ST1300-Radiator Protector
- Thread starter HelloEveryone
- Start date
Really nice but, fender extensions can help deflect larger debris like rocks, I agree they’re not foolproof. My bigger concern is the finer contaminants, mud, salted sand, and sticky road residues, that tend to cling to radiator fins and are notoriously difficult to remove. A standard mesh screen wouldn’t offer much protection against those smaller, more stubborn particles, and could even be another layer of obstruction.
Funny story... I had a small wet spot on my rad a few years ago and thought "crap, i have a leak". I removed the rad and pressure tested it and it was fine. I figure the rad got smacked with something like a june bug and by the time I noticed, it had rotted and left a stain that resembled a leak. No big deal, cleaned up the rad, inside and out and threw a coat of shiny black paint on it.
Yes agree have that on the bike.
The ST1300 guys met up last Saturday was also discussing on the front fender extension benefits
Last experience was a small fruit bat got stucked to the radiator protector grill along a highway drive (car). The aftermarket grill protected the radiator from damage and it was found out only later when the car was in the service center the mechs were hunting where the foul smell came from.
The mechs removed it, informed me.
Another incident was also on a highway where a high speed loose rock knacks into the radiator (no aftermarket grill and cause it to slowly leak(car)
After the above 2 incidents, any vehicle I own be in car or bike I reckon better to have radiator grill protectors installed to reduce chances of such occurances.
Yup have this too, keeps the bike cleaner from picking up mud splashes from road too
I have a brand new one. Shortly after getting it and before fitting it, a friend showed me behind his (same) radiator protector. It was crammed full of road muck washed up from riding in the rain. This left very little cooling fins exposed, and the next time I saw him it turned out that the fins that were covered, had been corroding away behind the muck.
So mine is still on the shelf, untouched in its box. (I assume it's still there - I've not seen it for years !)
So mine is still on the shelf, untouched in its box. (I assume it's still there - I've not seen it for years !)
Sounds to me that with or without the guard, neglecting to check your radiator routinely for dirt and your particular brand of road chemicals used to melt snow and ice is the real recipe for problems. That guard is not the problem but it adds one more nook for dirt to collect.
That said, I have never had an aux. guard on any of my car or bike radiators and have never had a problem. I suspect that having the guard and nailing a fruit bat would not have changed the outcome (bad smell). It would mitigate damage from a rock. I did install a fendaextenda (or similar brand) to protect both the radiator and plastic body work. I did think the guards available for my VStrom were expensive for what they were and never bought one.
I think it really depends on the type of roads you ride on most often.
If you’re mainly riding on tar roads, highways, or freeways, a radiator protector can help guard against stones or pebbles being kicked up at high speed.
That said, on the ST1300 the radiator is quite well tucked away—shielded by the front nose and fender, so the chances of a stone actually reaching it are, in my view, quite low.
However, just last month a small stone hit my headlamp protector and caused a crack. So it does make you think if that same stone had made its way to the radiator, the damage could have been worse.
From your friend’s experience, adding front mudguard extension flaps can also help by reducing the amount of mud and debris thrown up toward the radiator.
It’s the speed of travel that usually causes all these especially on freeways and highways
I bought my bike used with one already installed by the PO. I added a fender extender soon after purchase, Never had a problem with the radiator protector in over 200,000 miles. Did have to remove the radiator for cleaning one, but that would have happened even without the protector.