off and a big rock jammed between the expansion tank and the rad guard.Broke his shoulder,his mates still rode it home for him.

Just carry a tube of 'chemical metal'. Fixes all woes.

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http://www.onepistononeworld.com/
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=988891 'South Dakota to South America'

I've crashed mine quite a lot. My 'wimpy plastic doodads' on each side still only have minor scratches.

Not saying it's impossible to conceive a crash which would break the rad, but you'd have to be extremely unlucky. Not worth adding more weight to the bike IMO.

Don't forget the tank is (considerably) wider than the rad.

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I spent a lot of money on travel and racing motorcycles - the rest I just squandered.

XT660Z - Commuter, Adventurer...Racer?

www.dashmoto.net

Other bikes >> MT-03 / CG125BR-J / ER-6F
Departed >> ZXR400L3 / EC300 / DR-Z400E / DR800S / GPZ500S / GS400

i second that!

im great at crashing and my ten is still fine...marked...but fine (well, some bent handle bars and pannier rails )

I crashed mine yesterday.The vice got in the way only a little scrub.

I tried to break it again:



and again



... but did not succeed.

No worries on that part.

HJ

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Riding the Mad Mule !! ... no more... went orange...