Headers and Skid Plate compatibility, issue I have, and who has gotten what to work?

[Tazmool]

Hello Everyone, 

Ok, I've gotten myself into a Problem....
I installed a set of Dominator headers a while back, I like the decat and lighter weight.
However, I'm having a problem finding a good SkidPlate that will actually fit?!?

I have a B&B Off-Road Engineering skid-plate, that does not clear the Dominator header (outside mounted springs do not clear), and so the skid-plate cannot be installed.

I also have a BlackDog Ultimate Skid-plate (that I read had extra room) and its front mounting bracket does not clear the header so the BlackDog skidplate will not install...

So now I have 2 skidplates that cannot be used on the bike
The OEM skid-plate clears just fine, lots of room, but what do I do now? 

What aftermarket headers and skid-plate combos have you guys gotten to work? 
Photos too please if possible?

Any help is appreciated.

 

Tazmool

[Huero]

17 hours ago, Tazmool said:

Hello Everyone, 

Ok, I've gotten myself into a Problem....
I installed a set of Dominator headers a while back, I like the decat and lighter weight.
However, I'm having a problem finding a good SkidPlate that will actually fit?!?

I have a B&B Off-Road Engineering skid-plate, that does not clear the Dominator header (outside mounted springs do not clear), and so the skid-plate cannot be installed.

I also have a BlackDog Ultimate Skid-plate (that I read had extra room) and its front mounting bracket does not clear the header so the BlackDog skidplate will not install...

So now I have 2 skidplates that cannot be used on the bike
The OEM skid-plate clears just fine, lots of room, but what do I do now? 

What aftermarket headers and skid-plate combos have you guys gotten to work? 
Photos too please if possible?

Any help is appreciated.

 

Tazmool

I have a full akra system and and a gpmucci skid plate.  I had to “massage” the very rear of the skid plate, where the header is, to keep it them from touching/rubbing.  I haven’t told gpmucci.  I probably should let them know cause they may be able to account for this in future models.  I should try to take a pic or two to send them. On a related note, their skid plate is super impressive and their customer service is equally impressive. !!

 

I will try to attach the pics here as well. 
 

-huero

Edited February 12, 2021 by Huero

[bmacw]

I have the Leo Vince SS header. Works perfectly with the BlackDog Skid plate. Also have the GIVI crashboard, small mod required but otherwise easy fit.

Edited February 12, 2021 by bmacw

[Rich TT]

I have the heavy duty Yamaha skid plate and the sexy Arrow decat Titanium headers with MTC carbon can. All work fine together with no clearance issues.

 

Cheers

Rich

Edited February 12, 2021 by Rich TT

[Burner]

Hey Tazmool, my Dominator headers just arrived the other day. Already have the Camel Gut Guard  & SW Motech bars. I’ll get around to installing late next week and report back.

* I’ve also got access to welders, plasma cutter and damn near anything I’d need to make this work! 

[Engineer]

Hi Tazmool,

I fitted the Dominator headers with an SW Motech skid plate without any problems, although I did have to modify the crossbar on my Givi crashbars to miss the headers. Just replace the cranked crossbar with a straight piece.

 

Regards

David

 

[Burner]

The Camel Gut Guard will clear the Dominator headers no problem, I test fitted everything tonight.

The SW Motech bars will require some modification though, the cross brace will not fit. Doesn’t look like it will be too difficult to sort out.

[Stevey3737]

I have Full Leo Vince pipes and exhaust can and the OEM aftermarket skid plate and it fits with zero issues, plenty of room

[tenerecanada]

Hey @Tazmool riding season is finally upon us! If you do not find a reasonable solution and are interested in the AXP/Moose Racing HDPE skid plate let me know. I will be riding around and would be happy to come and give you a test fit. This plate is likely the easiest to manipulate and modify.

[ride2little]

I have the fancy, heavy duty  Yamaha plate  and a set of SC Concepts Ti headers.  Everything fits fine here.  Sorry you get to get the guinea pig here.

[Tazmool]

Thank you everyone for the great info!
Really appreciate it!

I decided to go with the Leo Vince SS header and BlackDog skidplate I already had.  
As mentioned by bmacw above, they work together well.  
The ECU came back from 2WDW with their latest flash.

 

Tenerecanada, thank you for the offer, and if you'll be riding around anyways, we should get together for a ride this season!  I'm also thinking about that SMART Adventure training program near Barrie, maybe we should get a few T7s to attend a class together. 

Tazmool 

[projected]

On 3/15/2021 at 12:25 AM, Tazmool said:

Thank you everyone for the great info!
Really appreciate it!

I decided to go with the Leo Vince SS header and BlackDog skidplate I already had.  
As mentioned by bmacw above, they work together well.  
The ECU came back from 2WDW with their latest flash.

 

Tenerecanada, thank you for the offer, and if you'll be riding around anyways, we should get together for a ride this season!  I'm also thinking about that SMART Adventure training program near Barrie, maybe we should get a few T7s to attend a class together. 

Tazmool 

Hello.  I'm curious what made you change your mind regarding the Blackdog skid fitment. Originally you stated it did not fit but now you and bmacw both say it fits just fine with the Leo Vince headers. 

 

My Alt Rider does not fit well even after cutting it up a bit and egging some holes out and utilizing some spacers.  I'm so happy I spent $350 on a skid plate that is basically unusable because Leo Vince couldn't just follow the lines of the OEM headers that already fits all the skid plates and crash bars designed for the T7.  

 

Thanks Leo Vince!

[projected]

On 2/12/2021 at 4:22 AM, bmacw said:

I have the Leo Vince SS header. Works perfectly with the BlackDog Skid plate. Also have the GIVI crashboard, small mod required but otherwise easy fit.

 

 

@bmacw Do you happen to have a pic of this same angle but showing just a few inches lower so that the complete LV header is viewable?  Thank you!

Edited July 17, 2021 by projected
can't spell

[projected]

On 2/19/2021 at 3:39 AM, Burner said:

The Camel Gut Guard will clear the Dominator headers no problem, I test fitted everything tonight.

The SW Motech bars will require some modification though, the cross brace will not fit. Doesn’t look like it will be too difficult to sort out.

 

@Burner With my Altrider skid that I spaced out I have about a 1/4" of clearance when the bike is in the garage at the 90 degree-ish bend where the header goes from vertical to parallel with ground.  After riding I can see where the header is still contacting the skid during the ride.  I wouldn't think the header/skid would have any movement but evidently in motion it does somehow.

 

With the Camel skid how much clearance do you have between the LV header at the lower bend where the pipe turns from vertical to parallel to the ground? I'm also wondering if you have checked to make sure the header is not contacting after  riding?  Thanks for any info!

Edited July 17, 2021 by projected

[Burner]

@projected

Hey I have the Dominator headers not the LV’s so I doubt this will help. 

 

The headers at that bend barely clear one of the nylock nuts that hold the plastic skid plate onto the Gut Guard. I can maybe get a credit card in there. After reading your message I went to check mine, no contact with the pipe, no issues.

If you’re saying that you’ve got a 1/4” gap and somehow your headers are still contacting the skid then something ain’t right! 

[JohnnieBoy]

I must have missed this one, I was looking for header/crash bars compatibility. I posted a seperate thread about Leo Vince headers and the Givi crash bars not being compatible. BTW, yes, as stated, the Camel bash guard works. 

 

My fix for the Givi cross bar issue...

[projected]

16 hours ago, Burner said:

@projected

Hey I have the Dominator headers not the LV’s so I doubt this will help. 

 

The headers at that bend barely clear one of the nylock nuts that hold the plastic skid plate onto the Gut Guard. I can maybe get a credit card in there. After reading your message I went to check mine, no contact with the pipe, no issues.

If you’re saying that you’ve got a 1/4” gap and somehow your headers are still contacting the skid then something ain’t right! 

 

I replied to your comment last night but it's gone....

 

Anyway I said something like this: 

 

Oops, I was thinking that my headers were called Leo Vince Dominator headers, I realize now they're just Leo Vince Headers LOL

 

Everything on the exhaust system is tight so I have no idea what is moving while riding to allow contact to occur.  I'm going to sell the Alt Rider skid really cheap and purchase a Black Dog or Camel ADV since the both appear to fit with the LV headers.  I have a Black dog skid on my 990 adv and the fit, quality, and durability are top notch.  Everything I have purchased from Camel has been great as well, so I'm sure either will be a great option for my T7.

Edited July 18, 2021 by projected

[projected]

15 hours ago, JohnnieBoy said:

I must have missed this one, I was looking for header/crash bars compatibility. I posted a seperate thread about Leo Vince headers and the Givi crash bars not being compatible. BTW, yes, as stated, the Camel bash guard works. 

 

My fix for the Givi cross bar issue...

 

 

Thanks for confirming @JohnnieBoy !  It has not been confirmed in this thread that the Camel skid works with LV headers.  Burner does not have LV headers, he has Dominator headers which do fit with the Camel skid.

 

Good info on the Givi crash bars too!

Edited July 18, 2021 by projected

[projected]

@JohnnieBoy How much clearance do you have between the LV header bend that goes from vertical to parallel to the ground and your Camel skid plate?

 

Same question for the nylock nuts that fasten the plastic slider?  It seems like some of the nuts could be close to the header.

 

I'm asking so many questions because I already invested $300+ in a skid plate that doesn't work, I really don't want to purchase another that isn't ideal

 

Thanks again.

[pgeldz]

On 2/11/2021 at 10:48 PM, Rich TT said:

I have the heavy duty Yamaha skid plate and the sexy Arrow decat Titanium headers with MTC carbon can. All work fine together with no clearance issues.

 

Cheers

Rich

Rich,

Do you have a picture of this?  How much clearance is there with this combo?

[Rich TT]

5 hours ago, pgeldz said:

Rich,

Do you have a picture of this?  How much clearance is there with this combo?

I do and attached but not the best and a bit muddy as I'd been off road. There is clearance and it's never touched but it's not a lot, but perfectly fine.

 

Cheers

Rich

[pgeldz]

2 hours ago, Rich TT said:

I do and attached but not the best and a bit muddy as I'd been off road. There is clearance and it's never touched but it's not a lot, but perfectly fine.

 

Cheers

Rich

Awesome, thanks!  Only thing left for me to sort out is if the Outback Motortek crash bars will fit with this set up.  They say they won't fit with the aftermarket Yamaha skid plate, but I can notch it to make clearance for that. I'm more concerned with the crossbar under the radiator if it'll contact the headers or not.  Can you take a picture please of the front of your bike showing the bottom of the radiator?  I want to see how much clearance there is there. It's possible I could just make a new crossbar, but if it pursues too much the front wheel might contact it when the suspension is loaded. Thoughts?

[Rich TT]

4 hours ago, pgeldz said:

Awesome, thanks!  Only thing left for me to sort out is if the Outback Motortek crash bars will fit with this set up.  They say they won't fit with the aftermarket Yamaha skid plate, but I can notch it to make clearance for that. I'm more concerned with the crossbar under the radiator if it'll contact the headers or not.  Can you take a picture please of the front of your bike showing the bottom of the radiator?  I want to see how much clearance there is there. It's possible I could just make a new crossbar, but if it pursues too much the front wheel might contact it when the suspension is loaded. Thoughts?

I've got the Yamaha crash bars for information. Hope these pics answer your questions.

 

Cheers

Rich

[pgeldz]

1 minute ago, Rich TT said:

I've got the Yamaha crash bars for information. Hope these pics answer your questions.

 

Cheers

Rich

 

Thanks!  I think I can make it work.  I have the Givi crash bars, but I'm starting to like the look of the Outback Motortek crash bars.  Originally I wasn't too keen on the mounting points (which is why I went for the Givi), but I think I understand how they distributed the load on the Outback Motortek and feel more comfortable with it now.  Thank you so much!

[Rich TT]

3 minutes ago, pgeldz said:

 

Thanks!  I think I can make it work.  I have the Givi crash bars, but I'm starting to like the look of the Outback Motortek crash bars.  Originally I wasn't too keen on the mounting points (which is why I went for the Givi), but I think I understand how they distributed the load on the Outback Motortek and feel more comfortable with it now.  Thank you so much!

Sure, no worries and good luck. If you buy those headers, you'll be impressed with the quality and specifically the weight...or rather lack of

[pgeldz]

47 minutes ago, Rich TT said:

Sure, no worries and good luck. If you buy those headers, you'll be impressed with the quality and specifically the weight...or rather lack of

I've had them the day there were released, haha - but I was in the middle of recovering from a double cervical spinal fusion in my neck.  During recovery training, I decided to keep training and did a 70.3 IRONMAN in Hawaii, and then did all the track riding I could to get ready for my first Pro road race with MotoAmerica, which happened last month at Laguna Seca

 

Now that all of it is over, I'm finally starting to get into my Tenere build.  Bike is a year old and I only have like 288 miles on it!  I'm a total noob at off road, so I'd like to build it so it's really off road capable (although its rider isn't, haha).  My buddy suggested we do the Mint 400 next year on it, so I'm building it to be a proper bike for that and look like my team bike in MotoAmerica...

Edited August 31, 2021 by pgeldz