Author Topic: Homemade Radiator Guard (Read 12691 times)

zevk · « **on:** January 05, 2013, 05:03:19 PM »

Hope all are well and have not melted away from the extreme heatwave!

Just wanted to share a homemade farkel.

While inspecting the fins of the radiator, I noted quite a few stone injuries due to its position (low and central) as well as the front fender being quite short in the rear section....

I started searching for radiator guards and they are available starting at $140 and upwards which I feel is ridikawaka for what it is....

So in the great spirit of tight-ass-ness,

just wanted to share with you a new farkel I just completed today for my bike.

I purchased the flat aluminum at Bunning's for $5.00, the universal radiator mesh was $12.00 at Repco and the rest was a bit of time and fun.

see pix attached, it actually looks better in the flesh than in the photos, and considering the price, not bad at all!

measurements are O.D. 390 mm x 225 mm, clear silcone RTV and 5mm rivets used.

cheers

Turtle · « **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2013, 06:02:03 PM »

Great work looks the goods

PaulH · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2013, 06:07:20 PM »

Mate, never mind 'in the flesh', it looks pretty good in the photos!!

Nice job, well done!.

zevk · « **Reply #3 on:** January 05, 2013, 08:32:44 PM »

thanks turtle n whizz, glad u liked it!

Brock · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2013, 09:14:00 PM »

Looks Good, and has given me an idea for another project, where I can practice ally welding maybe.

tj189 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2013, 10:09:05 PM »

Great job there, welll done

Sabie · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2013, 10:32:51 PM »

Looks Great, when are you taking orders? and can I have mine in Black please?

zevk · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2013, 10:43:29 PM »

haha Sabie,

The old saying...

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime!

(unless you dont like fish, then yer stuffed...)

Sabie · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2013, 10:46:16 PM »

Whats this talk of fish???

You could have a little money earner here!!!

zevk · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2013, 10:51:10 PM »

hmm you may be right...

Sabie · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2013, 10:53:55 PM »

You could call it the "Zev Screen"

saaz · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2013, 08:10:41 AM »

Well done. On the ST11 I put the mesh behind the plastic protector that is already there.

Abe · « **Reply #12 on:** January 06, 2013, 10:12:12 AM »

Very nice, looks professionally made.

Cheers
Dave

Diesel · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2013, 02:19:42 PM »

LEGEND!!

Cheers, Diesel

rjstorrie · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2013, 08:45:32 PM »

That looks absolutely awesome and I sooooo need one. I was pulling bits off my ST today and cleaning and saw the radiator has a LOT of flattened blades which might require replacing :(.

May have a crack at making one anyway, paint it black for a more suttle look.

zevk · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2013, 09:06:37 PM »

glad u liked it robjob and all who responded!

make sure you use high temp silicone rtv not the usual silictat, the one i used is rated to 240 c.

The mesh is available in other colors besides the chrome, I saw it in red, blue and black so you dont have to paint it at all!

If you want to paint the aluminum frame, you will probably need hi-temp primer coat for good adhesion as well as simmilar top coat which wouldbe more expensive than the hardware.... I'm sure it will look great whatever you decide.

I also have ordered a fenda-extenda to keep the grime away from the block and potentialy the radiator, its only $35.00 on flea-bay uk

Shiney · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2013, 08:31:35 AM »

Awesome work Zev

it looks amazing

Thanks for sharing

sac468 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2013, 09:27:10 AM »

If you decide to make and sell them, put me down for one.

gaz · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2013, 03:37:07 PM »

Quote from: Sabie on January 05, 2013, 10:32:51 PM

Looks Great, when are you taking orders? and can I have mine in Black please?

Red is Best?

rjstorrie · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2013, 08:40:43 AM »

OMG Zevk, check this site out, I think you hit a WINNER with the costing to make one. I found it while looking for a source for a new radiator.

http://www.radguard.com.au/honda-st1300-abs-2002-2011-radiator-guard/

zevk · « **Reply #20 on:** January 09, 2013, 07:14:34 PM »

thanks RobJob. for what it is, I think the homemade one is just great!

Sabie · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2013, 10:56:06 PM »

I think it looks better Zev.....

zevk · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2013, 06:58:29 AM »

Thanks!

rjstorrie · « **Reply #23 on:** January 27, 2013, 11:55:19 PM »

well Zevk gave me the inspiration to make the radiator guard, well it's "a work in progress" atm... but here's the photo's.

The parts:

The painting:

The cutting and bending:

The mess and glued product is currently not photographed but it's happily drying until tomorrow where I'll drill and pop rivet the bracket on and the frames together to secure it all a bit tighter.

Rob.

zevk · « **Reply #24 on:** January 28, 2013, 06:35:00 AM »

Hi Rob!

Glad I could provide the inspiration...

Just a constructive (intended pun) comment...you may find, that the black spray paint, will not adhere to the aluminium strips and mesh without a primer coat firstly...so try it on a scrap bit before you apply to the finnished product. Also did you know the mesh is available in black, blue, red and green?

looks great so far!

good luck

News:

Author Topic: Homemade Radiator Guard (Read 12691 times)

zevk

Turtle

PaulH

zevk

Sabie

zevk

Sabie

zevk

Sabie

saaz

rjstorrie

zevk

sac468

gaz

rjstorrie

zevk

Sabie

zevk

rjstorrie

zevk