Recommend NOT using a skidplate..

[Dirtboy52]

One of the leading MX magazines commented that adding a heavy aluminum skid plate to this bike was not worth it. They found the bike handling changed in a negative way if the frame rails were tied together from the skid plate. That bites. How can you protect the underside without affecting handling significantly? My skid plate saved my engine case for sure last week when I nailed a stump and bent the plate all the way to water pump. I'm afraid to take it off.

[the white stallion]

You know I read that too.You tell me cause I sure can't tell the differance.

Like you said,I would rather have a slight handeling flaw then have a tore up frame or a whole in my case.

[FreeStyleMx]

I woulden't say its a big deal. I have run skidplates on and off my bikes and noticed zero change in handling at all.

Just keep it on, we all need the protection on trails.

[Roger M]

One of the leading MX magazines commented that adding a heavy aluminum skid plate to this bike was not worth it. They found the bike handling changed in a negative way if the frame rails were tied together from the skid plate. That bites. How can you protect the underside without affecting handling significantly? My skid plate saved my engine case for sure last week when I nailed a stump and bent the plate all the way to water pump. I'm afraid to take it off.

I think they were speaking of the CRF450X, if the article in Dirt Rider was the one you're talking about. I can't tell any difference from having the plate on my 250 and I wouldn't want to be without it, but maybe ideally it should not be attached rigidly--like some kind of flex mount.

[Chickenhauler]

One of the leading MX magazines commented that adding a heavy aluminum skid plate to this bike was not worth it. They found the bike handling changed in a negative way if the frame rails were tied together from the skid plate. That bites. How can you protect the underside without affecting handling significantly? My skid plate saved my engine case for sure last week when I nailed a stump and bent the plate all the way to water pump. I'm afraid to take it off.

Sounds to me like maybe this magazine doesn't understand the damage that may occur from an unprotected case on rocks.

Who among us is that great of a rider to notice the difference??

A very finite number.

But I bet every one of us would notice a loss of power when all the oil is now lubricating one of natures finest rocks.

[TeamDad]

Reading stupid stuff in magazines will affect your ability to think clearly about simple subjects. Putting the magazine in the front seat of your truck will affect cornering due to the added weight. How about mud build-up? Is that also bad? Unless they are giving away engines, this is another example of a pack of retards with a word processor filling pages with more non-sense. IMHO!

[yofrankie]

+1 teamdad! Even if I couldtell the difference, I'd still use one due to the finite amount of $ in my bank account. I don't think we have bikes at our disposal and additionally, if we were "pro" riders, we all probably would not be riding the 250x.

[zish]

i didnt notice any handling diff..

but the noise.... that will take a lil to get used to..

skid plate reflects alot of noise back up to rider.... nothing major, just a lil louder/ different

[RedRockRider]

One of the leading MX magazines commented that adding a heavy aluminum skid plate to this bike was not worth it. They found the bike handling changed in a negative way if the frame rails were tied together from the skid plate. That bites. How can you protect the underside without affecting handling significantly? My skid plate saved my engine case for sure last week when I nailed a stump and bent the plate all the way to water pump. I'm afraid to take it off.

Allow me to take issue with what the author was attempting to do. The critical thinker in me believes the writer in this case was making a flamboyant statement. Does the author have empiracle evidence to suggest that they can feel 1-2mm in flex in the frame. I find the statements highly suspicious, and raucous. If a non-stiff frame was the objective of racers we would see titanium used in the construction of MX bikes. All the pro racers would be using Ti also. I believe the author is not a credible source of information and should be disregarded. Were there any citations of studies performed or was this an article based purely on the authors oppinion?

I don't think you will find many people posting in this forum that agree with the author's statements. I will agree that adding weight to a bike takes away from the bike's performance.

Regards,

TJ

[ULEWZ]

I would definately run a skid plate and do. Maybe on a track with no rocks you could get away with it. I even run acherbis for a tipover or fall. I bet those reduce handling also, but I don't care.

[zish]

i agree that adding wieght will not help.

but really heavy is your plate, i have a flatlander and it is about as heavy as the double 1/4 pounder i ate for lunch....? oh yea .. fries too

who knows where they get this stuff:confused: dont think a pound either way will kill you.. will get that much change just with fuel load/ tire condition

[Paul-P]

I also don't understand why they are making a big deal about it, we are using aluminum frames because they are more rigid then steel, so why are they complaning about the rigidness of the frame?

[armesto]

I'm sorry but I have to chime in. It doesn't take an engineer or the editor of a motocross magazine to realize that if you put a "brace" between two spars it it going to make things more rigid, like it, feel it, seat-of-the-pants it or not it is more rigid, and if I'm not mistaken that can be felt. I have a ridding buddy with enogh resources to build himself whatever bike he wants and what he did is buy an x and an r and put the x engine in the r because the frame is more rigid on the r. He can feel it I. On the other hand I only get to feel myself(oops) I can't tell the difference I think the magazine was providing info for us to decide. I wouldn't ride a bike with out one and since my a$$ isn't calibrated to feel the difference. I will continue to carry excessive dirt and rocks in my frame shovel until they come up with a different idea. Anybody remember the 97 cr250 that could be felt. I think that was the point. my .02

[maico450]

I'm sorry but I have to chime in. It doesn't take an engineer or the editor of a motocross magazine to realize that if you put a "brace" between two spars it it going to make things more rigid, like it, feel it, seat-of-the-pants it or not it is more rigid, and if I'm not mistaken that can be felt. I have a ridding buddy with enogh resources to build himself whatever bike he wants and what he did is buy an x and an r and put the x engine in the r because the frame is more rigid on the r. He can feel it I. On the other hand I only get to feel myself(oops) I can't tell the difference I think the magazine was providing info for us to decide. I wouldn't ride a bike with out one and since my a$$ isn't calibrated to feel the difference. I will continue to carry excessive dirt and rocks in my frame shovel until they come up with a different idea. Anybody remember the 97 cr250 that could be felt. I think that was the point. my .02

I'm sorry but I really have to chime in here.

Skid plates are lightweight aluminum sheetmetal that are generally clamped onto the frame. To suggest that adding a skidplate will adversely affect the handling of a bike is idiocy.

A skidplate is not mounted in any way that would affect the frame rigidity at all, and even if by chance it was, there is no human on earth who could tell the difference.

This is total BS and that authors editor should be fired for allowing such a ridiculous statement to make it to print.

[keviwa]

I have the Flatlands plate. When I first installed it I noticed a huge difference with the engine noise being reflected back up at me. I thought I forgot to put oil in the thing when I changed fluids. After making sure the oil was ok, I put some trail time in and tried to get used to the added sound. After a while, I noticed that the sound had gone away. Mud and grass had packed around it and muffled the sound. Went home and took the plate off. Installed some 1/8th inch thick X 1 inch wide foam tape, the type you use to seal a camper shell to the bead of your truck. The tape is sticky on one side so I just cut it to length and stuck it to the frame rails, reinstalled the plate and loctited the bolts. Works like a charm! No more buzzing reflected sound. The foam will also allow the frame to flex a bit. Like I could tell if it did or not!!!

[buddha43]

I got this from Hyde Racing, super strong, thight fit, and deadens engine noide considerable:thumbsup: , plus it super easy to remove and install.

[ThunderChicken]

Nice skidplate! I've tried Alu. on several bikes in the past. Nowadays, I only use plastic or carbon fiber. Not so much because of any notice to the way the bike handles but I don't like the way Alu. "melds" itself to your frame rails. Also, I don't like the way noise is reflected off of Alu.

Plus, I have yet to see Alu. skidplates not get in the way of oil changes. With plastic and carbon fiber, you just have to be ready to replace the plate more often.

[armesto]

I'm sorry but I really have to chime in here.

Skid plates are lightweight aluminum sheetmetal that are generally clamped onto the frame. To suggest that adding a skidplate will adversely affect the handling of a bike is idiocy.

A skidplate is not mounted in any way that would affect the frame rigidity at all, and even if by chance it was, there is no human on earth who could tell the difference.

This is total BS and that authors editor should be fired for allowing such a ridiculous statement to make it to print.

Then why have the honda aluminum frames become less rigid over the years, why is the x frame less rigid than the r. To say that YOU or I can't feel this things I agree but to say that somebody can't is (I like this) idiocy. Have you ever ridden an 85 xr 350 and then ridden any newer steel frame? can you say wallow and those are obvious extremes, but you CAN feel it. Will it make you crash ar loose 10 seconds around your local track nah. We are talking about feel.

[jpconard]

I read this just this morning in the mag. Very strange statement with basically nothing after to elaborate. The rest of the article was good and basically down to earth.

And unlike a poster above stated, Dirt Rider has smashed the bottom of some bikes in tests. I remember a 24 hr. or some test a while back where they tore up the motor in a WR or YZ.

I think it is a no-brainer, a skid plate is needed.

[G-Bone]

Interesting claim they make, to say the least.

But they are saying that any use of a metal skid plate that mounts to the frame by pulling the two lower frame spars together, is there by creating undue stress to those lower bars, and will effect the frame flex that has been engineered into the frame, therefore effecting the overall handling (if your a pro). And this is understandable and I can concur.

BUT....

I have a Flatland skid plate.

As it is mounted, it is not pulling the two lower frame bars together.

It is only pulling itself up to each bar individually (like many other plates).

Also, the aluminum plate is flexable and can follow any flex the frame may go thru. The other opposing point to there claim is the engine. How is the engine mounted into the frame? Does it not keep the frame from flexing too.

Bottom line (I think), is that it would have to be a .250" thick skid plate (min)and be welded to the frame in order to create any adverse handling.

They also claim that us folks on the internet are making the valve issue much more than it actually is on these X models. And if that held any truth, why has Honda made so many changes to their head design over the last few years.

Like all opinions (including this one), take it with a grain of salt. Don't change your life because of it.