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Opinions on oil cooler and engine guards.

4K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  hoofbaby 
#1 · (Edited)
#7 ·
I don't do any actual dirt riding, but my access road is dirt, and it isn't unusual in Arizona to run into dirt road stretches while in the country. How many cases of rock damage have been reported here? Must be some, but I can't recall any, this without research...of course.
 
#8 · (Edited)
On my last Thruxton I had 2 distinct rock chips/impacts on the motor casing, in the worse of the two the area steadily degraded it was not a huge concern but the appearance was not desirable and I don't ride on gravel roads. Highways are littered with rocks and nuts and bolts and I wonder what might happen in a worse case scenario.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I asked because in decades of riding, I have not had issues with debris hitting and damaging. Maybe under the bike where it's not seen, but mostly issues with flat tires hitting the occasional screw or bolt. I did run head on into half a large cobblestone with my front wheel, causing the tire to puncture and tear and putting a nice bend in my front wheel. This was several years ago on my Daytona. Almost fell off the bike. I don't see the oil cooler getting damaged behind the front fender and your damage seems to be on the side of the engine, the cases. Don't see how an underneath guard or oil cooler guard will protect the side cases. I can see the value for off road riding.

A full faired bike will protect the cases, the plastic taking the hit. I had a SV650S that encountered a black plastic bag on the slab which welded itself to my front header. The only time that I installed header wrap to protect the pipe from any future happenings. But, an event like that is like the plane crashing into the house in "The World According to Garp". If you think the guards will help you and you like the look, then by all means. Car radiators as well as for bikes and I guess oil coolers do see abrasion and minor denting from debris while on the road. A small spec at high speed can have a large impact I guess.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I acknowledge that installation of these guards is preventative and cosmetic. I have not decided weather to purchase these items and was looking for feedback from people who have used them. Watch me decide not to and then next week have a loose highway bolt crack my starter case!!
 
#12 ·
This one looks nice and is priced reasonably. But will the engine run hotter because of the (presumably) reduced wind flow? I like the idea of protecting the front of the bike from rocks and debris.


As long as the bike is moving, you will not have any airflow problems. If you get stuck in traffic, you will not get any air moving through the oil cooler (or a radiator) with a guard on it. If you are truly set on a guard, you should consider adding a cooling fan.
 
#19 ·


I like this concept and I'm going this way using front frame tubes



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#20 ·




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#22 ·
To buy from the supplier is a few hundred dollars however other previously have done this oil Cool frame tube mods by welding on oil hose fittings to stick frame tubes and filling holes in frame to seal.

With this mod the have found the engine oil capacity is increased and cools the engine oil more efficiently due to larger oil volume and surface area of frame tubes.

Plus it removes that ugly fragile oil cooler and looks really cool by opening up the look of the front of the motor.


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#23 ·
I put that evotech oil/engine guard on my bonneville a bit ago and I am glad I did. If nothing else, it gives me peace of mind that a rock popping up from the road isn't going to cause any kind of potentially real damage to that area. I never thought of it as an air restrictor, but I also live in California so I'm never really dead stopped for too long with lane splitting.
 
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