Protection from rocks while riding my Tracer 900 GT

[TomTracer]

I've had bikes with heavy duty al pans, and a couple with abs or fiber glass pans. The latter was the least $$ and worked just fine at deflecting what kicked up on or off pavement. Anything that slows the force of a projectile most likely will prevent oil pan damage. In most cases, and in my opinion, riding trails unless technical, does not require heavy duty material.

[DavidS]

Thanks all for your feedback.

After sitting in my garage pondering the likelihood of some catastrophic event wiping out my oil pan, I decided that the likelihood of actually experiencing this would probably be pretty small. One of the considerations that I used to make this decision was the fact that they moved the plug for the oil pan forward, not underneath, like it was on the FJ09. The ground clearance was also 7+ inches as well, and I think that is probably high enough enough to avoid too many hits, especially since I am on paved roads. I do not ride off-road, and even gravel is a very unusual situation for me. 

While small rocks do occasionally pop up and hit parts of the bike while I'm riding, I am willing to take the risk that it won't do significant damage (rolling the dice) and if it does happen, I guess I'll just have to fix it. 

As usual, thanks to all for your feedback and helping me think through this. (And saving me the cash now that I don't have to buy the skid plate)

[nhchris]

The odd thing is a new oil pan costs less than a quality skid plate.

Go figure!

[betoney]

1 hour ago, DavidS said:

The ground clearance was also 7+ inches as well, and I think that is probably high enough enough to avoid too many hits,

Interesting, is that sitting static?  My ground clearance is almost 7" when its on the center stand.  When sitting static its about 5-3/4" and that's with the shock length extended.

[bwringer]

15 hours ago, TomTracer said:

I've had bikes with heavy duty al pans, and a couple with abs or fiber glass pans. The latter was the least $$ and worked just fine at deflecting what kicked up on or off pavement. Anything that slows the force of a projectile most likely will prevent oil pan damage. In most cases, and in my opinion, riding trails unless technical, does not require heavy duty material.

You touch on something important here -- I think a plastic or fiberglass pan protector of some sort would actually work just fine as a "debris deflector" for street riders, and would probably look a lot better than the SW-Motech "skidplate". 

There were links earlier in the thread to form-fitting plastic protectors for the engine cases, and I think it's a little odd that there's nothing similar for the oil pan. Some of the no-name Chinese defectors fit closer to the oil pan, and might be fill the bill.

As far as ground clearance, with properly set up suspension sag and a rider aboard, it is indeed quite low, on par with other streetbikes or sportbikes. These things are NOT "Adventure" bikes in any way, shape, or form.

I've seen FJ-09s set up that way, with very heavy-duty engine guards and skidplates from Higdonion, knobby tires, etc. but you're still fundamentally limited by ground clearance.

However, there's a demented genius over on ADVrider who has swapped in longer forks, different wheels, and reworked and raised the rear end to create a true dual-sport FJ-09... it's extremely cool, to be honest.

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/fj09-adventure-rally-build.1500098/

This photo is from partway through... he's still monkeying with it, and yes, there's a skidplate and more protection. It's odd... he seems to hate everything about the bike aside from the engine, so pretty much everything is getting altered or removed.

Edited October 30, 2022 by bwringer

[peteinpa]

I'm also one that hasn't/won't add any protection.

If I'm on gravel I go slowly.  If you go 50 mph, that is enough velocity for larger rocks to do damage.

In the MFG's quest for lightness, (demanded by us)  aluminum castings have gotten thinner.

From my dirt biking experience I know how the front tire can kick up a rock the size of a tennis ball and send it into the engine.  I had skid plates on my dirt bikes.

Since this IS NOT in any shape or form a dirt bike I don't treat it as such.

Is the bottom engine castings any more fragile/vulnerable than any other bike? I don't think so.

I've done the oil drain mod.  That's it.

[TomTracer]

7 hours ago, bwringer said:

You touch on something important here -- I think a plastic or fiberglass pan protector of some sort would actually work just fine as a "debris deflector" for street riders, and would probably look a lot better than the SW-Motech "skidplate". 

There were links earlier in the thread to form-fitting plastic protectors for the engine cases, and I think it's a little odd that there's nothing similar for the oil pan. Some of the no-name Chinese defectors fit closer to the oil pan, and might be fill the bill.

As far as ground clearance, with properly set up suspension sag and a rider aboard, it is indeed quite low, on par with other streetbikes or sportbikes. These things are NOT "Adventure" bikes in any way, shape, or form.

I've seen FJ-09s set up that way, with very heavy-duty engine guards and skidplates from Higdonion, knobby tires, etc. but you're still fundamentally limited by ground clearance.

However, there's a demented genius over on ADVrider who has swapped in longer forks, different wheels, and reworked and raised the rear end to create a true dual-sport FJ-09... it's extremely cool, to be honest.

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/fj09-adventure-rally-build.1500098/

This photo is from partway through... he's still monkeying with it, and yes, there's a skidplate and more protection. It's odd... he seems to hate everything about the bike aside from the engine, so pretty much everything is getting altered or removed.

Some sort of fairly close mesh material likely would be good, and durable for most non off road conditions.

[DavidS]

On 10/29/2022 at 4:42 PM, betoney said:

Interesting, is that sitting static?  My ground clearance is almost 7" when its on the center stand.  When sitting static its about 5-3/4" and that's with the shock length extended.

I measured with the bike on the Center Stand.........

[PhotoAl]

I've been running a skid plate and radiator guard since about 3,000 miles.  First bike I run with on.  I do a lot of touring and inevitable there is road construction which out west means you ride thru the construction while they are (re)building the road.  Have ridden thru stuff ranging from soft dirt to gravel to dirt with big gravel and almost fist sized rocks scattered around.  Yes my bike is a street bike and is 100% street use but sometimes there is the gravel road to the campground.  LOL I don't ride fast in the gravel, Tracer 900 GT doesn't like to ride fast in gravel - it tells me so.  LOL Lat year coming into Cheyanne from the west I got off the interstate and took a 2 lane road.  I'd been on it before so made the turn hit the gas a bit and was carefully watching the cattle guard at the crest of the rise.  Only doing 50 and then across the cattle guard WHAT @#&%$ the road is now gravel and it goes downhill!!!!  Carefully use the rear brake and gently roll off the throttle and ease it to a slow speed.  Had to ride down the hill and around a curve before I found a good turn around spot.  Have been a number of places where the next gas station was 70+ miles.  Nearest tow truck well probably further.  When I took the radiator off the check the valve clearances I carefully inspected the radiator guard and found no dings that would indicate it saved my radiator- it took lots of bug hits though.  Skidplate was a different story, several deep scratches and gouges.  One was from dropping off the edge of the pavement onto the shoulder to change the battery in my GoPro.  Didn't seem like that bad of a drop but the skidpad hit and held up just fine.

My Tracer 900 GT sits pretty low particularly with it full loaded for a long trip.  I've had 600cc sport bikes that had as much or more clearance but the seats were not as high.  I think with the Tracer the short wheelbase constrains the packaging so the engine sits pretty low in the frame.