Installed the ALtRider Skid Plate yesterday. All told, a relatively easy install except that my fingers are challeneged to make some of the bolt-thru-washer-to-nut connections in the tight places. Now that it is done, I may have to practice a few times to get the alleged "...it only takes 5 minutes to remove the plate for the oil change" skills built up.
I received the plate with a few blemishes pre-installed (I guess that's pre-stressed; glad I didn't pay extra). The packaging was all good except for one corner of the included hardware wrap-up. It wore through and kinda gouged out a few marks on the inside. It'll be barely noticeable and I don't think I want to go through the hoops of sending for a replacement. One corner weld looked a bit sloppy, but the rest of the craftsmanship was very good. Brackets aligned perfectly on the bike, everything tightened up nicely. The instructions have a couple of cute glithches ("Remove and retain these bolts, you won't be using them later".) and one mis-step on right-vs-left on the final tighteneng sequence. I wish they'd revamp the instruction papers, the black-and-white using a dirty bike do make the pics hard to decipher.
There is a close clearance (also, as previously posted) between the leftmost point on the oil filter and a mounting bolt. I think it is too tight, but I also think that it would take quite a good push from just the right angle to bend things in that direction.
As with earlier posters, I had concenrs about the increased noise that mounting up a chunk of aluminum would bring, but it was surprisingly unnoticeable on my test ride. That saves me tearing it back off for a coat of bed liner or the like.
Nice out now so I'm heading out for some more shakedown. ::013::
Some dings and gouges on the inside due to a slip up in packaging. One of the brackets (the big one) kinda got free of its padding and carved it's initials on the inside of the plate. Either that or it's a message for help from someone off planet; can't really make it out.
