Getting rid of front plastic frame covers

I’ve noticed on a lot of customised naked Bandits that owners have removed the triangular plastic shroud over the front piece of the frame. I like the way this looks, I think it improves the bikes lines and gives it a leaner appearance. however there’s a fair bit of unsightly wiring in the area that needs to be concealed/tidied up. I’ve noticed some bikes where owners seem to have filled the area with a section of expanding mesh or something similar. Has anyone here done that to good effect? I was thinking it would particularly neat if I fitted a mesh radiator guard then filled those sections with matching mesh. Thoughts?

matching mesh
just drill holes in it !
just joking. If you want it, do it.
On 1 of my G's, the PO had a stainless fetish - all stainless bolts, oil cooler guard and seperate side plates on cooler and riveted stainless mesh over similar plastic bits that you are thinking of.

I replaced a lot of my hardware on my last bike with stainless bolts, I do think it looks smart. But I reckon mesh would look better in the triangle bits. Radguard sell sheets of the same mesh they make their radiator guards out of so that’d be an easy way to get the matching set I figure.

I think i made alloy ones but a lot smaller ,so the fitted inside the tubes with a even gap going around . Mesh would need to go inside the frame so you dont see the jagged edge . Its actually the plastic that looks cheap .

Yeah I agree re the edges on mesh, my plan with it will be to bend the edges 90 degrees inwards which should look a lot tidier. I also figure I can then attach mounting brackets to that concealed edge that can be attacked to the stock mounting holes for the plastics, avoiding having the empty mounting points exposed.

Now i remember ,i made a alloy insert , cut out the centre  (so it was a frame ) and put mess behind it .Took a little time ,but i like playing with alloy. Mesh behind the frame would be easier . Most mesh has two ways you can use it ,angled up ,or down , down works best   .

Good tips, cheers mate. If I end up getting the radiator guard plus the mesh I’ll just orient the mesh to match the guard.

Fitted the Radguard a little while back and bought the mesh but still haven’t got round to making the new covers, haha. I’ll get there eventually.

Meatbix wrote:Good tips, cheers mate. If I end up getting the radiator guard plus the mesh I’ll just orient the mesh to match the guard.

But enough mesh to make both, my home made mesh rad guard is 65,300 km and nearly 10 years old, cost next to bugger all, it's mentioned on a rad guard thread from way back

Chook wrote:

Meatbix wrote:Good tips, cheers mate. If I end up getting the radiator guard plus the mesh I’ll just orient the mesh to match the guard.

But enough mesh to make both, my home made mesh rad guard is 65,300 km and nearly 10 years old, cost next to bugger all, it's mentioned on a rad guard thread from way back

Ah, too late, already bought the guard and extra mesh. It wasn’t too exxy though and it’s a nice bit of kit, fits perfectly. 

Anyone else mounted front indicators to their radiator? I made a couple of little aluminium brackets and riveted them to the stock outer guards next mounted some tiny LED indicators to them, looks nice and clean and is fully ADR compliant.