[strych9]

Interesting thread. Lots of passion here about these plates. Still, no empirical data showing that it's needed.

I appreciate the whole, "ounce of prevention" logic. I just won't spend money on something that, 1) adds weight to my bike, 2) requires R&R to perform oil changes, and 3) protects for an unlikely scenario, let alone the cost. If 1 out of 100 GW owners had damaged engine cases that required engine block replacement that would have otherwise been prevented by these protective plates, that would be 1%. Low as that is, it's probably more like 1 in 10,000 if I'm being generous, at .01%.

I will sleep fine without it, gentlemen. Differing opinions are a wonderful thing.

 

[Bulitt]

Interesting thread. Lots of passion here about these plates. Still, no empirical data showing that it's needed.

I appreciate the whole, "ounce of prevention" logic. I just won't spend money on something that, 1) adds weight to my bike, 2) requires R&R to perform oil changes, and 3) protects for an unlikely scenario, let alone the cost. If 1 out of 100 GW owners had damaged engine cases that required engine block replacement that would have otherwise been prevented by these protective plates, that would be 1%. Low as that is, it's probably more like 1 in 10,000 if I'm being generous, at .01%.

I will sleep fine without it, gentlemen. Differing opinions are a wonderful thing.

Uh--Oh..... Now you've gone and done it........!!!

🍿🍿🍿

 

[charleetho]

Just got back from a 8,900 mile trip, CO to AK. My wingstuff pan has a couple scrapes and one slight dent. We hit a couple very tall speed bumps and many small stones were kicked up on the gravel sections of the Alcan. Would have broken a case on the speedbumps? Probably not. But I'm glad we had it.

 

[Snorebaby]

Rode my 2015 over 34k miles without incident......until IT happened (2021)

Show Chrome belly pan installed since I bought the bike brand new in 2015. The bottom of the pic is the entry point and the top of the pic is the exit. 70mph, 3 months downtime (luckily) and insurance paid it. No problems after repair. She rides great. Smooth as ever.

The hole in the bottom of the engine.

Yes it is a small chance it will happen...but it DOES happen. It's your bike....you decide how you will protect it (or not). For me it's Traxxion all the way. A couple extra minutes for removal/replace during an oil change is no big deal compared to the downtime of NOT riding and HOPING you can get parts in a timely manner.

It's your bike....you decide what's best for you.

 

[Roadie]

Rode my 2015 over 34k miles without incident......until IT happened (2021)

Show Chrome belly pan installed since I bought the bike brand new in 2015. The bottom of the pic is the entry point and the top of the pic is the exit. 70mph, 3 months downtime (luckily) and insurance paid it. No problems after repair. She rides great. Smooth as ever.
View attachment 405587

The hole in the bottom of the engine.

View attachment 405586

Yes it is a small chance it will happen...but it DOES happen. It's your bike....you decide how you will protect it (or not). For me it's Traxxion all the way. A couple extra minutes for removal/replace during an oil change is no big deal compared to the downtime of NOT riding and HOPING you can get parts in a timely manner.

It's your bike....you decide what's best for you.

Yea and not only that..imagine if the incident happened 800 miles from home while on a road trip...not only is your vacation ruined, but also you have the hassel and expense of getting yourself and bike home too...the case guard is just cheap insurance against any of that ever happening to you.

 

[cc rider]

I thought the added weight part was funny.

 

[Snorebaby]

I thought the added weight part was funny.

Me too....I add that much weight to the bike every time I stop for lunch

 

[jryan19]

Yeah a couple bottles of water in the trunk weigh as much as the engine case guard lol.

 

[cc rider]

It's just that I would expect that comment from someone with a sportbike, not a GW. They spend thousands reducing weight. but, a GW? I'll give you another good reason to have the pan. When i first got the bike, I got it caught on the end of my HF table lift right at the end. IDK how I did it. It must just clear it in the single rider/no luggage setting. If i change the suspension setting from single/no luggage to anything else, it won't happen. Saw that the bottom of the engine got all scuffed up

 

[Drgsin]

is the newer generation wing stuff pan any easier to install? ive read in reviews that the brackets still need to be bent in order to fit. is that true?

 

[Whylee]

I will find out, mine is supposed to be here today.

 

[Roadie]

I've added around 30lbs to my bike..trailer hitch and wiring...fog light kit...trunk light and wiring...trunk and saddlebag carpets...Traxxion case guard...aftermarket seat is heavier...it adds up quick...the only place I can see to reduce the weight is to always run less than a half tank of fuel, a lithium battery, and eat less.

 

[Brian_Fenner]

Battery weight......Ha

Added about 300 lbs to mine......
Still rides like a dream and is a blast.

 

[strych9]

It's just that I would expect that comment from someone with a sportbike, not a GW. They spend thousands reducing weight. but, a GW? I'll give you another good reason to have the pan. When i first got the bike, I got it caught on the end of my HF table lift right at the end. IDK how I did it. It must just clear it in the single rider/no luggage setting. If i change the suspension setting from single/no luggage to anything else, it won't happen. Saw that the bottom of the engine got all scuffed up

Well...I have a sportbike. LOL.

 

[ArthurY]

Rode my 2015 over 34k miles without incident......until IT happened (2021)

Show Chrome belly pan installed since I bought the bike brand new in 2015. The bottom of the pic is the entry point and the top of the pic is the exit. 70mph, 3 months downtime (luckily) and insurance paid it. No problems after repair. She rides great. Smooth as ever.
View attachment 405587

The hole in the bottom of the engine.

View attachment 405586

Yes it is a small chance it will happen...but it DOES happen. It's your bike....you decide how you will protect it (or not). For me it's Traxxion all the way. A couple extra minutes for removal/replace during an oil change is no big deal compared to the downtime of NOT riding and HOPING you can get parts in a timely manner.

It's your bike....you decide what's best for you.

Thank you for sharing! Truly appreciate it.

Here's another good showcase example that the SHTF scenarios do occur, no matter how small the chance is and when it does occur, it is quite debilitating.
Another unlikely scenario is the puncturing of the 2 side-mounted radiators. It is so unlikely and yet we have one older gentleman reporting it in FB with pictures and had to cut his multi-day trip to one.

 

[Brian_Fenner]

 

[Roadie]

Trailer hitch laying in the road... Talk about a freak unexpected incident...you can bet that guy was glad he invested in the case guard...cheap insurance

 

[cc rider]

The piece of mind it gives me is great in my opinion. Funny when you think about it this way : A $30k bike with a $280 accessory ,lol.
Everybody spends their hard earned money on what they want. You might spend $1500 on the newest phone, or hundreds of dollars a week on cigarettes or alcohol. Some might spend thousands on their cars.
Others might think you are awfully dumb for it. While you enjoy it and think it is worth it. It's weird how the mind works. We are so different mentally

 

[Crabballs]

Amazing! Glad I got mine!

 

[Whylee]

Just installed the wings guard. The front 2 brackets did need alittle tweaking to fit properly, still only took about 30 minutes to install.