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VSTROM skid plate that won't drag

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c_m_shooter

c_m_shooter

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I have an 09 VSTROM 650 that I bought as a beater bike and didn't plan on putting any money into it. The original owner had installed crash bars, skid plate and highway pegs on it. I imediately removed the highway pegs because of ground clearance. Now I am dragging the skid plate in the corners every day I ride it to work. Is there a plate available that is narrower? It may be a stretch now for a ten year old bike. This thing has less cornering clearance than my Harley.
 
Interesting...does it have lowering links on it? Haven't seen anyone have that problem.
 
Just give it alittle trim
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Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Can you post a picture of the bike showing were it drags?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Later. It is the back edges below the footpegs. It is hitting the skidplate now, but If I keep it up ( or go after it with a grinder) it will get to the mounting bolts.
 
I have an "07 that i think is low but not that low. Take a pic with a tape measure with the bike level or give a measurement. I'll do the same this evening for comparison.
 
Take the skid plate off. Makes for easier oil changes, solves your problem and it isnt needed unless you go off road.
 
I put washer shimm on the back of the plate thinking I had a issue with the exhaust rubbing . Turned out it was my crash bar rattling. I rubbed the skid plate on the asphalt last time on a few spirited corners. Need to remove those washers.

Make sure its tucked up as high as possible
 
StromXTc said:
I put washer shimm on the back of the plate thinking I had a issue with the exhaust rubbing . Turned out it was my crash bar rattling. I rubbed the skid plate on the asphalt last time on a few spirited corners. Need to remove those washers.

Make sure its tucked up as high as possible
Click to expand...
So you guys skid plate touches before the pegs? I know it's lower, but Mine is very centered and tuckedup against the exhaust.
 
I don't have a camera at the moment. I looked at it closer and it is tucked up as high as it will get against the exhaust. I don't have any level ground, but it has about 8 inches of ground clearance. I'm not running without a skid plate, once these tires wear out it is getting knobbies and goin off road.
 
Mine only has 6.5 with the bike straight up. I don’t see how it could drag before the pegs.
 
c_m_shooter said:
I don't have a camera at the moment. I looked at it closer and it is tucked up as high as it will get against the exhaust. I don't have any level ground, but it has about 8 inches of ground clearance. I'm not running without a skid plate, once these tires wear out it is getting knobbies and goin off road.
Click to expand...
Don't know why you're scraping, but I guess You'll get it sorted. What I can say is the knobbies work great. Really transforms the bike.
 
So in the name of science I just went and laid mine down while the wife took pics.
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You can see the peg hits well before my skid plate. My Jesse’s pannier hits right after the peg.
 
I see knobbies! Another "offroady" Strom! We need to all get together and thrash some single track!🤣🤣🤣🤣
 
I don’t know about thrashing any single track, but we could knock out some backroads sometime maybe.
 
My '12 is lowered 3/4 inch. Still, my nerves hit bottom long before the skid plate does. :duck: That's a pretty strange problem.
 
synthlegend said:
So you guys skid plate touches before the pegs? I know it's lower, but Mine is very centered and tuckedup against the exhaust.
Click to expand...

Mine has dragged before on my 2002 Vee and it happened in some switch backs with a little combination of heavy front brake. I was pretty surprised to say the least. I suspect that given the circumstances it is probably an indicator that I need stiffer springs up front. I am a bit of a fat-*** at 255'ish pounds but taking that into account it is very typical that front springs are softer for the US riders, I guess maybe because we are often a little heavier and/or differently built (taller etc etc).

Akk things considered some stiffer springs and fork tuning may be a consideration to help prevent dive while cornering or during hard braking leading up to corners. It'll probably also give you a ton of boosted confidence while normal riding, much less cornering .
 
It is a high mileage bike and the forks move around a lot. I was thinking about ordering a set of springs and rebuilding the sliders. I'm not on the brakes when it scrapes though...WFO....it is pretty gutless.
 
I think when I ground my skid plate I had been on the brakes but wasn't when it happened but it actually happened while I was in the corner but there was some pretty untame asphalt on that corner so I am not sure if it was elevation in the asphalt or the angle of approach...
 
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