Hey Fellas...

Who is running a radiator protector? Obviously you would need it if you hit something in the road. Do you think it is a necessary item?

For those of you that don't ride your bike as a DD, how often do you clean your bike and to what extreme? Wheels etc... I sometimes just get bored and go out in the garage and clean for an hour or so. Any other anal people like me with their bike?

After 10,000 miles my rad was showing wear in the form of a vertical stripe behind the front tire.

I have since installed a rad guard.

I clean mine after every canyon ride. And every Friday after any commuting that week. My riding group laughs at how anal I am. White just looks bad dirty what can I say.

Hey MRWOO, have you had trouble with the front end with rock chips? I have quite a few on the front fender and lower front nose. With the white paint, the chips show as black. Might have to go to a body shop and have them mix me a correct color of touch up paint.

* Last updated by: dehaile on 4/5/2015 @ 7:47 PM *

Ya already have a few on the nose. They're really small but I'm seeing more all the time.

I have a radiator guard on mine. A rock put the smallest nick on my old '09 ZX and put a hole in the radiator, the new one was $700 parts only, I installed it.

I like to keep mine clean but I don't work as much as you.

That small silver colored spot about the center of the picture cost me $700. A radiator repair shop could not fix it, the base metal was too thin.

Especially if you ride in a group often the bike in front throws up a lot of stones etc. I know how expensive it is to replace a radiator so I have a radiator guard on mine. I also have a clear film on my mudguard and fairings. It's expensive but you can't see it and stones just "bounce" off. It even protects against scrapes etc. you simply peel it off and no damage to the plastics or body work.
As for washing once a week. Nothing anal about it, just prefer a clean bike. It also gives me a chance to inspect and hopefully pick up if anything is not as it should be.

[quote]I have a radiator guard on mine. A rock put the smallest nick on my old '09 ZX and put a hole in the radiator, the new one was $700 parts only, I installed it./quote]

Exactly what happened to me in 2013. I was on the way to catch the ferry to Ireland for the NW200 and got a hole in the rad. The road had just been resurfaced so there was a lot of loose chippings around. Rad was beyond repair. Called the recovery people who took me back home and I couldn't get a new rad for almost a week. So, no NW200 holiday, no ferry fare refund and £600 for a new rad. Annoying thing was, I'd been looking at rad guards a couple of weeks previously and thought "£45 is a lot for a piece of wire mesh" so I didn't buy one! So my advice is JUST BUY ONE! I also fitted a front fender extender which stops any spray and road crud from the front wheel hitting the rad directly.
I've seen this product on a few bikes and it looks like the answer to stone chipped bodywork. Venture Shield

Even in dry weather, 100 miles or so and the bike's covered in dead flies, brake dust, rod dirt etc so I wash it regularly. I prefer to get the bike on the stands and use plenty of water with a good detergent and a hosepipe. I'm not a fan of 'dry cleaning' the bike as some are but each to his own.

Well I am convinced. I ordered a guard today. Thanks for the help.

My local shop has no problem repairing motorcycle radiators. Patched mine up for $40 no prob.

I had a local rad repair place look at the rad and they said no way. The gen 1 rad doesn't fit and has a different part No. IIRC the gen2 rad has more cooling capacity.

I put on one of the cox rad guards. Wicked easy to install. Cheap insurance.

A radiator guard is a must item for me. I install self-made ones on my cars as well. Here is California the road conditions are pretty nasty and so many things from small stones to a piece of wood are all over. A radiator guard is the cheapest insurance. If your radiator starts leaking 200 miles away from your home, that will be pretty bad. My wife's Nissan Juke has big openings in front and both radiator and intercooler for turbo are exposed to debris. I installed wire mesh.

* Last updated by: OldMan on 4/17/2015 @ 11:23 AM *

I just did the rad guard today from cox also.

Nice cjuni...very nice. Love that blue cox guard matches her perfectly. Very sharp! Yosh exhaust too! Evora and your bike would get along pretty well.

What's that swingarm you have? Upgrade over stock? Extended? Lighter?

Victhing it's a Myrtle West 4" over with a 240 tire & thanks!

I have a green COX guard for sale, 50 plus some shipping. Perfect condition

* Last updated by: Auron on 10/27/2016 @ 9:15 PM *