scorpion radiator guard - bent on 1st wreck?

[KGSloan]

Hey all,

I recently purchased a set of Scorpion racing radiator guards for the 2004 WR450 I'm learning to ride...well, on the first ride with them I had a little high side and the bike went over somewhat hard. The left guard bent in at the bottom toward the rear where this is no bracing. The scorpion guard just has a brace (about 1.5" thick) in the middle on the back side of the radiator, which means the top rear and bottom rear of the brace are weak on side impacts.

I've looked at the unabikers, but NOWHERE can I find a picture of what the backside bracing looks like. Does it just have a single brace in the middle like the scorpions? Will it be suseptable to bending in the same way? Really don't want to change and spend money if I won't be adding any additional protection...the scorpion guard did it's job, saved the radiator, so just wanting to make the best choice on my next set I will be ordering soon.

if anyone has a picture of the back side of the unabikers it would be very much appreciated.

thanks.

Kit

[SXP]

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=483340&highlight=unabiker

It's on an 07, but the basic construction is the same across all model lines.

[YamaLink]

Without getting off topic, I've tweaked radiators with several brands of braces. Just takes a little fall at the right angle. Then I spend hours looking at the brace wondering why it didn't do its job. The mfg will tell you it's a preventative measure, not a guarantee.

Good luck in your search for a new rad brace.

[ASternad]

I've Always had good luck with Bullet Proof Designs.

[Robert Baldwin]

KG: You concluded the best answer by yourself in that the guards did their job. I assume you rode the bike back and the fall didn't propagate failure to the radiator itself (?).

IOW: If they were so stiff that they did not bend, the failure may resulted in failure of the fasteners holding both the radiator and the guards on. If the design resulted in the radiator getting ripped off the bike completely, in my mind THAT would be a failure. ...or the faceplate of the guard to bend into the radiator (potential puncture); Also not a good result.

Enough energy concentrated in the right area could potentially have the same < or potentially worse > result (you experienced) on any guard.

Unless they are creased in a manner that work hardens the material, I see no reason in considering straightening and reinstalling them.

Let's work on the "not testing the guards" part.

[KGSloan]

KG: You concluded the best answer by yourself in that the guards did their job. I assume you rode the bike back and the fall didn't propagate failure to the radiator itself (?).

IOW: If they were so stiff that they did not bend, the failure may resulted in failure of the fasteners holding both the radiator and the guards on. If the design resulted in the radiator getting ripped off the bike completely, in my mind THAT would be a failure. ...or the faceplate of the guard to bend into the radiator (potential puncture); Also not a good result.

Enough energy concentrated in the right area could potentially have the same < or potentially worse > result (you experienced) on any guard.

Unless they are creased in a manner that work hardens the material, I see no reason in considering straightening and reinstalling them.

Let's work on the "not testing the guards" part.

thanks for you reply and input.

The guards did do their job, the radiator was fine. I did ride back, even though the stock handle bars (2004) were a mangled mess. The guards didn't really give all that much, and having some give (as i've read though searches here) is probably a good thing as I don't want to be ripping bolts out of my frame...

as for working on the "not testing the guards" part, I'm getting there. I put new bars on and rode two times over the weekend, with only setting the bike down a couple times. Being new to dirt, this was a HUGE sucess for me