Bulletproof skidplate for 990!

Received my new skidplate from Weld86 the other day and installed it with no problems. Charlie is selling them in Vendors - he built one for himself and a friend and a dozen more to recoup material costs, (edit: I think he is now in full production, the dozen was an initial run). Here is the link:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=647689&referrerid=129859

Lots of good pix there so I won't add mine here.
I am very impressed with his work and the welds are things of beauty. They are made of tough alloy (5052? Cannot recall...) 1/4" plate. If you hit this hard enough to bend it you may be more concerned with your ER bill than your sump. Makes many of the other brands look like something you would wrap candy in.

Charlie was doing a deal with throwing in a sidestand relocator that appears to be very strong too (haven't installed it to say for sure, but apparently made of the same material).

My only association with Charlie is as a very satisfied customer.

Man !!!
I just wished he made that same Skid Plate for my 950 Super Enduro

I love that Natural Aluminum . . . . . . . especially in 1/4" Thick :eek1

+1

Mine should be here any day. I'll be replacing the TouraTech that's
on my 990 now. This one looks bomb proof.
I've also got the side stand support he makes.
I'm planning on spraying mine with pickup bed coating, don't
really like the silver.
Max

bed liner is STICKY stuff... so if you do any "bashing" over rocks etc... the bike will not glide over them, it will stop or at least slow down. And if you get high centered on something it will take more effort to get the bike through/over it. Just sayin...

you can put some WAX on the belly, to make sure you slide and glide before each ride)))))))

Well maybe,in the tech single track your riding you 950 in
I'll be sure not to bed line my KTM 300's skid plate but it's carbon
anyway.
My TT plate which is being replaced has around 100,000 mi. of
use on LC8's and I have yet to be hung up on any rocks.
With the Dupli Color pickup bed liner spray I use, one can control
the texture achieved by the distance the can is held from the parts
being sprayed. I also find that by clear coating over the bed liner a
glossier look can be had.
I've done many parts this way and have had good results,
Skid plates, side panels, crash bars, the engine protection
plate on my Ducati MTS 1200s, foot peg hangers, the frame
on my KTM 300 was just finished with this method and looks and
works fine.

Twist it, Max

Hope you post up a pic or two Max when you get to it. I have used bedliner with good success as well.

Mine has shipped and I will have to mount it and, with the help of a few tasty ales, give it a look from several artistic angles as to whether it will look best raw and naked or with a coating of liner.

good ideas Max... I'm seeing what you are saying... should work nicely if its smooth/er. The plate that is on the 950 now has seen its share of use, thinking of fitting a new/er one soon. Might just give the Dupi color and clear coat trick a try

Aluminum plates are soft anyway no matter what.
That's why I run carbon composite ( Eline ) on the
bikes I ride technical trails with, 300exc, 525 exc.

Twist it, Max

Those skid plates are awesome...albeit a little heavy. 8lbs I think. Still...whats a couple of extra pounds for something that can stop a bullet...

I can see this thread dissolving into a discussion about which firearms could punch a hole in the plate and which couldn't, all because of my poor choice of adjectives. The laborers/machine operators I used to work with in underground mines in Australia were known as "feds" and a common saying was "You can make something foolproof but you can't make it fed-proof"...maybe that would have been a better choice...

To get back off that tangent, if you are going to carry a little extra protection, below the belt is a better place than most...

So, rubber bedliner coating slides over things better than bare aluminium? Wait, glossy rubber bedliner slides over things better than bare aluminium? Hmmm, gosh, I guess I dont have to skin my guard in kydex, Ill just spray on rubber. Are'nt tires made of rubber? Just sayin'

You missed the point, I use the bed liner to make my skid plates
black not to make them slid over rocks easier. The clear coat adds
a glossier sheen to it, which I like, it looks great on the belly pan
of my Ducati MTS 1200.
The other point was , those of us who ride lots of tech single track
have learned that the ali plates are soft and really don't slide that
well over rocks and many of us have switched to carbon or the new
plastic plates available for that reason.

Twist it, MAX

PM sent

Hi Guys, Thank you for the great response and kind words.
At the moment I am sold out. I am starting another batch as the response has been great. I'm expecting the next batch in about 3 weeks. If you would like to prepay. I will hold the 250.00 price for you. Shipping will be 25.00. There will be a price increase on the next batches.

Thanks again, Charlie

Charlie,
Any thoughts on an added toolbox on the front or one on each side? If weight down low is good, even more is better, right?

...I would just make them bolt-on, simple and no lids/latches required. Space for tubes, tar arns, prohibited substances...whatever...
Any other takers? I wouldn't expect you to fab something without some demand.

Got the plate it's beefy, a bit heavier that the TT it replaces, but not by much.
Took out the 44mag. and ventilated it a bit.
Actually I used a step bit.
Rattle canned some bed liner and a coat of clear on it,
and thar she blows mates







Twist it, Max

that looks sweet Max

can't wait to get mine