I had a low speed get off today. Moving at walking speed in a technical situation I accidentally grabbed some front brake, and the front end dissappeared beneath me lol. The bike went down squarely on a downed tree right where the bow in the radiator is. So, basically all the weight of the falling bike (TE510) was squarely on the radiator. I haven't been running radiator guards up to now because i've been skeptical about them actually being able to save the radiator from an impact such as this. This is the first accordian-ed radiator i've ever had in many many years. So now that I have to either repair or replace this radiator, i'm thinking maybe I should invest in some? Opinions?
Is it leaking? I don't have them. Cheaper to fix the radiator than buy the guards and then probably fix the radiator still. You know where to send them right? http://www.motorcycleradiators.com/
It doesn't leak! A little testament to the Toyo radiators? Rode all day with it like that as the crash happened at the beginning of the ride! You can tell that it's bowed in with the plastics on: It looks terrible and the tank shroud and radiator conveyor don't line up at all. Hey Glangston; Thanks for the link; I already had it (thanks to this forum). Will send it to them next week. So...the guards would have made this a non issue? Any one with guards had a radiator crushing fall and rode away intact?
Yes Yes, I'm confident that radiator guards would have done their job! Years ago I wish I had them on my 98 WR400F when a good sized branch speared my radiator (went between the radiator and the shroud causing it to leak at the seam. We were riding up in WV so back at the camp we removed it and and sealed it and suprisingly, it was good for years until I sold it.
OFG radiator braces have saved me in exactly the same situation. There are many guards/braces available to choose from. I just speak from experience that the OFG braces have worked th best for me.
Guards only...I'm not to sure you would have no issue... But if you had a rad brace on...that's a different story. Some make both I think that's the way to go.
My guards are both a brace and guard and have saved mine several times. I have had at least 3 good crashes including one on the street after taking a shot from a Tacoma. I am not sure I really need the guard part as I've never had any impacts from rocks or sticks/branches to the front of either rad, but the bracing aspect a definite YES.
Rad braces Yeah, you're right. Definitely rad braces and maybe guards. For some reason, I was thinking in terms of guards as braces. Never really looked at, or considered the braces. I can see how braces could be beneficial in this sort of crash. Probably wouldn't even have bowed in at all? Gonna take a look at the OFG ones.
I have the EE ones, I think they are the same as the OFG's. They are (many) times thicker than the walls of the radiator, and the bracing in the rear would transfer the force to the frame. I think they would have prevented that. Now consider this a warning and go get some.
my rads were smashed that bad if not more. Sent them to the site...fixed. straight as new work great bought some OFG and have saved me more times than I care to mention. If you don't fall once a ride your not riding hard enough right? Get them fixed, worth money and time.
Oh nice! Exactly the post I was hoping for! I want those. What's EE stand for? Those are beatiful!!! And I can definitely see how they would prevent an accordian-ed radiator even if it landed directly on a downed tree. (Btw- I wish Mylers would make the super cool rads for our bikes - i'd want those too) Thanks in advance.
EE= Enduro Engineering Makers of some pretty good armor for Husky's. I'm using Bullet Proof Design's combo guard/braces made from a single chunk of billet aluminum. They are pricey but provide "spear" protection and crush protection while allowing good airflow. I've seen the EE's on the shelf at my dealer and they look like a pretty solid setup for crush protection and I believe they would have prevented they damage you encountered.
If you live in hotter climes then maybe just braces as the guards do tend to interupt air flow a tad and can attribute towards boiling. I only use braces so far so good (touch wood)
I heard the same from some riders over the years. I don't know how true it is. They said the stock louvers direct airflow through the rads much better. Who knows?
Cody went down HARD in the last moto yesterday. Tore the front number plate clean off, ripped the left radiator shroud out of its mounting tab on the lower plastic and scratched/gouged the plastic on the shroud really badly. Obviously, the left radiator area took a pretty bad hit. Nothing happened to it thanks to my Motosportz rad guard! I've got the 2010 guard with the rear brace.
