Skid Plate Questions

SuckSqueezeBangBlow

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I have narrowed by new bike choice down to 3 bikes, the Tenere, 1200 Tiger and the KTM 1290 but looks like I will probably go with the Tenere for a couple of reasons, price and reliability. I prefer the shaft drive so that takes out the KTM (plus the side bags are terrible) and I figure I could get the Tenere with a bunch of stuff and still be less than the Triumph, that being said I did ride the Triumph and really liked it.
My riding buddy and I are planning on doing some passes in CO next year, Boreas, Marshall, Independence as well as Pikes Peak and maybe the TransMass BDR, the year after that we are hoping for Alaska and Tuk and maybe Hatfield/McCoy. I am an average off road rider and I am sure the Tenere is more capable than I am but from all of my reading I am a bit worried about the Skid Plate so I want to make sure I have something better than the factory plastic one. I have narrowed it down to the Hepco and Becker and RideOnAdv. I looked at the ACD but it doesn't look like it covers the side but not sure about that. Also I would prefer to get the matching upper and lower crash bars so I want to make sure everything will fit if I mix the H and B bars with the RideOnAdv plate. I would prefer it if I could buy direct in Canada, which would be the H and B, but if I have to have it shipped to the US it would not be the end of the world, just an inconvenience that I would rather avoid. If I have it shipped direct the duties and fees would be something I really wanted to avoid as I would be hundreds of dollars.
For those that have done those routes can I get away with doing the H and B or should I go for the RideOnAdv (I like the way it attaches to the frame instead of the engine). Anything else I am missing?

Thanks...
 

bnschroder

2014 Super Tenere ES
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I can warmly recommend the H-B setup. Mine took a beating over Engineer, Cinnamon, Ophir and Tin Cup this Summer, and did it's job well. I needed to bend one bracket back in shape afterwards and hammer the skidplate also straight, but everything else was protected. The quality is excellent and the aluminum pretty thick.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
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Gave my Ravetech plate a beating last week in Oregon. Seems to have taken all the abuse in stride. Hate to think what my sump would have looked like without it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
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Remember that Tabasco IS the guy who makes and sells the adv/advrideon.com plates.

As for the ACD, it's pretty bullet-proof and a lot of us have one. They've been everywhere you mentioned.
 

merchant

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I can personally testify that the rideonadv skid plate is one heck of a vault for your motor. My Tenere has bashed baby heads in CO and bounced off rocks in AR, and the motor came through all without a scratch. I used to run AltRider. Once it gets sprung from a few dings, it is tough to remount it after dropping it for an oil change. With Tabasco's plate, no need to drop the plate to change the oil. And I believe Tabasco's is the only one that 100% ties only to the frame. It does not tie into engine mounts like so many others.
 
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magic

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I have the Hepco Becker skid plate with Altrider crash bars, uppers and lowers. Everything fits up nicely. The HB skid plate is easy to remove for oil changes and the crash bars are not a problem for routine maintenance like battery removal. If I were to do it again, I would take a long hard look at the whole Rumbux setup.
 

NewAdvRider

25 years road experience, looking to add some dirt
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I'm pretty happy with my Rumbux setup so far. It's (Its?) taken a few dirt smashes, but no big rock hits yet and it hasn't been on it's side yet (probably this weekend though).

I have both the skid and the upper (actually I think they call it 3 part: skid plate, skid 'cage' and uppers). Of course they tie-in and look great together! Installation took about 2 hours.
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
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Full disclosure, I am the Rumbux importer. The Full Spec kit is upper crash bars, lower bash frame, (engine cage) and skid plate. It's the only integrated system of crash protection/skid plate where it's all frame mounted and the skid plate is mounted to the Rumbux frame, not the engine. Upper bars and engine cage are bolted to each other as well as to the frame. I have some un-sold kits coming in mid to late Sept.

Link to the vendor thread on this forum:
LINK

You can go back in that thread to see many pictures and comments/questions.

Also full disclosure, the Ride On ADV Vault is hands down the toughest skid plate out there. Costs about the same as the Rumbux full spec system.
 

SuckSqueezeBangBlow

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Full disclosure, I am the Rumbux importer. The Full Spec kit is upper crash bars, lower bash frame, (engine cage) and skid plate. It's the only integrated system of crash protection/skid plate where it's all frame mounted and the skid plate is mounted to the Rumbux frame, not the engine. Upper bars and engine cage are bolted to each other as well as to the frame. I have some un-sold kits coming in mid to late Sept.

Link to the vendor thread on this forum:
LINK

You can go back in that thread to see many pictures and comments/questions.

Also full disclosure, the Ride On ADV Vault is hands down the toughest skid plate out there. Costs about the same as the Rumbux full spec system.
Thanks for the full disclosure! I will send you a PM if I can figure out how to do it.
 

~TABASCO~

RIDE ON ADV is what I do !
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I can personally testify that the rideonadv skid plate is one heck of a vault for your motor. My Tenere has bashed baby heads in CO and bounced off rocks in AR, and the motor came through all without a scratch. I used to run AltRider. Once it gets sprung from a few dings, it is touch to remount it after dropping it for an oil change. With Tabasco's plate, no need to drop the plate to change the oil. And I believe Tabasco's is the only one that 100% ties only to the frame. It does not tie into engine mounts like so many others.


This was interesting. A customer said he ran off the road at 70+ MPH out in the desert. He went on to say, he wanted to let me know the engine was 100% protected and was so impressed that it took this hit and impact and there was no damage to the engine. The rest of the bike was heavily damaged. He had the Ride On 'Vault' installed.
 

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SuckSqueezeBangBlow

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This was interesting. A customer said he ran off the road at 70+ MPH out in the desert. He went on to say, he wanted to let me know the engine was 100% protected and was so impressed that it took this hit and impact and there was no damage to the engine. The rest of the bike was heavily damaged. He had the Ride On 'Vault' installed.
Man that bike looks to be in rough shape, glad he was OK.
 

Panman

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The ACD skid plate came on my 14, looks rugged but also looks to be a pain in the butt to get off to do a oil change.
 

DamMechanic

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Lewis County, WA.
I have the Hepco Becker and would buy it again! Has some nice flat spots on each side to mount some highway pegs also. I wacked it a few times on the IBDR this summer so it has a few dents. But for me it’s flexible enough so you don’t tear the mounts off either.
 

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SuckSqueezeBangBlow

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Whitby, Ontario
I have the Hepco Becker and would buy it again! Has some nice flat spots on each side to mount some highway pegs also. I wacked it a few times on the IBDR this summer so it has a few dents. But for me it’s flexible enough so you don’t tear the mounts off either.
Good endorsement, very neat how you added the highway pegs too...
 

brianhen

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Winnipeg, Manitoba
Good endorsement, very neat how you added the highway pegs too...
For the original poster regarding crash bars and skid plate, I wanted to share my experience with a company in Poland for crash bars... HEED. They are very well made and shipping to Canada was reasonable.. I'm in Winnipeg. The skid plate I went with was Ravetech out of Tialand it is super well built and easy to remove for oil changes... It did take about 6 weeks to get delivered to Winnipeg but at mid $200 it was worth the wait.. I highly recommend the ravetech... I been across the Translab highway and to tuktoyaktuk both worked excellent
 
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