I was changing oil and noticed the belly skid is slightly curved up toward the engine. Is it normally like that? I have never hit anything, but have been high centered in a lot of snow?

If it is bent up will it bother anything?

Thanks !

 

It's bent. It doesn't take much to bend the stocker. They are pretty flimsy.

 

Wow, thats crap.

So will it rub a hole though the engine if I leave as is? Do I need to pull it out and whack it with a mallet? Or can I just leave it bent on the bike.

Thanks Blaster

BTW I got rid of that stumble at 1/4-1/8 throttle. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Plainsman, I turfed my stocker skidplate and built one out of 1/8 stainless, and I even dented that one. I bashed my stocker back into shape twice before I got pissed and built a tougher one. The one I built is 5 times heavier than the stocker, but it sure saved my case a couple times. There are a few different skid plate kits you can get out there. Ricochet has a complete kit for about $230 I believe, but I don't know what they are built of and how tough they are.

 

The Ricochet's are alum., I believe 3/16" thick. They seem very well built and sturdy, and I like the mounting system.

 

So do I need to take it off and bend it back or can I leave it. Will it rub on anything bad?

There are no marks or gouges, just got mushed up in snow.

I think you could make one out of a plate of steel fairly easily but it would weigh a ton.

 

When new they should have a little rubber bumper between the engine case and the skid to stop any rubbing. On mine it didn't last long, as the rubber bit that pokes thru the skid to hold it in place got ripped off on probably the first ride.

IMO, if you're going to do any kind of hard riding, get rid of the flimsy stocker and get a good skid plate, it will even help with going thru mud as the smoother skid plate slides better.

 

well you want the skid plate to bend..think about it..if you hit something hard...either the frame going to bend or the skid plate..if u build the skid to big then the frame will bend before the skid plate does......

 

I was looking at a brand new $6900 Grizzly today. It has a plastic belly skid! WTF, for $7K you get plastic? I do like the shift indicator lights though.

 

the BF750's is plastic also.