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#Post#: 671--------------------------------------------------
Flatland Skid Plate -- Install Notes
By: Rusty Shovel Date: April 2, 2014, 3:18 pm
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Oh, how I love UPS! Here they've come again with gifts!
[img]
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Time to get rid of the plastic stocker. Before PIC:
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There are no instructions but, really, how hard could it be?
Let me spoil the surprise; I messed up and had to redo it.
Taking off the old skid plate is as easy as removing two 8mm
bolts. If you can't figure out which bolts, I'm sorry, you need
a new hobby.
So here's where I mess up.
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I slide the bars into the holes then secure it with the two 10mm
bolts supplied with the skid plate. Locktite is easy insurance.
HTML https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C0RT0c_t8dc/Uzxnx3ea5dI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/EBumTSDpptw/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5621.jpg
[img]
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It looks done, right? But before Miller Time, I have to give it
"the whack test" by smacking with my fist. The plate is rock
solid, but makes a metal-on-metal "Ping."
I examine the skid plate's rear tabs and see that they're
resting, metal on metal, in their housing. So I go back to the
plastic skid plate and...
[img]
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AH HAA! These look useful. (I wonder how many folks overlook
this detail and then complain about their "rattle-y" skid
plate?")
[img]
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Like a glove.
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HTML https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Yp-2TG07idY/Uzxn1qe1OkI/AAAAAAAAA9g/ZfTgNys2tRY/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5624.JPG[/img]
Through trial and error, I learned that it's easier to shove the
rubber thing into the female end on the bike and then insert the
skid plate. I dutifully tried to craft that last sentence so it
wouldn't be laden with innuendo, but there was just NO way. ;)
Oh yeah, and PLEASE stop checking out my legs! It's Houston; if
I'd done this in pants I would have suffered a heat stroke.
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It's a much tighter fit with the rubbers on. (Again, phrasing.)
But this time the plate passed the "whack" test with flying
colors.
[img]
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BTW, those dark marks on the plate are just my greasy
fingerprints. The plate reflects more engine sound than the
plastic one, but it should deflect a lot more rocks, so I guess
that makes up for it. The plate appears very sturdy, but owing
to it's aluminum construction, it doesn't feel much heavier than
the plastic plate. Certainly it would be too light to notice a
difference from the saddle.
I'll update if I experience any trouble down the road. The
initial quality feels good. Their are a minimal number of welds
and the welds look clean and professional. I can't imagine that
competitor's products offer any better protection than this,
especially for the price.
Good Job Flatland!
#Post#: 674--------------------------------------------------
Re: Flatland Skid Plate -- Install Notes
By: Colorado Rider Date: April 2, 2014, 10:37 pm
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Excellent pointer on the reuse of the rubber grommet; I might
have missed that!
#Post#: 693--------------------------------------------------
Re: Flatland Skid Plate -- Install Notes
By: truck11 Date: April 4, 2014, 12:57 pm
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Good info, thank for sharing.
Looks like the flatlands is slightly shorter than the stock -
Where the tabs are towards the rear. Any thing not covered now?
#Post#: 694--------------------------------------------------
Re: Flatland Skid Plate -- Install Notes
By: Rusty Shovel Date: April 4, 2014, 1:50 pm
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[quote author=truck11 link=topic=147.msg693#msg693
date=1396634258]
Any thing not covered now?
[/quote]
The only fragile looking thing not covered by the Flatland skid
plate is the master cylinder. The plastic skid plate ignored
this too. The only plate that I've seen to address this is by
Adventure Spec.
HTML http://www.adventure-spec.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/a/s/as_bp0022s-2.jpg
But at $300 plus shipping from the UK, I don't think the added
protection is worth it.
I'd rather just get this master cylinder cover from KTM Twins
for $40 and call it a day:
HTML http://2479a52abb8084f6f9fe-a26bcd381df50daddd16be398d37c636.r18.cf1.rackcdn.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/300x300/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/3/7/370-1518.jpg
#Post#: 2535--------------------------------------------------
Re: Flatland Skid Plate -- Install Notes
By: ShakeWell Date: March 16, 2015, 11:17 pm
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Thanks for the write up, I'm ordering one next week, especially
since now I know all I have to do is put the rubber thing in the
female end and whack it... ;D
Any thoughts of putting something on the top side of the plate
like Line-X or some other coating to dull the sound bounce-back?
I read about a few people using roll on bedliner, various epoxy
solutions, or even spraying flex-seal on the top side to take a
little of off the sound.
Great upgrade.
#Post#: 2538--------------------------------------------------
Re: Flatland Skid Plate -- Install Notes
By: Rusty Shovel Date: March 17, 2015, 4:01 pm
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[quote author=ShakeWell link=topic=147.msg2535#msg2535
date=1426565867]
Any thoughts of putting something on the top side of the plate
like Line-X or some other coating to dull the sound bounce-back?
Great upgrade.
[/quote]
Not really. The engine doesn't sound louder, just a little
different. Once I got used to it I didn't notice it any more.
Call me nuts, but I really enjoy the sound of heavy rocks
clunking off of it at speed. It has a few cosmetic scratches
that remind me I'm glad I invested in stout protection.
It's been a year...and I'd buy it again.
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