Radiator Cages

[cladoo]

You guys should check out Scorpion. They are made in BC, Canada.
http://www.scorpionracing.ca/

[PEB]

Thet look nice however they don't appear to triangulate back to the frame which is what I am after. I also don't understand why the Scorpion and Mecca systems have the plate that mounts betweent the radiators and the frame other than perhaps a place to attach the GP style braces.

[GMP]

Paul,

All it is is new, thicker head stays with an additional holes located farther back for the rear mount, with a spacer in the middle for support. The rear mount of the Flatland was cut off and extended.

http://www.gasgasrider.org/gallery/d...uard_Mount.JPG

[PEB]

Glen that looks nice. Perhaps I should copy your idea, how thick are your new motor mounts? Or what do you think about just a strut from side to side not secured in the middle? I added some pics to the original message of what I have done so far. I plan on using a hose clamp where my finger is pointing in the first pic and trimming at the black lines on the leading edge. I have close to 1/4 crumple room ( though I'm pretty sure they won't crumple) between the cage and radiator. The last pic shows how the previous owner beefed up the older style radiators. After reading about how thick of materials others have used I am wondering if my 1/8 stuff is beefy enough.

Thanks to all.

[MattR]

Here are the Force Radiator Guards. I did this product review and documented the installation.

http://www.gasgasrider.org/force_rad...ard_review.pdf
File size is about 2MB, so be patient if you're on a slower connection.

These are awesome guards and my radiators lived through some good crashes this year.

[GMP]

Paul,

My new head stays are made from some 3/16" 6061 plate I had. The sides of my Flatlands (approx 1/8") are overlaid with an additional 1/8"+ 6061 plate with a bend around the front edge for strength. This is screwed to the sides of the Flatlands, and the ends of the GP braces. The original Flatland mount was cut off and relocated back and up to match the new head stay mount. So now you have at least 1/4" total tied to the frame through the GP braces, with at least a 1/4" clearance to the side of the rad. I also drill and mount my shrouds at the top to the top brace with a rubber isolator (same as front pipe mount), so the shroud can flex a bit in a hit and not rip out or bend the rad tab. Its quite strong. One rad took a baseball size rock kicked up by the bike in front, dinged the Flatland grill in some but NO bending rearward. You can get more radical and make head stays with the mounts farther back, but then plug access and flex become issues. All you can expect to do is eliminate/minimize low speed tipover damage, there is nothing of practical weight/size that will keep the rad from getting wrecked in a warp speed encounter with a tree. I got one of the first '07s, and had limited rad guard options at the time, so I did what I had to do. IMO the '07+ rads are cheesy and weak compared to the older rads, and I would not even ride the bike without protection as I have no nice place to fall here. Frontal protection is also a must as I have proven several times.

As far as tying the rear mounts together with no support, thats how the Flatlands were mounted on my nephews 125 GG by the previous owner, as there is no head stay like the bigger bikes. Not the best solution, I just have no time to fix it.

Now, to figure out how to build a clavicle/shoulder cage.

[PEB]

Glen, I have decided to chance frontal impact by leavinh the stock louvers inplace. They do have an upper and lower brace behind them. I installed the guard last night with just the front two GP braces and the triangulated back hoseclamped to the tank subframe. The unit is very stout as I can move the whole bike far before I get any deflection. I agree about the radiators on the newer bike, they look very flimsy unlike the beefed up older style on my bike. I like my bike more and more but still have got only a couple min. on it. However the shoulder is coming along nicely and I return to work this Friday. About another month before I take the bike out and flog it. On the subject of shoulder cages I hav er been looking at hockey gear, it looks beefier than my Thor Impact rig.

Paul

[Skidad]

Originally Posted by PEB

On the subject of shoulder cages I hav er been looking at hockey gear, it looks beefier than my Thor Impact rig.

Paul

Some of the hockey stuff does look interesting for sure. Here is a link to some protective hockey equipment. I like the Itek stuff.

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/protective.html

[SpeedyManiac]

Hockey gear is way too hot for all but winter rides. You'll cook in that stuff!

[2 strokes 4 life]

Originally Posted by cladoo

You guys should check out Scorpion. They are made in BC, Canada.
http://www.scorpionracing.ca/

I have had good luck with mine so far. They fit up fine. Seem to be strong but those Mecas are way better looking. Both for very different uses because the Meca would work for side to side dropping but not so much for UFOs that would hit it.