Metal Pipe Guard - HOW TO BEND/MOUNT??

[jayc250x]

I bought a pipe guard for my CR125 to help withstand the New England granite that I so often like to hit. My GasGas 125 has a carbon-fiber guard, and the last time I had a tipover into a rock, the rock punched through the guard like so much tissue paper. I decided that a metal guard was the way to go, and I choose a Moose "Pipe Armor" guard.

http://shop.thumpertalk.com/catalogs/Parts_Unlimited_Offroad_2007/default.asp?p=519

It's beefy - made from aluminum 1/8" stock (which is only 1/32" thinner than the Moose skid plate I got for the same bike), which leads to my problem. I CAN'T BEND THE THING!! The guard is pre-bent cylindrically, which makes it even stiffer longitudally - but the thing has to be bent into a compound 'U' to go around the pipe. I spent a few seconds beating it with a hammer with absolutely no effect.

HOW DOES ONE MOUNT THESE THINGS???

JayC

[todthebod]

i have one similiar to that but I don't think it's as thick because I was able to bend mine. Do you think you could put one end on and heat it up some with a brazing torch and pull it in with the clamps?

[jayc250x]

i have one similiar to that but I don't think it's as thick because I was able to bend mine. Do you think you could put one end on and heat it up some with a brazing torch and pull it in with the clamps?

Aluminum doesn't necessarily react well to heat/bend treatment. Besides, I think if you tried to pull it around with the clamps, either the straps would break, the pipe would collapse, or both, LONG before the guard bent.

JayC

[gxdragon]

A friend told me it took two people to put it in a vice and beat on it with a hammer to bend one to fit... And he's not a small guy.

[XR650L_Dave]

Aluminum doesn't necessarily react well to heat/bend treatment. Besides, I think if you tried to pull it around with the clamps, either the straps would break, the pipe would collapse, or both, LONG before the guard bent.

JayC

Anneal that bad boy, the previous bending probably work-hardened it.

Dave

[jayc250x]

Anneal that bad boy, the previous bending probably work-hardened it.

Dave

I think I hear an echo...

JayC

[XR650L_Dave]

I think I hear an echo...

JayC

echo...

Dave