Bash plate... or no bash plate?

[gabriel_gs]

Hi all,

Was cleaning the bike yesterday.

I bought some SDOC100 (amazing stuff!) and wanted to get the bottom of the engine clean.

I removed the bashplate/sump guard to clean it up and get at the underside of the engine and then thought...

If I never go off-road, do I really need the bashplate fitted?

Bike looks a bit lighter/neater without it I think?

If so, is it possible to remove the downward protruding threads/bolts that the sum guard attaches to?

Just a thought.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

If I never go off-road, do I really need the bashplate fitted?

Think you've answered this yourself.
Plenty of bikes around without bashplates.

 

[gabriel_gs]

Think you've answered this yourself.
Plenty of bikes around without bashplates.

Ok, cool - I know the oil filter was down there and didn't know whether I needed to keep it protected

 

[John Armstrong]

R1100 / R1150 R's seem to manage without one.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

A few years ago, i'm glad I had mine on

Travelling down the M1 a piece of metal fell off a truck and my front wheel glanced off it, it flung it into the bashplate with a bang

When I stopped on the hard shoulder to inspect the bike, there was a massive dent in the bashplate and 2 of the rubbers mounts were sheared off

Cost me £60 for a new bashplate and 2 rubber mounts

Freak incident.....................but the bashplate saved me from a holed sump and new engine

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Of course, you do know that the day after you take it off you'll twat the underside off something and destroy the sump

 

[gabriel_gs]

Yikes!

I guess I could just have the smaller 'inner' sum guard fitted and leave the outer bash plate off.

E

 

[MattW]

Of course, you do know that the day after you take it off you'll twat the underside off something and destroy the sump

+1
I rode of a kerb into a water-filled crater which I hadn't seen - the bike bounced off the sump guard with a big 'clang' - I'm glad I had one.

I know there are those on here who say 'I never go off-road - I don't need a sump guard' but your bike came with a free one fitted, why not use it?

 

[Steptoe]

One of my loan bikes hasn't had a sump guard fitted for over 3 years. It seems to manage ok. As do all BMW R1100R, R1150R and rockesters.

 

[MattW]

And of course there's the environmental benefits - they help clean the roads by collecting handfuls of grit and dead bugs

 

[gabriel_gs]

And of course there's the environmental benefits - they help clean the roads by collecting handfuls of grit and dead bugs

Haha - yeah I noticed that when I took it off - a good handful of grit/stones/shingle!

One of my loan bikes hasn't had a sump guard fitted for over 3 years. It seems to manage ok. As do all BMW R1100R, R1150R and rockesters.

Yeah - I just think it looks better off