Skidplate / Glide plate

[barryadam]

Someone asked about skidplates. There are a few commercial ones out there (Utah, Devol, etc.), but you can make your own.

[treadway47025]

wow! thats some nice work there.

[Byte]

well done.

what type of steel/aluminium is this?

Thickness?

Byte

[canyncarvr]

I'd guess it's 1/8" 5052.

I want a frame that looks like that!!!

pretty pretty pretty

[barryadam]

I have pictures of the completed bike the next day - before and after a ride in the mud. Heh, heh.
Not so many shiny bits any more.

[canyncarvr]

Maybe you posted this elsewhere...but your frame: It's a powder coat or an epoxy job?

Sorry if that's a stupid question. I s'pose those that know the difference can tell the difference.

I'd hate to put a fastener on it when it's so nice looking.

Speaking of fasteners..they're all new, too? Putting a crummy old bolt on such a thing would have to be a sin...wooden it?

[barryadam]

Maybe you posted this elsewhere...but your frame: It's a powder coat or an epoxy job?

Sorry if that's a stupid question. I s'pose those that know the difference can tell the difference.

I'd hate to put a fastener on it when it's so nice looking.

Speaking of fasteners..they're all new, too? Putting a crummy old bolt on such a thing would have to be a sin...wooden it?

Powder coat green with powder coat clear over top.
No new fasteners, just replated. Posted details of that, musta been on kxriders or tt. Once you do that, you'll do it to everything. I determined that the KDX kickstand takes such a beating, that paint or powder wasn't the right solution. So that's plated now, too. Haha.

Bright shiny bits!!!

I'm tryin' to keep up to N8stine's pimped-out-white-spring-showbike.

[canyncarvr]

Re: 'No new fasteners, just replated.'



You plated your fasteners?


Are there any places you need to pay attention to plating thickness to not end up with a problem? Swingarm? Engine mounts? Top shock mount?

...just curious.

[barryadam]

Re: 'No new fasteners, just replated.'



You plated your fasteners?


Are there any places you need to pay attention to plating thickness to not end up with a problem? Swingarm? Engine mounts? Top shock mount?

...just curious.

Nope. Bigger problem is the thickness of the powdercoating as it's 'way thicker than the original factory paint. So you have to file it down in the linkage and swingarm pivot areas on the frame a bit. Oh, and a bit in the axle slots on the swingarm.
Plating:
http://www.kxriders.com/forums/index.ph ... l#msg41568

[muddertrucker]

How much did that come out to. I like the idea of it bolting right up to the frame, probably makes it easier to take off and put on. Dirt bikes should come with that kind of equipment stock.

[barryadam]

How much did that come out to. I like the idea of it bolting right up to the frame, probably makes it easier to take off and put on. Dirt bikes should come with that kind of equipment stock.

I see most current bikes have some kind of plate as std. Since most KDXs are used on some knarly $#!?, I'm surprised Kawasaki didn't include something.

I didn't want to clamp on the frame, and I wanted 1/8" space between the frame and plate for drainage. The rubber pads between the tabs and the plate probably add some positive features, as does the ss fasteners. I did the same to my KX500 and am ready to do the second KDX.

All the materials probably cost <$20. $5 worth of new saw blades to cut the alum, G-job at work to roll, $10 worth of new 1" grinding wheel/cylinders, some ca$h for my friend for about 1 hour of his welding time, filler rods, and argonne (he also repaired some stripped threads in the frame). Mostly my time, which probably made this WAY more expensive than just buying a commercial one. What can I say?