- Joined
- Jan 22, 2014
- Messages
- 415
- Location
- United Kingdom
There are a couple of guys making good rad guards I see, so why buy pre made for sick cash.
This is how I made mine without the benefit of being part of this forum or I would have copied some one else for sure, but mine has a couple of benefits and you may like.
1. you need aluminum mesh from any DIY store
2. Rubber seal strip for the same store
3. thin aluminum bar for the store 1mm thick and 20 mm wide (can vary)
4. the mesh needs to be cut appox 5mm smaller than the radiator outer face so the seal sits against the radiator.
(reasons for the rubber seal, looks better, rests against the rad and does not damage fins, makes the guard flexible to slide in top and bottom and acts as a outer face stop to counter act the inner fixing plates force.
5. fit the seal to the mesh.
6. for the bottom guard (vee) cut three plates from the ally bar appox 30mm and heres the thing, drill two holes (what I did first time) and pop rivet on the bottom rad guard mesh two plates top and one at the bottom or ( as I would do now) solder the plates to the mesh, this is easy with Duraflex rods, just make the material mega clean first.
7. the bottom rad guard vee one just clip in the bottom inside the black plastic surround then bend the guard in the middle and clip in the two top plates inside the plastic surround, press the mesh against the rad till the seal flattens out the mesh to lock into place.
8.Same for the top except one plate top and one plate bottom clipping inside the black plastic. But I might mod mine and solder on a couple more plates to make a better fit.
Down side can be with the rubber seal less cooling surface area, but compare to the manufactured ones out there they have a thick metal edge and the air holes are smaller than the mesh and they dont cause problems. Also ambient temp plays a part, I rode last year 40+ degrees, bike was OK but I had to go to bed and die!
Good sides apart from the protection, cheap, 20 euros buys the lot, easy removed to clean and refit, no alteration to the bike, no removing the fairing or rads, just clip in and I reckon there is scope to make it better the more you make!
Also made for the 749 if anyone wants pics and ideas, thats even easier than the Pani.
Any helpful comments please post, cheers!
This is how I made mine without the benefit of being part of this forum or I would have copied some one else for sure, but mine has a couple of benefits and you may like.
1. you need aluminum mesh from any DIY store
2. Rubber seal strip for the same store
3. thin aluminum bar for the store 1mm thick and 20 mm wide (can vary)
4. the mesh needs to be cut appox 5mm smaller than the radiator outer face so the seal sits against the radiator.
(reasons for the rubber seal, looks better, rests against the rad and does not damage fins, makes the guard flexible to slide in top and bottom and acts as a outer face stop to counter act the inner fixing plates force.
5. fit the seal to the mesh.
6. for the bottom guard (vee) cut three plates from the ally bar appox 30mm and heres the thing, drill two holes (what I did first time) and pop rivet on the bottom rad guard mesh two plates top and one at the bottom or ( as I would do now) solder the plates to the mesh, this is easy with Duraflex rods, just make the material mega clean first.
7. the bottom rad guard vee one just clip in the bottom inside the black plastic surround then bend the guard in the middle and clip in the two top plates inside the plastic surround, press the mesh against the rad till the seal flattens out the mesh to lock into place.
8.Same for the top except one plate top and one plate bottom clipping inside the black plastic. But I might mod mine and solder on a couple more plates to make a better fit.
Down side can be with the rubber seal less cooling surface area, but compare to the manufactured ones out there they have a thick metal edge and the air holes are smaller than the mesh and they dont cause problems. Also ambient temp plays a part, I rode last year 40+ degrees, bike was OK but I had to go to bed and die!
Good sides apart from the protection, cheap, 20 euros buys the lot, easy removed to clean and refit, no alteration to the bike, no removing the fairing or rads, just clip in and I reckon there is scope to make it better the more you make!
Also made for the 749 if anyone wants pics and ideas, thats even easier than the Pani.
Any helpful comments please post, cheers!
