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Radiator Guard?

I don't see how a fender extender is going to protect the radiator. I looked at my bike this weekend; the OEM fender ends below the radiator now (more in line with the exhaust port on the engine), so any rock being thrown up inside the fender is going to exit below the radiator-I guess wind/any vacuum created could theoretically cause the debris to go up before it hits pavement if going fast enough, but if the debris is ejected from bottom of fender, hits the road surface and bounces up, it is going to hit bottom of engine. Thus being said, my guard should be delivered today (hopefully) and I will get it installed one day this week.
I think this logic works if you spend a lot of time in reverse gear :D
Mike
 
I don't see how a fender extender is going to protect the radiator. I looked at my bike this weekend; the OEM fender ends below the radiator now (more in line with the exhaust port on the engine), so any rock being thrown up inside the fender is going to exit below the radiator-I guess wind/any vacuum created could theoretically cause the debris to go up before it hits pavement if going fast enough, but if the debris is ejected from bottom of fender, hits the road surface and bounces up, it is going to hit bottom of engine. Thus being said, my guard should be delivered today (hopefully) and I will get it installed one day this week.
This particular picture of my 2012 taken right after riding through a muddy spot shows how the radiator was "painted" with muddy water slung off the front tire. A foreign object thrown up by the tire could conceivably have the same trajectory. I never put a fender extender on this bike but I did on the 2015.

 
What's sad is that for a manufacturing cost of another dollar or two, Honda could have put a proper length fender on this bike to begin with.
 
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Found a cheap but quality radiator build. I bought one of the inexpensive radiator guards off of ebay. (Mine was the "Savage" model, roughly $25) Then I found a metal mesh gutter guard for $2.70 at Menards Home improvement Store. Figured it's black and is made for exposure to weather so it should hold up. I flattened the mesh and measured the radiator dimensions. The piece I used was 21" x 7". I only had to cut length. The heighth was perfect and needed no trimming. I "wrapped" the radiator with the mesh and zip tied it to the ebay guard I already installed. Between the two, it makes for a solid radiator guard. I just didn't feel like the ebay guard offered enough protection on it's own. Now, it's good to go.
 
Might be a good time to say do "no harm" with all mods. When designing your radiator protect be sure to account for mounting fasteners and vibration issues that might cause rub through on the cooling system parts.
 
What's sad is that for a manufacturing cost of another dollar or two, Honda could have put a proper length fender on this bike to begin with.
I think it was more of a styling thing rather than cost. The Suzuki Veestrom 1000 V2 has a long fender, no need for an extenda, and man is it homely.
 
I think it was more of a styling thing rather than cost. The Suzuki Veestrom 1000 V2 has a long fender, no need for an extenda, and man is it homely.


It's funny, to me, all motorcycles used to come with well...just plain fenders. They weren't too short, they weren't too long, they just were. I am of a specific generation that was transitioning from "old fashioned" bikes with more of a cruiser style of chromed metal fenders, to the more modern and sporty plastic fenders, but essentially they were the same basic shape and size.

Some began to add swoops and aero shaped bits around the fork legs etc., which if they didn't really work as well as they were made to make you believe, at least didn't *lose* functionality.

But now it seems that front fenders are atrophying to the point of T-Rex arms on most bikes. Weird. I guess it's part and parcel with the trapezoidal squished/melted transformer headlights that have infected the new style of motorcycles.
 
I think it was more of a styling thing rather than cost. The Suzuki Veestrom 1000 V2 has a long fender, no need for an extenda, and man is it homely.

I know it was probably made short for styling, not cost reasons. But, it was stupid because it does not function well as a fender and I had to modify it to make it work more like a fender.

Haha L.B.S., T-Rex arms!
 
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I have a hard time believing that is not going to rattle a lot. It's also a bit ugly. You may not care about that though.

It doesn't vibrate or rattle, at all. not one bit. The edges have heat shrink tape on the bottom and sides. I wouldn't put something on my bike that would cause it further damage.
I don't think it's ugly, but your entitled to your opinion. However, I didn't put it on solely for looks either. I put it on to save the radiator from any significant road debris. It didn't cost me an arm and a leg , but it may save me from having to replace a $580 radiator. I figured I would share a cost saving mod, for what its worth.
 
It doesn't vibrate or rattle, at all. not one bit. The edges have heat shrink tape on the bottom and sides. I wouldn't put something on my bike that would cause it further damage.
I don't think it's ugly, but your entitled to your opinion. However, I didn't put it on solely for looks either. I put it on to save the radiator from any significant road debris. It didn't cost me an arm and a leg , but it may save me from having to replace a $580 radiator. I figured I would share a cost saving mod, for what its worth.

I appreciate all the DIY posts I find here. Motorcycle-specific parts are often ridiculously overpriced and the same goal can be achieved with a little ingenuity and improvisation. I'm going to look into this mod myself as that radiator hanging out there in the open has been bothering me since I got the bike. Thanks for sharing the idea and the details.
 
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Found a cheap but quality radiator build. I bought one of the inexpensive radiator guards off of ebay. (Mine was the "Savage" model, roughly $25) Then I found a metal mesh gutter guard for $2.70 at Menards Home improvement Store. Figured it's black and is made for exposure to weather so it should hold up. I flattened the mesh and measured the radiator dimensions. The piece I used was 21" x 7". I only had to cut length. The heighth was perfect and needed no trimming. I "wrapped" the radiator with the mesh and zip tied it to the ebay guard I already installed. Between the two, it makes for a solid radiator guard. I just didn't feel like the ebay guard offered enough protection on it's own. Now, it's good to go.

I like it, especially since I can do it myself and do it cheaply.
 
you should make some for sale. seriously. i would buy one is the fit is great with good workmanship.

cost you $12, i think if you can sell for $25 a piece
I like this setup better I'm going to make me one when I have the time. I'm also thinking about making a fender extender out of some conveyor belting I got from work? If it works out I'll post pics
 
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Didn't notice previous post didn't have to pic
 
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