RadGuard - Radiator Protection

I reckon that fitting some sort of radiator guard to any water cooled bike is very important. Obviously this is something people with an air cooled Bandit need not worry about (same as my old GS500F).

Getting a hole in your radiator will not only ruin your day and leave you stranded but it will cost heaps if it needs replacing. I fitted a RadGuard to my bike and I'm really happy with the effectiveness and the look. It's a really strong cover that shouldn't affect air flow too much. It's not the cheapest product but considering the km's I do I think it's worth it in the long run.





Check them out at www.radguard.com.au

I got mine from Rated R Parts through eBay. Very happy with it. Thought the RadGuards looked a bit chunky but each to their own. Mine has saved me $1000 once


Bike was 6 months old here

2wheelsagain wrote:I got mine from Rated R Parts through eBay. Very happy with it. Thought the RadGuards looked a bit chunky but each to their own. Mine has saved me $1000 once

It's hard to believe that there would not some impact on airflow through the radiator with the Radguard...I'll search for that 'Rated R Parts' one

There is probably some impact on airflow, but I don't think it would be enough to cause a problem. The angle of the photo exagerates the look somewhat...

I've had one of the older style radguards on my bandit since before xmas last year.

this is what happened today after being a bit silly and doing a hard stop at less than 10 kph in my carport


the end result after trying everything i could to 'undo' the problem without breaking anything (hint - i failed )




so now i've gota either replace the guard or reshape it (reshape is prolly guna happen as it's cheeper) and i will probably be looking for another style of guard similar to what sloth has. there are some others that i like also.

Ouch
I dont think mine contacts at full compression but I guess I have never checked either.
Might be time for a new CF front guard

I've done some surfing and found 1 or 2 references to cox guards in the US and the fact that they make a rad guard for non abs and abs bikes. they also say that non abs rad guards should be fitted to abs bikes as there is a clearence inssue

i wonder if the fenders on abs bikes are different to non abs bikes or if it something else.

while i've got the fender off today i'm guna do a bit of looking


on the fixing front.

i'm trying to make up a fender extender type thing out of fiberglass.
my intention is to reshape the fender so it looks neat then attache the fender extender i make (if it looks ok-it's my first go at making something with fiberglass) in the thought that as the fork compress the fender might touch and rub on the radguard but not catch on it as it's too long.

i'll put pics up when i finish and hopefully it will make sence.

cheers

I have now stuffed two (yes, 2) front guards by braking too hard on the downhill run to my gate.

I intend on plastic welding the broken bit back in, cleaning it al up and fitting an extenda-fenda. Hopefully, that will fix the issue.

I need to look at the cox guards site, tho'...

2wheelsagain wrote:I got mine from Rated R Parts through eBay. Very happy with it. Thought the RadGuards looked a bit chunky but each to their own. Mine has saved me $1000 once


Bike was 6 months old here

You just cant beat a black bike, my 2005 was black, my 2009 is blue, wish black was still available, and apparently radiators are really expensive, I bought a titanium (colour) Cox engineering gaurd, around $130

Dmaxhall wrote:I have now stuffed two (yes, 2) front guards by braking too hard on the downhill run to my gate.

I intend on plastic welding the broken bit back in, cleaning it al up and fitting an extenda-fenda. Hopefully, that will fix the issue.

I need to look at the cox guards site, tho'...

not so sure aobut the cox guards having seen them on their website. They look to ahve a similar design to the radguard one.
not saying they would be better or worse, just saying they look the same which might cause the problem to happen anyways

i've reshaped by fender and am still waiting for the extenda i made to finish hardening (I think i stuffed it, but i'll see tomorrow) i've slo put a slight bend in the radguard to have it sit ever so slightly closer to the radiator now.
i'm hopefull it won't happen again.

When I first bought the RadGuard, I emailed them to ask why the Bandit one is a different style to all their other radguards. They said they came up with the new design due to clearance issues on the other style.

The one I have is supposed to clear the front guard under heavy breaking (non-ABS).

Hi! I have a Cox radiator guard and an Extenda fender, both items in stock from AMC in Qld.
Great service and very fast delivery. I got their phone number of the web and rung them to order.

chrisbandit wrote:
You just cant beat a black bike, my 2005 was black, my 2009 is blue, wish black was still available, and apparently radiators are really expensive, I bought a titanium (colour) Cox engineering gaurd, around $130

Thanks mate. That photo was after a wash on completing a run over Mt Hotham and back. Still looks almost as good with 15,000km on it.

My last bike was British Racing Green and looked good after a wash too.

dhula wrote:

Mate how far are the forks compressed in this pic? It looks much closer than I can manage I think but I cant really check until my son visits.

never seen anything like that before.
Ive got the radguard on mine. Looks good.

Well I've fixed the front fender


The fender extenda that I tried to make - well didn't make it. It was my first go at trying to mold something in fiberglass so I'm not cheesed it didn't work as now I know a bit more.

Anyways, I recon I mihgt jsut leave well enough alone as the front fender looks OK now and hopefully clears the radguard.



I got a call form Paul (at radguard) today. He offered to take the old guards back and replace them with the newer style. He mentioned that a few people ahve called about the problem hence the new design (as sloth said). He also said that those that really wanted to keep the current design guards where chopping about 50mm off the front fender (like I have done) and not had another problem.

I'm not so sure on the new design any more as I really like the current design as IMO it gives better protection compared to the new one and definitely better air flow. As I've seen engine temps above 100 degrees this is important to me.

I may end up staying with the current radguard and do a front fender chop on the wifes GSX650F just to be on the safe side.

2wheelsagain wrote:

dhula wrote:

Mate how far are the forks compressed in this pic? It looks much closer than I can manage I think but I cant really check until my son visits.

couldn't tell you. I never measured it.
All it took to happen was travelling at about 10kph (1st gear idle) into my carport and doing a stoppie. The front compressed and this was the result.
I have my fork preload set to 7 turns out and I wasn't leaning over the fornt end when it happened.

I fitted the Cox Racing guard to my ABS model. Only issue was there is a brake junction component just above the radiator. Pipes go back to the ABS servo under the battery. I got a hacksaw and cut a small piece out. Bit of filing and all smooth out. It was way cheaper than any other radiator guard I saw at the time (August last year). I am unsure how effective it is as I cannot recall anything hitting up there. In any case as I also have purchased the full lower fairing from overseas (genuine Suzuki fairing) you really cannot see the guard and all the other "plumbing" that is on display. So from an asthetic viewpoint I really dont care what it looks like - only that it protects the radiator, which to date it has.

Davo

Sloth_27 wrote:When I first bought the RadGuard, I emailed them to ask why the Bandit one is a different style to all their other radguards. They said they came up with the new design due to clearance issues on the other style.

The one I have is supposed to clear the front guard under heavy breaking (non-ABS).

I know about the clearence issue as it was my 1250 that bought it to my and Radguard's attention, if anyone has the older style one Radguard will exchange it, excellent people to deal with.

Dink

It was asked before if the new radguard effects air flow due to the new design.
I didnt think so at first. But the more ive riden it, it seems like the fan runs alot of the time. Im sure its no probem, and radguard would have tested it for air flow issues.
Does the fan run alot of the time on bandits that have different radiator guards fitted?

I fitted Radguard about 3 weeks ago and can definitely say I've noticed an increased fan activity. It doesn't particularly bother me, but it was enough for me to check coolant level and noticed it was a bit below the lower mark. I'll just keep a check on the coolant level now and then, I prefer to keep the Radguard (or something) there.

Baz wrote:I fitted Radguard about 3 weeks ago and can definitely say I've noticed an increased fan activity. It doesn't particularly bother me, but it was enough for me to check coolant level and noticed it was a bit below the lower mark. I'll just keep a check on the coolant level now and then, I prefer to keep the Radguard (or something) there.

I put about 300ml of coolant in at about 500km and have not had to touch it since

Service is due next week, so ill check the coolant then.
The fan doesnt bother me either...its just that i noticed it. And i wasnt sure if ut was normal, because i hadnt riden her without the guard on.

I havent noticed any increase in fan activity on my 1250, since fitting the "second generation" Radguard.

Dink

I made my own from a sheet of general purpose mesh from auto-one and some pinchweld from clark rubber. Picked Blue mesh.....was a bit lighter blue on the bike than i thought it would be, but so what.

anyway its obviously not as heavy duty as the radguard but it looks like it will keep rocks out. spence has seen it and says the colour is ok but i think if i was doing it again i would get black
[although its a bit different!]