Importance of Headlight Protectors

[Uncle B]

On a ride (31/7) with a bunch of KBers....about 13 of us with Linda and her "accessories".
Out the back of Gladstone and beyond, Stonechucker (new member) saw a strait piece of road and went for it.....so I gave chase as you do!!.....both up over 200 (oops) when he ran through a rough patch and showered me with stones.
I immediately slowed down cause I got one on the knee and hand which hurt like hell....anyway I stopped to see if there was any damage and was amazed what had happened.
Headlight protector totally smashed, radiator nearly holed and various dings and chipped paint.
Hate to think of the cost of replacing a complete new headlight instead of just the $40.00 easy to install protector. Paint chips I can live with, that's just a fact of life...... now also thinking of a radiator guard as I would have been stuffed if that had gone.

[Firefight]

On a ride (31/7) with a bunch of KBers....about 13 of us with Linda and her "accessories".
Out the back of Gladstone and beyond, Stonechucker (new member) saw a strait piece of road and went for it.....so I gave chase as you do!!.....both up over 200 (oops) when he ran through a rough patch and showered me with stones.
I immediately slowed down cause I got one on the knee and hand which hurt like hell....anyway I stopped to see if there was any damage and was amazed what had happened.
Headlight protector totally smashed, radiator nearly holed and various dings and chipped paint.
Hate to think of the cost of replacing a complete new headlight instead of just the $40.00 easy to install protector. Paint chips I can live with, that's just a fact of life...... now also thinking of a radiator guard as I would have been stuffed if that had gone.

yeah, same here mate got a radiator guard on order, got a big hole a couple of weeks ago, passing a guy on a back road (sealed) but caught a few of his stones ., had to pull the hole dam :disapint: thing out to get it fixed.

F/F

[Motu]

Following sports bikes is bloody dangerous alright,their tyres kick up all sorts of shit off the road - you need roost protection.I'd like to repay the favour - but they are to scared to follow me on my roads!

[wkid_one]

I never bothered with a protector on the R1 - as, like the GSXR's, their headlights are 'supposed' to be impact resistant. If it fails - I would have taken it back to prove the point it wasn't.

Put a protector on the VTR - and then proceeded to have my visor cracked while following a friend riding with an RS2 rear that had a penchant for picking stones up and firing them out at a huge rate of knots.

Other than radiators and headlights - you should be equally concerned out fork staunchions - as chips here will shred your seals.

Also - take your front sprocket cover off now and then as you will be surprised how many stones find their way up in the area around your front sprocket.

[MikeL]

For the last 3 bikes I've had the first accessory I bought was a headlight protector. Very cheap insurance.

[FROSTY:Me]

you know FF there might be a little sideline business in this radiator protector thing.
I had a good look at the radiator protector on Devils 250 and its isnt super complicated. It isn't simply a bit of mesh but I think I could build one for any sportsbike out there

[scumdog]

Real motor-bikes don't HAVE radiators!!!

[Paul in NZ]

Real motor-bikes don't HAVE radiators!!!

Thats wot i wus thinkin'.... Just another bleedin thing to go wrong... Same as them overhead cammy thingy ma jobbies. Camshafts should be located low down where nature intended them to be...

Besides, wiv the guzzi, if some miscreant on one of those steam roller sportybikes smashes your headlamp, you just find a rusty old Fiat 127 behind a hedge, give the guy $20 for his headlamp and away you go... (no shit, they are identical)

I lurve my Guzzi....

Paul N (hi tech to the max)

[scumdog]

Argh-argh (Tim the Toolman noises here) a man after my own heart - if I wanted somethiing with four cylinfers an engine I couldn't see most of, a radiator, windscreen and ABS I would buy a cage

[White trash]

Real motor-bikes don't HAVE radiators!!!

Keep trolling tough guy!

[FROSTY:Me]

yea mate a "real " motorbike You can pull to bits with a hammer and a rusty pair of pliers. -a real motorbike is "tota;lly reliable"
A real motorbike leaves an oily calling card. -
Ohh yea those were the days down in pit,gettin up as you was just goin to bed.baths in the stream beside the house........

[Ms Piggy]

Wow! I saw the light protector on Saturday (and your hand - ouch!) but isn't it amazing the damage to the radiator!

[Paul in NZ]

yea mate a "real " motorbike You can pull to bits with a hammer and a rusty pair of pliers. -a real motorbike is "tota;lly reliable"
A real motorbike leaves an oily calling card. -
Ohh yea those were the days down in pit,gettin up as you was just goin to bed.baths in the stream beside the house........

Wadda ya mean WERE the days ya pansy....

Paul N

[Mongoose]

Wadda ya mean WERE the days ya pansy....

Paul N

Forgot to mention sleeping in cardboard box at roadside, had to be up early to let traffic move.
Found out about no headlight protector on the Cali, the model have has a real odd ball(Yeah, I know, matches the owner) headlght that can be replaced for a mere $380, to which i thru $75 on an aftermarket Jappa light.

[scumdog]

Argh-argh (Tim the Toolman noises here) a man after my own heart - if I wanted somethiing with four cylinfers an engine I couldn't see most of, a radiator, windscreen and ABS I would buy a cage

Mind you I was gutted to find out my Sport is a "quad-cam" beastie, bloody rampant modern technology! -sneaks in all over the place! and don't talk to me about electronic ignition or speedos without a proper speedo cable (to disconnect as the need arises!)