DIY/Homemade Skid Plate

[wtwill]

I am curious if anyone has attempted to fabricate their own skid plate. I am considering having a go at it. Just cant bring myself to pay $300+ for one. I should be able to make one for less than $100.

 

[Scoobynut]

I met a guy at the Ouray rally (Hi Scott!) who made his own skidplate. He said by the time he had bought all the materials and made necessary modifications due to trial and error, it ended up costing him as much as just buying one.

 

[Karson]

I am curious if anyone has attempted to fabricate their own skid plate. I am considering having a go at it. Just cant bring myself to pay $300+ for one. I should be able to make one for less than $100.

I see this sort of argument in conversations about why IT consulting and/or work costs as much as it does. Often times what people forget when trying to "set their own price for X" is that the players in the current market didn't just wake up one morning able to whip out a $100 skid plate, or upgrade a virtual datacenter in an afternoon (for example)... The knowledge and skill to do it right is acquired over time, and time costs $$$$ the faster and better you can perform your service. :-*

Up to about a year (give or take) ago, I would help people with their computers, or do side work for a friend/friend of friends' small business for nothing more than a song/beer. Once I realized that time was over, I started charging people a flat rate for certain stuff, regardless of the amount of time it took. As I was finishing up replacing a motherboard (I think) for a guy and getting paid, he jokingly went, "How can something that takes a 30 minutes cost as much as $x?". I didn't answer exactly this way, but I said something on the lines of, "How do you think I'm able to do this in 30 minutes?" I've heard it tossed around that the world of commerce and its associated cost(s) factor in three things: time, quality, and cost. You can only choose two. I certainly think that holds at least some truth here and in my example.

Now, I'm not saying it's impossible, or how difficult making a $100 skid plate would be. I would just question if the end design of it would truly be worthy of calling it a SKID (by definition) plate for a 600lb P-twin beast, or if you would be relegated to riding at night so others don't see how god awful ugly it looks.

Depending on your riding style or luck (or both?), you might find that a used OEM aluminum gravel guard in the flea bay here can do the job you want within your price constraints.

Something like this, perhaps?
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=11840.0

At any rate, give what you've got in mind a go if you've got the time, energy, and patience. The world wouldn't be where it is today if nobody ever tried. ::008::

 

[Checkswrecks]

Tabasco did and now sells them. Yes, they cost well more than $100.


While I do enjoy making stuff, I also agree that unless you really know what you are doing, saving a few bucks up front can cost a LOT more later. The skid plate is a great example. It's hard to design a mount which does not attach to the Tenere engine. There have been a number of people with the OEM plate, which does just that, who have put a hole in their sump and lost all the oil.


So while you save one or two hundred, think about how much that damage could cost.

 

[2112]

I am curious if anyone has attempted to fabricate their own skid plate. I am considering having a go at it. Just cant bring myself to pay $300+ for one. I should be able to make one for less than $100.

I don't know if you would be able to fabricate a skid plate for $100, but if you've got the time & patience have a go ! There's nothing like a bit of home brewed engineering. At the end of the day it may look iffy or it may look great, but at least you'll have had a go ::008::

 

[TimLaw]

Tabasco did and now sells them. Yes, they cost well more than $100.


While I do enjoy making stuff, I also agree that unless you really know what you are doing, saving a few bucks up front can cost a LOT more later. The skid plate is a great example. It's hard to design a mount which does not attach to the Tenere engine. There have been a number of people with the OEM plate, which does just that, who have put a hole in their sump and lost all the oil.


So while you save one or two hundred, think about how much that damage could cost.

Well said. This is an area where it's justified to spend the extra money. The top two plates in my book based on my riding style is the ACD and then the Altrider plate. I just bought the ACD and yes it was over 3 bills and worth every penny.

 

[wtwill]

Thank you all for your input and advice. I have successfully fabricated many things out of steel. I make custom furniture on the side. However I usually make it up as I go along. And I have little experience working with aluminum. Making a skid plate that is actually functional and aesthetically pleasing is a different animal. I will probably end up going the ACD route.

 

[toemoss]

I've been an aerospace welder for 35yrs and bought an ACD then modified it a little, they don't wrap their welds which is where cracks will propagate from. I built a plate for my kids WR 250 F and it took more than an hour that's for sure, unless you have access to a press brake a good welder and a notcher or plasma cutter just buy one.

 

[~TABASCO~]

I'm working on another one of my creations and will probably end up with 100 + hours in it.. .. It will cost just a touch over a $100..

 

[snakebitten]

I'm working on another one of my creations and will probably end up with 100 + hours in it.. .. It will cost just a touch over a $100..

promise? lol

 

[fredz43]

I'm working on another one of my creations and will probably end up with 100 + hours in it.. .. It will cost just a touch over a $100..

I'll take 2!

 

[gaps]

here ya go ::025::

http://www.heritage-homeandgarden.co.uk/sparko-a001-coal-shovel-pi-4214.html

 

[snakebitten]

I know Jaxon's fabrication skills vs his typing skills.

Gotta be missing a zero. At least one. ;D

 

[JackN]

I am curious if anyone has attempted to fabricate their own skid plate. I am considering having a go at it. Just cant bring myself to pay $300+ for one. I should be able to make one for less than $100.

If your goal is to try and save some money for yourself, building your own isn't likely to save you much if any, especially on your first try.
If the goal is to spend some quality time in the shop enjoying the process of designing and fabricating a unique piece for your bike, then what are you waiting for? Haha.

 

[motoguy]

I am curious if anyone has attempted to fabricate their own skid plate. I am considering having a go at it. Just cant bring myself to pay $300+ for one. I should be able to make one for less than $100.

I know where you're coming from, I Now work for our local highway dept. We get a lot of aluminum signs to be replaced leaving the old ones for scrap. I got my hands on a couple and went to work. After about 10 hours and breaking my shears I gave up. Not sure what alloy they are made of but they are tough. Long story short, unless pride is the soul purpus it's more fun to ride than to work on the bike.
I ended up buying the mastech skid plate http://www.mastechnousa.com/kawasaki-versys-650/duo-tone-skid-plate-kawasaki-versys-650
It's nothing like the quality that TOBASCO has but then again it depends on how you ride.

 

[Ramseybella]

I'm working on another one of my creations and will probably end up with 100 + hours in it.. .. It will cost just a touch over a $100..

I am a cheap bastard I wondered why I have been waiting!!
I think I know now, I got $200.00 for a prototype.. ::024::