Plastic vs aluminum skid plate

[Cdiddy86]

Just got a new ktm 450 xcw. Always had aluminum skid plates in the past. The plastic ones look a lot better of recent. Anyone have any experiences with new plastic skid plates in rocky riding areas?

[The Inquisitor]

Me on a crf250r and my buddy on a 250x have both been running an acerbic plastic for a couple of years. Was always a little worried since our bikes have really exposed water pumps (right side) and oil filters/magneto covers (left side).

Pros....

- easy to take on/off (one screw) to do oil changes

- seems to slide nicely over logs.

- held up pretty well. got some huge gouges but never a crack or break.

We've been progressively riding tighter, nastier (super rocky) single track in fairly remote area's. my bud recently crack his magneto cover badly (long story).

We both just bought aluminum ones.

I think having a plastic one may have effected slightly how I approached a trail or section but I know feel I have one less thing to think about and just give it.

[not_again]

There are different types of plastic skidplate material. The expensive ones are HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and are in many ways superior to aluminum.

 

The allow the frame to flex as it was engineered to do, slides over rocks instead of hanging up like aluminum, it's about half the weight and is much quieter.

 

I have the Moose Pro and at $160 it's almost twice as expensive as an aluminum plate but has held up great for the two years of hard enduro-type riding I have done with it. I splat at least a few big rocks every time I ride.

 

Think of it this way: way back when they used to make hardhats out of aluminum. Now they are made from HDPE.

[MXWarrior323]

I use a carbon fiber Universal skid plate. Love it! Would never go back to aluminum!

[nickbaldwin86]

I have the Acerbis skid and have no issues with it, I have put it through the ringer a few times and it holds up to everything, rock, sticks etc

 

 i wouldn't ever run a alum skid.  I had one on my last KTM and it was very loud if you hit it, the plastic is much softer

Edited August 26, 2014 by nickbaldwin86

[The10T]

I will never run an aluminum plate again compared to the poly that came on my KTM anything out of aluminum blows.  For one the ploy plates are made out of the same poly that whitewater kayaks are made out of, not the cheap plastic that body plastics are.  And I can tell you from experience, a whitewater kayak will take more direct hits to rocks in one class V run than a dirt bike will in several lifetimes.  So get a poly plate you will not be disappointed. 

[sonobob]

I have received excellent protection from my LightSpeed carbon fiber skid plate in the woods.  It has taken many hard hits from rocks the size of golf balls to bowling balls and has never allowed any damage to my engine or frame.  Something to consider.

[c-slak]

I run a Hyde plastic.  I used to run an aluminum and it made the frame noticeably stiffer feeling.  It was also much louder. 

[The Inquisitor]

I haven't really noticed it stiffing my frame.

I ran some sticky back foam on both frame rails.

This is some of the rocks I deal with. Me but not my bike

[Cdiddy86]

Those are some serious rocks!! Il have to check out plastic as a serious option

[cmarguccio24]

I also ride in rocky places but definatley invest to an aluminum skid plate. It takes awhile to get them on and off but better then goin through side cases and plastic skid plates

[The Inquisitor]

Those are some serious rocks!! Il have to check out plastic as a serious option

I not putting down plastic/carbon fiber but the bike in the pic does have an aluminum plate.

And the rocks in the pic were the bike is some of the smaller ones ?

[Cdiddy86]

I gotcha I ended up ordering the tm design skid plate. Figured I would give it a try

[pre-mixed]

I just got a TM Designs in the mail yesterday and it looks like it is going to be great.

[humpness]

Any thing other than aluminum is for people that don't have rocks. A stob will rip one off. A good skid place for the ktm is a hard thing to find. I destroyed hyde skids and flatlands aluminum. The best one I found was a scorpion racing plate. What ever you get make sure it's on super tight.

[pre-mixed]

Here are a few pictures of my new TMD I am pretty happy with how it fits and looks

[SpunBearing]

Just last weeked my mysteriously ended up upside down on a hill.

 

The right side case protector/skid plate augered in to the ground and I had a bunch of dirt in there that it scooped up as my bike slid down the hill a bit.

 

I wonder how a plastic and/or carbon fiber plate would've handled that.

 

That's a serious thought, not a slam.