Hi

I've got an Aprilia Pegaso i'm planning on riding from Sydney - London. It comes fitted with a plastic sump guard, which I'm guessing is completely useless.

Not that I've managed to find one, but how important do you think it is to find myself an alloy sump guard? If I fit the crash bars, do you think I can get away without changing the sump guard? The bikes not really designed for proper off road stuff, so guessing i'm not going to be riding on anything too serious, although thinking/hoping there may be some.

Aprilia make a carbon fibre one, but from my experience of sailing and carbon fibre masts, it can snap/shatter - do you think the same would be true of this? Its bloody expensive too!!

Any advice much appreciated!!

J

plastic sump guards are usually a waste of time and only look good! personally i'd change it for an alloy one. you wont get away with it by fitting engine bars as they both do different jobs.
sump guard- to protect engine casing's from stones flying off the front wheel
engine bars- to protect bike when it's sliding down the road/ you drop it
if you cant find an alloy guard look around local metal workers who work with aluminium and they'll make you one. as your planning a long trip it's best to be sure before setting off.

Take care with fabrications and "dresser" bars. The plastic guard might get destroyed but it hopefully won't rip lugs off the frame and will slow anything it doesn't stop. Good engine bars will protect the clutch cover and other bits that might leak oil, bad ones will break and cause the puncture themselves! I've seen both a BMW and an Enfield that would have done better without the heavy armour turning to shrapnel!

It's a fine line and hard to gauge on less common bikes. I'd keep the plastic but maybe add the smallest possible bit of aluminium right where stuff that'll be flung by the front wheel will hit. If you can get engine bars that mount to at least two points on the frame and back on themselves go for it, if they are just butterfly bars that mount via clamps save your cash.

Where is the radiator? Chicken wire or perforated ally sheet can be useful and almost zero risk if the radiator is exposed.

Andy

Waste of money. The plastic one would be better than the carbon fibre one!

Get your self a 2mm thick al one. Look at how the plastic one is mounted, and look at how the bm F650GS one is mounted .. similar motors so you should find some similarities with the bash plate mountings... A good bash plate will help protect the sides too (clutch cover etc).

Thanks for the advice...

Will definitely go for the wire over the radiator, like that idea. H&B make crash bars, so will go for them and will keep searching for a decent aluminum one....i'd be happier if i had one that the plastic one i reckon.

Cheers

J