Africa Twin Farkle Fest with Pictures

"Only Bikes" from Italy. Not tested, but really sturdy and has great coverage. They have both, the manual and the DCT versions. Good that you were able to fix it and keep going.

I saw that before I got mine, really wanted it, but molto costoso.

B and b makes this which is excellent coverage, but I'm not sure if they work with the sw motech bars.

I also wanted that one, but they were not selling it yet at the time.

I've been running the Bumot plate for two years- excellent protection that easily takes the place of lower bars

+1 on the Bumot.

I run it in conjunction with the Heed upper crash bars. Provides pretty thorough protection.

Something to consider even if you have a good skid plate and bars:
https://www.trailjammerdesigns.com/honda-afric-twin-guards

I have bein looking at that. I ended up putting a hole in mine a couple of weeks ago. But in the spot that doesn't protect.

SW Motech makes a good bash plate
Camel ADV footpeg brace is good to add - before you break off your right peg.

https://ruggedroads.co.uk/epages/00...c-407e-8207-580e14387ec5/Products/08P77MJPG51
Im using this, its very light <1kg and give good protection.
I ordered in my local honda dealer

I looked at CF plates and expected someone would do a poly-plate eventually. It wont take the place of lower crash bars but will probably hold up to more abuse than the stock aluminum plate

Went with the BDCW approach.
Anymore and I really, really am throwing money away.

Thanks for choosing one of our skid plates and lower bars! It looks like you're properly ready for a little adventure, rocks, and dirt now.

-Black Dog Cycle Works
www.blackdogcw.com

If you were in doubt that the AT is Japanese -- try adjusting the rear preload .... I've had to ride by the local hospitals neonatal department to ask whether they had new-born dwarfs that could give me a hand

I've got the SW Motech skid plate, and I used to run the SW Motech crashbars, but like you, I sustained case damage on rock/gravel nap. I removed the SWM crashbars and put on the full Altrider crash bar set, and modified the SW Motech skid plate to fit (angle grinder).
After several drops, the Altrider bars are doing their job very well. No further damage, and the bars haven't deformed thus far.

The SW Motech bars are just fine for dropping your bike on tarmac, but as soon as there's uneven ground and protruding rocks, the engine is vulnerable.

What is your sag?

I'm scratching my head here setting the read preload. Following this advice: advpulse

Even with max preload (full clockwise), I'm getting ~8cm (~3.1 in) loaded sag when I sit on the bike -- i.e the difference from extended sag on the center stand to loaded sag (measured from the read axle nut to a point on my pannier frame).

I.e I cannot get the recommended sag of 1/3 the total spring travel of 6.6cm (~2.6in).

The weight of the bike alone (balanced upright, off the side stand) it sags about 5cm (~2in).

I'm not an Italian sized boy, but I'm not that chubby (105kg = ~230lb) ... am I?

Does that sound right to you? Does your AT sag 2 inches from its own weight alone, with max preload?

Found the same on my bike.Springs are pretty much a joke on this bike.put a a 10.4 or 10.6 kg on back and .72 or .82 in fork.Springs in fork also progressive but they are way to soft in beginning of travel.

Exact same thing.

Sounds right. I'm 165lb geared up and need ~25 of the 32 clicks to get proper sag.
You need a stiffer spring on the shock - but be careful because the stock shock has pretty weak rebound control.
I had a local shop re-value my shock and it made a good improvement.
Had 0.75 fork springs installed and the forks re-valved too. Another good improvement.

Might be worth the effort - I'll look around for shop to do it, but I'm not hopeful I'll find one here in little Denmark...

(btw - I know it's 'rear' and not 'read' in my original post)